SC Pickup Suggestions for Strat please

racman

Any suggestions for good SC size/type "Strat" pickups which will primarily be used for clean and mildly overdriven sounds? Most of the soundclips and You Tube Demos I have seen or heard are in the Hendrix or distortion mode.

I am looking for well rounded, warm, full sounding SC without the brittle "ice pick" sound of so many SC Pups. I prefer noiseless.

I listened to a set of Fralin Split Blades at TOMS recently and was impressed by their sound (although I think they are stacked HB's?) - good Strat sound but also full of body.

Suggestions and soundclip/you Tube links would be appreciated.

MikeM

Kinmans. They're amazing!! ? Great tone, noiseless and available in a couple flavours.

racman

Hey Mike - I somehow knew you would suggest them but teh question is - what model considering my requirements as stipulated above?

Bob-Dubery

Stratisfear has got Toneriders in his strat and they have a really nice, airy vintage sound. What set though? I think it's the City Limits set. Whatever, really nice old-fashioned sound.

racman

Thx Bob, I don't think they are noiseless though but will check them out. I know they are great value Pups though.

Bob-Dubery

Ja. They sound fab - I remember doing a back-to-back test with his strat and my mongrelcaster. The ibanez pickups in the MC are hotter, but those toneriders have this lovely airy sound.

Noiseless? Dunno. I barely know where to stick the jack plug.

(keep it clean y'all)

[deleted]

racman

Thx Stratisfear but as per my reply to Mike ....What Kinmans?

MikeM

I'd recommend the woodstocks (I have a set). But maybe someone with more experience can chime in.

Gearhead

If overdriven and no icepick is your flavour, go for the Woodstocks. If you want Hendrix, go Woodstock plus. If you really don't like Hendrix, go for the Blues.

AlanRatcliffe

Kinman Woodstocks. The best edge-of-breakup blues to dirty pickups bar none. Unlike most fairly high output noiseless pickups, they still sound like a Strat, sound great clean and quack convincingly on the 'tweens. However, if it's a dark guitar already they can be a bit too much of a good thing. I find them a little dark/hot to do the Hendrix thing properly though...

If you have a dark guitar, or want to get closer to Knopfler territory without the "icepick" when driven, the Blues set are great (what I use), just slightly darker than the vintage-style pickups (which takes the edge off) but still very trad Strat tones.

My Blues set into my Twin (also note that I don't have tone controls fitted, so they are a little brighter than you would expect):

Bluesy on the verge to crunchy: http://ratcliffe.co.za/music/a_alan_blue_spy.mp3

Clean (Ignore piezo sparkle on the left): http://ratcliffe.co.za/music/a_alan_open_tuned.mp3

Another Clean with all 3 pickups on: http://ratcliffe.co.za/music/a_alan_reggae.mp3

racman

The Strat is an Ash body with Maple Fretboard. So I presume Woodstocks or Blues it is Alan. I prefer Knopfler'ish to Hednrix'ish so I think the Blues will be better.

Thx Alan - great soundclips and what I was looking for.

guidothepimmp

+1 on Kinman Woodstocks..

I love mine.. great pups that totally transformed my geet

racman

Blues or Woodstocks ...

Woodstocks or Blues ...

Man, I'm confused ?

MikeM

You can always roll the treble down a little. Just saying, you'd rather have a little bright than a little muddy.

racman

A few You Tube examples of Kinman Blues:

guidothepimmp

Those are nice amps in the clips..

What amp will you be playing through? Any chance you could give them a whirl?

Dont know who has kinman blues but with all the folks with woodys here Im sure somehing could be arranged..

AlanRatcliffe

Yeah my Strat with the blues is a lightish (3lbs 10oz) ash body with pao ferro (sounds like maple) board.

I had a set of Woodstocks in my Cort GVT (now owned by RiaanC), which is maple/ash and quite bright even for that combo and they worked brilliantly but a rockier setup overall.

The Blues are also a little more dynamic and percussive that the Woodstocks. Based on what you've said, I'd recommend the Blues.

racman

Blues it will be - now for the group buy to get going ... ?

slyd

Group buy! from where?