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Post by (8^D) on Jan 26, 2007 9:07:56 GMT -7
I'm posting 2 of these threads - one for tele-style and one for strat style.
I'm completely tired of my stock G&Ls howling all the time...like the spank from the ceramic pups, but their microphonic nature has made them useless.
So, again on the pickup search. New builders, new styles. What do you like w/your Z's? FYI, I play everything so 'style of music' doesn't really apply...let's have it.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jan 26, 2007 9:29:55 GMT -7
Fralin Blues Specials in neck and middle, a custom DiMarzio in the bridge.
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Post by mward on Jan 26, 2007 9:50:42 GMT -7
Tonerider Classic Blues set. Sounds awesome, tons of bell-like chime.
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Post by Curt on Jan 26, 2007 11:11:19 GMT -7
Dan, After many discussions I plan to pull the trigger today on a set of Strat Fralins; Vintage hots neck and mid, Steel Pole 43 bridge. On the Tele thang, next set I'll buy will be Lollar specials, my fav I have found so far was a VooDoo black bottom '60's bridge....tighten yer chin strap for that'n
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Post by RC on Jan 26, 2007 12:36:55 GMT -7
My favorites for the last year have been the Lollar Blackface. I think if I was to change down the road I would probably have Lollar custom wind something up for me.
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Post by Shannon on Jan 26, 2007 13:00:02 GMT -7
Fralin Blues in the neck and middle and a Fralin (not sure the model but it's voiced like a P90. It screams!) in the bridge. Also have a set of Mike Turks in another strat
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Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Jan 26, 2007 14:48:25 GMT -7
60's MIJ Strat- Texas Specials 60's MIJ Strat- Custom 54's with 7 way wiring and TBX control 62 MIA Strat- stock neck and middle DiMarzio HS2 in bridge 7 way wiring and TBX control Relic Strat- stock pickups
The strat with the Custom 54's to me, sounds the best. Even though it has a rosewood board it gets more of a "tweed" type sound. With the 7 way wiring I can get all 5 normal strat sounds plus all three pickups together and the neck and bridge together for a tele sound. With the TBX you can add or take away treble and bass(TBX stands for treble and bass expander). It's more usefull than you might think. The strat with the DiMarzio in the neck has "the best" bridge and neck position sound. The relic strat has a sound like none of the others. Sounds very full and rich with clean amp settings, and really hits the mark, for a more traditional blues sound.
Don, from what I understand Lindy Fralin will wind a pickup anyway you want. If you don't know what you want he will make a suggestion to you to get the sound you're looking for. Good luck.
new
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Post by Curt on Jan 26, 2007 15:02:17 GMT -7
Fralin Blues in the neck and middle and a Fralin (not sure the model but it's voiced like a P90. It screams!) in the bridge. Also have a set of Mike Turks in another strat That's the SP43 Shannon, that's what I've decided on also.
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Post by skydog958 on Jan 26, 2007 15:16:11 GMT -7
I've been told (and unfortunately there's no real way to prove) that the pups in my Zion are Fralins. Neck and middle sound like Blues, the bridge is something else that I want to replace down the road. That P-90 toned Fralin sounds like just the ticket.
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Post by Joey Beverages on Jan 26, 2007 16:06:07 GMT -7
In my American Strat, I've got a Duncan 59 in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge - both full-size humbuckers. It came that way, honest. ;D In my G&L Legacy, I have kept it stock with the single coils as originally equipped ;D If I were to do it again, I would probably look at some of the Duncan rails or just go crazy and put some EMGs in there
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Post by nitehawk55 on Jan 26, 2007 16:32:55 GMT -7
Mike Turk specials....P90 edge and nice full tone . I like the stock pups in most of my Strats just fine but wanted one with a difference . Very happy with Mike's
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Post by Shannon on Jan 26, 2007 18:33:04 GMT -7
I've been told (and unfortunately there's no real way to prove) that the pups in my Zion are Fralins. Neck and middle sound like Blues, the bridge is something else that I want to replace down the road. That P-90 toned Fralin sounds like just the ticket. My guitar guy and I A/B-ed the SP43 (thanks Curt) and a LP jr with an original P90. The only difference was the original was a little louder than the Fralin, but the tone was remarkably close. If the SP43 was as loud as the original it wouldn't match the neck and middle pups.
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Post by garyh on Jan 26, 2007 21:17:49 GMT -7
Kinman AVN Blues.
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Post by (8^D) on Jan 27, 2007 16:21:48 GMT -7
Appreciate the input...keep 'em coming!
These stock Ceramics have GOT TO GOOO!! Another screaching/howling/squawking evening...a couple more nights giggin' with the amp right by the ol' keister (sardine-box stage). Is entertaining though - since the sound is like an open mike squelch it's a hoot watching the sound man scramble around the board to find which mike is feeding back. ;D
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swampstomper
Full Member
The only thing that really worried me was the ether.
Posts: 136
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Post by swampstomper on Jan 27, 2007 18:14:12 GMT -7
Appreciate the input...keep 'em coming! Since no one else has mentioned them I thought I should toss in a vote for EMGs. I have the SV series in my strat and I've been quite happy with them. I chose them based on the recommendation of the guy who built the guitar for me. I wanted something noiseless and at the time the only other choices were either a stacked single or the Lace Sensors. I had experience with both of those types before and I ended up liking the EMG SVs a lot better. The other nice thing about EMGs is that they make some special tone controls that work quite well. I have the SPC and EXG pots in my strat. The SPC is a mid boost that can make the guitar sound more like a humbucker equipped ax. It's especially good if you'd like to get a solid rock tone from the bridge pickup. The EXG is more or less the opposite, boosting lows and highs. It can get you more of a scooped, SRV kind of sound. I know a lot of folks turn their noses up at anything but a true passive single coil, but I was never been able to get used to the 60-cycle hum. These PUs sound great to me and with the aforementioned tone controls you find yourself with a very versatile sounding strat indeed.
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Post by jwr on Jan 27, 2007 18:37:33 GMT -7
Kinman AVN Blues. I like them a lot, but are not as open as other single coils I've played, but they are dead silent. Just played a Don Grosh Strat today with Lindy VH in neck and middle and a SP43 in the bridge..............WOW! Very nice. Jason
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Post by chipstar75 on Jan 27, 2007 19:46:57 GMT -7
in my American Standard, I have Van Zant blues, with a Toress bluescaster wireing harness, giveing me a mid boost or mid cut, and the "woman tone'' caps. My Callaham has Fraylins, specially wound for him, with a baseplate on the bridge pick-up. Additionally, he has them cryogenitly treated, and it seems to make them very vibrant . If you really want to improve your strat tone, drop one of his upgraded tremelo blocks into your strat . your sustain and tone will double. Best 50 bucks you could spend on your strat. www.callahamguitars.com
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Post by GuitarZ on Jan 28, 2007 14:53:51 GMT -7
Kinman AVN Blues here
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Post by Matt H. on Jan 28, 2007 16:51:31 GMT -7
Tele - Voodoo te-60 in the bridge and a Fender Fat- 52 for the neck. Strat- Voodoo 60's Both these guitars sound as good as any that I've played - Real Sweet! Call Peter Florance at Voodoo and he'll be very helpful and answer any questions you might have. Real nice guy! voodoopickups.com/index.htm
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Post by Lefty on Jan 28, 2007 17:47:57 GMT -7
Fralin '69s (left handed stagger) I've been told they are the same as the Blues, with base plate in the bridge.
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Post by Shannon on Jan 28, 2007 19:52:18 GMT -7
Anybody ever tried Voodoo ST60's BL's?
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Post by Hohn on Jan 28, 2007 19:55:08 GMT -7
My Zion also came with Fralin Blues specials. I replaced them with Kinmans, whose noiselessness and tone I prefer, even if the Fralins are probably closer to the "real deal"
jmo
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Post by riffraff on Jan 29, 2007 19:15:40 GMT -7
I have a Fralin Vintage Hot in the neck and a Blues Special in the middle with a DiMarzio humbucker in the bridge - don't recall which one. I like the Vintage Hot better than the Blues Special, but both are good.
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Post by crackpot on Jan 29, 2007 20:49:52 GMT -7
Am Std Strat -- Bardens. This guitar is done. It's perfect with the Maz Jr.
Parts Strat -- Dearmond 2K bridge and a RW/RP ElectroKraft strat neck pickup wound to match it (no middle). Noisy as hell but MEAN sounding.
Tele -- trying a set of Lawrence L200s. They make the guitar sound different -- bigger than a Tele but still very Fendery (there's a description for you) and I kind of like them. They might, however, turn out be an inexpensive noiseless stop on the road to another set of Bardens.
Esquire -- just going together and I'm not certain. I'll probably start with a Fender original vintage because I've got one in a drawer.
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Post by guitarstan on Feb 1, 2007 11:58:45 GMT -7
Yesterday my new Fralin Vintage Hot prewired assembly nested on the porch. They replaced my stock AM Deluxe Noiseless pups and pickguard assembly. Easy install and sounds great. I thought about going with the SP43 in the bridge but let the dealer talk me out of it at least for the time being. Lets see how I like this setup first before my next experiment.
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Post by StrangeC on Feb 1, 2007 21:31:47 GMT -7
Guitarstan- Just curious how you're finding your swap?
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Post by jzguitar on Feb 3, 2007 14:30:18 GMT -7
I put a Suhr V60LP in the bridge spot on my MIJ 60's reissue. I really like it but it makes the other two pickups sound dull and lifeless, so now I need to get two more! My main strat ('92 Deluxe Strat Plus) has a Duncan Little '59 in the bridge (with a coil tap switch) and the stock Lace Sensors in the middle and neck. I love that guitar, but I'm thinking of replacing the neck Lace Sensor with a Suhr.
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Post by guitarstan on Feb 5, 2007 13:56:52 GMT -7
Guitarstan- Just curious how you're finding your swap? The new pups are so sweeeeeeeeeet, clean (bell like) and beautiful sounding! I am playing the heck out of that ole Fender as a result. But it's given me GAS bad...now I want one with Fralin Blues Specials for that more aggressive tone when I need it. Better to have GAS than not.... I guess .
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Post by rcrecelius on Feb 7, 2007 8:35:26 GMT -7
Appreciate the input...keep 'em coming! Since no one else has mentioned them I thought I should toss in a vote for EMGs. I have the SV series in my strat and I've been quite happy with them. I chose them based on the recommendation of the guy who built the guitar for me. I wanted something noiseless and at the time the only other choices were either a stacked single or the Lace Sensors. I had experience with both of those types before and I ended up liking the EMG SVs a lot better. The other nice thing about EMGs is that they make some special tone controls that work quite well. I have the SPC and EXG pots in my strat. The SPC is a mid boost that can make the guitar sound more like a humbucker equipped ax. It's especially good if you'd like to get a solid rock tone from the bridge pickup. The EXG is more or less the opposite, boosting lows and highs. It can get you more of a scooped, SRV kind of sound. I know a lot of folks turn their noses up at anything but a true passive single coil, but I was never been able to get used to the 60-cycle hum. These PUs sound great to me and with the aforementioned tone controls you find yourself with a very versatile sounding strat indeed. You know, a friend of mine loaned me a set of those vintage style EMG's once...heck I kept em for a year or so...as I recall, they were really nice...this was way before I found Z's...I'd like to hear those pups with a cranked Z today.
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Post by big ( Al Z. ) on Feb 7, 2007 9:53:03 GMT -7
I just got a set of SD APS-1 and really like them with my Z-28. I had a Rio Grande Big Bottom set and didn't like them at all. I think the combination of overdriving a Z-28 with the power of the RGs didn't work. The APS-1 description of getting the distortion out of the amp instead of the pickups works for me.
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