Seymour Duncan SSL-2 RW/RP Vintage Flat

[Perceived output level] Same as a stock Strat pickup: fairly low. [Tone] Well-rounded classic Strat sound. Not distinctively bluesy, brittle, dark, or anything, really. Just a decent Strat sound. [Sonic evaluation] The sound isn't as top-heavy as my CBS Strat pickups. However, for the middle position (only), I found that I like that chime better than the slightly more midrangey sound of the SSL-2. The combination positions (2 and 4) didn't have as much quack and character as I wanted. Apparently, just like you lose some of the highs when making a humbucker, you lose some of them when using a normal and a RW/RP (reverse wound, reverse polarity) single coil in combination to cancel hum. [For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable] Not good for metal. Fine for most other applications, I suppose.

[Comments]

I decided that the stock pickup was what I wanted after all,

and put it back in.

6. The non-RW/RP model, which I haven't tried, would probably

get around an 8, as I suspect the combination positions would

sound better.