BKP vintage single coil pu's vs. Suhr Fletcher-Landau

[edgie]

I've had the Apache set in my strat for 3 years now and if the budget permits, I'm thinking of getting a set of either a set of Irish Tour or Mother's Milk just to have a bit of a different flavor. One other candidate is the Suhr FL(standard or vintage).

Has anyone have experience comparing these 3 candidates against the Apache? Please state the strengths and weaknesses you found in them.

I love the Apache. It's great for clean and dirt but I'm just curious what to expect in tone if I try one of these other sets. Just to give you an idea, my favorite clean tone = SRV's Lenny and my favorite dirt tones = EVH
s Mean Street sound(modern dirt, but i don't want to use humbuckers for my strat) and Hendrix's Voodoo Child(vintage-type dirt).

I tried the search button but there are just so many results and I honestly don't have the luxury of time right now to check all of them. So any objective input from you guys will be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Edgie


 

[gordiji]

edgie, despite not having much time to go through the various clips, listening to them is much more effective than peoples opinions, after all how do you descibe tone?
that said i've irish tours and love 'em, the 'nicest' bridge pup i've played also they'll be further away from your apaches than mm's giving max variety which is what i'd go for in your situation.can't comment on the suhr's but i'm sure they're excellent.
i'm often tempted by a set of apaches or sultans for similar reasons to yours.by the way if i had mine stolen i
would immediately replace with the same, they're my fave bkp

[edgie]

Thanks Gordiji. I also listen to soundclips but honestly it's quite hard to distinguish them from one another on a clean setting specially if we are considering their feel which do not translate in soundclips. For example, I think I will be so hard-pressed to tell the diff between an apache vs. MM in a clean setting. Another example is the acme website where there are a lot of pickups featured but I still find it hard to differentiate those with almost the same DC resistance.

How do you find postiions 2 & 4?

[gordiji]

position 2&4 are great with plenty of quack available.also i have mine quite low set against the strings so they're not too 'gritty'.i don't think you'll go wrong with either mm's or it's, both are alnico 5 against the apaches 2.also when i bought mine i wasn't after a particular sound, but just a good vintage hot pup, after having them the real character, strengths and weakenesses become apparent, i try to appreciate them for what they are rather than what i would like them to be (within reason). 

[edgie]

Thanks again. The apaches are alnico 3. I'll think the Irish Tour over, maybe I'll just try one first at the bridge pickup. :D

[Telerocker]

Hi. I have a HSS-swampashstrat with Crawler in the bridge and Irish Tours in middle- and neckposition. Playing an Orange Rockerverb 50 (6V6's) in 2x12 cab the IT's will cover anything from pristine clean, funky stuff, Chili Peppers to Hendrix/Stevie Ray-type of sounds. They handle overdrive/distortion very well. I don't have experience with the IT-bridge-pickup.

[edgie]

Thanks Telerocker. The apaches in my srat's neck and mid position can do the tones you've described as well but thanks for clarifying that IT's can handle pristine clean funk tones as well.

[Telerocker]

You're welcome. Of course the Apaches will give a bit more sparkle and bells, also depending on the amp you use. I found the IT's work for clean very well, especially when you roll the guitarvolume just a tad down. It rolls off some bass and accentuates the highs. Very balanced pickup. But all is a matter of taste and the combination of guitarwoods and amp.

[38thBeatle]

Just to throw another suggestion into the ring, I have  set of Slowhands and I sometimes use the Strat with them in the second set when gigging. They have a little more in the mids-they still have the warm Strat tone and do the cleans well. They seem to have a little more oomph.

[gwEm]

Just to throw another suggestion into the ring, I have  set of Slowhands and I sometimes use the Strat with them in the second set when gigging. They have a little more in the mids-they still have the warm Strat tone and do the cleans well. They seem to have a little more oomph.

I was thinking the same 38th. I'd probably prefer these to Irish Tours in a maple board strat.