Members Electric Monk Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 I have enough money for one pickup to replace, and one pickup only. And a pickguard, but that's unrelated. They're going into a 2008 American Standard with a maple neck. There's the reasons I can see for each... Neck: Because strat neck pickups are bomb diggity. The current one is awesome, but I'm sure it could be better. Fender can't make Fralin/Lollar/BG quality pickups on a factory scale, and I'm sure it'll be improved. It's just a question of going low-output, like BG pups' vintage 60 or a Fender CS '54, or high-output, a la a Texas Special. Middle:To add character to positions 2 and 4. And maybe I'll use position 3 every once in a while! The best reason I can see is to affect more settings on the pickup switch. Although they're the ones I use least often, save the neck and middle, which I use frequently. Bridge: Would probably be a Seymour Duncan SSL-5 or something Gilmourey and would also result in a black pickguard. But I'm hardly sure about it, I don't particularly hate the bridge as it is now. Again, I just know it can be better, but I'm not sure where to go from here.I also considered a strat-sized P90 from BG pups, or any P90 in particular and getting a P90-S-S pickguard from warmouth. Has this been done, would it not fit the routing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mr benn Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 bridge absolutely the bridge,but more importantly for me it's gotta be adding a tone control to the bridge pup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Monk Posted January 27, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Mine already had one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Depends on the guitar, really. I use the neck pickup the most, so it has to sound great, but if it already sounds pretty nice, I'd replace the bridge pickup with either a lower output HB or something that is still a single coil, but would fatten up the tone there... BG Phatty or one of his SC-sized P90s. I haven't spent a lot of time with recent MIA Fender Strats, but I usually can get along with their neck pickup pretty well so I think if that were my only strat, I'd lean towards doing the bridge first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catsandstrats Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Why bother. Why not just get an amp with a tone you like. Well I guess it would be this one SD Surf Custom bridge. http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/antiquity/stratocaster/1102409_08_10_a/You could save a little more and get a set of Lace Hot Gold though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 bridge bridge bridge bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Johnny Z Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Well, I kind of like the sound of the stock pups Fender uses and as matter of fact I like the cheap-O Mexican pups better in the neck, they are a tad warmer sounding. The middle pup I like a stock 57/62 reverse polarity of the other two pups, great in the #2 and #4 spots for that twang kind of sound. And if I were going for hot Lead I like a few different pups, my favorite has always been a fullsize humbucker something like a super distortion or if you want a single coil size pup a P-90 type is a real good choice or a rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuck1016 Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 I've never liked the bridge pickup on any strat I've played. I watch clips of the greats playing their strats in the bridge position and I just boggle over what I can do to get that sound. An S-sized P90 would be fantastic! I had a GFS Dream 90 in my strat for a while (I'll probably put it back in the next time I change strings) and it was exactly what that guitar needed. Sounds amazing. My only objection was that I didn't like the way it looked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 My advice is probably not what you want to hear, but if you only have enough extra cash for one pickup then don't spend it on gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoredGuitarist7 Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Middlee. It has part in 3 of the 5 way switches... the others only have two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NotDead Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Middle. and put a sustainer in. There's some {censored}ing character! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benricci Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 It sounds like you don't really know why you want/need to upgrade. Nor does it sound like you are even that unhappy with your current pickups. Are you simply considering the upgrade because you feel some sort of obligation to do so? Because, from reading your post, this doesn't seem necessary for you in the slightest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dewysoss Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Bridge. On all the strats I've played, the neck and middle already sound great, but the bridge is always too thin and ice picky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Bridge. On all the strats I've played, the neck and middle already sound great, but the bridge is always too thin and ice picky. Adding the bridge to the middle's tone circuit will help with the icepicky thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Lou-Dog Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Don't ruin the aesthetic with a bridge size P-90, just get a Fralin SP-43 and be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 I would wait until you can order a set, especially if you're even thinking about something like BG pickups. He can't match your set if you order it in bits. Plus, it's really fun to give your axe a big, all-at-once sound transformation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Musicscotty Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 I wouldn't change anything until you're quite certain in your own mind what you want from your Strat. It does sound as if you're favouring a switch of the bridge pickup but before you do that, try and experiment with different amp settings first to see if you can dial in a setting on the bridge pickup that you like. If you can do this and still retain a neck pickup tone that you like then all is good. If you can't, then it's a bridge pickup change for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Monk Posted January 27, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 Nah, I think you guys are right who said I shouldn't change it if I'm not sure. I kinda feel obligated to, especially the bridge, because I know there's SOME WAY to make it sound better, but I think I was just kinda doing it for the hell of it when I don't have money to throw around. wise folks around here, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smorgdonkey Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 I think that there is no reason whatsoever to swap out a pickup in that strat. If you had two strats with the same pickups...well, then maybe but with one? No reason to swap. Those pickups are excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 The first pup on any guitar I swap is the one I don't like.. Since you don't seem to have that problem, I'd leave it the {censored} alone.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ProGuitarShop Posted January 27, 2009 Members Share Posted January 27, 2009 I'd have to agree on the bridge swap out. My thinking on strat bridge pups is that when you switch to that pickup for a solo (which a lot of players do), you want something that really screams without the trebly icepick. Also, the neck pup can be used real well for some rock rhythm (I'm thinking Joe Perry or Brad Whitford from Aerosmith for an example off the top of my head). Getting a hotter pickup for the bridge can add a lot of character to a strat. The SSL-5 is a good choice. My friend has one in his Highway 1 strat with SSL-1's in neck and mid, and this hotter SSL-5 pup in the bridge really compliments the more vintage sounding pups. As for the icepick trebly tone of the strat, you HAVE to do the mod where the mid tone control is also for the bridge. Just my opinion, but then you can really work the bridge tones for your strat. You can dig into the dirty rock rhythms with the higher output bridge, and then roll up the highs for a screaming solo. And for the other posters who suggested don't change anything....well, yeah, don't just switch things around cause you "feel" you have to. If you start on that slippery slope, then you'll end up like me! Always searching for that TONE!! (but a rewarding search, nonetheless!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Monk Posted January 28, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 28, 2009 How long has the bridge tone control been standard? I was kinda surprised it was on mine, yet it seems like a no-brainer, why would anyone constantly think they need to roll off the treble on the middle pickup? anyway, you folks are right. once I have money to throw away I'll throw it away, and I have a really great guitar that doesn't have anything wrong with it. only thing to choose now is a new pickguard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted January 28, 2009 Members Share Posted January 28, 2009 Bridge. I reckon it's obvious on all the stock strats I've played. I have a 2008 strat and find the middle and neck pickups quite good. Position 4 is my favourite. billy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JC777 Posted January 28, 2009 Members Share Posted January 28, 2009 Bridge normally. Of course you can bump it up closer to the strings to help drive it, if that's what you're looking for.YMMV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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