Putting Lace in My Strat (Update: They're In).

[Lowdown]

Thumbs up to all the White Strats with rosewood fingerboards!

 

Many thumbs up to Richie Blackmore for getting rid of that useless middle pickup!

 

Hi Hector,

 

actually,without the middle pup you can't get that famous Strat quack.

If you don't know what I mean by that,check out "Lay Down Sally".

It's an essential sound for a Strat.

Though Blackmore/Malmsteen are usually just riding the bridge pup and it's not really a sound for their style I guess...

[albertjohn]

Sorry to hijack the non-hijack of the pizza thread!

 

I have a first series Highway 1 with a humbucker in the bridge.

 

I'm looking to replace the pups (to 3 s/cs) and want that traditional strat sound. (Knoffler, Gilmour etc.) It would seem the lace sensors are not the way to go.

 

Any suggestions where I should start?

 

The original s/c pups are described as vintage style alnico. I like the sound but they always seem to lack some grunt. I think the 2nd series has upgraded pups.

 

Next question. Leave amber and replace the white s/plate with a custom shop style red tortoise shell; or,

 

white body with white s/plate. It has a rosewood board.

 

Would love to hear your suggestions.

 

Cheers

[Lowdown]

Albert,

 

Try the Pure Vintage - http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/stratpickups.html

 

I have them and tell you that they will nail that Gilmour,Knoffler tone hands down.

 

Do not be put off by the price(you should be able to find them for cheaper on eBay),the build on these are second to none.Wax potted,rubber grommets,staggered poles etc.

 

If you'd like,I can do a soundclip for you.

[Hector Arcadius]

Hi Hector' date='

 

actually,without the middle pup you can't get that famous Strat quack.

If you don't know what I mean by that,check out "Lay Down Sally".

It's an essential sound for a Strat.

[/quote']

 

Hey Shaun,

 

Actually the issue of the ''classic Strat'' sound has troubled me before. You see, all my ''Strat guitar heros'' had very different sounds, from one another:

 

Clapton (not so much)

Blackmore

Rory Gallagher (did Rory mostly used the bridge pickup? )

David Gilmour

SRV (ok, different string gauges- different tuning - we can take him out of the equation)

 

The most pleasing sound, to my ears that is, that a Strat gives (which is the only reason I actually have for considering buying one) is the bluesy sounds from the neck pickup. And after that, Richie's ''Strat through a Marshall'' - early Purple recordings raw sound.

 

Fender-Mex has a recent signature model for Richie, without the middle pickup (!). Olympic white with rosewood fretboard. If I had the cash, that would be my Strat...

[Silenced Fred]

I'm putting the exact same pickups in my strat! We can be lace buddys!

 

Well that sounds....um.... STRAIGHT! [lol]

 

I am really digging the white strats with rosewood boards they look killer

[albertjohn]

Albert' date='

 

Try the Pure Vintage - http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/stratpickups.html

 

I have them and tell you that they will nail that Gilmour,Knoffler tone hands down.

 

Do not be put off by the price(you should be able to find them for cheaper on eBay),the build on these are second to none.Wax potted,rubber grommets,staggered poles etc.

 

If you'd like,I can do a soundclip for you.

 

Lowdown. Thanks for the info.

 

Are you familiar with Bare Knuckle Pickups? If so, how do the Tonerider Pure Vintages compare would you say?

 

I'd love to hear a soundclip.

 

Cheers

 

Albertjohn

[FirstMeasure]

I like the Samarian Noiseless Cobalt for the really traditional Strat Sound without hum. If your willing to deal with th 60 cycle hum then there's the Texas Specials or the '57 or '62. But for the price, I like the Tex Mex, they're in the Jimmy Vaughan and Road Worn series if you want to try them out.

 

It's funny that you say you want the traditional Strat sound then sight Gilmour as an example. His Candy Apple Red Strat is fitted with EMG active pick ups. For his older Strat sound the aforementioned '57 or '62 reissues should do nicely.

 

The Mark Knopfler Signature Stratocaster comes Equipped with Texas Specials, so there's that.

 

There are Lace Pick Ups that have a pretty good Traditional Strat Sound, like the Golds and the Holy Grails, but the way I see it, if you want original Fender Sound, put Fender Pickups in it.

[albertjohn]

I like the Samarian Noiseless Cobalt for the really traditional Strat Sound without hum. If your willing to deal with th 60 cycle hum then there's the Texas Specials or the '57 or '62. But for the price' date=' I like the Tex Mex, they're in the Jimmy Vaughan and Road Worn series if you want to try them out.

 

It's funny that you say you want the traditional Strat sound then sight Gilmour as an example. His Candy Apple Red Strat is fitted with EMG active pick ups. For his older Strat sound the aforementioned '57 or '62 reissues should do nicely.

 

The Mark Knopfler Signature Stratocaster comes Equipped with Texas Specials, so there's that.

 

There are Lace Pick Ups that have a pretty good Traditional Strat Sound, like the Golds and the Holy Grails, but the way I see it, if you want original Fender Sound, put Fender Pickups in it.[/quote']

 

Thanks FirstMeasure.

 

On the Gilmour point - taken. I was thinking along the lines of his solo on Another Brick Pt2 - one of my favourite tones. Wasn't this done on his old black strat, now retired. Just looked on the Fender website for the spec on his sig strat but couldn't find it. This from an advert:

 

"Pickups- 1 Custom Hand-Wound Fat ‘50s Single-Coil Strat® Pickup, (Neck), 1 Custom-Wound Single-Coil Strat® Pickup (Middle) 1 Seymour Duncan SSL-5 Single-Coil Strat® Pickup (Bridge) "

 

I remember reading a quote from Keef who said something along the lines that Fenders sound the best through Fender amps, beacuse they were literally made for each other. So your point about fitting Fender pups is a good one.

[MojoRedFoot]

I was going between the Hot Gold and Blue/Slv/Red right up to the check out counter. It was actually the fact that it came with "Three Different Ones" (Pink Floyd reference) that sold me. With the Hot Gold you the same Pickups for the Mid and Neck position. That and I wanted the Bridge Pickup to be a little over the top.

 

They go in Tomorrow.

 

Red is definitely over the top then. You know the drill. Post pix when you're done.

[Lowdown]

Lowdown. Thanks for the info.

 

Are you familiar with Bare Knuckle Pickups? If so' date=' how do the Tonerider Pure Vintages compare would you say?

 

I'd love to hear a soundclip.

 

Cheers

 

Albertjohn[/quote']

 

Sorry. I'm not familiar with Bare Knuckles mainly because of the price.

I try to stick to "spend the less quantity to get the best quality".

 

But the Tonerider's are great pups and get good reviews(not that written reviews mean much if you know what I mean).

 

I'll make you up a soundclip. No wukka's.

[FirstMeasure]

Before

During (Old Pickups Still In)

New Pickups going in

Nothing left but the screws

Refitted and Ready For Duty

 

Thanks Lowdown, your input helped a lot. If you're ever in California I'll buy you whatever beer you want on tap.

 

I made sure they work but I'll really test drive 'em later (My girlfriend's asleep and I should be too). I like what I hear so far, just through a 5 watt Crate V5.

[80LPC]

I was thinking along the lines of his solo on Another Brick Pt2 - one of my favourite tones. Wasn't this done on his old black strat' date=' now retired. [/quote']

 

I seem to recall the guitar was a Les Paul Special. Very Strat-like due to the P90. The recording procedure was unusual in that the solo track was later played back through an amp, having originally been recorded straight to the desk.

[Thundergod]

They look good (and I know they sound great). Congrats man

[FirstMeasure]

Thanks Thunder! They are great sounding, and very quiet. Little fine tuning and it'll be ready for anything.

[FirstMeasure]

Like working on a 20 year old car, if it's not one thing it's another.

 

I think I have the pickups close to where I want them, which is pretty high compared to where I'm used to setting pickups. I might want to switch the blue and red around, (Blue Bridge/Red Neck). Really like the Silver. Very "overwound strat" sounding.

 

But now the screws that lock down the locking nut are so worn that the Alan Wrench (hex key) won't tighten down hard enough, teh Hex is a Circle, so I have to get some new screws. Believe it or not, in this small town, that's a week long set back. I have to order them or drive 45-50 miles down with a lot of that mountain roads with a possible storm coming in .

[Lowdown]

Like working on a 20 year old car' date=' if it's not one thing it's another.

 

I think I have the pickups close to where I want them, which is pretty high compared to where I'm used to setting pickups. I might want to switch the blue and red around, (Blue Bridge/Red Neck). Really like the Silver. Very "overwound strat" sounding.

 

But now the screws that lock down the locking nut are so worn that the Alan Wrench (hex key) won't tighten down hard enough, teh Hex is a Circle, so I have to get some new screws. Believe it or not, in this small town, that's a week long set back. I have to order them or drive 45-50 miles down with a lot of that mountain roads with a possible storm coming in .

 

True,but it's always worth it in the end ,no.

 

Like I told you,ride those pups high. And remember - that Red is classed as a Humbucker. That's why it's recommended as a bridge pup. But...nothing's set in stone.

 

Man,if you're boring out those hex nuts,you're tightening them up way too much! Or you have the wrong size wrench?

Remember - clamp it,don't stamp it.

 

And make sure you get a hand full of spare nuts(steady[-( ). They're cheap and always come in handy.

[FirstMeasure]

High is right, I thought I started High but and to keep going from there.

 

I don't know why I don't keep spares, they're the originals and I wasn't as careful then as I am now .

 

I really want to hear the blue in the bridge position, but I might even try the red in the middle after I get the tremolo all settled. I won't rewire it until I know where I'm gonna keep it, just switch the pickups around.

[FirstMeasure]

Well, it took me longer that I had planned, and I still haven't made a video of them being "Demoed", but here's my Strat and the Blue/Silver/Red......

 

In Action

[Riffster]

Wow, that's good playing and good tone!

[Blackie]

That was fu-king killer..................that is one of my favorite songs and you did it justice

[Dub-T-123]

Aw I wish I could watch that. The only videos that work for me are YouTube ones.

 

I love Voodoo Chile.

[DAS44]

That KICKS A$$ firstmeasure.

[Lowdown]

Good stuff mate[thumbup]

 

How'd you find the bridge/mid position?

That's the one I have real trouble dialing in...

[FirstMeasure]

Thanks StiffHand, Blackie, Dom, and Lowdown That's been a favorite of mine since I can remember

 

The Bridge Mid is a little different than what I was used to. It's like you can really hear the two different pick ups instead of one sound. I like it, but it's not traditional strat territory.

[Shnate McDuanus]

Shoot, that was a perfect performance, man! Like many of the other guys 'round here, it's one of my favorites and you (unlike many others) have truly done it justice here. Great tone and ****in' fantastic playing.