# All time favourite Strat pickups?



## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

What are your all time favourite Strat pickups?


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Lace Sensors in my '89 Strat Ultra. A close second were my old Schecter Monstertones.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

I'm a Fralin guy- had the same set of Vintage Hots in my main strat for 15 years or so, loved them when I first checked them out in the mid 90's and finally bite the bullet in '03 or so. No regrets.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

After trying out a multitude of boutique and OEM models for my taste,Vineham 69's in my Strat does it all.


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## LexxM3 (Oct 12, 2009)

It depends on the sound characteristic and the amp. But for mid- and high gain, Fender Lace Sensor Red in the bridge of a strat, ideally wired with tone control ... is glorious.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I've found my favourite Strat pickups can vary from Strat to Strat. What is most pleasing to my ear in one Strat may not be the most pleasing in another.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I really like the cheap Toneriders in the Classic Vibe 50s Strat, and I quite like a Quarter Pound in the bridge.

My all time favorite I've played were the stock pickups in my friend's '75.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I've tried a ton over the years, the Lollar blonde and Suhr V50 (which are no longer made, sadly)


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

How do Seymour Duncan Classic Staggered pickups sound?


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Another vote for Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots


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## TTHX (May 24, 2013)

Fender PV 65s. Been through a pile of pickups and dig these the best so far.


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## VanillaTrice (Feb 24, 2016)

From the ones that I have tried in my strats (single coil), this seems to be the break down I prefer.

1)Fender Lace Gold
2/3)Tex Mex
3/2)Stock

I should probably mention that the Gold Lace is preferred in the neck position specifically over all others. I also have an old Evans Hot Lead II (Company is long defunct) that sounds amazing in the bridge but is a very 80s vibe. I really like it, but not quite as versatile to my ears as the above but if you are into anything hair related, she's nice!


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

I've owned a number of Strats since the 1980's and I did multiple pickup swaps in all of them and in the end stock Alnico V's that Fender used in American Standards are my favourites. Great clarity without sounding too thin or brittle. They seem to adapt well to any style of music I play.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

Whatever was in the ‘64 that @fogdart sold to @faracaster


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

GuitarT said:


> I've owned a number of Strats since the 1980's and I did multiple pickup swaps in all of them and in the end stock Alnico V's that Fender used in American Standards are my favourites. Great clarity without sounding too thin or brittle. They seem to adapt well to any style of music I play.


The stock pickups in my Am Standard Strat sound good to me. I can't find anything wrong with them.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

I had a Jeff Beck Strat with a set of Vineham '59s and they sounded terrific.

I had that Schecter Strat with the Monstertones that Dave is referring to for a while and those were really good pickups too.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Roryfan said:


> Whatever was in the ‘64 that @fogdart sold to @faracaster


Yeah best Strat pickups ever. Fatter than most PAFs but clear as day. Magic. Black bottoms, dated to mid May of 64. All measured around 5.8-5.9k


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

fogdart said:


> Yeah best Strat pickups ever. Fatter than most PAFs but clear as day. Magic. Black bottoms, dated to mid May of 64. All measured around 5.8-5.9k



Just used that Strat last night at a gig. My GAWD that guitar sounds and plays amazing.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

faracaster said:


> Just used that Strat last night at a gig. My GAWD that guitar sounds and plays amazing.


Yeah it's the best Strat I've ever heard. Just enormous sounding. Late 63 / early 64 Strats are known for that warmth and girth, as well as having some of the best vintage necks. This is the era that the PRS Silversky is based on.


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## Gavz (Feb 27, 2016)

Never tried any boutique Strat pickups before. I have a '94 Fender Standard and a '00 Squire Bullet. I like the way they both sound. The Standard is a great all around guitar while the Bullet is my surf-machine.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

faracaster said:


> Just used that Strat last night at a gig. My GAWD that guitar sounds and plays amazing.


It makes me happy when vintage guitars get used as intended.


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## Rozz (Aug 1, 2018)

davetcan said:


> Lace Sensors in my '89 Strat Ultra.


I agree, I have Lace Sensor 'Golds' in my 1990.


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

fralins on par with Jon Moore's.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

The "Abby's" in my John Cruz CS Strat are my favourite. I have a custom wound set of Florance "Layla" pickups in my Crash-o-caster which are really good too. I usually just stick with whatever pickups that came in the guitar. I found early on that changing pickups isn't always an improvement.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Roryfan said:


> It makes me happy when vintage guitars get used as intended.


Like this one Jay ?
Look familiar ? I know....hard to tell with those new frets. 
This was last night also.....72' thinline, 64' Black Strat, FB 1


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

faracaster said:


> Like this one Jay ?
> Look familiar ? I know....hard to tell with those new frets.
> This was last night also.....72' thinline, 64' Black Strat, FB 1


At the end of the day, I’m just not a Tele guy & never gave her the love she deserved. Glad she stayed in the family.


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

The noiseless sound pretty great to me in my deluxe, no reason to change ..


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

Rozz said:


> I agree, I have Lace Sensor 'Golds' in my 1990.


I'm with you both with my 95 Strat Plus with 3 golds.


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## Business (Jul 30, 2013)

Dimarzio Area


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I had a set of JS Moores in a US Deluxe Strat that absolutely killed. I can't remember the specs, but they were probably a 60's wind. They're probably the nicest pickups I've had in a Strat.

Honorable mention would be the Fender Hot Noiseless set, which sound fantastic, have a bit of extra bite to them and the noiseless part is a nice bonus - they definitely don't sound as lifeless as the regular noiseless Fenders or the SCN from later Deluxe models. 

I've currently got a set of Lollar Blackface that I'm _trying_ to love, but the neck is a bit too bass-heavy and the bridge is a bit too trebly. I've tried to raise/lower them but it's not helping. They sound decent, but I don't love them.


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## TimH (Feb 4, 2006)

1. PRS 635JM's
2. Suhr V60LP's
3. Fender CS 69's


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## Gavz (Feb 27, 2016)

hollowbody said:


> I've currently got a set of Lollar Blackface that I'm _trying_ to love, but the neck is a bit too bass-heavy and the bridge is a bit too trebly. I've tried to raise/lower them but it's not helping. They sound decent, but I don't love them.


Could try swapping positions. I threw a Pearly Gates Bridge in the neck of my H/S Tele that sounded pretty sweet. Results may vary of course.


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## Lorens Hoffos (Jan 11, 2018)

I do like Custom shop 54's but I am old school lol.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

TimH said:


> 1. PRS 635JM's
> 2. Suhr V60LP's
> 3. Fender CS 69's





Lorens Hoffos said:


> I do like Custom shop 54's but I am old school lol.


69s are great, esp. if you like to use lots of pedals.

I had a great Suhr with a mid 50s vibe (chambered ash body, maple neck) that I loved until I plugged in. Swapped the V60LPs for CS54s et whoomp la voila! In an alder/RW Strat I generally prefer the tight bottom & scooped mids of 54s over Fat 50s as they can get muddy. 

But every guitar is different. IMO the trick is to figure out what you want to improve or enhance about a particular guitar (don’t forget to play it unplugged) & then having an understanding which of pickup(s) will do that. Or just call Jon Moore.

P.S. I was also underwhelmed by a set of Lollars (blonde flat poles IIRC), although the hype had raised my expectations rather high.


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## TimH (Feb 4, 2006)

Roryfan said:


> 69s are great, esp. if you like to use lots of pedals.
> 
> I had a great Suhr with a mid 50s vibe (chambered ash body, maple neck) that I loved until I plugged in. Swapped the V60LPs for CS54s et whoomp la voila! In an alder/RW Strat I generally prefer the tight bottom & scooped mids of 54s over Fat 50s as they can get muddy.
> 
> ...


I had some Lollar Blackfaces that I didn't care for as well.


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

Budz Tall neck, Purebred middle, Firebird bridge. Have never played a Strat that had a better range of tones than that set-up.


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## TubeStack (Jul 16, 2009)

Lollar Blackface for me. Huge improvement from the V-Mods in my Am Pro.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

TubeStack said:


> Lollar Blackface for me. Huge improvement from the V-Mods in my Am Pro.


Did you find the V-Mods to be extremely bright?


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

I am surprised but, very happy that there is love for the old Fender Lace pickups here. At one point you were ostracized for admitting you liked them.
I've always been a fan of them and even more now. they don't sound like trad, vintage pickups, but....they do sound great. The early Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton Strats have them and I think they are amazing in those.
The early Strat Pluses have them and I do believe they are great guitars and a bit of a steal even now. The 12th Fret has a particularly good one for sale right now.


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## TubeStack (Jul 16, 2009)

Roryfan said:


> Did you find the V-Mods to be extremely bright?


Yes, they were pretty bright and thin, although I did like them at first. 

(I should add that along with putting the Lollars in, I had the treble bleed circuit removed. )


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## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

gtrguy said:


> I'm a Fralin guy- had the same set of Vintage Hots in my main strat for 15 years or so, loved them when I first checked them out in the mid 90's and finally bite the bullet in '03 or so. No regrets.


Exactly what gtrguy said -- I've had VH's in my main player for about the same # of years, with a bridge baseplate and a Deaf Eddie Fat-o-caster switch; its my 'stealth strat' that covers a lot of territory.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Gavz said:


> Could try swapping positions. I threw a Pearly Gates Bridge in the neck of my H/S Tele that sounded pretty sweet. Results may vary of course.


That's something to consider. Right now, it's my #1 live guitar, so it gets a lot of use. I'd need to find a little break in our schedule to set aside some time to tinker.



TimH said:


> I had some Lollar Blackfaces that I didn't care for as well.


I dig the tones on all the other positions, it's just the bridge I don't care for, which, I suppose, is a common Strat complaint. Also, it sounds pretty good into a dirty amp, so it's mostly the clean tone of the bridge that I find a little harsh. B+M, though, sounds great!



DavidP said:


> Exactly what gtrguy said -- I've had VH's in my main player for about the same # of years, with a bridge baseplate and a Deaf Eddie Fat-o-caster switch; its my 'stealth strat' that covers a lot of territory.


Hmmmm...that Fat-o-caster switch has got me thinking. Might be time to fire-up the soldering iron!


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## dodgechargerfan (Mar 22, 2006)

For me, it’s a toss up between Fender Tex Mex or the Reilander RS1 Vintage pickups.


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