In search of the best alnico II single coil pickups

[adamj]

Hey guys

I'm planning on installing a set of single coil alnico II pickups in my new project. I'm just wondering if right off the bat anyone here knows of an excellent choice/maker to begin with? I know of the big companies that offer them (Seymour D, GFS, etc.) but I also know there are probably custom pickup makers that I probably don't know about.

Thanks

Right know I'm sorta leaning towards the GFS. Heard/read good things about them so far.

 

[GoDrex]

For alnico 2 type I'd look into Lollar pickups:

the Blonde and Tweed

http://www.lollarguitars.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=strat-pickups

 

[disaster]

I'm told that the joe Bardens, the Callahams ("Custom" Lindy Fralins), & Shur are exceptional.  You might also want to look at the Kinmans.  Haven't tried any of them yet & I'm not sure what's Alnico IIs, IIIs, Vs etc.  I'm researching these for my Strat.  The trick is to figure out how to try as many as possible before committing.

Any recommendations for "test driving" real pickups in my own guitar or a reasonable facsimile welcome. :guitaristgif:

 

[tfarny]

I would look at Lollar's stuff. Fralin makes an A3 pickup too (Real 54).
However I also got some great sounds with the A2 set from GFS and they were cheap. I definitely preferred them over the SD A5 set I'm using right now.

 

[Rouse]

definitely go with lollar blondes, they are low output so you get all that yummy strat goodness at its finest. Thats what I'm going to be putting in my strat in the next couple of months.

 

[T.L.]

The Dimarzio "Area '67s" are AlNiCo II.  They are a hum-cancelling "stack", but they have true single-coil tone...