Recommend pick-ups please for Strat

[teetopkram]

Greetings to all:

I currently have a 2004 US Strat with stock pick-ups. I really like that traditional strat sound, particularly the infamous quack I get. However, with the amp I just purchased, I'd finding the pick-ups, particularly the bridge pick-up, don't mate well. The amp is on the bright side, making the pick-ups sound thin and trebly. When I put my EQ in the EFX loop and crank up the mids, everything fills in nicely.

Therefore, I am considering replacing my pick-ups with some that will be a bit mid-range focused, yet still retain Strat-like characteristics. I don't care if they are stacked HBers (noise cancelling) or single coil, just as long as they sound like a Strat with more mid focus.

Any recs? Preferably non-boutique (e.g, kinman, lollars) as I just don't play well enough nor have the $$ for them!

Would also be open to other suggestions as well (e.g., rewiring current pickups, adding mid-boost toggle, lowering pick-ups)...

THANKS

Mark

 

[mgarrison99]

I'm a mid-priced guy as well. I've heard Fralins are awesome. However, I installed some Van Zandts in my 50's Reissue Strat and I love them. I put their vintage plus in the neck and middle, and their rock version in the bridge. It sounds very cool. You might also try to check out the Rio Grande pickups manufactured in Houston by the Rockin Robin guys. They are supposedly a little hotter. Good luck.

 

[Richard Guy]

Fender Vintage Noiseless

- or -

EJ Strat Pickups

 

[Montez]

http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Keystone_Singles.htm

The Bill Lawrence Keystones are amazing! Best tone for the buck!

*** I have NO business affiliation with Bill Lawrence...I just really love the pickups**

 

[alivegy]

Fralin Blues Specials are great. They're a very balanced pickup that just sounds like a good hot vintage wound pickup. If you think the bridge is too twangy, throw one of his steel poled pickup in there, they're a great match for the blues specials. If you're afraid of treble you can ask for an overwind as well. Typically the hotter a pickup is the less trebly it will be.

 

[blood5150]

i have dimarzio area 58's in the neck and middle and a SD Lil Screamin Demon in the bridge..... sounds good to me..

 

[fuzz+strat]

The Fender '69s are the Strat sound to me. I'd stay away from the Fender Noiseless...they seem to lack something, IMO.

 

[clamdip7714]

Fralin Vintage Hots if you want good old fashioned pups. kinman pickups if you want nice noiseless.

 

[oxtone]

Check out www.vintagevibeguitars.com. Pete Biltoft's SP-90's are the best Strat pickups I've ever used in over 37 years of playing Strats.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]These pickups are hand made in the USA and deliver as much P-90 tone that can fit in a strat size pickup cover![/FONT]​

• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Adjustable height nickel plated pole pieces [/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Calibrated strength twin bar magnets [/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]43 gauge magnet wire; 10,000 turns on the bridge pickup, 8,500 on the neck and middle. [/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]DC resistance: Bridge ~ 10.3 k-ohm, neck and middle ~ 8.4 k-ohm [/FONT]

Pete's Customer Service is legendary - give him a call! 541-436-2836
vintagevibeguitars@gorge.net

 

[jezzzz2003]

Here we go, lets hear about every pickup known to mankind again, this is how they always end...


What kind of amp are you using?

 

[big mike]

For overly bright rigs, i like the Fender Fat 50's and the Duncan Alnico2 pro set. Neither are too pricey, and are a good value.

 

[Rocked Star]

THE BEST hands down IMO www.curtisnovak.com

 

[fendergeek]

For overly bright rigs, i like the Fender Fat 50's and the Duncan Alnico2 pro set. Neither are too pricey, and are a good value.

+1 on both!

 

[waggclan]

If higher output is what you want...

#1) WCR SR set

#2) Van Zandt Rock set

I have these PU's installed in each of my two strats and they both sound great. However, the WCR's are The Set to buy... IMO...

 

[Scott Auld]

Any recs? Preferably non-boutique (e.g, kinman, lollars) as I just don't play well enough nor have the $$ for them!

Try these?

http://store.guitarfetish.com/wipi.html

 

[daddyo]

Seymour Duncan SSL 1. You can find these for under $60 each.

 

[Blues Jr]

I like these pickups. Hand wound, about $100 for a set. I have a set of the '59's, and they sound really nice.
There are clips on the site to compare with Fender 57/62's.
www.copperheadpickups.com

 

[KCWM]

i was going to suggest the GFS pickups as well. I've not personally used them, but I post on a couple other boards where the guys love em. Plus, they are relatively cheap, so you aren't breaking the bank. I plan to get a set soon and try it out in my strat.

The bad thing about changing pickups to match the amp is that you might spend $200 to get pickups and have them installed (if you can't do it yourself) only to find out that it didn't fix the issue.

 

[Greenbacker]

Fat 50's! I've got them in my 80's Japan Strat. They are a dream!

 

[theidiit]

I like these pickups. Hand wound, about $100 for a set. I have a set of the '59's, and they sound really nice.
There are clips on the site to compare with Fender 57/62's.
www.copperheadpickups.com

Wow I listened to those and they sound great... I'll have to keep these guys in mind for when I'm ready to change pickups!