Playing lots of classic rock (Tom Petty, Thin Lizzy, etc). To me, the most comfortable guitar is a Strat. I already have one with traditional single coils so I’m thinking for this one I’ll go stacked humbuckers or something different. I’m thinking SD Cool rails, the SD everything ace or possibly a DiMarzio set. If I went the DiMarzio route, what combo? There’s so many choices. Thoughts?
The ones I use, of course. Which, by the way, are EMG SA-X pickups with a master volume, master tone and their SPC (Strat Presence Control), a mid-boost like the Clapton circuit, all of which makes for a dead quiet and highly versatile guitar.
Stacked humbuckers are an excellent choice cause they enable you to do more things than regular singles with zero noise.I vote for Dimarzio areas....stratty,dead silent and you can use it for many styles let alone classic rock...great in the studio,great playing live,no stratitis and single coil deceases so you can can explore your music endeavours without worrying about anything.
Versatile pickups? Versatile guitar? If a strat is the vehicle of choice, then there are a few choices. Noiseless single coils/twin rails pickups that sound stratty through a Clapton circuit. Play anything. Be happy. I have lace holy grails run this way. Next is a set of fat single coils like quarter pounders, fralin steel poles, or harmonic design vintage plus (my personal faves) Last is a dimarzio setup. I like the air norton s in the neck, super distortion s in the bridge, and something stratty in the middle.
I agree with most ( if not all of the previous posters ) regarding having versatile pickups. However, I am wondering why is it that ( I perceive ) such a large percentage of Strat players possess a multi-guitar collection? For many, having a differently optioned Strat for each voice seems desirable. I have 2 Strats with different sets of pups, and a partscaster that I haven’t assembled yet - and IMO that is a relatively meager collection.
Its not that strat players possess a multi guitar collection...its that pretty much all electric guitar players possess a multi guitar collection.....
Large collections of guitars are just like large collections of anything… they’re just about ownership. Don’t get fooled into thinking that buying that next guitar will finally “cover all the bases.” It’s the player who can cover all the bases. Do what I do. When you find yourself daydreaming about guitars, go play the ones you have for half an hour.
My point was that many owners have many differently equipped guitars to cover as many bases as they can. I don’t dream of any more guitars. I have all that I need ( or have the time to play ) Note my signatory sign-off…. Apologies if I was unclear.
Check out Lindy Fralin noiseless Strat pickups. They sound like an incredible single coil! I have a set of Lindy Fralin Blues Specials single coil in my 1988 Fender Custom Shop gtr. And I have the Noiseless blues specials in one of my two Allparts guitars and you'd never know the two guitars had different pickups. Also Seymour Duncan Classic (or Vintage) Strat pickups sound great too. No noise is a good thing sometimes.
For me, and the voices in my head, the Seth Lovers are my most versatile pickups. But what do I know?
I'm no virtuoso, but I get a lot of classic tock rock tones done with a set of Fat '50's. Pedals help , of course.
