Looking for new Stratocaster bridge pickups with more bite

[Jupiter Tarts]

I've got a G&L Legacy tribute and I really like it in the neck position. However, it's never been my go to guitar for the sole reason that it has an atrocious bridge pickup. In positions 4 and 5, there is a noticeable volume drop and no matter how I adjust the pickup height, it's always shrill sounding. I've been really wanting to replace it.

Now, my go to guitar has been my Fralin pickup Mexican Telecaster and what I love most about it is its bridge pickup. It doesn't "honk" like the G&L's pickup does but it "bites" with a hard attack. I'd love to get Fralins again but I'm a tiny bit more budget conscious this time and I'm unsure if I can even get a strat bridge to sound like a tele bridge. In any case, my biggest priority is something hotter to balance out the volume jump between the weak bridge and the hot neck pickups and even if it doesn't sound like the teles I'll take it if it still sounds nice and articulate. Anyone have a recommendations?

 

[Spooky Action]

Seymour Duncan Twangbanger. Not 100% like a tele, but a great beefy strat bridge. More bite than a duncan custom staggered or flat which is also a great strat bridge pickup.

 

[meowmers]

That's unfortunate to hear that it can't be fixed with pickup height tweaks. Perhaps the bridge pickup isn't well designed.

I think you should go for another Fralin despite the budget issues since I'm sure they won't disappoint

 

[Blues Lyne]

Yep, nothing like a Tele bridge pickup to make your Strat's bridge sound bad! After getting my Danocaster, I went with a Vintage Vibe SP90 (P90 in strat size package) in the bridge of my strat style guitar. It's definitely beefy, but not very strat or tele like. It has a bit rawer tone with clean sounds, but sounds great with dirt. http://www.vintagevibeguitars.com/windows/sc_90Win.html

I haven't tried the three below, but they may keep you more in Fender territory. While I doubt they will make your G&L will sound like a Tele, they may get you close enough.

Seymour Duncan makes the Twang Banger It seems to be well liked and may get you where you want to be. I'd have given it a shot if I'd come across it when I was looking. http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/twang_banger_ap/ Pretty reasonably priced ($68) and I think SD has a return policy if you don't like it.

There is also the Rio Grande Stelly https://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/ProductPage.asp?ImageLink=MGYB&ProductName=For+Strats Their website says $98, but they can be found for around $78 if you look.

Finally, Dimarzio Red Velvet is the cheapest of the bunch at $55 http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/strat/standard-strat/red-velvet

I think I remember reading some comparisons where they thought the Stelly sounded more like a Tele and the Twang Banger sounded more like a great Strat bridge that was hotter and fatter. I think another said the Stelly had more of the twang of a Tele bridge and the Twang Banger had more of the fatness of a Tele bridge.

 

[H. Mac]

The Fender 57/62 Strat pickup is the best I've heard. Not Custom Shop, not pricy, and they're better than the many hand wound boutique pus and Fender Custom shop pus I've tried. About $50.

 

[hvactech]

It may basterdize your guitar, but I had a seymour duncan cool rail in the Bridge of my old strat with the original fender pickups in the middle and neck and I loved the combo. I had the same problem as you, volume drop and shrill. It won't sound like a tele but I liked it for the smooth top end and bite it had in the Bridge spot.

Good luck

 

[goodhonk]

di marzio dp 414 virtual vintage

 

[Jupiter Tarts]

Thanks everyone! I'm seeing a lot of love for the twang banger and liking the sound clips. May give that a shot.

Listening to my guitar again, I feel like the middle pickup might want a pickup swap too. Might even just suck it up and save up for a whole fralin set. It wouldn't hurt to sell a pedal or two for new pickups.

 

[Progbusters]

i like my Dimarzio Injector. Itsa single coil sounding humbucker in a single coil shape. It has that gyek gyek gyek bite that Gilbert says in his videos. hehe

 

[R.C.Moran]

I'll second the injectors, I recently replaced my Legacy's pickups with the injector set, and I absolutely love it. The extra push and fatness from the bridge was much needed, and now it screams pretty good. Just like in that video, roll back the tone a little bit, and you get a very pleasing tone, but it still has the single coil clarity. The neck I'm finding I really don't need to roll back any top end on in most cases to keep the chime, and I'm also digging the area pickup in the center position, as I can still get vintage sounds. No hum is also a big bonus. All in all it's my go to now, sort of a best of all worlds.