Any love for Lace pups?

[bluesdoc]

I've got a partscaster in which I have a couple of Bill Lawrence strat pups in the neck and m positions and they're just not doing it for me (I also have gone through a number of different humbuckers in the bridge and haven't found the 'one' yet, including a DiMarzio Air, Lollar Imperial, Anderson H2) - too damn many choices. I'd like noiseless, or mostly so, with a bit more oomph than classic strat pups, and the Lace technology is intriguing. Lots of styles and strengths to choose from there, which would be a challenge, but I thought I'd see if anyone has any strong feelings about these pickups?

I play everything from clean jazz standards to classic rock. No metal.

Thanks in advance.

jon

[Hardtail63]

From your description of what you play, IMO Lace Sensors in blue or silver or gold would be a marriage made in heaven with your Strat. Huge Lace fan here.

[seltaeb]

I just removed a set of gold Lace Sensors from my Stratocaster. I had them, as well as the Clapton midboost and TBX installed in my Strat back in January 2008. After nearly 4 years of using that sound, I decided to swap them out for Fender 57/62 pickups. I did like the Lace sound for certain tones, but I don't have any other Fenders, so I was lacking the true Fender sound... That's the main reason I switched.

I do think the Lace pickups are a great setup for slide.

[Average Joe]

A set of LS Silver would probably get you what you're after. Perhaps a Blue or Red in the bridge. I like the silver a good deal more than the golds, but I've never tried the Hot Golds that many think highly of. The thing ablut Lace Sensors is that they sound very very good but not exactly like trad singlecoils. They have a certain evenness to the frequencies.

I like a red in the bridge with a tone control hooked up to it. It's a brash and not very pretty sounding pickup but it cuts brilliantly in a band setting

[johnfv]

I really like the Golds but not so much the others; I prefer something hotter in the bridge but they are great for middle/neck. The DiMarzio "Area" series are excellent noiseless Strat pickups.

[monwobobbo]

big fan here. i have a blue in the bridge and silvers in the neck and middle. this set up will definitely get you what you want. not exactly the "classic" strat sound but does retain enough of that to let folks know it's a strat but gives you more options to flesh out the sound.

[harpinon]

I put Lace Hot Golds in my strat. Overall, it sounds way better than the Mexi stocks.
Bridge. More overall tonal balance. A bit thicker.
Middle: Best sounding middle I ever heard. A perfect blend of Bridge/neck sound.
Neck: Lotsa low end. Lotsa high end. Decent low-mids, almost no high mids.

It takes a bit more gain on the amp to grit these up. If you like rich cleans, these are fabulous. If you do gritty blues, the neck pup may not work for you. With the lack of high mids, it feels like something is missing.

Any ideas on what to switch to?

[adaytonguitarist]

I have had them in several strats i've owned and never really cared for 'em. Just always seemed to lack any kind of serious bite, had golds, red/blue/gold and some others. A nice smooth tone just not gritty enough for me, and dont even get me started about TBX :( just my humble opinion.

[Onioner]

I've got alumitones in a lp, and i've played a strat with sensors. Love what I hear. The clarity and frequency response is unmatched. Not for everyone (as they don't have much grit) but for the right application they're about as good as it gets.

These alumitones are also tbe quietest damn pickups i've ever heard.

[moosewayne]

Heck yeah!
I have a set of Holy Grails in a MIJ 50's hardtail black Strat.
Love 'em!

[Caribou]

I've got Hot Golds in a strat and like them a lot-- had them for years. They do the od/distortion thing well and are a very solid choice in my book.

[Miles]

I LOVE lace sensors. My tele has a blue in the neck and a dually red in the bridge - SUPER clear and hot. Best guitar tone I have.

[Flyin' Brian]

Jon check out some post Lowell Little Feat. Fred Tackett has used Laces in his Strats forever.

[BrentB6]

Nothing but mad love for Lace. Especially the Golds and Hot Golds.

[karma1]

Another Lace fan here. In my Strat I have: silver/neck, gold/middle, blue/bridge. I had a red in the bridge for a while but it was too harsh and edgy for my taste. The blue is smoother and warmer with a little less output.

[rongtr]

I'm a lace fan as well- golds in my EC strat for almost 20 years!