What pickups do you like on your strat?

[whiteop]

got some Dimarzio 58's on the neck and middle pickups and a '61 on the bridge. Get a lot of great tones out of that combo plus a few professionals use the same pickup combos

[JPF]

EMG SAs - the DG20 rig is just plain fantastic.

[buddyboy]

What sort of Strat tone are you looking for, 50's, 60's, 70's. Do you like Richard Thompson's tone, SRV's, Hendrix's, Blackmore? It really depends.

I love a 50's Strat tone. Thompson, Clapton's first solo record, Jimmie Vaughan, etc.
Here's a good example by Tony Joe White. Spanky and bright as opposed to the big and bold SRV thing:



I've been through the following pickup makers:

Fender
Van Zandt
Fralin
Copperhead
Duncans (all of them it seems)
Voodoo
JM Rolph

I settled on a set wound by Curtis Novak. He was the only one I found that nailed that clear, woody tone without the treble taking your head off. Prior to them I would rave about Van Zandts, but the Novaks actually sound more authentic to me.

[mannish]

I dunno. I really like the CS 69s on the classic player , one strat has Rio Grande 1/2 breeds in neck/middle with a Muy Grande in the bridge. I really like that also. I have some Fralin Blues pus sitting around and will use them some day. I installed them on a guitar that I never played, removed them and sold the guitar

[mbargav]

I have CS 69s on my Strat right now, but they're just not the right PUP for me. I have a set of Fralin Split-blades (vintage output) on the way that I'm pretty jazzed about.

[1973Marshall]

So many good sets out there.

I have found the Seymour Duncan SSL1/SSL1/SSL5 is unreal
as if the Dimarzio Area 58/58/61

I have heard and tried many nice ones, but in other people's guitars. I don't wanna swap all day, but I know there are tones of choices. But bang for the buck along with bonehead "works like a charm every time" vibe - those 2 sets rock!

[uOpt]

The original Seymour Duncan Antiquities.

[FFTT]

My friend and neighbor has owned more than 30 Strats in his lifetime,
so I value his opinion when he tells me my '93 Strat Plus with all gold Lace Sensors
is one of the best sounding Strats he's ever heard.

I've heard the same from several other trusted ears as well with considerable
exposure and professional backgrounds.

[Ros]

Wow, this is a tough one for me to answer since it would almost be like judging the Miss America pageant... I'd do horrible there too!

I have in my strats :

- Lace Hot Golds
- Bill and Becky Noise Free pickups
- Bill and Becky Keystones
- Seymour Duncan SSL1's
- Original Squier Pro Tone pickups

The glassiest are the Squier ones - they quack the most. The Noise Free ones are quiet and sound great with just the right amount of mid punch to handle almost everything I play. The Keystones are so bright and clear I was shocked. The hot golds are tonally even but don't have as much quack. In my setup the neck pickup just "thunks" nicely, real tight. The Duncans respond clearly and respond very nicely to the volume knob.

Picking between them would be like picking which of your children you liked best!

-R.

[jbear]

Originally Posted by whiteop

got some Dimarzio 58's on the neck and middle pickups and a '61 on the bridge. Get a lot of great tones out of that combo plus a few professionals use the same pickup combos

That's the combo I use in the AmStd. I use a pair of double-screw Duncan 59's in a USA Double Fat.