Good Medium Output Bucker for Strat?

[Rick1114]

I've decided that I'm going to make few final Mods to my strat and be done with it (no really!). The problem is you don't know what you want until you dive in and try a bunch of things and then learn from you experiences. But now I'm ready to put a few final touches and start saving for whatever comes next!

Okay most importantly, I need a medium output Humbucker to replace a the JB that is in with my STK4+'s. The JB just overpowers them too much and the clean sound is not warm at all (I do like the JB enough to keep it around though). Every bucker I put in there sounds bright so I'm thinking a 59' might do the trick. Also considering the APH-1 or the Jazz. I'm moving away from heavy guitars and cleans is more important to me now - but being able to handle distorted sounds would be a plus (a la GNR, Soundgarden or Alice in Chains).

Any thoughts?

Here's a pic of the Guitar. Along with the humbucker swap, I am installing a Mint Pickguard (got sick of the pearl quick), and a super 5 way switch so I can split the Stacks/Humbucker in the notch positions. I find the notch positions loose a small but noticeable amount of output because of the STK's+ design. I also cannot split the bucker without the super 5 way. After that I done for good! ( no really )

[Benjy_26]

PATB-3. It's PAF-ish, splits well, and has enough lows and low mids to beef up a strat. It sounds good clean in the notch positions and sounds fab dirty. I really like this pickup in a HSS strat.

[ErikH]

Call MJ and order a tremspaced Brobucker. Seriously. You'll thank me later. It's worth the Custom Shop price.

[jmcorey]

I tried several SD buckers in the bridge of my strat.

59, too bright.
PG+ (in other strats) too bright - never tried the A2 regular PG, though
CC - too middy, didn't sound like a strat
APHII - too weak, sounded almost like a single coil in my strat - definitelhy NOT what I wanted.
Dimarzio Tone Zone - woolly muffled tone - yuck, but I used 250 k pots.

Didn't try the Seths, though, which would probably have been perfect.

All these tests were through a bright rig, and not through my present setup.

I ended up going with a Bill Lawrence L-500L, from www.billawrence.com, which makes it sound like a strat on steroids. It sounds GREAT clean - unlike the dimebucker - and very articulate with distortion. Bill's pups are VERY sensitive to height adjustment and amp eq, leaving you with LOTS of potential sounds from that pup.

However, his pups are the most transparent around, and they bring out the true tone of the guitar AND the true ability of your playing.

[Rick1114]

I would LOVE to try out a brobucker, but for $160 bux, I might be leaning twords the Bill Lawrence L500L right now! I tried the DD, CC, & JB, as well as an Air Zone. They all have high output though except for the Air Zone, which was similar to the CC, but icepicky still for cleans. JB's been best so far, but I know I can find a better fit.

Rick

[ErikH]

From the money spent on all 4 of those plus another $50 or so for the L500-L you could have bought a Brobucker and been done with it. I'm surprised you found the Air Zone to be icepicky clean. I don't hear that at all with it.

[Rick1114]

From the money spent on all 4 of those plus another $50 or so for the L500-L you could have bought a Brobucker and been done with it. I'm surprised you found the Air Zone to be icepicky clean. I don't hear that at all with it.

Yea but then I wouldn't have gotten to try all those pickups

I don't remember if the AZ was that icepicky (the DD sure was), but I wasn't in love with it. Similar to he CC in some ways but less raunchy.

I just lowered the JB's height a bit to help balance the output with the STK's. I had a bit of fun playing leads & funk with it! The JB is does work well with his set up and sounds better than any pup I've tried in in the bridge. I'd still like to try a medium output pup there tho, either the Brobucker or the L500L!

[Pacer_87]

If you want a warm bridge bucker for a Strat, I'd say Pearly Gates.
And I mean the regular version not the plus, since I haven't tried that.
Pearly Gates is medium output and warm and round, but still able to
cut through the mix. Works great in a bright sounding Strat.

[frankfalbo]

Erik is right. The Brobucker really is the answer. And it helps to stop thinking about $160 as the price of the "pickup". It's not. It's the price of the labor. If you think about the rich history and heritage of the Duncan Custom Shop, and then think what they will be custom building just for you, it's a bargain. I wouldn't make you a pickup for $160!