USA Strat Pickup Suggestions?

M

mike2731

New member
I am going to soon be receiving a 1991 Fender USA Strat Plus. It currently has the SRV Texas Specials pickups installed, and I've read a wide variety of opinions on them. I'm definitely going to give them a listen to and see what I think of them, but I was wondering what pickups other strat owners are using and why. I play mostly rock, but can dabble in many other areas. I currently using a Soldano Astroverb as my main studio amp. I basically bought the strat because my maing guitar is an ESP Mirage Custom from the late 80's (bridge humbucker and 2 stacked singles), which I absolutely love, but I wanted to add a vastly different set of tones to my collection, thus the strat. Would love to hear some other pontential ideas and what you get from your pickups. Thanks!!

Mike
 
The Lace pickups were the originals in a strat plus. They are very clean and I do like them. The SRV pickups are excellent pickups also. You may ant to go down to a shop and put the different ones they have against yours and see what you like.
 
Thanks for the post. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go hear some different pickups, BUT, I live in a rural area that has almost nothing in the way of guitar shops. There is a little store with a Gibson dealership close to me, and I like the guy who has it, but it is in no way anything near a pro quality shop and it is very small. The only other shop close I will never step into because I absolutely can't stand the people who own it.
 
I have been playing strats since 1976, they are my favorite guitar. I have a couple of strats now, a '66 and a new one.

Texas specials are my favorite pickups....they kick ass...period.

The 1st thing you need to do is lower the texas specials almost flush with the pick guard....this gives you the bell like chime and quack that alot of people say that texas specials don't have.

Texas specials are a little muddy/midrangy when they are set too close to the strings (they have a strong magnetic pull and can dampen string vibration also)

flush with the pickguard...then raise the "little E" side of the pickup a little closer to the strings (about the thickness of a penny from the pickguard)

You will never shop for another pickup again.
 
I will absolutely give your recommendation a try. Obviously, I will give the Texas Special pickups a very good listen too before I do anything, because I really would rather not spend money for no reason. I am a pickup changer though, and I am more than willing to keep a few different types around for tonal variety. Thanks for the tip!
 
Joe Bardens would be my choice. Great pickups, and they are humbucking, so they are quiet. The most popular choices for Strats these days, however, seem to be the Fender Noiseless pickups, and the Lindy Frailins. Like I said, I like the Bardens.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Oh man oh man.............. hmmmmmmmm depends what kind of sound you want....


Shred? Zakk Wylde pickups are worth a shot.......also I have a Bill Lawrence XL500, as does Nuno and Dimebag Darrel, and the sound is totally awesome, and not even active. ANother great part is that they are cheap as hell (50 bucks?), DEFINITELY give them a try if you want to shred.

Also Lukather pickups are very creative and you can get a slap bass sort of sound out of them (really neat)

For classic rock, Lindy Fralin's have the best sound ever, for classic rock in a bluesy'ish sound, and work wonderful with Strats

Tom Anderson pickups are also great in a Fralin sort of way
 
If you check out www.fenderforum.com there is a PUP forum.

Theres lots of advice there...

Many claim the Kinman noiseless, and the Custom Shop '54's are great pick-ups.

So far I have stuck with the Lace Sensors on my Deluxe Strat Plus...and like them.
 
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