New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

[Chrismo]

So I've decided that I can't deal with a Strat single coil bridge pickup anymore and a humbucker has to go in its spot.

I'd like an Alnico 2 humbucker, so the answer was obviously Duncan. I have a DiMarzio Area 67 in the neck and middle, so between the Alnico II Pro and Seth Lover, which is the better pairing? I've had issues with the A2P neck pickup being muddy so I'm hoping that's not the case with the bridge pickup as well (maybe I need to consider the Slash version as well?)

What I'm after - something that blends well with Strat single coils but can give me a nice vintage tone in the bridge, clean or dirty. Something as organic and open as the Area 67s that works well with various settings.

Also - any ideas on the pots I should use? It's currently using 250K for all controls. It's a maple neck, alder body Strat with a tremolo, so I'm going to need a trembucker.

Thanks guys - enjoy the Sunday!

[Chrismo]

I spoke to someone at Seymour Duncan that said the A2P would be too weak for a Strat bridge pickup - but Pro Guitar Shop used one in their run of HSS custom Strats...

I was suggested the Custom Custom with a 500K volume pot and 250K tone pots. Anyone have an opinion on any of this at all? Will the Custom Custom be too hot?

[uOpt]

I spoke to someone at Seymour Duncan that said the A2P would be too weak for a Strat bridge pickup - but Pro Guitar Shop used one in their run of HSS custom Strats...

I was suggested the Custom Custom with a 500K volume pot and 250K tone pots. Anyone have an opinion on any of this at all? Will the Custom Custom be too hot?

That advice is very shallow. The Custom variants are an entirely different thing from PAF style pickups. The CC in particular has no highs in a hardtail but can sound nice and full ina tremolo Strat. But as I said, not remotely the same as a A2 PAF style. Definitely hot, full and creamy and much more useful with higher gain than clean.

Does your Strat have a tremolo block?

The APH will be too thin then. But the Pearly Gates sound just great with a trem block. Still bright, but it does have the body the APH lacks in that situation.

[homer_simps1]

I spoke to someone at Seymour Duncan that said the A2P would be too weak for a Strat bridge pickup - but Pro Guitar Shop used one in their run of HSS custom Strats...

I was suggested the Custom Custom with a 500K volume pot and 250K tone pots. Anyone have an opinion on any of this at all? Will the Custom Custom be too hot?

Just noticed your Pro Guitar Shop reference. I'll leave the vids anyways.

[Funkfingers]

Why not try a SD Twangbanger bridge position single coil? Imagine a combination of Strat, Tele and P90 qualities all rolled into one pickup.

[wolf5150]

You put a 500K volume pot on those Dimarzio's and you'll regret it.

I'm surprised they gave you that advice.. did they ask what other pickups you've got ?

If you want a nice Duncan, try a Pearly Gates and maintain the 250K pots all round... plus if you want to have a more usable tone pot, try a .01 Cap.
I'd also highly recommend this treble bleed from Kinman.. I have it on my strat and it's superb.

[IanBallard]

You put a 500K volume pot on those Dimarzio's and you'll regret it.

I'm surprised they gave you that advice.. did they ask what other pickups you've got ?

If you want a nice Duncan, try a Pearly Gates and maintain the 250K pots all round... plus if you want to have a more usable tone pot, try a .01 Cap.
I'd also highly recommend this treble bleed from Kinman.. I have it on my strat and it's superb.

They said, 250k tone pots for the singles, if his guitar is wired like a normal HSS, where the humbucker is not wired to the tone pots. I think it's pretty conventional advice. A 250k volume would make most A2 pups sound muddy since treble is already at a premium with those.

I'd say a Custom Custom will give you a thick, midrange-full tone with nice growl and the A2 mag keeps the output moderate. It's a very "Van Halen" kind of tone in a Strat if that's of interest to you.

I also had a nice experience with a '59 in the bridge but if you go that way, you should do 250k pots all around. The Seth sounds great, but is unpotted, so you will likely have some squeal if you play with high-gain or high volume.

[wolf5150]

Why in a HSS is the tone pot for the humbucker not connected ??

It is in every guitar I've ever owned or played

The A2 PG is quite bright and 250K pots tames it nicely.. that's exactly what I have in my Strat with Kinmans.

[IanBallard]

Why in a HSS is the tone pot for the humbucker not connected ??

It is in every guitar I've ever owned or played

The A2 PG is quite bright and 250K pots tames it nicely.. that's exactly what I have in my Strat with Kinmans.

I've never played a stock Fender HSS guitar with the 'bucker connected to a tone pot, nor did I know they existed, aside from custom shop models or other brands. My Squier was devoid a tone control to the bucker as well.

I don't see the point anyway. Most humbuckers don't really need one and I've never liked to use them. Yngwie's is one example of a Strat where the tone pots are totally disconnected and just there to keep the look.

[icantbuyafender]

Why in a HSS is the tone pot for the humbucker not connected ??

It is in every guitar I've ever owned or played

The A2 PG is quite bright and 250K pots tames it nicely.. that's exactly what I have in my Strat with Kinmans.

As far as i know, ANY factory standard HSS and SSS and HSH three pickup strat with 1 volume and 2 tones does NOT have a tone control for the bridge. single coil, or HB. the first tone controls neck, second controls middle. no tone pot for the bridge position unless you do a rather simple mod, that is.

so the volume is the only knob to consider for the bridge humbucker.

There wont be any worry about the 250k tone pots muddying the bridge pup.

So i dont get why there would be any reason to worry.

[Chrismo]

Yeah I mentioned I had the two single coils in the neck and middle. I appreciate the PG recommendation - I'll look into that.

[Chrismo]

Any other suggestions?

[jmcorey]

Any other suggestions?

Yes, I would NOT go with an A2 pro full sized HB in the bridge of a strat. Did that one time. Extremely thin and weak - definitely not the way to go.

I would recommend the Pearly Gates and keep the 250 K pots, as wolf5150 suggested. Lots of people like the CC in the bridge of a strat, and it has great distorted tone but cleans that were too muddy for my tastes.

Another option is the PATB-3, but it will look different from the other pickups.

Another choice is a 59 trembucker. The 250k pot will prevent the highs from being too shrill. If the tone isn't what you want, you could switch magnets from A5 to A2, having something close to a seth.

[Funkfingers]

In a traditional VTT Stratocaster circuit, the selector switch position for the bridge pickup makes no connection to a tone control. Present day Am Std Stratocasters remedy this by adding a jumper connection between two adjacent terminals on the five-way selector switch. The Eric Johnson sig Strat circuit offers tone controls for the neck and bridge pickups, leaving the centre PU out of the circuit.

[lemonman]

My stock MIA Texas Special Fat Strat has the PG+ in the bridge & it has the tone control on the bucker.

[IanBallard]

To me, it's just more junk in the way of the pure tone going to the amp. But I have a single bucker straight to the 500k volume pot Strat anyway so....

[Jeff_H]

I love the CC in the bridge of a strat, and I find the clean tones to be clear without being muddy, but every guitar will be different. However, the PATB pickups are without a doubt (IMO) the best sounding pickups in a strat or superstrat guitar. The PATB-3 is great for a more PAFish tone. The PATB-1 is a fantastic all around rock, hard rock and 80's/old school metal pickup. It has great crunch and clarity while really beefing up the tone of a strat. IMO it also does very decent cleans, even though the DC resistance is higher....your amp and settings will make a difference though. I can get perfectly decent clean tones out of mine.

If you could get them in Zebra or Double Cream, I would put either the PATB-1 or 3 in most of the strat type guitars I own or would ever buy. To me they are that good.

[IanBallard]

I love the CC in the bridge of a strat, and I find the clean tones to be clear without being muddy, but every guitar will be different. However, the PATB pickups are without a doubt (IMO) the best sounding pickups in a strat or superstrat guitar. The PATB-3 is great for a more PAFish tone. The PATB-1 is a fantastic all around rock, hard rock and 80's/old school metal pickup. It has great crunch and clarity while really beefing up the tone of a strat. IMO it also does very decent cleans, even though the DC resistance is higher....your amp and settings will make a difference though. I can get perfectly decent clean tones out of mine.

If you could get them in Zebra or Double Cream, I would put either the PATB-1 or 3 in most of the strat type guitars I own or would ever buy. To me they are that good.

I agree the clean tones were clear in the CC, but I found them a bit nasally and that makes sense being somewhat hot and mid-range heavy. When I did the first iteration of my 59/Custom hybrid, I used the A2 from the CC and the cleans were a bit rounder and crisper, but still a bit nasally. That might just be an A2/bridge position thing. The A8 fixed all that. Now it almost has a neck-like clean tone.

So maybe the poster could so a 59-8 and get everything he wants! It won't be too hot for the singles, but would have a bit of thunder in a gainy situation.

[wolf5150]

Never mind all this magnet swapping nonsense.. with 250k pots, either a JB if you love to rock out, or a PG if you want to get back into Strat territory with a bit more beef, will do the job.
I've had a JB in my Silhouette Special for the past year and only recently got the tone I wanted from it by lowering it a LOT. ( the guitar has 250k vol and tone pots with the exact cap and bleed values I posted earlier )

Then concentrate on playing the guitar, you'll be surprised how much your "tone" improves !!

You've never heard any really talented/famous guitarist talk about swapping magnets and crap like that.. they may swap pickups untill they get in the ballpark and the rest is in the hands.

I know that's an inflammatory statement but it's what I truly believe.... the greatest improvement you'll ever tonally make is by PRACTICING.

[IanBallard]

Thanks Captain Obvious. Of course, being a better player will result in better sounds coming from your instrument. However, this is pickup forum and considering mag-swapping can be done by a half-retarded monkey and it results in a LITERALLY different pickup for a tiny fraction of the cost of a new one, I think it's a valid consideration.

Plus, this guy could be a badass player, as it is. I mean, when Yngwie came to Seymour Duncan wanting to change/improve his tone, I highly doubt Frank, Evan or Seymour said, "Hey man, maybe if you just worked on your technique, you wouldn't need new pickups".