strat players: what are your all time favorite pickups?

jimistone

jimistone

long standing member
I guess mine would have to be the combination I have on my start now. An original 1966 grey bottom in the neck position, a Fender 57/62 in the middle position, and a Texas special in the bridge position. This combination just kills all the way around. matched sets of the same pickups will always have one position sounding great and another position not so good.
 
Last edited:
Having no experience with any actual vintage strats, my personal favorites are actually a toss up between the tex-mex and the Texas specials. My all time favorite combination, which may not be for the strat purist, is a Duncan Pearly Gates+ HB in the bridge and Texas specials in the middle and neck position. All around workhorse combination, IMO.
 
pikingrin said:
Having no experience with any actual vintage strats, my personal favorites are actually a toss up between the tex-mex and the Texas specials. My all time favorite combination, which may not be for the strat purist, is a Duncan Pearly Gates+ HB in the bridge and Texas specials in the middle and neck position. All around workhorse combination, IMO.
Click to expand...

yeah, I love pearly gates buckers. I love Texas specials too. A lot of people don't care for Texas specials. They say they are hot with no tone. They can be if you raise them too high and get too close to the strings. Texas specials just sing when set way down low on the pickguard.
 
I've only ever owned one Strat, an '89 Strat Plus that was my first "good" guitar and the one I will never sell. It came with gold lace sensors that I liked, then hated, then liked, then hated, then hated more, and finally replaced.

What I have now are Duncan Antiquity II "Surf" pickups. They are supposed to be based on the early '60s pickups that featured on so many surf records of that era, and whatever else. I really like them.
 
Without any hesitation the Abigail Yberra, hand wounds I have in one of my Strats stand head and shoulders above pretty much every other set of Strat pickups I've played. They do it all, a glassy top end with good low end punch. They can sound very delicate and detailed, then instantly growl when more pick attack is employed. I was very cynical prior to hearing them, in actuality they are superb.
 
Phrasemaker said:
Without any hesitation the Abigail Yberra, hand wounds I have in one of my Strats stand head and shoulders above pretty much every other set of Strat pickups I've played. They do it all, a glassy top end with good low end punch. They can sound very delicate and detailed, then instantly growl when more pick attack is employed. I was very cynical prior to hearing them, in actuality they are superb.
Click to expand...
Are there different models of her hand wounds? It seems like I read there were Abby hand wound grey bottom 60s style and black bottom 50s style...so one and so fourth.
Is that right?
Anyway, if so which specific one do you have?
 
Last edited:
Robus said:
I've only ever owned one Strat, an '89 Strat Plus that was my first "good" guitar and the one I will never sell. It came with gold lace sensors that I liked, then hated, then liked, then hated, then hated more, and finally replaced.

What I have now are Duncan Antiquity II "Surf" pickups. They are supposed to be based on the early '60s pickups that featured on so many surf records of that era, and whatever else. I really like them.
Click to expand...

I have wondered what those surf antiquities would sound like. They are supposed to be the closest thing Duncan does to original mid 60s pups. If they sound anything like my 66 pups they would be awesome ...especially in the neck position.
 
I've still got the original Pickups in my American 98 Strat. However I did change the pot to 500k. BIG difference.
On a similar subject, the neck pickup on my 71 Tele just opened up. Not sure if I want a new pickup or try to rewind the old one.
 
Track Rat said:
I've still got the original Pickups in my American 98 Strat. However I did change the pot to 500k. BIG difference.
On a similar subject, the neck pickup on my 71 Tele just opened up. Not sure if I want a new pickup or try to rewind the old one.
Click to expand...
Did you absolutely love that pickup? If so I would have it rewound. If not, I would be shopping for a pickup. Either way you should still have it rewound, and saved, in order to preserve the original integrity of your Tele.
I let 2 of the original 66 strat pickups get away from me years ago from trying out different pickups. They were in a box of stuff in the basement of a place I was renting. My job played out and I had to move. The landlord supposedly gave me 2 weeks to move, my rent was paid ed up. I moved everything except some stuff in the basement on the initial move. Came back the next week and he had some guy come in and throw away the stuff in the basement. It pissed me off but it was done and they were gone.

The only reason I have the one original is the other guitar player in my band wanted to try it in his fender mustang guitar.
 
Are there different models of her hand wounds? It seems like I read there were Abby hand wound grey bottom 60s style and black bottom 50s style...so one and so fourth.
Is that right?
Anyway, if so which specific one do you have?
Click to expand...

I don't which variations there are, mine are black bottom versions. I got three other Stats including an AVRI 59, Another loaded with fat 50's and the Abby pickups just sound sweeter than the others.


Abby.jpg
 
One of my Strats has Lollar Blondeface pickups which I like but my favorite are Lollar Blackface pickups. I can't really describe why but they just sound...better. I have also have a set Lindy Fralin's Blues Specials that are better than stock pick ups but no where near as good as the Lollar pickups.
 
My Strats are all stock so my EC has Gold Lace Sensors and my 78 Hardtail has whatever it came with. I don't play the hardtail anymore but I found that compared to the EC, they basically suck. The EC with LS and the OD knob at around 7 (and a little Comp/OD/Delay) just sings through my Marshall. I could never get that sound on my hardtail.
 
jimistone said:
I have wondered what those surf antiquities would sound like. They are supposed to be the closest thing Duncan does to original mid 60s pups. If they sound anything like my 66 pups they would be awesome ...especially in the neck position.
Click to expand...

You should be able to find a sample on Youtube. They are low output pickups. They've got that glassy chime that Phrasemaker mentioned, and a tight low end. The neck pickup really sings for soloing. The bridge is bright without being too pointy. A bit less quack in the out-of-phase positions than some, but those aren't positions I use much. Just a classic Strat sound, really.
 
I had a Pearly Gates and 59 in my telecaster. The pearly gates was lovely but not quite hot enough for me. Loved the 59 though, when it was split it had such a great clean tone, really crisp. I have a Jazz in the neck of my current guitar but might switch it out for a 59 in the future.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top