Hottest Strat pickups that retain the Strat character?

[mscmkr]

Hi guys
I know that I may be asking too much, but I am looking for opinions on the hottest Strat pickups which will still sound like Strat pickups... I don't have any ethical issues  with hum cancelling as long as it does not interfere with the Strat sound...
So?

 

[jimh]

Just out of interest........
If you want them to still sound like a strat, why do they specifically have to be hot?

In my experience, the hotter you go, the more change to the tone you get, ie, more pronounced mids, bit more bass, perhaps a little less high end.  Also it would vary massively depending on what body and neck you are using.

For the record, I have some Kinman Woodstock Plus Pups in my strat, and they are pretty hot (and noise canceling).  Gives me the big fat Hendrixy type sound I was going for.

I suspect if you want pure power, but clarity of tone you may need an active set.  Something like the EMG's David Gilmour of Pink Floyd uses?  Others may have a better idea of what you are after, and more experience with different pup configs.

I have a feeling this may be a tough one to answer.

 

[jackthehack]

Fender Custom Shop SRV Specials set is not the "hottest" set in terms of output, but will get you to that tone.

I'm completely sold on Rio Grande pickups now, but haven't done a Strat SC build in a while but have an RG Dual Calibrated set on order to check out in my testbed Strat; perhaps another board member that has already used one of the RG sets can comment?

 

[mscmkr]

@jimh
I dont know if I will be able to explain it, but I want to be able to drive amps and still have that underlying Strat sound quality... I know I am not very clear but this is the best I can do.

Thanks both for the recommendations

 

[jimh]

You might be better off getting a set ot Stratty sound ing pups, and then sticking a boost pedal (not a o'drive or dist pedal) in the way.  That way you'll be abel to push the front end of the amp a little harder, and still retain the inherent tone of the guitar.......

Just a thought.

 

[DocNrock]

I'm in the process of building one with the Rio Grande single coils, but I'm still waiting on the body.  :sad1:

 

[m4rk0]

How about the Yngwie Pickups...
at least they look like single coils, and (to me) they sound like really hot Strat pickups..

 

[GoDrex]

I just got a set of Fender Hot Noiseless and they sound very strat-like to me. But I don't have much strat experience, so don't take my word for it.

 

[Shmoopie]

http://www.prosoundcommunications.com/english/

someone suggested these pedals, can't remember who, i want to say toys, but I don't remember.
anyway, I got my eyes on a bb, id suggest an ac or bb for your situation.
the site has plenty of vids/reviews.

 

[llama]

I have one of the 1989 US "export only" strats (I'm in the UK) and the pickups were rather weedy. I replaced them with a set of Fender Custom Shop Hot 50's & it was like having a new guitar. I can recommend these.

 

[stubhead]

8k max or you'll lose the "woody".... I concur with the boost pedal idea. As pickups push out more power the tone of the body becomes proportionately less important. Though, I'm never sure if the "characteristic" Strat tone is "Purple Haze", "Sultans of Swing", "That'll Be the Day", "Cliffs of Dover", "Layla" or "Texas Flood"...  :toothy12: A single coil neck pickup with a floating whammy is one thing, Andy Timmon's Ibanez has a great Strat tone. "Quack" is something else entirely, having to do with a balance of output between two single coils, either bridge-middle or middle-neck. That's the reason Strat pickups are sold in sets and people take such care to balance the heights, when you change out one pickup for added juice you often lose the quack.
Aaah... all those 50's and 60's Strats improved with a Floyd Rose whammy and a honkin' DiMarzio Super Distortion humbucker .... :hello2:

 

[jimh]

http://www.prosoundcommunications.com/english/

someone suggested these pedals, can't remember who, i want to say toys, but I don't remember.
anyway, I got my eyes on a bb, id suggest an ac or bb for your situation.
the site has plenty of vids/reviews.

Hey Schmoopy.

Thos Xotic pedals are great.  Never played with one myself, but they are gettign some real good reviews.

 

[jackthehack]

I have an Xotic BB, great pedal - they have some decent vids/clips on the website: http://www.prosoundcommunications.com/english/xotic/effects/tremTrio/

I don't use mine much anymore since I went to lower powered tube amps (Blackheart Little Giant 5watter/GT Substi-tubes EL84 set in the Blues Deluxe taking it down to about 12-15 watts).

 

[Shmoopie]

how about a donation jack, i plan on using one in conjunction with a little giant or handsome devil.

 

[jackthehack]

how about a donation jack, i plan on using one in conjunction with a little giant or handsome devil.

Don't really need it for those, dime the amp and control the bite/punch/crunch from the guitar's volume control, that's the whole point. Thought you were a bass player?

 

[Shmoopie]

no and yes, played the little giant in the store, loud as hell, but i couldn't get it to distort with out being told to turn it down, so i want something in front of it to push it over the top without someone calling the cops, I do have neighbors.
and i am a bass player, but I can put on the ego, and act like I'm better than everyone else on stage if the situation calls for it.  :icon_tongue:

now i specifically asked for a bowl of brown m&ms, a bottle of wild turkey and a pallet of coke to be waiting for me in the dressing room, you guys are the worst roadies ever, and I'm not going on stage unless my outrageous demands are met.

now you could counter with something along the lines of "good, maybe we'll be good for once without you stinking up the stage", but I'm taking the fun out of it in advance.

 

[jackthehack]

You back sniffing the airplane glue or off your meds? All of the above?

 

[Shmoopie]

maybe, don't tell on me.  :redflag:

 

[koshersteel]

I'd recommend a set of Lindy Fralin Pickups custom overwound and then adding an onboard preamp like a CB-2 by CAE. The advantage of this setup is you get the great sound of passive pickups with the added strength of the preamp to drive the amp. If you go this route you don't have to include a specific battery compartment in the body but it helps.

http://www.caesound.com/cae_prod_new.html

 

[Denis119]

I have Texas Specials, Vintage Noiseless, and Rio Grande's and they all have the Fender character but different tones. It really is a matter of taste. The Vintage noiseless are probably the closest too a standard Fender sound. The Rio Grande's are my favorite. (Muy Grande HSS)

So much of the sound is dependant on the quality of the body and neck. With a high quality body and neck like a W, any of the high end pickups sound great. Check the sound samples at each manufacturers site.