Strat pickups - Trilogy set for a big strat rock sound?

[matparise]

Hi,

I'm going to receive in the next few weeks a new strat alder body and a warmoth pro strat neck in maple with maple finguerboard and now I'm hesitating on which pickups set I'm going to install...
I'm looking for a "real" strat single coil sound but more powerfull, a bit warmer with a very good dynamic and defintion. I'm playing rock, blues, power blues and funk stuffs from guitar players such as Richie Kotzen, SRV, Joe Bonamma, Andy Timmons.
The trilogy set looks great but I'm a little bit scared to have more a "metal" sound than the big strat rock sound I'm looking for. But maybe I make a mistake and this set would be perfect? If not which other set would be good for the tone I would like to find? Maybe the Slowhand set?

Thanks for your help.

[HTH AMPS]

I think the Trilogies would be WAY too hot for what you describe.

The Slowhand set sounds much more in the ballpark for SRV, Bonamassa and general blues/rock stuff.

There is a gap in the BKP Strat line between Slowhands and the Trilogy in terms of output/DC resistence.  I'm sure something in the 10k range would be a winner for rockier stuff while still sounding like a Strat (Walter Trout/Buddy Whittington/Bugs Henderson type of stuff).

[matparise]

Thanks for your answer.

A pickups set around 10k would be perfect for the kind of tone I'm looking for. The trilogy looks to be too powerfull for me... Maybe a Slowhand set with a zink plated steel base for the bridge pickup can do the job...

[HTH AMPS]

good call on the base plate for the bridge pickup, that'll give it more weight in the bass end for sure.

you should really discuss this further with Tim, he'll not stear you wrong.  maybe he could wind something custom for you in the 10k range (???).  as it stands, I think the Slowhand will certainly cover the bases you've described.

[matparise]

I'm certainly going to contact Tim to ask him if it's possible to have a custom set based on the Slowhand but a little bit more powerfull around 10k...

Thanks for the advice.

[Brow]

I'd also consider the Irish Tours if I were in your position.

They're a great Blues/Rock pickup :)

[matparise]

Why not the Irish Tour can be a solution. I will try to find some clips to have an idea...

[TwilightOdyssey]

Why not the Irish Tour can be a solution. I will try to find some clips to have an idea...

This is my attempt at playing neoclassical. Neck pickup is an Irish Tour.

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=2852540&q=hi

[matparise]

In fact the sound I like for a Strat is somthing like that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_qGsAsF6yE&feature=related

I'm not sure that the Trilogy set would be good for that sort of tone. The sound looks to be clear and not so powerfull with the gain from the amp and maybe an overdrive pedal on this Kotzen video... 
Maybe I should look to the the Mother's Milk with a plated steel base for the bridge pickup to have a little bit more punch...

[AndyR]

Yep, Matparise, my Irish Tours would do the tone from that Kotzen clip with the right amp set up. My strat (rosewood board, alder body) isn't quite as "clear" sounding as that, but it's got quite a thick tone accoustically anyway.

I am thinking that possibly even slightly lower - Mother's Milk, like you say, or Apaches, would get you there more easily, letting the amp/pedal put the dirt in. I've only tried the Irish Tours myself though :D

[matparise]

Thanks for your help Andy.

I've tried an american strat with a set of 69' fender custom shop and I really like the sound. Maybe the bridge pickup lacks a little bit of power... The mother's Milk set looks to have quite the same caracteristics as the 69' thet why I was thinking to put the plated steel base to the bridge pickup to increase the power of it.

[steve]

Hi, have a listen to one of my bands cover songs. Its "kida wanna rock" by bryan adams using a strat with Irish Tour Neck and middle and Trilogy bridge.

The Trilogy is used on all riffs and does sound like a fat single coil pickup but with a vintage high gain tone if needed. The Irish tour is on the solo. Played through a Blackstar Dual pedal into the desk.

www.myspace.com/badmedicinerockband

Hope it helps.

[matparise]

Thanks steve for the link.

Finally I have changed my mind about which kind of sound I would like to have. I prefer something less aggressive very dynamic with a great clear strat sound...I will use the boost of my Cornford head with maybe an overdrive pedal to have a heavier sound...

[varkunus]

seems the sound is alot from fuzz, but i love that sound too almost sounds robin trower like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzYfWlTo-kE (ignore the wah)

[Brow]

Thanks steve for the link.

Finally I have changed my mind about which kind of sound I would like to have. I prefer something less aggressive very dynamic with a great clear strat sound...I will use the boost of my Cornford head with maybe an overdrive pedal to have a heavier sound...

That description to me says 'Apache' :)

Mothers Milks may also fit the bill but they're brighter and (to my ears atleast) a little scooped sounding. Not that it's a bad thing at all, it's just a different flavour.