I have a Strat style guitar kit that i built years ago with an SSH configuration that i want to update to get more of a real classic Strat tone out of. Personally, one of my favorite tones of all time is the intro/outro tone of Pearl Jam's (Mike McCready) Yellow Ledbetter. I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death but i'm wondering which pick-up's would get me close to that tone. I'm torn between the '57/62's (which i'm leaning towards), the Texas Specials, and the Fat 50's. All sound really good from demo video's, i really can't tell much of a difference in all 3 of them. I know i'm not gonna get that tone perfectly with out using whatever Fender amp McCready used to record Yellow Lebetter, but i think my Blue's Jr. can get pretty close. Looking for some kind of in depth views on those 3 pick up set's, which would be the best choice for a McCready/Hendrix-y type tone! Thanks!

The Texas Specials divide opinions. Some like them, some don't. IMHO, they're too much in-your-face. But my preferences lay on vintage style, even weakish pickups, and YMMV.

Of the other two, either one is a nice set. If you want to stir things up even more, there's the CS69 set...

But one thing: if we believe the web info (and why wouldn't we…), Mike McC's Strat has the original '59 pickups. Likewise with SRV's main axe; no hot pickups there, either - even though the Signature model comes with Texas Specials.
So, just a reminder that a rough sound doesn't need rough pickups.

Indeed.
SRV believed his pickups in #1 were "overwound", so when the TS were designed, they were wound hot.
After he passed away, analysis of #1 revealed that they were actually slightly underwound, but by this time, the TS had already been in full production for some time.

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-- Rich

Thanks, that's pretty much the info i was looking for!! Some sound clips the TS's sound great, others the sound not so much. Like i said, the 57/62's are what i'm leaning towards, all the demo's i've heard they just sound so warm and sweet with the jangle i'm looking for!

Yep 57/62s will give you that nice quack in position 2 and 4.

If you have a tinny-sounding amp you may find the Fat 50's more to your liking.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY