Lowest Output Strat Pickups

CC323 · 11-25-2009, 07:13 PM

Hey Guys,

I'm considering getting a Strat, as I've never had a single coil guitar and I quite enjoy the sound they produce. I've played several and know my own neck preferences, but any input as to which pickups have the lowest output that you can still purchase new would be great. I have Seth Lover's in my semi-hollow, and I really dig the low-output nature of them. Is there a single coil equivalent?

Thanks in advance!

Take care,

Chris

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 11-25-2009, 07:25 PM

Just "low output" really doesn't tell you what the sound of the pickup will be like?
Have you considered a Tele with a Charlie Christian pickup?

Among others, Lollar and Vintage Vibe make them. With the Vintage Vibe CCs you can choose the magnet material: AlNiCo II's would have the lowest output and presumably be the mellowest.

**randyc** · 11-25-2009, 08:04 PM

OT, but that sure is a pretty Tele !

**cosmic gumbo** · 11-25-2009, 10:04 PM

Can't you just set the pickup height lower if you want a lower output sound?

CC323 · 11-25-2009, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Just "low output" really doesn't tell you what the sound of the pickup will be like?
Have you considered a Tele with a Charlie Christian pickup?

Among others, Lollar and Vintage Vibe make them. With the Vintage Vibe CCs you can choose the magnet material: AlNiCo II's would have the lowest output and presumably be the mellowest.

The Tele is something I'd like to pursue later on, but I'm looking for 'strattier' tones. I'm sorry for any lack of clarity in my previous post. I like the bright, jangly sounds of the strat, and prefer the lower output pickups to achieve the 'jangle(?)'. I really like Wayne Krantz' clean tones, so if he uses middle-to-higher output pickups, I'm completely wrong about what I like

.

I'm pursuing a style of guitar which gets a nice pop/funk/rock/blues clean tone, as I have my jazz bases covered with the PAF-equipped semi-hollow. The more country oriented nature of the 'general' telecaster tone is what also keeps me away from a telecaster. I've heard ted greene and bill frisell, and I mean no offense, but if I were to seriously pursue a CC-equipped guitar, I'd try to get a 175 or similar styled guitar, as it seems to be the 'most authentic' application of that pickup.

Thank you for reminding me of Lollar though; I had only been looking at Fralin pickups and Seymour Duncans. If you have any more experience/suggestions for good, 'versatile', single coil pickups, I'd love your input! Thanks!

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

Can't you just set the pickup height lower if you want a lower output sound?

While that is an option to lower the perceived output of the pickups, in my limited experience with pickups in general, lower output pickups have a more articulate frequency response, with less focus on the midrange. I find that advantageous in a jazz guitar for obvious reasons, and I am perceiving a lot of my favorite strat tones (Wayne Krantz, Hendrix-ian clean tones, Steve Vai wanna-be strat sounds) as having little midrange, plenty of treble spank, and not so much bass frequency as to get in the way. I appreciate the suggestion though, I'll remember to check pickup height more closely now! Thanks.

**Peter C** · 11-26-2009, 05:29 AM

Lace Sensor Golds.

**gazda** · 11-26-2009, 07:39 AM

Strats have quite a bit of... how shall I put this... temper.
That's a good guitar euphemism for "random", "unpredictable", "hit-or-miss".
Go to a shop which stocks many Strat models, try them all out, plug them into various amps. You'll be surprised by the variation in tone, feel, playability. Some will have lovely vibratos ("trems"). Others will have great necks. Some will have great sound but awful finish, etc. I am yet to see two Strats that feel the same, even if the tag says "same as the other one next in the rack".
You may walk out with a Squier, or a custom shop arm-and-leg budget denting monster - but it will be the one that sounds and plays the way you imagined.
Try to avoid ordering a Strat online. Buying a Strat without a test drive is rarely rewarding. But then again, doesn't that apply to any guitar?

Archie · 11-26-2009, 07:50 AM

Very true. I tried two Fender Strats, a Squier Strat, and a Yamaha, Ibanez, and G&L strat-type guitar a couple of weeks ago before choosing an American Standard Strat. They were all very different in sound and feel.

CC323 · 11-26-2009, 01:42 PM

Peter,

I'll look into the Lace Sensors, thanks!

Gazda,

I'm actually looking at a few Godin models and a Carvin. I quite prefer hardtails, which is why the Carvin is appealing to me. I also like the neck, and if I dislike the pickups, replacement is simple enough due to it being a strat.

Thanks for the input guys.

**cosmic gumbo** · 11-26-2009, 08:39 PM

What is wrong with stock strat pickups? It's not like single coil pickups are high output. BTW, the Robert Cray signature strat is a hardtail, and priced under an american standard.

**bfol** · 11-26-2009, 08:53 PM

this is a great thread as now i want to break my strat out! LOVE that tele though, i want a cc pickup NOW!!!

CC323 · 11-27-2009, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

What is wrong with stock strat pickups? It's not like single coil pickups are high output. BTW, the Robert Cray signature strat is a hardtail, and priced under an american standard.

I'll look for one of those, thanks! The only robert cray one I'd seen was a custom shop one for about $4000, so I'm assuming there's an artist signature version you're speaking of?

I think you're right about stock strat pickups, although upon hearing some of WK's work using his Tyler with Suhr pickups I may check those out if I'm dissatisfied with the regular ones.

**cosmic gumbo** · 11-27-2009, 02:29 AM

Pretty easy to get ahold of -most any fender dealer should be able to get one.

Fender Robert Cray Stratocaster Electric Guitar and more Solid Body Electric Guitars at GuitarCenter.com.

**N8RD7** · 11-27-2009, 11:35 AM

Duncan's vintage models (standard and Antiquity) are wound to pretty low outputs and get the jangle you are talking about, as do Fralin pickups--Fralin will custom wind anything from 6 to almost 10K or so.

**bananafist** · 03-22-2011, 06:53 AM

CC323 - I have an original '61 strat and two early 90s US vintage reissues.
The pickups that, to me sound best, with just the right amount of 'sprang' and clarity, and beautiful sweetness in the neck position, are those on one of my reissues. Early Lindy Fralin vintage pickups. These measure out at 5.6K for middle and neck and 6k for bridge. LF will do his vintage hot with 5% less wire which will give around 5.6k and should give you that clarity. Yes, I prefer it to my stock '61 sound, and yes, most people who play it think the old strat is a killer. Some of the English blues players unwrap some of the wire on a strat coil to get that crisp clarity and sweetness. I use a Lindy Fralin amp, so '

clean' is my sound.

**oldane** · 03-22-2011, 07:05 AM

I think what you are after is a pickup with Alnico II magnets (the weakest variant of alnico magnets). The stronger the magnet, the hotter the pickup. The weaker the magnet, the sweeter and cleaner the sound (and it won't break up so easily). Thus Alnico II magnets go well with traditional jazz tone, while ceramic magnets are good for overdrive and distortion (which can also be delivered by a pedal such as the Tube Screamer). The Alnico V magnets fall in between.

Vintage Vibe Guitars (Pete Biltoft) supplies hand wound pickups with magnets of your choice at a reasonable cost. He offers traditional Strat pickups with fixed individual pole magnets as well as P90 and Charlie Christian aproximations in Strat size. I write aproximation because a Strat sized pickup is too narrow to sound completely like a P90 or a CC.

Send Pete Biltoft an e-mail describing what you have in mind, and he will surely guide you. He is very cooperative and helpful.

**Al_F** · 03-22-2011, 10:33 AM

As an idea, try a Classic 50's Strat. The stock pu's and nice and cool, jangle & twang nicely. And you might be able to find one used for the same price as a set of new aftermarket pickups.

**kamlapati** · 03-22-2011, 01:16 PM

I like the Fralins with the 5% "underwarp." But for cheap and simple, I like the Fender '57/'62, the one they ship on their re-issues.

**medblues** · 03-24-2011, 07:05 PM

Getting a regular nice single coil and lowering it away from the strings is the cheapest way to go, that should give a bit better sustain too.

**HongKongGuitar** · 03-24-2011, 10:07 PM

I would second the comment above that there can be huge differences in tone between strats that are the same model. In addition to looking at pickups, also test different body woods (alder or ash) and the maple necks versus the rosewood.

The vintage reissue style strats generally have lower output pickups. They will also usually use a .047uF tone cap where the "modern" strats will use a .022uF cap. The wiring diagrams are on the Fender website if you want to compare cap values of the different new models.

I have a Fender custom shop Custom Classic Strat and went through a lot of research into how to get the sound I wanted. I was very close to ordering new pickups but was able to get the sound I wanted by adjusting pickup height, strings, tone controls on the guitar, the pick I used, and the amp adjustments. You can change the sound of a strat drastically through adjustments to the guitar and amp.

Regards

**Flyin' Brian** · 03-24-2011, 10:14 PM

My go to guy for pickups is Lindy Fralin. You can get whatever you want in a Strat pickup from him.

Welcome to Lindy Fralin Pickups: The Finest Guitar Pickups Available Today!

**oldane** · 03-25-2011, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by HongKongGuitar

was able to get the sound I wanted by adjusting pickup height, strings, tone controls on the guitar, the pick I used, and the amp adjustments. You can change the sound of a strat drastically through adjustments to the guitar and amp.

I agree. IMHO the Strat is one of the most versatile electric guitars avalable. It can deliver so much more than the typical twangy and bright strat tone. I have a Highway 1 Strat, and I can get it to sound almost any way I want. I find it easy to get a lush and round jazz tone with the neck pickup. If the tone controls (and other adjustment options) on the Strat itself and on the amp isn't enough, put a graphic equalizer between guitar and amp or in the effects loop of the amp (if it has one).