Best pickups for Blues and original Classic Rock n Roll?

[dvdsmlprstylr]

I'm after that warm smooth sound for blues and lively, bright rock n roll sound using single coil pickups.

Favourite artists' tones are Chuck Berry and Eric Clapton (Clean with a bit of crunch), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Sardinas and Joe Bonamassa (Over drive/gain).

I know all of them are very different, but they are just examples of the types of sound I'm after and I know it depends on the amp as well - but it would be valve.

I was thinking of getting Slow Hand pickups, but I'm not 100% sure.

Any other ideas or advice?

[Telerocker]

I would pick Slowhands too in your case.

[Slartibartfarst42]

+1

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Still think IT's, will reach both extremes of the artists you listed easier.

[Telerocker]

Slowhands are warmer and smoother then IT's. That's the tone he's after.

[AndyR]

Just spotted this.

Yep, I agree, ITs won't really be the best option for warmer/smoother (or at least not in my hands :lol:). They help you get to "harder" strat sounds. I would happily play this stuff on my ITs, but...

Do you know what does suit classic rock n roll, though? Apaches, all day long... :D.

I'm really surprised no-one has mentioned this already... And they push an amp (set for the blues/rocknroll thing) just as hard as ITs do. In fact, more so from a "rock n roll" tone point of view.

I've not tried Slowhands, so I can't comment on them really. But I do have the impression that they have a less "vintage" rock n roll vibe (which is why I've never really considered them for myself). So if Joe Bonamassa is higher priority, then Slowhands are maybe the boys. If Chuck and 70s/80s Eric are the higher priority, I'd say you owe it to yourself to think about Apaches as well.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

True, I totally forgot about Apache.

[dvdsmlprstylr]

i rang up and the dude on the phone strongly suggested Slowhands with 280K pots and Jenssen 0.022 cap as soon as i mentioned chuck berry.