upgrade pups help

jimmy_ct · 2009-05-22T12:03:42+00:00

Hi Guys, I'm thining about upgrading my pups from my standard strat to something with a bit more substance and tone.. What should I be look for/at? thanks

upgrade pups help

jimmy_ct

I love to play light to heavy rock...

AlanRatcliffe

You will want something warmer and hotter then:
Fender Fat 50s
Fralin Blues (with steel baseplate on bridge pickup)
Kinman Woodstocks (noiseless)

Or you could go for the slightly warmer and hotter in the neck and middle positions and get an even hotter single-coil sized humbucker in the bridge for the high output stuff - like a DiMarzio Super Distortion S or a Seymour Duncan JB Jr.

Werner-Carstens

Hi jimmy_ct, I agree with Alan regarding the Kinman Woodstocks. I have the Woodstock Plus set fitted to my MIM strat and it sounds great for the rock bluesy stuff. What is nice about the Plus set is that the bridge single coil has been wired hotter than the standard Woodstock set giving you more dirt for the classic rock stuff. They are also noiseless and be warned, once you get used to noiseless single coils it is very difficult getting used to hum again.

AlanRatcliffe

The Woodstocks are my favourite rock pickups for Strat. Hot, but still very much a single-coil tone and the 'tweens quack nicely. The plus set does make lots of sense if you want more of a kick out of bridge position for hard rock.

nick

Fender's Hot Noisless's? Im also sort of looking around what to get (when bonus time arrives) and so far its either Kinmans or Fenders

AlanRatcliffe

Tonally the Hot noiseless aren't bad. Kinman's are better IMO. The construction quality of the Kinmans blows the Hot Noiseless away though.

andrewjbryson

Werner Carstens wrote: Hi jimmy_ct, I agree with Alan regarding the Kinman Woodstocks. I have the Woodstock Plus set fitted to my MIM strat and it sounds great for the rock bluesy stuff. What is nice about the Plus set is that the bridge single coil has been wired hotter than the standard Woodstock set giving you more dirt for the classic rock stuff. They are also noiseless and be warned, once you get used to noiseless single coils it is very difficult getting used to hum again.

Yea its true, my Boss GT8 's emulated pre-amp patches amplify any drop of noise going into it.
Having the Woodstocks make the source signal pretty dam quiet.. which results in a cleaner signal.

nick

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Tonally the Hot noiseless aren't bad. Kinman's are better IMO. The construction quality of the Kinmans blows the Hot Noiseless away though.

ballpark price on both? Ive actually yet to enquire.

AlanRatcliffe

Fenders about R3k a set last time I looked, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were up to about R3.5 by now. Kinman only sells direct these days and his latest price is EUR250 (+/-R3k) for a set. Last time I ordered from him, shipping was US$42 and took about a week.

msch997

Hope I am not Hijacking this thread, but Alan whereabouts in your opinion would the fender Custom Shop 54's fit <i.e relative to Fat 50's, custom shop 69's etc>, I notice they have a higher DC resistance /inductance than the custom shop 69 .

AlanRatcliffe

msch997 wrote: Hope I am not Hijacking this thread, but Alan whereabouts in your opinion would the fender Custom Shop 54's fit <i.e relative to Fat 50's, custom shop 69's etc>, I notice they have a higher DC resistance /inductance than the custom shop 69.

The '54s are what most would call a vintage-style Fender pickup - lower output, bright and sparkly, articulate with lots of "bell tone". Think Mark Knopfler.

CS '69s are also quite bright, but are a bit hotter, have a punchier low end and have a very quick attack with more percussiveness. Usually accurately described as "glassy". Think Hendrix.

jimmy_ct

Hi Guys,

thanks for the help.. I have actually decided to keep my fender standard and have now also got a EPS trukster with the EMG 81 pups in it..