Advice on Slow Hand Vs Trilogy

[mkh02]

Hey guys already been through this post lol but the time has come to buy my pickups after many months of research and I am being indecisive at the finishing line!

I was set on Trilogy's for my Fender Strat with zinc plate on neck to get Deep Purple/ Rainbow tone for my tribute band, however, I am starting to consider Slowhands to maybe maintain some traditionality to the tone.

What do you all think? As I have said in previous posts I like high gain and my only concern is that the Slow Hands will not be able to generate that hard rock tone I want.

Obviously I don't want a humbucking sound so the sinners are probably out so I am left with these 2 options....

Playing through a Carvin Legacy 100w Valve head, Marshall 4x12 Cabinet with Celestion Vintage 50's fitted and my extremely beloved Pod HD500.

Any thoughts to help sway me?

Thanks again guys!!

[BigB]

I didn't try these pups in a proper strat - my sole experience is with SH neck+mid / baseplated TS bridge on a Vox Standard 25 (thick and very heavy maple body / maple neck strat-like) played on a Fender HRDx (usually plugged into a Marshall 4x10 1965 cab).

In this guitar, the SH are much more "middy" than a proper "traditional" strat, and while still stratty they definitly have a bit of a more modern edge. Not "over the top" output - a bit less than my Tele BGF50s (old spec - now BG52) bridge -, very clear and "percussive" cleans (but this last point may also have to do with all this maple). Work fine for slight bluesy crunch to early hardrock OD/dist tones too, might be fine for higher gain settings too depending on your tastes - I do find them a bit too loose for this use but I'm probably a bit biased here.

The TS bridge gives much more crunch and seems less middy to me, pretty nice crunch / dist tones but I don't like it that much for clean tones (now I never really liked strat bridge clean tones anyway).  Stay firm and tight under heavy distortion, cleans up very well when rolling down the volume pot and then sounds almost more "typically" stratty than the SH.

Now I'm not really a strat guy so wait until someone more knowledgeable chimes in ;)

[Telerocker]

TS will provide that Blackmore-tone. Depending on the amp Slowhands get you there too, but they have a more vintagecharacter with enhanced mids. I think TS is spot on.

[Doadman]

I'd have thought a Trilogy Suite bridge and Slowhands for neck and middle would give you the best of both worlds. I don't want the tone of the neck pickup like that of the bridge anyway so mixing them makes more sense for me.

[gordiji]

as far as i know blackmore used stock pups(low output) , light strings .009, and a light touch, also a lot of the time
whilst its cooking it's not high gain but big amps whacked up.i get rainbow/ purple tones with my irish t's easily(at low vol) but reckon any strat set would work,i think it's his style of playing more than the pup.
i would guess at the lower output slowhands but having played neither.......... just an excuse to talk about blackmore really, best of that generation   

[Doadman]

On his day he was an awesome guitarist that's for sure. Oddly enough, I don't often play Blackmore but recently I've been learning Burn. I'm finding the solo hard (OK, I know, I'm rubbish, lol) but I've loved learning it and I swear my technique has improved in the process.

[WhiteRam]

TS will provide that Blackmore-tone. Depending on the amp Slowhands get you there too, but they have a more vintagecharacter with enhanced mids. I think TS is spot on.

+1, TS is what you want, and IMO do not put a base plate on the neck pickup, fwiw I just installed a middle & neck TS a few days ago in my Strat, no base plate needed for what you want.  TS pickups clean up better than most realize, and they rock full on whilst still staying flutey and stratty, if you will.  :)

WR

[Nolly]

TS will provide that Blackmore-tone. Depending on the amp Slowhands get you there too, but they have a more vintagecharacter with enhanced mids. I think TS is spot on.

+1, TS is what you want, and IMO do not put a base plate on the neck pickup, fwiw I just installed a middle & neck TS a few days ago in my Strat, no base plate needed for what you want.  TS pickups clean up better than most realize, and they rock full on whilst still staying flutey and stratty, if you will.  :)

WR

+2

[Antag]

TS will provide that Blackmore-tone. Depending on the amp Slowhands get you there too, but they have a more vintagecharacter with enhanced mids. I think TS is spot on.

+1, TS is what you want, and IMO do not put a base plate on the neck pickup, fwiw I just installed a middle & neck TS a few days ago in my Strat, no base plate needed for what you want.  TS pickups clean up better than most realize, and they rock full on whilst still staying flutey and stratty, if you will.  :)

WR

+2

+3 :)

FWIW, if you go for Slowhands, then I'd say definitely get the base plate, perhaps even on the whole set.  The difference between my 2 Sh necks (one plated, the other not) is quite pronounced.

[gwEm]

As I have said in previous posts I like high gain and my only concern is that the Slow Hands will not be able to generate that hard rock tone I want.

it sounds like trilogies might be better for you - but the slowhands are mustard for hard rock too, especially with a bridge baseplate, no others really needed. great sounding set.