rio grande strat pickups

[Ted]

hey guys:

any of you have a rio grande strat set in any of your axes? I'm most curious as the price is right on the Warmoth website...

The dual calibrated looks most appealing (muy grande / halfbreed / vintage tallboy).

Thanks Ted  :icon_thumright:

 

[RLW]

The Dual Calibrated is the set I have in my swamp ash Strat, and I'm extremely happy with them. Would never consider changing them for anything else.

 

[Ted]

Hi RLW,

Does it give you the classic strat tones?

Whats the bridge like is it useable? I always find strat bridge pup's quite weak. I was hoping the beefy Muy Grande would sort that out.

Thanks Ted

 

[jackthehack]

Classic Strat Tone = Alder body + Maple neck + neck and mid PUs

Only C+W twangers and hillbillies use the bridge PU; may as well swap it out with something that sounds COMPLETELY different, like a Rio Grande Dirty Harry or an SD Lil' 59 or JBJr....

 

[stubhead]

Only C+W twangers and hillbillies use the bridge PU...

Listening to their live recordings, it seems to me that both Jimi Hendrix and SRV used to whack the PU switch down to screech setting sometimes, mebbe during a "substance-happy" moment? Sends me lunging for the volume control, that.... Calmer folk like Beck, Clapton and E. Johnson now have tone controls wired to the little devil.

 

[WMHOLP]

Classic Strat Tone = Alder body + Maple neck + neck and mid PUs

Only C+W twangers and hillbillies use the bridge PU; may as well swap it out with something that sounds COMPLETELY different, like a Rio Grande Dirty Harry or an SD Lil' 59 or JBJr....

I went through a phase where I tried a bunch of those SD Strat humbuckers in a swamp ash / maple Strat.  Tried the Lil' 59, Lil' Demon, JB Jr., Vintage Rail, Cool Rail.  In the end, I trashed the whole idea and just replaced the lot with Fralin single coils.  The SD Vintage Rail was the most usable of the lot I found.  The Lil' Demon in the bridge was OK, but a full-sized humbucker would have been much better.

 

[willyk]

The Dual Calibrated is the set I have in my swamp ash Strat, and I'm extremely happy with them. Would never consider changing them for anything else.

I am waiting for that very set to go in a korina strat I'm building. Your recommendation is most pleasing Thanks RLW

 

[Ted]

I scored a set of BKP Apaches on flea bay, so I believe my problem is solved. 

 

[nathan a]

Classic Strat Tone = Alder body + Maple neck + neck and mid PUs

Only C+W twangers and hillbillies use the bridge PU; may as well swap it out with something that sounds COMPLETELY different, like a Rio Grande Dirty Harry or an SD Lil' 59 or JBJr....

Not to come back to an old thread, but I guess that's what I'm doing  :toothy10: Anyway, I personally really like a strat bridge pickup. My least fave pup is the middle one (by itself). I do have the tone knob wired to the bridge though. Still, I love it, such a biting tone.

Not something I ever used distorted though.

 

[Soloshchenko]

I've always been the same with the bridge PU on strats but the best I've come across is the SD quarter pounder. You do need to boost the bass on your amp a touch but that PU means business. Its a very powerful but clearer than a SC sized Humbucker.

I've just ordered a Rio Grande Dirty Harry for my tele which I've heard good things about. They're true P90 pickups in an SC size and the sound is far fatter on the bridge. Maybe use the combo: neck-tallboy, middle- reverse wound half breed and get a dirty harry for the bridge. While the Muy Grande is a hot pickup its not going to be much hotter than a lot of SD bridge single coils whereas the dirty harry will give you something different.

 

[Ted]

I've picked up some BKP Apaches second hand now so I'll see how that works out.