Best Single Coil Replacements for a Strat

jstickman · October 27th, 2009, 07:15 PM

Let's see ya vote....

Brad L · October 27th, 2009, 07:43 PM

I got fenders hot noiseless and i really like them. it dampens the 60 cy. hum. overall they just have a great sound.

rgatling · October 27th, 2009, 08:07 PM

I really like Fender Custom Shop '54 pickups. There very close to Lollar Blondes at a lower price (about $132 on ebay).

thaus · October 27th, 2009, 08:37 PM

I love Fralins. But my favourites right now are DeTemple Sweet Spots. Great chimey cleans and just a beautiful sound. Slightly pricey but I found used ones last year so saved a bunch.

paleus · October 27th, 2009, 09:35 PM

I've got 2 DiMarzio Area '58's and a '61 in the bridge and I like them alot.

StratoBrew · October 27th, 2009, 09:46 PM

I've got Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pros and love 'em.

tonyw · October 27th, 2009, 09:53 PM

My Favs are Sliders Vintage Classic 59's in my strat and G&L MFD's in my ASAT

thaus · October 27th, 2009, 10:44 PM

I also have to mention that I recently installed a set of Klein S-5's and they are growing on me! Scooped mids and all.........really nice tones!

scotzoid · October 28th, 2009, 10:04 PM

I have no business voting on the "best", since I haven't done any comparisons of anything other than my DiMarzio Area '58 mid pup...but I went ahead & voted anyway

liquoragent511 · October 28th, 2009, 11:58 PM

I have Texas Specials and they are hot pickups...very satisfied with the tone.

ZL1LoVeR · October 29th, 2009, 01:14 AM

I voted Fender Stock and Texas Specials/Tex-Mex... but what do I know

TexBiker · October 29th, 2009, 09:26 PM

I love the SD SSL-1/SSL-5 combo in my Strat. Much better than the stock Fender pups, IMO. Great classic tone.

BigNorm · October 29th, 2009, 09:38 PM

Just bought some "Tonerider City Limits"... I hope they are the best ;-)
Will see in about a week when I receive them.

GIG4FUN · October 29th, 2009, 09:56 PM

Kinman's !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kinman - Home

1962dguitargeek · October 30th, 2009, 06:56 PM

I have tried many pups.....having said that, my favorite bang for the $$$
are Bill & Beckys wildgate S 280's.

next would be my Lace Hot Golds, with my Fralin Blues specials coming in 3rd.

Just my opinion / experience...

Poseidon9447 · October 30th, 2009, 08:04 PM

I love my Kleins, much better made then most and the sound is great.

nadzab · October 30th, 2009, 09:45 PM

Toneriders should be on this list. Incredible pickups, at a surprisingly good price.

07 road house · October 30th, 2009, 09:49 PM

I say stock fenders because that is what I have in my american strat and they sound great through my princeton

GIG4FUN · October 31st, 2009, 01:22 AM

Kinmans....

not such a thing as best bang for the buck... just such a thing as the best.

Epinez · October 31st, 2009, 01:28 AM

the best is usually what you currently own.

GIG4FUN · October 31st, 2009, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epinez

the best is usually what you currently own.

+1

But I have MANY Strats and only ONE with the kinmans.. LOL

scotzoid · October 31st, 2009, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paleus

I've got 2 DiMarzio Area '58's and a '61 in the bridge and I like them alot.

I'm guessing you're the other one that voted for the DM Areas, any more thoughts on them? I found in my first jam/test of the 58, it really does react to my attack much better than the stock pups. Having more dynamic range really brought up my game a notch...

still_fiddlin · October 31st, 2009, 09:08 AM

Impossible to pick because it depends a lot on the specific sound you want, but there are a lot of good ones out there. I don't see any of the CS 54s, 57/62s or other, more vintage types listed, which are pretty popular. I've got the Klein 54s and have a great sounding Strat, but that's the sound I wanted.

fenson · October 31st, 2009, 07:17 PM

Copperhead pickups all good

dhb2000usa · October 31st, 2009, 07:42 PM

I just installed a set of Lace Sensors on one of my guitars. They're my favorite so far.

peskypesky · October 31st, 2009, 10:01 PM

i have to say i was a bit surprised tonight. i did an A/B to compare the Tonerider Pure Vintage with the pickup that came in a GFS alnico-loaded pickguard. this is NOT a GFS pickup.

i was just comparing the neck pups. to my surprise, and to my ears, the no-name pickup in the GFS pickguard sounded better than the Tonerider. :(

the Tonerider was thin and trebly compared to the other one. i'm a little bummed about this because i had read so many rave reviews of the Toneriders, and i thought it sounded pretty good...but in this A/B comparison there was no contest.

the GFS pickguard costs only $53, whereas the Tonerider set was $99.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/alpiprguwhpe.html

http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/stratpickups.html

i'm going to swap the pups next, that way i can determine if it's the guitars that are making the difference instead of the pups.

nadzab · November 1st, 2009, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peskypesky

i have to say i was a bit surprised tonight. i did an A/B to compare the Tonerider Pure Vintage with the pickup that came in a GFS alnico-loaded pickguard. this is NOT a GFS pickup.

i was just comparing the neck pups. to my surprise, and to my ears, the no-name pickup in the GFS pickguard sounded better than the Tonerider. :(

the Tonerider was thin and trebly compared to the other one. i'm a little bummed about this because i had read so many rave reviews of the Toneriders, and i thought it sounded pretty good...but in this A/B comparison there was no contest...

That can happen. I think we get obessed with price, reputation, preconceived notions, etc when it comes to pickups, and sometimes, a cheapo manufacturer just gets it right and it sounds great.

The Pure Vintages are the lowest-output, thinnest Toneriders I've tried; to me, though, those characteristics give them their "vintagey" quality...they're also airy, quite bell-like, and have a definite alnico sound.

I'll be really interested to hear about the results when you swap the pickups with the guitars. I've never done that myself, and sometimes similar pickups sound so different, I've got to think that the sum of the parts makes most of the difference.

nadzab · November 1st, 2009, 09:15 AM

Wow, and I just looked at those on the GFS site...cloth-wired alnico V pickups, in a guard with full-size pots...around $50. At that price I'm tempted to buy a set just to keep around the shop.

coldengray · November 1st, 2009, 10:56 AM

I love my Klein S-7 EJ Special set....but as others have said, it's all I have right now. BLOWS AWAY the MIJ pups that were in there. I should note that even my wife (who never notices) said the other day "wow, your guitar really does sound great after all that work you did to it".

fenderkev · November 1st, 2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07 road house

I say stock fenders because that is what I have in my american strat and they sound great through my princeton

I did the same, and its interesting to see that so far the majority have voted for Fender regular singlecoils in one form or another. Tone over 60 cycle hum eh? I'm surprised SD and Dimarzio have polled so low. I had SD Hot stacks when they first came out,and I did use Gold Lace Sensors for 20 years and I'm still a big fan, but you do lose that snap and sparkle when you go noiseless.

Diocletian · November 2nd, 2009, 01:37 PM

I had to vote Seymour Duncan. Price is a big factor - you can find used Duncan's much easier than used DiMarzio's and if I can get a Duncan Hot Rails for the same price as a Tonerider, I'm going to go with the Duncan every time.

Duncan's sound great, and used, you can get them at good or great prices.

gitterfidder · November 2nd, 2009, 02:02 PM

frahlins make me happy

jstickman · November 4th, 2009, 11:01 PM

well, they only allow 10 choices, so it wouldn't be possible to list every pickup.

I have to list Texas Special and Tex Mex together even thou I love TS and not TM. Probably should have listed "all other custom shop" with fat 50s etc...and nobody seemed to notice the "other boutique" option....they just love to click "not listed" ha.

Anywho, I need a new middle pickup in a Mahogany Deluxe strat and i'm thinking Fat 50 is the way to go to try something new. (that is my clean pickup). :p

tonyw · November 4th, 2009, 11:05 PM

I have a new set of Fender 57/62 here that my mate wants for his strat so i may soon see if i like them or not, but up until now all i can say is nice packaging.

chuckdup · November 5th, 2009, 12:45 AM

P-90s, nothing against other single coils it's just that their not P-90s. Dont really care who makes them, well, within reason. laters..chuck

Hugh · November 5th, 2009, 02:55 AM

I've been listening to a ton of demo clips, and I keep coming back to these.
Klein Pickups S-6 Low Output Stratoca...ter Pickup Set

Waiting for the wife to ask what I want for Christmas.

xpmark · November 15th, 2009, 11:37 AM

I have an American Series Strat purchased new a few years back.I wanted the metallic "clang" tone for rhythm guitar.I just recently discovered the middle/bridge combined setting delivered that tone.Before that discovery, I replaced the stock bridge pickup with a Fender original 57/62 pickup,which has fewer windings than the stock pickup and a cleaner sound.I may have been able to get the highly coveted clang with all stock single coils, but anyway I don't have to search anymore.If you are looking for that sound,I think its there as described.My amp is a Pro 5E5 Fender replica that I built as my third build.It has interactive volume controls which also helps with a super clean sound and has a 15" speaker from Weber.

GuitarSmithTN · November 15th, 2009, 12:47 PM

Suhr Fletcher-Landau Standard single coils -- all 3 pickups 6.4K.

caliban335 · November 17th, 2009, 04:56 PM

I voted "Other". Lollar Tweeds or Blondes.

jstickman · November 20th, 2009, 08:37 PM

Got my Fat 50 middle in yesterday...sweet...makes that Tex Mex middle they put in the Mahogany Strat sound like a cheap squier pickup.

Neck: Texas Special
Mid : Fat 50
Bridge: Duncan JB

"the search is over!"