Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: Siadern on November 17, 2006, 12:45:23 PM

Title: New Superstrat
Post by: Siadern on November 17, 2006, 12:45:23 PM

Was in a guitar shop the other day and spotted a 1989 Fender 'HM' Strat. Lovely little 80s style superstrat. It had a nice accoustic sound and a great feeling neck, so I bought it (been after a nice superstrat for a wile now). Intonation isn't quite right and there's a bit of rattle from the bass strings, but nothing a simple setup won't solve. Feels great to play though. Very similar to my main strat but with a faster neck.

Anyway, on to the question. It's HSS, basswood body and maple neck/fingerboard. I plan on getting a Holy Diver (how could I pick anything else) for the bridge, however I'm wondering what singles to put in it.

The recommended ones are Irish Tours, which would be a great match, however I have them already in my main strat and would like something a bit different.

The options are...

- Slowhands - Similar output to ITs so should be a good match.
 - Mothers Milk - Lower output and should be more of a change from my ITs, but this will be a guitar for metal, so perhaps too low.
 - Trilogy - Will certainly handle the distortion, but would they be too much for the HD?[/list:u]

You may want to sit down before reading the next bit.

I'm also considering Seymour Duncans, perhaps a Little '59 in the neck for those early Maiden Dave Murray solos. (Or Hot Rails for his current sound).

Anybody tried any of these singles in a basswood/maple guitar, or in combination with a Holy Diver?

Thanks in advance.
[/list:u]

Title: New Superstrat
Post by: Antag on November 17, 2006, 01:07:56 PM

My Korina strat has a Holy Diver/Irish Tour set, I love it - one of my favourite guitars.

If I build another strat it will have Holy Diver with Slowhands - partly because I wouldn't want two guitars the same, partly because the IT balances so well with the HD so something of a similar level will probably work well.

But I don't think the Trilogies would overpower an HD - people match Trilogies with Nailbombs which have slightly less output than the HD.

Title: New Superstrat
Post by: Siadern on November 21, 2006, 10:23:52 PM

Well, after a great deal of though, and having listened to loads of sound clips (including BKP, Dimarzio, Seymour Duncan and EMG), I've ordered my new pickups.

Not the Holy Diver I was planning to go for, but a Mule with a pair of Mother's Milk single coils. I think the lower output of the Mule will suit my style of play more than the Holy Diver. After all, most of the 80s guitarists I love listening to weren't actually using high output pickups anyway, just standard PAF types.

Can't wait till they arrive so I can get them fitted  :)

Title: New Superstrat
Post by: fabien on November 24, 2006, 04:33:51 PM

Please post a review and clips if possible when you get the pups. I'm growing an interest for an HSS strat with a Mule/mothers milk set.