Make my strat more rude!

[hollowbody]

I have an American Deluxe Strat with Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups. I like the way they sound, but I find them a little too 'polite.'

I play mostly rock and blues, and I'm really into Rory Gallagher as well as the usual Strat gods (SRV, Hendrix, Gilmour, etc.)

What pickups would be a good choice to go with to angry-up my strat, make it a little less polite and more grimey instead of chimey.

As a sub-question, does anyone know if the S-1 switching system works with other pickups? I would assume it does as I have no reason to believe it doesn't, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Finally, if anyone needs a set of SCN pickups and would want to trade away their noisy set, PM me!

[al3d]

i've installed a Hot Rails on one of mine and a little demon on the other...those 2 just sound insane..Hot rails as more "crunch" for more hard rock so little demon might be better for you.

[greco]

What about Texas Specials?

Dave

[washburned]

The texas specials are pretty much in that genre: really edgy, dirty up nice at high volume, but mellow out when you back off...I like the sound of them, but i find them a bit aggressive, as i play with a lot of attack and they seem to over react...I'm thinking of replacing mine with either vintage kinmans or vintage fenders.

[hollowbody]

The texas specials are pretty much in that genre: really edgy, dirty up nice at high volume, but mellow out when you back off...I like the sound of them, but i find them a bit aggressive, as i play with a lot of attack and they seem to over react...I'm thinking of replacing mine with either vintage kinmans or vintage fenders.

I've heard good things about Texas Specials too, but I've also heard they can be muddy.

As for the Little Demon, I have no experience with it, so I'll have to go looking for a sound clip or something.

[Robert1950]

I think someone makes strat sized P90s, I just can't remember who it is.

[Paul]

I think I read it on the Kinman website....the best tone control is a Phillips screwdriver....play with p'up height.

I've got Texas Specials on a guitar, and they came alive when I backed 'em off. I wouldn't trade for anything now.

[fraser]

for rory gallagher- use low output single coils- into a tube combo and crank it- with british amps use a treble booster - the lower the output of the pickups the better the guitar sounds to my ear- then do whatever to the sound at the amp or somewhere in between

[hollowbody]

I think someone makes strat sized P90s, I just can't remember who it is.

Oooh, that could be very worth looking into. Google, here I come!

[hollowbody]

I think I read it on the Kinman website....the best tone control is a Phillips screwdriver....play with p'up height.

I've got Texas Specials on a guitar, and they came alive when I backed 'em off. I wouldn't trade for anything now.

How do the Texas Specials compare to the CS models, like the 69 and the 57/62?

Pickups aren't exactly something you can try out, so the more info, the better!

[High Skool Artist]

how bout seymour duncan jbs if you not afraid of going humbucker, and if you want, you can have it coil tapped if you go with it

[Ripper]

A set of GFS Alnico II Premium II work really good. Through my old bassman they nail the sound you are looking for. I'm a huge Rory fan too.

[FastFret]

There are lots of choices outside of Fender brand but if you want to remain Fender than you should consider Hot (Ceramic) Noiseless which come standard only with Jeff Beck model. They have a lot more edge than SCN's or VVintage and are silent. You probably will have to re-wire or built yourself a harness for them so that you can keep SCN system intact.

[hollowbody]

There are lots of choices outside of Fender brand but if you want to remain Fender than you should consider Hot (Ceramic) Noiseless which come standard only with Jeff Beck model. They have a lot more edge than SCN's or VVintage and are silent. You probably will have to re-wire or built yourself a harness for them so that you can keep SCN system intact.

No, I have no brand loyalty to Fender pickups at all. I'll go for whatever sounds best.

Anyone had any experience with Duncan Antiquities?

[Mooh]

I've recently become enamoured with P-90s, and have also seen (online) Strats with 3 P-90s. You might just want to replace the pickguard too, but it would be a change in tone.

Stacked 'buckers with taps would be cool, or a Tele pickup at the bridge, and something hot in the middle.

In my dreams I have one of everything.

Peace, Mooh.

[LowWatt]

I think someone makes strat sized P90s, I just can't remember who it is.

Lindy Fralin makes them. The Sp42 and SP43 sets. I've been looking at these myself. The 42s are close to strat output and bridge the gap between strat pickups and p90s. The 43s have a more p90ish output.

http://www.fralinpickups.com/stratstyleSP42.asp
http://www.fralinpickups.com/stratstyleSP43.asp

[xbolt]

Dimarzio HS-3...:food-smiley-004:

[mario]

for rory gallagher- use low output single coils- into a tube combo and crank it- with british amps use a treble booster - the lower the output of the pickups the better the guitar sounds to my ear- then do whatever to the sound at the amp or somewhere in betweenTotally agree with fraser. Also if I might add as far as Rory Gallagher is concerned....a lot of that "rudeness" came from his hands. What I mean by that was the way his pick and or fingers attacked the strings. Check out some of Rory's live DVDs'. As I have said before on other posts....one of the truly underated greats.

[fraser]

[/QUOTE]A set of GFS Alnico II Premium II work really good. Through my old bassman they nail the sound you are looking for. I'm a huge Rory fan too.

yup agreed- great pickups there- have a real grainy quacking strat sound, i love them

Dimarzio HS-3...

i used these for about 10 years- they are good for what they are meant for, but they lack something- i used them when playing with bands, through a cranked, distorted marshall- in basswood japanese strats, it sounded good- i believe also these sound good with fx pedals or units- they are very transparent. when i started playing through small amps or my pod however, they sounded far too "polite"- lacking any real character. in fact for what i currently do, those crappy ceramic pickups that came with the strats sounded better- more "strat-like"

Also if I might add as far as Rory Gallagher is concerned....a lot of that "rudeness" came from his hands. What I mean by that was the way his pick and or fingers attacked the strings. Check out some of Rory's live DVDs'. As I have said before on other posts....one of the truly underated greats.

yes! ever see when he steps back a bit to dig into his guitar- its like hes balancing himself to punch somebody in the face, then his hands just tear into the strings- smaller, sharper picking hand movements then jimi or srv used, and you can immediately hear the difference. and he sounded essentially the same all through the years- a very consistent tone no matter the amps he was using.
i love the way rory always sounded very much like he was playing a wooden guitar with a minimum if any fx added- he still had some gain, but it was very natural- love his tone, my alltime favourite guitar sound and guitar player.

[hollowbody]

Sounds good, I guess the hunt is on for a set of GFS Alnico II Premium IIs. Fortunately they don't seem to be too expensive. Thanks for all the input!!!