Noiseless Strat Pickups

[Hodgo]

We are all a bunch of blind men feeling different parts of the elephant

“I think I’m holding the trunk!”
“…Then what the heck am I touching??”

 

[PFDarkside]

Here, here! Intelligent people can disagree and still be friends.

Of the noiseless Strat pickups I have tried, the Wilde L290/L280 set I tried in the video @Spud posted is my favorite. I've tried lots of others, including some DiMarzios way, way back in the day. I think they were just called Virtual Vintage back then, and I absolutely hated them. I would really like to try the modern Areas, but haven't had the chance yet.

When it comes to pickups (and lots of other things) it shouldn't be about being right or wrong. We are all a bunch of blind men feeling different parts of the elephant, with much to teach and learn from one another.

Very true!

I had Lace Sensors years ago and hated them. To me they sounded like all the pejorative terms used for EMGs. I went to Dimarzio VV which were better, but when I finally ended up at Duncan SSL-1/5 I was much happier. The Areas are much improved over the VV, but nothing compares to a real single. Of course at this point I’m more interested in the best sounding noiseless rather than the best sounding period.

There are so many options available now and I agree we can only talk about the experiences we have, and almost none of us have experience with everything! Also, we are all looking for something different from a tonal perspective anyway.

I guess you’ll just need to convince the powers that be that you need to test every noiseless strat pickup for an epic Warmoth YouTube video!

 

[Ernst Johann]

One noiseless Strat option I've seen pop up lately, is the Tonerider Apex Classic. I've listened to a few clips, and have to say they sound really good, and like the Bill Lawrence pups, they are cheap.

Tonerider Apex Classic Noiseless Strat single coils

I got them for one of my Soloist and yes, they are cheap and i like them a lot!
I also bought Wilde/Lawrence L290S and L280S, but haven't tried them yet.

 

[Spud]

And they require batteties.

Indeed, but this is a "bar none" issue.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Indeed, but this is a "bar none" issue.

 

[supertruper1988]

I got them for one of my Soloist and yes, they are cheap and i like them a lot!
I also bought Wilde/Lawrence L290S and L280S, but haven't tried them yet.


View attachment 68146

Is that Wagos in a strat? Never thought to try that.

 

[Ernst Johann]

Is that Wagos in a strat? Never thought to try that.

Yes, i often swap pickups and that's the easiest way for me...

 

[jhamnett]

Are the Wilde pickups still sightly different sized? I had to mod my pickguard to fit them. It's a consideration.

I had the L200s but then switched back to noisy pickups with a ton of shielding. They originally replaced Red-Silver-Blue Lace Sensors and I found the L200s to be an improvement over Lace.

 

[Ernst Johann]

Are the Wilde pickups still sightly different sized? I had to mod my pickguard to fit them. It's a consideration.

I had the L200s but then switched back to noisy pickups with a ton of shielding. They originally replaced Red-Silver-Blue Lace Sensors and I found the L200s to be an improvement over Lace.

They both fit in a Fender and a Warmoth Pickguard. Btw: you can change the covers of the Tonerider, they are standard-size.
These are the Wilde:

Fender pickguard (in the middle position is just a cover)



Warmoth Soloist

 

[Waraxe]

I went with lace holy grails for my strat build.

I got them for 170 bucks new. They sound like good 50s pickups but quiet. The bridge is slightly hotter to balance.
I like 300 to 350 k tone pots for them.

They're good enough to not need replacing.

 

[Ernst Johann]

I went with lace holy grails for my strat build.

I got them for 170 bucks new. They sound like good 50s pickups but quiet. The bridge is slightly hotter to balance.
I like 300 to 350 k tone pots for them.

They're good enough to not need replacing.

I would have bought them for 170 (which is about the price for the Tonerider and the Wilde), here (europe) they are about 450 USD.