Single Coil Pickup Advice

  • My Strat is pimped with humcancling Dimarzio SCs. I wanted to have Eric Johnson like tone on the neck and VH at the bridge. I chose Dimarzio HS2 (neck) and Tonezone SC for that. Dimarzio then recommended the Area 61 for the middle. This should be my all purpose Strat. While it works great, I feel I sacrifice a bit too much on both sides, SC and HB. So I bought Tonerider true SC for the Strat and a Rocksong PU set for my Ibanez. Since I only own 2 electrics... they now feed different purposes. But what I can say: That Area range from Dimarzio is great. Btw, as I write this I remeber the pus are lying around. So, if someone is interested, let me know.


    Greetings

    Gear: Strats & KPA. Plug Ins: Cubase, NI, iZotope, Slate, XLN, Spectrasonics.
    Music: Song from my former band: vimeo.com/10419626[/media][/media][/media] Something new on the way...

  • I really like the DiMarzio Virtual Solo for fat-but-Stratty-if-you-want-it bridge tone. A very versatile PU:


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    I also like the Area 67 for glassy Strat tone and the Area 61 for woody Strat tone.

  • Premier Guitar has a brand new traditional strat pickup shoot out, complete with sound clips. (They had a previous one, with other common brands)


    For gigs, I like Lace Senors (purists don't like them, but Beck, Clapton, etc. Sounded just fine with them). I've tried EMGs, but they sounded sterile to me (but Gilmour sounds fine with them)


    Lace Sensors are rubbish .... Beck and Clapton don't really use those ... Beck actually has custom Suhr pickups in his Fender Strats ... ask his guitar tech.


    In regards to EMGs if you get the common SA's they will sound bland on their own because they are basically flat frequency response but a good alternative is the S model ceramic which has an upper mid presence peak that makes them interesting. DG also makes heavy use of an SPC fat control and Expander which flavours them up a lot. I like this setup ... super quiet, super sensitive and great sound IF your guitar sounds good acoustically . If it sounds crap to start with EMGs will accentuate this ... you get more guitar sound with them.


    There is now a system to make original single coils virtually silent whilst retaining their tone. Suhr use it in their guitars and used to sell the kit but now the original designer sells it direct for less .... I'll edit later with the details.


    I have owned and gigged with an original vintage 63 & 62 Strat and you really can't beat the bell like clarity and character of those pickups. If you can find someone like Slider who can make ones that sound similar that's arguably the best Strat tone ever. None of the noiseless pickups sound close. So with the noiseless system attached to classic 59-63 Strat single coils in the middle and neck position would be the go and I am heading back in that direction.

  • @lef38, how do you even purchase those pickups? I couldn't find anywhere to purchase.


    I appreciate all the feedback on this topic! I think right now, the best option for my budget is to go with the Fender Texas Specials - hopefully find a great deal on eBay. Then if I feel I need to swap the bridge pickup out or want to try noiseless, I'll do that later.

  • I love Mojo pickups strat ones and especially their Gold Foils ...they made me a gold foil for n a trisonic case ....it's the nicest front pickup sound I've had ....http://youtu.be/ItsBXNubEo0

  • http://www.leosounds.de/EN/strat_redhouse_en.html is what I put in my strat #2, a swamp ash body + maple fretboard Deluxe Strat.
    They are really shining in it. The page says "Greetings from SRV and Jimi." so...And they're not really expensive for boutique pickups.


    Absolutely recommended. I have one Strat fully equipped with a Redhouse Set.

  • There are so many choices out there. My current favorites are Lindy Fralin and Lollar single coils. Though if you must have noiseless I would give Kinman a serious look. I had his Woodstock set and they were stellar.


    I heard good things about Kinmans. I'm thinking about, too. Do you have experiences of Woodstock and Impersonator 54? Can you describe the differences?
    I'm looking for a sparkling and bell-sound with high attack. Hope you understand my idea. ^^

  • I think the 40 dollars was for the shipping only , No?


    I love strats and single coil tones, I have a few strats with true single coils but.... from my experience Kinman by far makes the best sounding noiseless strats, I have a woodstock Plus set that I paid about $260 for all three and they compete and sound better than many true single coils .


    In the noiseless department Dimarzio Area single coils come close at significantly less money (150 for a set)
    finally, I just want to clarify that I'm not a gear snob and I have some guitars that sound beautiful with very budget minded pickups. For noiseless strats I bought these from ebay
    For about 69 dollars for a set and their very musical and responsive and I wouldn't hesitate to use them anywhere. http://www.ebay.com/itm/CALIG-…t%3D4%26sd%3D111309740687


    The same seller also has true single coil sets for under 60 dollars.


    Based on your interest, I would say get relatively higher output pickups for less ice pick sound and more warm and bluesy tone (SRV etc) and make sure the magnets are alnico 5 or alnico 2 (alnico 2 is warmer but alnico 5 is almost the standard for rock and blues even with humbuckers so you can't go wrong.



    One last note, if you go with any noiseless pickups, make sure they will fit and you won't have to do any drilling to accommodate the larger size pickups. Most if not all noiseless single coils are made up of two coils and on some of the budget ones , like the ones I linked to on ebay, the second coil makes the whole pickup larger requiring deeper space.

    Edited once, last by Dean_R ().


  • I heard good things about Kinmans. I'm thinking about, too. Do you have experiences of Woodstock and Impersonator 54? Can you describe the differences?
    I'm looking for a sparkling and bell-sound with high attack. Hope you understand my idea. ^^


    I still have the wood stock plus (the only difference is a hotter bridge -almost as hot as a P90). The best way to describe them is that they are very responsive to your fingers. Compared with other even true single coils , other pickups seem static and not as responsive to attack. I't almost like the difference between solid state and tube amps.


    Big and fat yet clear as bells. The slightest string height adjustments change the tone dramatically much more than your average pickups. Whenever you change strings, the clarity improves much more dramatically, than guitars that don't have kinmans. Some time when I have time to kill and money to spare, I would like to try all of the Kinmans Variations, but for Rock, even metal (woodstock plus) and blues, Woodstock will work. They are simply my favorite strat pickups including true single coils.

  • Quote

    ='AlienSexGod','http://www.kemper-amps.com/forum/index.php/Thread/25042-Single-Coil-Pickup-Advice/?postID=258713#post258713']The single coil hum elimination system used by Suhr and Lindy Fralin is invented by the below guys and may be purchased directly from them:


    http://www.ilitchelectronics.com/


    Yes this is the best solution for single coils, stacks and noiseless do not sound the same ! I use single coils of my choice and add my "Hum Killer" to it.. I have Fralins, "65 strat pickups" old strat pickups, texas specials ect


    I learnt the system and build my own as I have 6 Strats , it would of been too expensive to buy the system 6X . It doesn't eliminate hum totally at high gain, but it has less Hum than any of my Humbuckers in my Les Pauls and I retain my strat pickup sound !

    Edited 4 times, last by kriswylde ().


  • I still have the wood stock plus (the only difference is a hotter bridge -almost as hot as a P90). The best way to describe them is that they are very responsive to your fingers. Compared with other even true single coils , other pickups seem static and not as responsive to attack. I't almost like the difference between solid state and tube amps.


    Big and fat yet clear as bells. The slightest string height adjustments change the tone dramatically much more than your average pickups. Whenever you change strings, the clarity improves much more dramatically, than guitars that don't have kinmans. Some time when I have time to kill and money to spare, I would like to try all of the Kinmans Variations, but for Rock, even metal (woodstock plus) and blues, Woodstock will work. They are simply my favorite strat pickups including true single coils.


    Thanks for your detailed description! Now I can better imagine the sound under the Woodstock variant. The name Woodstock has a logic in this case. ^^
    Exactly these more mellow, rather warm P90 characteristics in comparison with singlecoil I won't have at the bridge. Should be more a cool and steely characteristic. Maybe my choise of the Impersonator 54 is the better solution, as well. Your statement was a big assistance in my decision. Saves a lot of money. :D