Best Strat p'ups

[KSDS]

I scored a pretty new American Standard Strat, (rosewood neck), but don't really care for the stock p'ups. Any recommendations? .....

[terrapin]

OH MY GOODNESS!!! You have opened a BIG can here!!! You are going to get ALOT of advice here, but you should edit your thread as to how and what you play, what you play through and who you guitar heros are. That will help you get advice you can use. Otherwise this thread could go to multiple pages.

Your options are basically limitless at this point....................But, I do agree that stock Am. Standard pickups are pretty generic.

[GarMan]

Suhr Pickups. F/L Standards are awesome.

[doublecut]

No such thing as best... There are sooo many great ones.

Personal fan of Lollar and Sheptones. But I would buy any manufacturer if I thought it would help the guitar sound it's best. Also, wood choices matter a lot. Style of play.

I generally start with what sound I'm looking for in a particular guitar based on the body wood (typically ash or alder), whether semi hollow or solid, the fretboard (whether maple or rosewood), the string gauge I like, and the set up. If I want to warm up a bright guitar or sharpen up a warmer guitar, or whether I want a shredding high octane sound or a woody, piano tone. Do I care about hum cancelling, or not. It goes on and on and on. But once I narrow that down, I start looking and listening for different pups and use TGP and other references.

[terrapin]

Suhr Pickups. F/L Standards are awesome.

See what I told you...........advice from good meaning folks who know nothing about what you are looking for???

[pbradt]

I scored a pretty new American Standard Strat, (rosewood neck), but don't really care for the stock p'ups. Any recommendations? .....
Ron Ellis 50/60s. Expensive but I believe they're worth it.

If you can't afford those, Van Zandt True Vintage are good. CS 50s are good, too. My Hamels were good but I sold them.

[dazco]

Van zandts since i dunno....maybe 1995 or there abouts. Every time i see the next greatest vintage style SC here i'd be tempted and several times did try them with all the excited talk. the last being a mare. But i just keep going back to the VZ's. They simply sound great and have no bad side effects. they just plain work. And they're pretty cheap. If you aren't anal about it, these will be more than enough to keep you happy. pretty much no one dislikes them, some just keep looking till they find thier own preference even tho it may be totally subjective and very subtle.

[GuitarBrent]

Suhr V60LPs with the SSC system for this guy. Oh and my other Suhr has Suhr V54s. I've yet to send that one in for the SSC retrofit, but give me time. I can't go back after I play the one with the SSC built in. UNREAL!

[wizard333]

Dimarzio Area series. Best tone, 0 noise. Hands down the best strat pickups available right now.

[Lespaulsignature 74]

Suhr, Fralin, Lollar, VanZant, Don Mare, Kinman, Barden, Lawrence, ....etc.

[poipounder57]

Suhr, Fralin, Don Mare etc. all great pup's. One set may sound killer in one strat and in another just like sh*t. The only way to find the right one is to try them all;-) I look for deals in the Music Gear Parts and Accessories Emporium. That way I don't burn a to big hole in my wallet.

[smilefan]

I found my thrill with Lollar's Dirty Blonde set. That middle PU in the set has to be the most perfect Strat position 3 PU I've ever heard.
The Special bridge has just enough punch to sound hot without getting
compressed out of Strat territory.

[nieveulv]

Bareknuckles irish tour by a wide margin.

[K-Line]

Lollar, Klein...They are the best! Everyone else on this thread do not know what the best is....be careful what you ask for. You will get these comments and surely a pissing match will result from two or three saying what they play is the best. There are so many great winders out there so you really cannot go wrong with what you decide on. Being more specific like saying you like a rounder, more scooped tone, or a full response pickup to get real big and articulate. These descriptors help narrow your choices and help the peanut gallery to be more specific with their advice.

[Kmaz]

Fender Custom Shop 54's are a really nice Strat set.

[KSDS]

OH MY GOODNESS!!! You have opened a BIG can here!!! You are going to get ALOT of advice here, but you should edit your thread as to how and what you play, what you play through and who you guitar heros are. That will help you get advice you can use. Otherwise this thread could go to multiple pages.

Your options are basically limitless at this point....................But, I do agree that stock Am. Standard pickups are pretty generic.

Good Point Terrapin... I'm looking for a classic rock style. I play in a Contemporary Christian band and play all styles from clean to dirt. My primary axe is a LP of course... but a strat can fill in the gaps. Oh, and I prefer to use 9's on it.....

[GarMan]

See what I told you...........advice from good meaning folks who know nothing about what you are looking for???

Hey. He asked...:cool:

[mmcquain]

I like my SCN pups (they come on the American Deluxe Strats) in my "parts-castor". They can do the Strat "quack" and are very quiet.

Here's a sound clip of them in pos 4. Sorry for the poor recording ... recorded with a Zoom H2 sitting in front of my amp during my recent gig playing the Wizard of Oz show. You get some of the band but the vocals are way in the distance.

Anyway, this is what the SCN pups sound like clean, which I prefer for Strat sounds (think Knopfler, SRV). For the rest of my tones I'm a Les Paul type guy.

http://www.mcquain.com/LesPaul/Plays/SomewhereOverTheRainbow.mp3

[GarMan]

Good Point Terrapin... I'm looking for a classic rock style. I play in a Contemporary Christian band and play all styles from clean to dirt. My primary axe is a LP of course... but a strat can fill in the gaps. Oh, and I prefer to use 9's on it.....

I will stick to my recommendation! HAHA!! Suhr F/L Standards.

They have the right amount of sting to them without being overbearing. I really hate over wound over-the-top single coils. The F/Ls are what I describe as spicy?! They are nice and complex too. Check them out, I don't think they are too expensive either.

However, are there some strat players that you really dig? That get us to figure out what you are looking for...maybe? Jimi, Trower, Blackmore, Clapton, Vaughn...???

[clothwiring]

If you're gigging and have issues with noise in some places I suggest the Dimarzio Area pups. Great sounding pickups without the noise. Plus the price isn't that bad.

I go with what works for me. I like noiseless pickups. I have them in my main 3 guitars. Strat - Areas, one of my teles - Areas, other tele - Kinman Avn60s.

[rummy]

Fralin Vintage Hot for the 50s Strat sound, and the Blues Special for slightly overwound sound. I have the Blues Special set in 2 of my Strats. To me, they're the best.

[KSDS]

However, are there some strat players that you really dig? That get us to figure out what you are looking for...maybe? Jimi, Trower, Blackmore, Clapton, Vaughn...???

clapton, stevie and of course.....jimi come to mind when I think strat...

[pbradt]

clapton, stevie and of course.....jimi come to mind when I think strat...
Then you want weak pickups. I reiterate my recommendation of the Ellis 50/60 pickups. Great pickups. Spendy but worth it.

[leofenderbender]

Another vote for Suhr V60LPs

[Automatic L.]

I personally like the Suhr FL set, as well as TA's VA7R.

[GarMan]

Then you want weak pickups.

:agree

I haven't tried the Ellis pickups. I am sure they kick all sorts of a$$. The Fender CS '69s are pretty cool for Hendrix. In addition, the Suhr V60LPs are awesome as well. The FL Standards are just a little hot, but, like I said, not overbearing. Good luck! A ton of awesome SC makers out there! Lollar, Suhr, etc...

[pbradt]

:agree

I haven't tried the Ellis pickups. I am sure they kick all sorts of a$$. The Fender CS '69s are pretty cool for Hendrix. In addition, the Suhr V60LPs are awesome as well. The FL Standards are just a little hot, but, like I said, not overbearing. Good luck! A ton of awesome SC makers out there! Lollar, Suhr, etc...
After I put them in, I quit looking for pickups. I have them in all my Fenders now, I'm out of that line of looking, too.

[cugel]

make sure the guitar aint a dud before dropping coin on booteek pups. my am std was a big turd and nothing would help it. it starts with the wood.

that said i run lollar blondes in a usacg parts build. never played a more resonant guitar. the body is reeally alive.

[VaughnC]

make sure the guitar aint a dud before dropping coin on booteek pups. my am std was a big turd and nothing would help it. it starts with the wood.

that said i run lollar blondes in a usacg parts build. never played a more resonant guitar. the body is reeally alive.
:agreeyou can't polish a turd ;). Without tonefull wood (especially in the neck), pickups won't matter...garbage in=garbage out ;).

"Best" is subjective. Many TGP "best's" I've tried turned out to be turds to me...and vice versa. Such is life.

Bottom line...when it comes to tone, only you have your ears...so, IMO, you'll have to keep kicking tires until tone finds you.

Having said that...my best Strat pickups ended up being Don Mare's...no right or wrong when it comes to tone, but you may love or hate them ;).

Good luck!

[thesjkexperienc]

Just like above, but I prefer the 50's Formvar Don Mare's.

[rburkard]

Suhr has most likely some of the best sounding right now. I have a set of new FL Standards for sale for only $150 incl. shipping as long as you are in CONUS.
Rene

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Love my Van Zandts!

[Tubebender]

CS69s are pretty nice for all around....

[litespeed]

Rocketfire Total 60's.......Love these pickups

[poipounder57]

I'm waiting on a set of Don Mare's Super Sports:banana

[Kitarist]

Yea i'm also looking for something new in my Tokai ST 80. I do have botique pups in it that were made in Germany (Amber Pickups: Vintage Plus Set) but i think they dont have so much of a 3d sound as other botique pups like Fralins Or Lollars or its just me :D :D

[blusman]

Lollar Dirty Blondes do it for me!!!

[Jatmosphere]

Lollar Dirty Blondes do it for me!!!

+1 on the Dirty Blondes. Really amazing pups. Also have a old set of Voodoo ST60's in another Strat that sound fabulous. Too many great choices these dayz?! :eek:

[theoneafter909]

"Fender Custom Shop 54's are a really nice Strat set."

+1... Replaced the Texas Specials in my Knopfler signiture Strat with Custom Shop 54's and to my ear they sound so much better.

[madmark]

Don Mare Super Sports #1 in my Book or anything Don Mare...

[treedroppings]

my voodoo 57 paf
who cares if its a bucker?
it works nice on my lite ash strat for metal :mob

[D.Cooper]

CS69s are pretty nice for all around....

+1. Very low-output but give the best cleans I've ever heard.

[Mayo5]

Sliders.... The NOS wire pickups are jaw dropping. But they are pricey. He is an amazing builder, I got a set of his custom 57's( The cleanest of cleans and bell tones) with NOS wire from the 50's, and aged covers. He was very fast to reply and very helpful, and I got them in under 14 days. It was insane. I'm used to waiting months and months for pickups. Usually is around 3 months, but has been up to 9 months for a certain maker.

[Agramal]

Bareknuckles irish tour by a wide margin.

Are those hum-canceling?