Your Favorite Strat Pick-Ups

[trailer]

I have acquired a 50's reissue strat built in '82 that has been through the ringer. Before I got my hands on the guitar it set in the case in storage for years. When I got it I opened it up and sure enough everything needed replacement but I left the original pick ups despite all the corrosion and rust everywhere. After putting new pots, toggle switch, cap, jack and new wiring in the guitar still breaks up and is much more distorted than when I was in my teens (I grew up playing this guitar and then it went away for a while). Since the only thing that hasn't been replaced are the pick ups so I want to give it another face lift.

I would like to make this guitar my dedicated clean/twinkly machine but wouldn't mind it having some bite when needed. What would you all suggest sticking in this thing? Hopefully something that doesn't break the bank!

[culturejam]

I'm the least vintage mojo guy there is (probably). I really like the Dimarzio Area pickups. To me, they sound like typical single coils and can do that great position 2 and 4 sound, but they are totally hum-free. And a lot cheaper than whatever whiz-bag winder is the new hot stuff.

[jimilee]

I like the Texas specials. They sound close to original with a little bit of a bite also. Timbo winds pickups to order also, you may talk to him.


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[trailer]

I like the Texas specials. They sound close to original with a little bit of a bite also. Timbo winds pickups to order also, you may talk to him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm fairly new here and do not know this Timbo. Hey Timbo, I need some assistance!

[madbean]

I've got two Strats, one with Fralin Vintage Hot and the other with Lace Sensor B/S/R. Like you'd expect, the Fralin's are pretty vintage sounding. The Lace are all around great, not too vintage sounding, but well balanced for lots of styles of music. If I only could have one I'd actually go with the Lace Sensor...but that's also because I've been playing that set for a couple of decades and I am really used to the sound. I'd like to try the Texas Specials someday, too.

Whatever the case, I put in a toggle switch on all my Strats to put the neck and bridge in parallel for psuedo-Tele sounds. Can't live without it.

[fair.child]

I like the way my strat sounded with Dimarzio Fast Track (Neck) and Tone Zone(Mid) with Treble Bleed Mod. I can get the bass/treble from fast track for neck position and twangy between half-neck position.

[blearyeyes]

TBX Tone control in my 1976 Japanese Contemporary (which has a Shaller split HB bridge pup) makes for great twinkiness. 
If you can do the TBX.

[jkokura]

I'm the least vintage mojo guy there is (probably). I really like the Dimarzio Area pickups. To me, they sound like typical single coils and can do that great position 2 and 4 sound, but they are totally hum-free. And a lot cheaper than whatever whiz-bag winder is the new hot stuff.

I'm in the same boat as CJ. I do like a vintage vibe, but the output can be anemic compared to modern standards of play. The Dimarzio Area pickups are amazing to me. They have the sound, but the output is better, and best of all to me, they are hum canceling. I hate 60 cycle, and I've tried as many of the hum canceling options I can. These are the best available that've tried of 6 different sets.

Jacob

[Willybomb]

I'm the wrong person to ask.  I have a Duncan SSL-5 in the neck and a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge...

[midwayfair]

A set wound by a Guy in New York named John Benson won the spot in my "strat." I tried seven sets in it, including some expensive and budget sets. They're alnico III, modern stagger. They're fairly aggressive sounding, a bit higher output than the pickups in my tele (broadcasters), and they stand out in a band like champs. It's my favorite guitar live but second to my tele for recording.

Or get Timbo to wind you something; I'm pretty sure he'd do you right.

[culturejam]

The Dimarzio Area pickups are amazing to me. They have the sound, but the output is better, and best of all to me, they are hum canceling.

And I believe they are wired so that you can actually cut out the dummy coil and just have the top coil on. You know, if you have been missing the hum. 

[ahiddentableau]

So funny.  I own exactly the same pickups as the bean: Fralin vintage hots and blue/silver/red Lace sensors.  Right now I'm using the Fralins.  The Fralins sound vintage-y.  I love them in neck and middle.  Bridge...not so much.  But you can't have it all, now can you?

I like the Lace sensors a lot, except for the blue, which IMO sounds muddy.  I hated it from the start, and the bad feelings never really went away.  It doesn't do the sweet neck p/u strat sound like the Fralin.  It does warm and gooey.  But warm and gooey is not an approved Strat tone!  Such are my feelings.  But I love the silver and the red.  The red with the TBX was an especially great setup if you want to get distortion out of a strat, and the silver has a nice clarity to it that I loved.  They also seem to play really well with pedals, probably because of the higher output.

Good luck with your investigation!

[madbean]

Just to add a bit: the second position on the Lace (bridge and middle) are freaking magic in my guitar. I originally had the gold Lace and it doesn't even compare.

Anyway, I don't want to advocate too much for the Lace because they are an acquired taste. There are so many options out there for traditional pickups it's mind boggling.

[pickdropper]

I'm going to be the lame person that says it sort of depends on your preferences and the particular guitar and the amp(s) you're going to use.  I have Fralins, Van Zandts, Fender Custom Shop, G&L, EMGs, Duncans, etc.  I like them all in the right application, but I have tried the same pickups in different guitars and liked them in one and not quite as much in another.  While they weren't totally different sounding, there were differences. 

If you want a dedicated twinkly machine, I'd probably look at something more vintage.  Beyond that, do you want something lower output or something higher output that's going to push the front of your amp?  I find I prefer different style pickups into a vintage Marshall JMP 50 than I do into a Mesa Tremoverb or MkV.

[Mich P]

KINMAN Woodstock plus based on the 1969's and silent.
Mich P.