Pickup suggestions for a Strat: Hot and sizzly Ceramic firebreather?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rex Rocker
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Speeddemon said:
Don't dismiss the SSL-5 Custom Staggered either from Duncan. High enough output to match most hotter bridge humbuckers and still that nice, glassy, 'tube/bell' Strat tone, including under high gain.

There's a 'vs' topic on the Duncan forum too: link
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Thanks! Gonna look into that.
 
Rex Rocker said:
Thanks! Gonna look into that.
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Yeah, from what I can gather, the QP will relatively behave more like a thick humbucker, than a louder, but still spanky bright single coil.
Since you're looking for enough brightness, I wouldn't mess with the QP.
Also, DON'T get a Duncan Cool Rails. I have one in my Kramer SM-1 (with a DC resistance of 16k Ohm!!! so these dumbasses at Kramer put a bridge version in the neck) and I find it far too smooth and thick.
I'm considering the Duncan Lil' Screamin' Demon or DiMarzio Chopper (had great experience in the past with the Chopper) there, as I *do* want a humbucker, just a better balanced once.
 
Speeddemon said:
Yeah, from what I can gather, the QP will relatively behave more like a thick humbucker, than a louder, but still spanky bright single coil.
Since you're looking for enough brightness, I wouldn't mess with the QP.
Also, DON'T get a Duncan Cool Rails. I have one in my Kramer SM-1 (with a DC resistance of 16k Ohm!!! so these dumbasses at Kramer put a bridge version in the neck) and I find it far too smooth and thick.
I'm considering the Duncan Lil' Screamin' Demon or DiMarzio Chopper (had great experience in the past with the Chopper) there, as I *do* want a humbucker, just a better balanced once.
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I have a QP in my Esquire, and I love it, but you're right. It certainly doesn't sound spanky bright.
 
DiMarzio Super 2 (DP 104)

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Rex Rocker said:
View attachment 262230

I've only really snapped that for now. I haven't had time with work, but I tried adjusting the truss rod today and dialing in the saddles' height and intonation. I realized the nut needs some filing, though. I'm using 12-56 in Drop C, and it was probably cut for 9's or 10's, so everything is sitting way too high right now.

I'm also going to solder that Black Winter in this weekend provisionally after I get the nut sorted. But like I said, I want something else in there.

I actually think I want to keep the HSS pickguard, but I do want some hotter single coils. I like the sound of Position 5 and 4, but they're really quiet compared to the PG+ in there. There's no way they're going to work with the BW (or whatever I end up putting in there later), so I'm going to be looking at maybe Duncan QP's or DiMarzio SDS-1's.

L O V I N G the feel of the neck, though. I don't like the FB radius (I'm used to 12" or flatter), but I can let it go because the neck profile itself is really nice (thin, amost ESP-ish) and the finish on the neck is silky smooth. On the back, it looks "worn", but it doesn't feel like bare wood either. Not sure what's going on.
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That's a fine instrument~!
 
Rex Rocker said:
Yeah, but I could (and probably will) change those.

I don't love them right now. I mean, they're fine on their own, but even the PG+ makes them sound kinda weak.

Also, they don't feel as spanky/bright as other SC's I've tried. I mean, if they're quiet, they at least better be super bright, but they're not. I thnk it may be because they're wired each to a tone knob and the HB is not. I hate tone knobs, LOL.
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Personally I don’t think I could do an HSS strat without a tone knob. The tone you dial in on the amp for the HB will almost always rape your ears when you switch to the SC’s. I use the tone knobs to balance the SC brightness against the HB.

The lower output, traditional single coil thing is a world unto itself but there aren’t really too many options in the higher output realm.
 
Mighty Mite 1400 (9k) or 1300 (14K)............................ really crunchy and sizzly!

Maybe a Duncan Dimebucker it is plenty crunchy and sizzly as well.

The Duncan Jupiter seems to be a little more warm and polite compared to the Dimbucker.
 
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Rex Rocker said:
I actually do have one sitting around! Not such a bad idea.

I didn't like it in the neck. Might be better in the bridge.
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Personally I think the Super 2 kills in the bridge position, even in all maple guitars. I installed a Super 2 in a customer's all maple Gibson L6-S and we were floored by the tone. It destroyed the stock pickup in that guitar. He said"Listen to that BITE!" It really is a rock n' roll MOFO. Try it with a 500K pot, then if it's too toppy try a 250K. Or vice versa. Enjoy!
 
Bardagh said:
Personally I don’t think I could do an HSS strat without a tone knob. The tone you dial in on the amp for the HB will almost always rape your ears when you switch to the SC’s. I use the tone knobs to balance the SC brightness against the HB.

The lower output, traditional single coil thing is a world unto itself but there aren’t really too many options in the higher output realm.
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I'm honestly undecided about keeping it single hum or HSS. Dunno. I love position 4 on Strats... but it's really rare I get the opportunity to use it.

It's a shame if I lost that, but at the same time, I don't think my life would be sadder if the guitar was just HXX. It would kind of add to the Rat Rod look to.
 
JohnnyGtar said:
Personally I think the Super 2 kills in the bridge position, even in all maple guitars. I installed a Super 2 in a customer's all maple Gibson L6-S and we were floored by the tone. It destroyed the stock pickup in that guitar. He said"Listen to that BITE!" It really is a rock n' roll MOFO. Try it with a 500K pot, then if it's too toppy try a 250K. Or vice versa. Enjoy!
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I'll give it a try, then! Thanks for the idea!

Mine is non-F-spaced, though. Non-F-Spaced DiMarzios are even narrower than Duncans, so it's going to be even worse of an eyesore, LOL. But I guess at least I could say I tried the Super 2 in the bridge.
 
harddriver said:
Mighty Mite 1400 (9k) or 1300 (14K)............................ really crunchy and sizzly!

Maybe a Duncan Dimebucker it is plenty crunchy and sizzly as well.

The Duncan Jupiter seems to be a little more warm and polite compared to the Dimbucker.
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Tell me about the Mighty Mite... is that the VH pickup that is a Super Distortion copy?
 
Rex Rocker said:
Tell me about the Mighty Mite... is that the VH pickup that is a Super Distortion copy?
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By all accounts they were/are a Dimarzio Super Distortion copy but they seem to also have their own thing going on. They are still made in the USA and made exactly like the old ones were with a huge ceramic magnet and I think bondable wire for the coil wire wraps.

The 1400 is around 9K (mine reads 9.68K) and the 1300 model is `14K. Both use the exact same construction methods but the 1300 model will have more coil wraps. To my ears they have a pleasant ratty crunch to them and the 9K 1400 model seems alot hotter than the 9K ohm resistance. I guess it would come down to how hot you want it really 9K versus 14K ohms.
 
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Rex Rocker said:
Tell me about the Mighty Mite... is that the VH pickup that is a Super Distortion copy?
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Yes but it sounds quite different and imo much better despite being a copy, but they’re not what I’d choose if you you want bitey, sizzly or aggressive highs. They are more midrangey than anything else. BL’s or various ‘60’s low output pickups are the go-to’s for a more aggressive high end
 
harddriver said:
By all accounts they were/are a Dimarzio Super Distortion copy but they seem to also have their own thing going on. They are still made in the USA and made exactly like the old ones were with a huge ceramic magnet and I think bondable wire for the coil wire wraps.

The 1400 is around 9K almost 9.8K and the 1300 model is `14K. Both use the exact same construction methods but the 1300 model will have more coil wraps. To my ears they have a pleasant ratty crunch to them and the 9K 1400 model seems alot hotter than the 9K ohm resistance.
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Yes they are very over the top, almost into EMG territory. They made the iron man I swapped it for in the same guitar sound comparatively low output lol and more importantly comparatively like a sterile/bland sounding pickup, but maybe it would be a different story vs a recent made MM
 
braintheory said:
Yes they are very over the top, almost into EMG territory. They made the iron man I swapped it for in the same guitar sound comparatively low output lol and more importantly comparatively like a sterile/bland sounding pickup, but maybe it would be a different story vs a recent made MM
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Which MM was this? The 1400 or 1300?
 
Bardagh said:
Which MM was this? The 1400 or 1300?
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It applies to all. I’ve got several vintage 1400’s, 1300’s and 1800’s. They’re all similar sounding/feeling despite the DC differences, but the 1400’s are a bit more gritty/aggressive, so they’re my favorites of the bunch
 
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