SCN vs. RI PUPS

[doublejmj]

Hello, I am new to strat-talk and this is my first post.

I am looking into getting a strat soon and I'm looking into the Deluxe strat with SCN and S-1 switching or the 60's reissue. I really like the SCN but havenÂ’t heard allot about them. I really like the 60's RI also. Does anyone have any input into this?

[maxsmith]

Originally Posted by doublejmj

Does anyone have any input into this?

No one can tell you what sounds better - find a music store with both models and play them both through the same amp, preferably an amp like yours.

Max

[Dingus]

I agree that no one can tell you what sounds better, but I have a set of SCN's without the S-1 switching mind you, and here is my opinion:

These are great pickups in the sense of being noiseless single coil strat pickups, they sound mostly like a set of american standard strat pickups that happen to be noiseless. That being said I'm not terribly fond of American Strat Pickups in the first place, and wish that they made a "Vintage SCN" set, which would be more like a 57/62 set that happened to be noiseless.

I suppose that's the real arguement that everyone takes up. That if it is somehow made noiseless that you lose tone. I suppose this is also relevant to what tone you are looking for. If you are looking for the tone of stock american strat pups, then I would argue that you pretty much get them, and don't lose any tone.

However if you are looking for any other tone the SCN's won't do it, and I've heard that the "Vintage Noiseless" that Fender used to, and perhaps still does put out, don't sound so hot either. In retrospect I probably would not have bought the SCN's and would instead played with some of the GFS pickups, I'm particularly interested in the boston blues ones.

Anyway, the only real way to know what you like is play a ton of strats with different pups in'em. Unfortunately it is hard to find a place to do this, a place like Guitar Center, who carries a ton of strats, mostly just carries a ton of the same strats in different colors.

[Boris Bubbanov]

I am not overly fond of Fender's noiseless pickups, even the Samarium Cobalts designed by Mr. Bill Lawrence. Matter of fact, I don't like most noiseless pickups.

I'd only get the noiseless if I was playing in a venue with a lot of improperly grounded circuits and beer signs and such. Otherwise the compromise is too much.

Sounds like you have some money to spend. Definitely play as many different Strats in as many different environs as you can before dropping that money,

Good luck,


Bubbanov