Single Coil Noob

[yngwie308]

Even the relatively low output YJM's and HS-3 DiMarzio pickups, single coil or not, I found to be an awesome Hendrix era sounding pickup, especially in the non Yngwie positions of 2 and 4, if you have a 5-way switch, or the neck and middle and middle and bridge combinations. Great tones and they don't necessarily need a boost pedal to sound great!
yngwie308

[flieger67]

Even the relatively low output YJM's and HS-3 DiMarzio pickups, single coil or not, I found to be an awesome Hendrix era sounding pickup, especially in the non Yngwie positions of 2 and 4, if you have a 5-way switch, or the neck and middle and middle and bridge combinations. Great tones and they don't necessarily need a boost pedal to sound great!
yngwie308

I agree with you. I used my Malmsteen Strat at church a few months ago and it sounded really great for clean tones, as well as distorted tones. And it wasn't difficult at all to get the 3-way switch set to give those "2" and "4" positions for the neck/middle and middle/bridge combinations.

[wdelaney72]

Quarter Pounders? They have got to be good with a name like that (think junk food, think FAT!!!)

No! I did not like the Quarter Pounder that I had in the neck position. Very UN-strat sounding.

I put in a Fender Noiseless and I'm much happier.

[Aquila Rosso]

Good to see you are all still keen to talk single coil stuff.
I've decided to just keep the Kinmans in for now.

I must confess that my shiney new Strat is hardly ever used, it gets about 1 hours play for every 23 hours I'd play the Gibson.
The Gisbon is still my number one guitar by far.
Although playing Malmsteen's Demon Driver or Rising Force solos (at 75% speed of course) is MUCH easier on a Strat than a LP.

If I get my grubby mitts on a Standard Stratocaster that that sounds MUCH better then mine, then I'd consider ditchin' the Kinmans for whatever pups sound better.
For now they serve thier purpose well (they help stop dust getting inside the shiney new strat )

[Froumy]

A buddy of mine has Fralin's in his Strat. It's way too pretty. I'm not sure which model, but I'll avoid those like the plague. Fralin has plenty of other models to suit, though. Lots of variety in single coil tone. From what most folks say, the Kinmans should be an upgrade from the Fender Standard Single coils. You may grow to like them. If you're used to a LP, it could take a while to get used to singles. If it's easier to play, you could always slap a super hot, close to p-90 pickup in the bridge. You may play it a bit more...and then slowly come to the dark side.

I'm interested in new PU's as well. Any other recommendations out there that we be an upgrade to standard Fender? Can't find a SC pickup shootout anywhere.

You could always trade your Kinmans for my standard SC's.....

[basile865]

I play a strat 100 percent of the time - my trusty american standard.

For years I always thought it was silly to mess with pickups because if it aint broke dont fix it, until I sat down and compared my strat to others - which left mine lacking.

I spent a really long time deciding what to get - and I'm a huge hendrix nut. I wanted something not to change my stratty sound but to be fat AND have clarity at the same time.

Well after much research online and at the stores I decided to get the fender custom shop 69's.

I want to say I'm really pleased with these guys because I didnt lose anything - I gained clarity and warmth. All around it just made my strat sound strattier. The perfect upgrade in my opinion - it didn't change so much as it enhanced. Not to mention the bridge pickup actually is a useable tone now.

It really came down to the 57/62 fender set, or the 69's. Being a jimi guy the 69's won but they allow MY sound to come through not just jimi. Its just simply a clarity thing. Its like putting something in, and all the sudden its one less thing in the chain that you think about.

[Aquila Rosso]

I'm just discovering a great thing about strats by browsing auction sites, loaded pickguards.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =221905894" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I quite like the idea of having a few different flavours loaded pickgaurd I can swap at will. It appears to be pretty simple to swap them.
Of course having a few different flavours of strat would be better, but my metro kit, a SG, an explorer and finishing my pedal board are further up the shopping list.

[BrianH]

A buddy of mine has Fralin's in his Strat. It's way too pretty. I'm not sure which model, but I'll avoid those like the plague. Fralin has plenty of other models to suit, though. Lots of variety in single coil tone. From what most folks say, the Kinmans should be an upgrade from the Fender Standard Single coils. You may grow to like them. If you're used to a LP, it could take a while to get used to singles. If it's easier to play, you could always slap a super hot, close to p-90 pickup in the bridge. You may play it a bit more...and then slowly come to the dark side.

I'm interested in new PU's as well. Any other recommendations out there that we be an upgrade to standard Fender? Can't find a SC pickup shootout anywhere.

You could always trade your Kinmans for my standard SC's.....

Wonder what Fralins they were, he has lots of models that sound different. Lollar makes killer pickups, too. A lot of guys like Fender pickups but I think they're like Mallory caps - they sound good until you hear Sozo.