Still searching for the ideal Strat humbucker...

[Pierre]

Man this guitar has seen A LOT of pickups:

Seymour Duncan Jazz. Very clear and tight with gain but a little anemic on clean (too low output)
Alnico II Pro: so far the best choice, but I wanted something a little ballsier
SD PATBII: too middy
SD brobucker: too middy
Bareknuckle Crawler: very nice, but a little too high output
SD '59: very nice as well, but bright and not as ballsy

I'm pairing it with two SD SSL1s single coils, and I have my very own wiring (bridge/splitbridge + mid/split brige + neck/neck + middle/neck) on a megaswitch.

This guitar is pretty big sounding. Not overly bright, pretty clear. A big Strat sound. I'm looking for a humbucker that will complement this; keep on giving me the Strat tone in position 4, while having a big rock sound on position 5.

So it would seem that on my wishlish I have a 'wide sounding' (god I hate tone buzz words), around 12K (compared to my other pickups which were 10K and too light) wound humbucker. Something with the same thickness of tone as the Crawler, but a little less output.

Any ideas? Thanks y'all :)

[MrBump]

I'm thinking that a VHII in a Strat would sound pretty much perfect...

[darkbluemurder]

I'm pairing it with two SD SSL1s single coils, and I have my very own wiring (bridge/splitbridge + mid/split brige + neck/neck + middle/neck) on a megaswitch.

This guitar is pretty big sounding. Not overly bright, pretty clear. A big Strat sound. I'm looking for a humbucker that will complement this; keep on giving me the Strat tone in position 4, while having a big rock sound on position 5.

So it would seem that on my wishlish I have a 'wide sounding' (god I hate tone buzz words), around 12K (compared to my other pickups which were 10K and too light) wound humbucker. Something with the same thickness of tone as the Crawler, but a little less output.

I had the same issue with the Crawler in my PRS-style Swamp Ash Special. Based upon Tim's recommendation I chose the Abraxas and it was perfect. Hotter PAF tone, less output and mids than the Crawler, splits excellent. Tim's alternative recommendation was the Emerald.

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

That's the Abraxas. Btw, I have the Crawler and VHII in my (swamp)ashstrats. I like the VHII more and more every day. The Crawler, as you know, is quite versatile. The Abraxas is a less hotrodded Crawler with a bit more chime in the topend too.

[Pierre]

Thanks y'all :) I actually ordered a DiMarzio AT-1 after seeing the current BKP prices. Until I get a band I may not be able to justify these. However it does seem like the Abraxas would be exactly what I need and I wouldn't be surprised if I eventually succumbed to it  :lol:

[Philly Q]

I'm a bit late here, but I'd have also said Abraxas.

If I had multiple HSS Strats (which I might do, if I ever used my Warmoth parts mountain), I'd have one each of VHII, Abraxas and Crawler.  Maybe Holydiver if I was after an '80s metal sound.  From all I've read and heard, they just seem like the BKPs best suited to Strats.

Although I like vintage-sounding pickups, for me the true PAF-types don't quite work in Fender guitars, they sound a bit thin and weedy (unless they're in the neck position).