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Post by John E. on Sept 17, 2019 12:11:06 GMT -7
As some of you know, I'm a huge fan of my EBMM Cutlass. It really is one of the best sounding and feeling guitars I've ever played.
DISCLAIMER: I love the pickups that came stock from Music Man! BUT! I always love experimenting. And since it's also the guitar that feels the best to me, I figure I might as well try different pickups, just in case there's something out there that sounds even better to my ears.
I'm very well versed on humbuckers but I know NOTHING about strat pickups. I emailed Music Man to find out the output level of the pickups in there now so that I'll know where to go from there.
But for right now I'm looking for your recommendations! I like the Fishman stuff, I have Fluence Modern humbuckers in my Strandberg 7 string and the Devin Townsend signature set in my partscaster. But I'm thinking I want something a little more traditional for my Cutlass. Also, I don't like super low output, but I also don't like super hot pickups either, so just a nice middle ground.
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Post by digs57 on Sept 17, 2019 13:38:31 GMT -7
Friend plays cutlass as well...he had to get use to them...believe they are lower output...my suhrs w/Z's + alnicos/w nos tubes are talkin to me
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Post by Faze on Sept 17, 2019 15:17:46 GMT -7
I like the fender custom shop 69 pick ups.
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Post by helmi on Sept 17, 2019 16:21:08 GMT -7
Check out Klein pickups.
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Sept 17, 2019 18:27:41 GMT -7
Nice middle ground Strat pickups? Lindy Fralin Blues Specials.
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Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2019 9:07:47 GMT -7
Lollar Dirty Blondes. You're welcome.
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Post by Ridgeback on Sept 18, 2019 10:54:03 GMT -7
Lollars are also my favorite strat after market pups. I have (non-dirty) Blonde set in my Grosh and a currently homeless Blackface neck\middle with a HD S-90 bridge. Sold the guitar they were in but kept the pups.
So many great winders out there these days.
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Post by Jefferson on Sept 18, 2019 15:26:00 GMT -7
Absolutely cant go wrong with Fralins or Lollars!
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Post by alex2murk on Sept 19, 2019 7:23:15 GMT -7
I suggest Grosh Fat 60s. I also suggest getting them in a Grosh NOS Retro.
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Post by daddyelmis (Greg) on Sept 19, 2019 17:50:23 GMT -7
I have a set of Fralin vintage hots. I’m kind of “meh” about them. I think I’m going to reinstall the stock pups - this is an’81 Strat. Swapping pickups is just too expensive and time consuming (especially on a Strat) to keep hunting and pecking.
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Post by southmusic70 on Sept 19, 2019 19:22:05 GMT -7
Detemple
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Post by John E. on Sept 20, 2019 10:32:55 GMT -7
I have a set of Fralin vintage hots. I’m kind of “meh” about them. I think I’m going to reinstall the stock pups - this is an’81 Strat. Swapping pickups is just too expensive and time consuming (especially on a Strat) to keep hunting and pecking. I agree, it does get expensive. I think I'm just gonna keep the stock pups, cause I also don't have many techs around here anymore and I don't feel like waiting for 3 months while I wait on my guitar to get done at the tech. (The shop my tech works at does all the maintenance and repairs on the display guitars for the Woody Guthrie foundation, so as far as priority goes, my guitar would be at the bottom of the list)
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Post by daddyelmis (Greg) on Sept 20, 2019 12:46:33 GMT -7
I can do the soldering, but on a Strat you have to remove the strings, or greatly loosen them and tape them out if the way to wriggle the pickguard out of the way. Then reassemble to see how it sounds, or see if you screwed up a solder point, etc. It’s just a lot of hassle to find out the expensive set of pups doesn’t really do it for you (then you get to start the whole Reverb, ebay, CL process to recover 50% of your investment).
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Post by Jefferson on Sept 20, 2019 15:48:11 GMT -7
I can do the soldering, but on a Strat you have to remove the strings, or greatly loosen them and tape them out if the way to wriggle the pickguard out of the way. Then reassemble to see how it sounds, or see if you screwed up a solder point, etc. It’s just a lot of hassle to find out the expensive set of pups doesn’t really do it for you (then you get to start the whole Reverb, ebay, CL process to recover 50% of your investment). Maybe consider getting a loaded pick guard so at least the pots and the pickups are already wired together
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Post by daddyelmis (Greg) on Sept 20, 2019 17:51:36 GMT -7
Thanks - that’s how I bought the Fralins. Still futz’d about with different bleed caps trying to get the tone, especially bridge, where I like it. Also, weirdly, the bridge pickup squeals (have tried all manner of pickup height, checking solder joints and wiring, changing/removing caps, etc.).
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Post by mickey on Oct 2, 2019 22:42:08 GMT -7
I've been very tempted several times to try some different pickups in my two nineties Strats, but when it comes down to it I can't see how they're likely to sound much better. I can change the way the pickups react by adjusting their height, or taking some treble off using the tone knob, or adjusting the amp's treble response, etc. Then when I play live the tone will be adjusted again anyway. My original '95 Strat has a set of Lollars which I fitted years ago, and the '97 has its original pickups in still, despite changing the neck pickup after it stopped working when the guitar was new. My '64 Strat still has the original pickups which were fitted when I bought it around 18 years ago, and they sound mellower but great. I keep looking at the many pickups available today, some at very reasonably prices, but can't see the point in changing.
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