Lace Sensor fans and electronics-savy people, I need some input on what Sensor colors to pick.

[Waraxe]

My first experience withvlace sensors was in the late 90s in my strat plus deluxe.
I liked the red for gain. It was like a super clear po0/bucker sound, but much lower in volume.
The blue was cool. I didnt like the silver, probably because it was in the middle position, which I despise.

After that, my w strat got an HSH hemibucker/hot gold setup.
I had the hemis switchable to the outer coils and a bridge on switch. I couldn't get a good sound, though I believe this was traced to the amps I was using.

I pulled all that for an SSS set of holy grails and a Clapton circuit.

While I like the grails ok, I think I want to go back to a red/something/something set.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

So I’m basically between the Blue/Gold Dually and the Emerald/Purple dually for the neck pickup. It’s a coin flip, I’m 50/50 on which one I go for. Silver middle and Red/Blue Dually bridge are basically locked in.

I still really want to do a Dinkycaster build at some point, but I’ve started to have other plans for that. For this I’m probably just gonna do a normal Strat body with a swimming pool rout and the Delonge mod on the Pickguard for the volume knob. Might just wait for a good screaming deal on a Strat body. My concerns now are mainly aesthetic ones, like…

What finish and pickguard color do I want? Is the angled Bridge Humbucker necessary? What about knobs? Do I want top hats or something non-stratty? Do I want the Fender trem or a Gotoh 510? Etc..

@Waraxe Those Holy Grail pickups are probably the most expensive (new regular production) pickups I’ve seen, about $150 more than the Fishman Gristle Tone Tele set. They better be amazing.

 

[Waraxe]

So I’m basically between the Blue/Gold Dually and the Emerald/Purple dually for the neck pickup. It’s a coin flip, I’m 50/50 on which one I go for. Silver middle and Red/Blue Dually bridge are basically locked in.

I still really want to do a Dinkycaster build at some point, but I’ve started to have other plans for that. For this I’m probably just gonna do a normal Strat body with a swimming pool rout and the Delonge mod on the Pickguard for the volume knob. Might just wait for a good screaming deal on a Strat body. My concerns now are mainly aesthetic ones, like…

What finish and pickguard color do I want? Is the angled Bridge Humbucker necessary? What about knobs? Do I want top hats or something non-stratty? Do I want the Fender trem or a Gotoh 510? Etc..

@Waraxe Those Holy Grail pickups are probably the most expensive (new regular production) pickups I’ve seen, about $150 more than the Fishman Gristle Tone Tele set. They better be amazing.

I got mine with no box, brand new in '18 for 170 bucks.

Couldn't go wrong at that price.

400 bucks plus? Ill pass.

The bridge pickup is really cool. There were actually 2 versions of these floating around. The early ones were a bit hotter, but there were production issues or something, and they unbound them a bit.
The old fender forum had a lot of great lace info.

 

[ThisIsHuhWow404]

Remember how in the first post of this thread I talked about reading Lace’s website, and how they "describe the pickup’s sound while avoiding saying what it actually is to avoid trademark infringement?"

Well, I’ve been reading up on the Fishman Fluence website, and Greg Koch’s signature Stratocaster set is described in a way that suggests "These are supposed to be like Lace Sensors but we can’t say that because of trademark reasons."

It’s a whole double dose of trademark infringement avoidance.

I hope the rabbit hole goes deeper and some other brand makes a Strat set, and the website says "These pickups are for you if you’re chasing that 'Wisconsin Man high tech circuit board active pickups' tone!"

 

[PFDarkside]

Remember how in the first post of this thread I talked about reading Lace’s website, and how they "describe the pickup’s sound while avoiding saying what it actually is to avoid trademark infringement?"

Well, I’ve been reading up on the Fishman Fluence website, and Greg Koch’s signature Stratocaster set is described in a way that suggests "These are supposed to be like Lace Sensors but we can’t say that because of trademark reasons."

It’s a whole double dose of trademark infringement avoidance.

I hope the rabbit hole goes deeper and some other brand makes a Strat set, and the website says "These pickups are for you if you’re chasing that 'Wisconsin Man high tech circuit board active pickups' tone!"

I thought they are like the EMG SAs with the mid boost option replacing the SPC.

 

[Toy Sun]

I've got blue/silver/red in my Warmoth Strat (roasted maple neck) with the 10 position freeway switch and OMG, so many cool sounds available. I'm kind of a "deal with it/all guitars have some good sounds" kind of guy, but I have to say statements like this, earlier in the thread, just amaze me:

The blue was cool. I didnt like the silver, probably because it was in the middle position, which I despise.

How can you know if what you didn't like about the silver was because it was in the middle position? Wonder what the blue in the middle and silver in front might have sounded like? I could go on and on. So.... many.... variables......
Talking about an artist's sound - we are hearing their entire chain, amps, speakers, and then recording - mics, pre, the combination of players, mix, and then your own playback system.

Of course that's all known and discussed, but when I just contemplate switching the positions of my existing blue/silver/red, by the time unstrung, removed pickguard, desoldered, swapped, and then put it all back together, would I even remember subtleties of tone?

Power to y'all, but I find it all very intimidating.