Single Coil Noob

[Aquila Rosso]

Yep, I spent all my metro kit money on a GMW Randy Rhoads and a USA (Corona) Standard Strat.

I'm a total noob on strats and single coils. I know nothing about them.
I've played nothing but my Les Pauls for the last 15 years, but I finally conceded that no matter how much I always detested the twang, I have to admit that the only way to play certain songs and nail the tone is to use a strat.

The one I just bought is absolutely mint, really nice woodgrain/burst finish, but it has aftermarket Kinman pups in it.
I find the only way to get the sounds that I associate with strats is to roll off the volume knob a bit.

I think the Kinmans may go.

I want a pick up that is classic little wing strat, but also comfortable doing Gilmore, Malmsteen or Blackmore type sounds.

Help the strat noob please!

[fillmore nyc]

I want a pick up that is classic little wing strat, but also comfortable doing Gilmore, Malmsteen or Blackmore type sounds.

Help the strat noob please!

Strat noob... Good one!!

As far as Strat pickups are concerned, Lindy Fralin probably makes one of the better "boutique" Strat style pickups available in a true single coil design.
http://www.fralinpickups.com/stratstyle.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you want no noise (which can be cool if you're using a high gain amp) the DiMarzio Virtual pickups are not bad at all. Probably the closest to a legit Strat tone in a noise canceling design.
http://www.dimarzio.com/site/#/pickups/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Actually, I just saw these on Fralins website. I dont have any experience with them, but being Fralins, I'll bet they're pretty decent IF you're not looking to keep a traditional look to your Strat.
http://www.fralinpickups.com/stratstyleSB.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[demonufo]

As far as Strat pickups are concerned, Lindy Fralin probably makes one of the better "boutique" Strat style pickups available in a true single coil design.
http://www.fralinpickups.com/stratstyle.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh yeah, I'd agree with that. Not sure about covering all bases but Fralin's 'the' man for singles IMO. Beautiful classic Strat twang.

[flieger67]

Welcome to the single coil world, Aquilla Rosso. It's a cool place.

I think the recommendations are pretty good, so far. DiMarzio makes some really nice and dead quiet single coils in their Virtual Vintage line. In fact, I have a DiMarzio humbucker and a VV Heavy Blues in a Jackson and the VV is actually noticeably quieter than the 'bucker.

On the topic of DiMarzio, you mentioned liking Malmsteen's tone. Be aware that the DiMarzio YJM pickups are fairly LOW output single coils. I think some people hear Yngwie's tone and think, "Ah, overwound single coils!" However, the opposite is true and Yngwie actually likes lower-output pickups and boosts his signal with a DOD OD 250 or something similar. Blackmore is somewhat similar in that he's used either a treble booster or the preamp section of a tape machine to boost his signal. Ritchie's current signature guitar from Fender uses Duncan Quarter Pounder pickups but from what I've read, Ritchie never used those pickups.

As for Fralins, they are very nice and Lindy offers a range of options. In fact, I have two guitars with Fralins and one of the guitars got a custom set from Lindy that sound really nice.

A third option is Don Grosh Guitars. They just started winding their own pickups and I got to hear some of them when I was in their shop in April. Very nice and I think given some of the tones that you mention liking, I think you might be interested in a set of Fat 60's.

But you know what I'd most highly recommend? Write to DiMarzio, Fralin and Grosh and ask them what pickups they'd recommend for your Strat. I exchanged emails with Steve Blucher at DiMarzio over pickup recommendations for one of my Groshes and he was really great to work with. I know the Grosh guys would certainly be happy to chat via email or a call to their shop.

Good luck with your pickup hunt.

[JimiJames]

Strat noob... Good one!!

still bustin' up

great recommendations. I use those V-series DiM's and love their tone for that single coil sound. there's a slew of 'em so do your homework.
Fender's SCN Strat Pickups are a good choice as well.
In a Fender Frontline issue featuring those pickups, there was a sound test comparing real 50's single coils and the SCN's.
amazingly, the Scn's even fooled the purists.

in your case, as mentioned previously, noise cancelling should be your targets.
coming from LP's & humbucker's that would be a good move.

[Stratabuse]

Yeah, I'd have to recommend Dimarzio as a good option if you're looking for a hum cancelling single coil pickup that still retains that strat sound. I just put a Dimarzio Area 61 in the neck position in my strat & it sounds really good, actually better than I anticipated & dead quiet too.

[Aquila Rosso]

Thanks for all the replies people.

After buying this strat, I played it for 30 mins, put it back in it's case and went running back to my trusty Gisbon LP.
But I still make myself spend time on the strat every day. It is taking some getting used to.
Today I had my first good jam on it and found myself playing in new ways, that justifies the purchase cost in itself.
I sort of liked the tone when using a boss preamp rather than the marshall.
I'm not sure I'm in a hurry to replace these Kinman pups, alot of people like them, so I'll give them a chance.
I also wonder if the new style trem changes the tone much, I suppose it has to have some effect.

My new GMW Randy Rhoads hasn't arrived, he hasn't even posted it yet. Should be a nice gat, when it finally gets here.

As far as single coils go, I like the idea of clean boosting low output pickups. I'm a big fan of boosting the front end of an amp with pedals. It works for me and most of my favourite guitarist's tones were done with some kind of pedal boost.
I tend to think strat for clean, LP for crunch and shred. I'm sure I'll find more uses for my shiny new strat yet.

I'll be suprised if I now have funds for a Metro kit for a good few months after buying these gats, I'm building a bloody pedal board now.

[MacGaden]

Have you looked if there´s a cap on the volumecontrol to keep the highs when you turn it down ?
I don´t like them, makes things too bright.

I also recommend you try lowering the pickups. Lots of different tones to be found, lower output, angle them. Experiment.

Do you have a tone control on the rear PU ?

Kinmans are OK, but he makes different several kinds. Maybe the ones on there is just not suited to your style..?

Strats are harder to get a tone out of, you have to work more for it. Can be hard if you are used to a Les Paul..

[demonufo]

I also recommend you try lowering the pickups. Lots of different tones to be found, lower output, angle them. Experiment.

+1

Too many people just set pickups as close as possible and think that's the best way to get good tone, when the opposite is usually true.

[Aquila Rosso]

All worthwhile advice, thanks people.

I think, I'll keep the Kinman pups (blues set) in for now and experiment with them.
If I decide that they don't suit my tastes, I'll try to play as many strats with different kinds of pups in them that I can get my grubby mitts on, to try to find out what I like.

I may now be the proud owner of a nice shiny Fender Stratocaster, but I will stop short of converting to those amps they make.

[Flames1950]

I know I've seen a picture of Blackmore playing a Strat that, from the size of the polepieces, had to have been loaded with the Quarter-Pounders -- but I don't remember where anymore.

[Aquila Rosso]

Quarter Pounders? They have got to be good with a name like that (think junk food, think FAT!!!).
I can see this all ending in me needing more than one strat.
I'm now liking the Kinmans but I like the sound of other strat pups too, I'm going to need more than one strat for sure.
With this strat have a rosewood fretboard and noiseless pups, I think I'd better look at a maple fretboard/neck and maybe lower output classic pups for the next strat.
Thanks guys, I can now justify to myself the buying another guitar

I thought that having a Les Paul, An EMG powered whammy bar pointy gat (GMW RHOADS) and a Strat would cover all my bases.
I think I need 2 different types of strats, a nice SG, A Les Paul and the GMW.
That is only 2 more guitars ever, promise.

I will get round to building a kitset amp oneday

[fillmore nyc]

I would consider myself a hardcore LP (well, humbucker) player myself. Ive gone thru a bunch of Strats and never really felt comfortable with them, until I hit the combination I have now, which I really do like.
I definitely can recommend (especially since you say you come from a LP backround) a DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Solo for the bridge, and one of the "Area" pickups (58, 61 or 67) for the neck and middle, depending on how hot or cool you want those 2 positions to sound. Right now, my guitar has a Solo in the bridge and Area 61's in the neck and middle, which is a nice strong combination, but still remains in Strat territory.

To me as a humbucker player, the Solo in the bridge position is a great choice, cause its not overly bright, and borders on a P90 tone, which sounds excellent thru any amp with some gain. It even sounds nice to my ear clean cause its not ice-picky at all, but its also not "PAF" either.
The Area 61's are nice and strong in the neck and middle, though I rarely use the middle pickup at all and have it lowered down close to the pickguard. The neck is pretty close to an SRV tone thru my rigs.

The other big benefit is the fact that they're noise canceling. I usually set the amp for at least some grit, and those Virtuals have no hum whatsoever.

The only thing I might add to this is that I like my guitars strong... My Strat is a hardtail, and Im not any kind of traditional Strat player looking for country twang, or "switch position 2 & 4 quack". I like it to have balls and punch (like I said... a LP player), and this set up gives me that without noise.
I suppose if I wanted real twang and snap, I might stick an "Area" pickup in the bridge, but I've never tried that, since I dont really go for that kinda tone.
Its not dead on exact, but for a strong SRV type neck tone, and a powerful "Strat/P90-ish" bridge tone, this combination works, and nobody would mistake it for a LP tone... it still sounds Stratty enough to my ears.

[flieger67]

I know I've seen a picture of Blackmore playing a Strat that, from the size of the polepieces, had to have been loaded with the Quarter-Pounders -- but I don't remember where anymore.

You may be thinking of the "Come Hell or High Water" era. Some opinions I've read say that those pics are of Blackmore using QP's. However, another source says that those large polepiece pickups are actually Schecter F400's and that Blackmore never used QP's.

Sorry for the off-topic diversion. Now back to "Single Coil NOOB"...

[BrianH]

Don Mare pickups are getting quite favorable reviews: http://www.buckcannon.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've got a set of his Supersports on order. 4-ish more weeks to go.

Fralins are all universally good, not a bad one in the bunch. I also really like Van Zandt Vintage Plus.