Neck single coil to go with PA-TB3?

[Mpcoluv]

Just installed a PA-TB3 in a super strat and it really worked as advertised!
Great tone.
Now the neck Dimarzio Fast Track 1 sounds too weak.
What would be a good choice for a neck single coil that can keep up?
A Hot Stack?
SSL-7?
PA-STK1b?

[NoOnesFang13]

i would assume the pastk

[jerryjg]

If it will fit, then the Patbstk-1n is the ideal choice. Be careful as it wont fit some guitars without routeing. Afetr that i would go with a hot rails neck.

[Mpcoluv]

How will I know if the PA-STK1n will fit without buying one first?
Do they sound reasonable strat like?
The Hotrails I have used in the past (tele bridge) didn't sound like a single coil at all.
Is the strat neckversion better?

[Kosh Naranek]

How will I know if the PA-STK1n will fit without buying one first?

From the Duncan site:


Take some measurements.

If your super Strat has a pickguard with a route for a standard single coil, I'll tell you now a PATB-STk won't fit. If the pickup mounts right into the body, it might fit.

I'll second the suggestion of the PATB-STk. It's a great neck or middle position pickup to complement a medium or high output humbucker at the bridge. It would go great with your Blues Trembucker. It sounds a little fuller than a real single coil such as an SSL-1, and has more output. There's not quite as drastic of a change in sound and output when you switch from the bridge humbucker to the PATB-STK1 due to its added fullness and output. But the PATB-STK isn't as full sounding as a humbucker either. It's probably very similar to a Cool Rails, though I have never owned a guitar with a Cool Rails. I have one with a PATB-Stk at the neck and a PATB-1 at the bridge, and that's a great combination.

Other hum canceling single coil size pickups you could look into are the Hot Stack or the Cool Rails. I have another super strat with a bridge humbucker and two Hot Stacks. The Hot Stacks are not as hot as the name suggests. They sound like tru single coils. They even quack when I have the neck and middle one on together. They're clear, sparkly and have a little more output than true single coils. In fact the guitar I have the Hot Stacks in has a Blues Trembucker at the bridge. They're a great match for a medium output humbucker like the Blues.

[Mpcoluv]

Well I went a bought a PA-STK1n and installed it.
If you look at the drawing posted above, the pup is **** near 1" tall.
So I routed the pup slot to make it about .250 deeper.
It DOES sound really good. Sort of like a Duncan Jazz crossed with a strat pup.
All in all, it is better than the Fast Tract 1 (and costs more too). It is not nearly as loud as the PATB3 though.

[theodie]

PATB's are a hidden gem of Duncans lineup. Welcome to the club!