What pickups to go for - Mothers Milk or Irish Tours?

[Cary]

Hi,
I would love some help to find the right pickups for my set up and preferred sounds.

I have an American Delux strat, alder body with a rosewood fret board and a Carr 6v6 amp. The current SCN pups lack life. My problem is hearing enough of the range of each of the MMs and the ITs to decide which way to go before I buy and have them sent over here - I live in New Zealand.

I am still discovering and figuring out how to language what i like. I like the Hendrix sound,  and the SRV type sound, been playing alot of each - voodoo child, purple haze, little wing etc, also love that 60's strat sound of Frusciante in the Chilli's. I prefer a fuller sound over a thinner sound and find some strats too thin - didnt get an American standard for this reason, preferring the fuller sound of the delux. I guess i am wanting a bit of everything - seeking something that can do warm smooth as well as get raw and cranking as required. I tried a Suhr custom strat with the V60LP's in, a swamp ash body and indian rosewood neck, beautiful to hold and play, lovely tone clean, really responsive, but I didnt quite find enough edge in there when i went looking for it, and felt a bit 'metalic'/thin/light overall for me - wondered if the swamp ash body had something to do with this? I didnt find a place of enjoyment with gain settings either - felt too 'tinny and stringy' for me.  So tone wise not quite me.

I guess I wonder if the MMs would be close to this sound in my guitar in which case should i go for the ITs (however I wouldnt say this is how Frusciante sounds - there is a warm fullness there).  On the other hand I guess the IT's will have a fuller sound and a rawer dirtier sound, so to what degree can they carry warm clean and sweet?

I know they are both great sets of pickups, which set do you think would give me the best range/feel? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks Cary

[Elliot]

Mother's Milks are my fave pickups - they do that mid 60s strat sound to a tee.  But from what you say, you want more power which probably means the Irish Tours are the fellas for you.

[AndyR]

I've not tried Mother's Milks myself. But it was a toss-up between them and the ITs when I bought my ITs...

At first I thought I might have to get another strat for some MMs as well (I still might!) because I was after some of the warm clean and sweet sounds you are describing. The nearest I could get to describing exactly what I wanted (and couldn't seem to get with ITs) was Steve Gaines strat sound in Lynnyrd Skynnyrd, and some of the "fruitier" or "bubbly" Hendrix tones.

But a while back I did some careful adjusting of pickup heights and my ITs do everything for me now. I can get mellow and warm, clean and biting, raunchy, bluesy, etc, etc...  My GAS for MMs has gone for the moment.

Like Elliot, I suspect that you might want the slightly higher power of ITs.

Oh and welcome to the forum by the way :D

[tomjackson]

I went for Mothers Milk but ended up swapping them for IT's.  The MM were very nice sounding but I wanted something a bit fatter with more girth and the IT's were that.  At stage volumes with the right amp (and I think you have that!) I'm sure the MM would sound full enough.  There is no right or wrong, they are both wonderful sets and te whole afffair has just left me wanting both!

But I would advise IT's based on what you have said.

[Cary]

Hey guys - thanks for the suggestions, its really great to get your feedback!!! :D Is really helping me along. Three votes for IT's!  It feels great to have such a rich response from you guys - so soon!! And thanks for the warm welcome to the forum!
D :D

I do love that 62 strat sound that does sound warm and full to my ear, not what I am describing as to 'thin' or 'stringy', (so was surprised at my reaction to the Suhr), and I do also enjoy the fat and the grunt that the SRV, and even up to Gallagher end of the spectrum (who seems further up the raunch scale than SRV to me) - though I wouldnt want to be bound to hanging out with 'full on' Gallagher all the time sound wise (just to be clear - I'm talking sound/tonal points of reference here not my playing ability!!!....one day.....one day.... :D).  The main thing is what i can pull out of my self and gear here and what is working through my fingers and ears - and you just know when you know dont you? :-)   this is a process of discovery for me - and I have had the good fortune to be guided gear wise by some good and wise people  - so thank you guys for being a part of this and assisting in the next steps forward.

From what I am getting it certainly sounds like the IT's will cover the range (that I get into and am still discovering) well ie some nice cleans, warm and full, through to a fatter and gruntier sound as required.

With gratitude, Cary   :D

[AndyR]

Funnily enough, I got ITs because of Rory Gallagher... and the first thing I did with them was Shadow Play, Shinkicker, Brute Force and Ignorance, etc...

But - and I'm really glad about this - they don't tie you to full-on Rory. They are best for the Irish Tour 74 sort of sound, but if someone's after the later full-on tones he used, I suspect a different BKP set might do it better, not sure which...

But, most of the time now I'm using them more for SRV and Mark Knopfler type tones :D

[tremblox]

Hi -

I have a somewhat similar setup - Grosh, alder strat with rosewood board and I also have a Carr Slant 6v6 (2 x 12). 

Personally I love the MMs for that "Wind cries Mary" tone.  Not  thin or stringy at all. I do use ToneStyler tone controls to take a bit of top end off for a more middy (NOT muddy ! and a surprisingly similar tone to the Apaches for me) when I need them. Then again for Chili Peppers I could see how the ITs would be just perfect. So I'm no big help to you here 8). What I would recommend though is that you phone Tim - if you can describe it  he can get you the right pickup - and if you don't happen to like it you can exchange - sure that'd be a big deal for you but what price perfect tone ? :) Who knows maybe Tim would even suggest and wind you a pickup that is somehow between the two?

cheers,
         tremblox

[Cary]

Hi Temblox  :D,

Thanks for this, its great to hear from you as your running through a similar amp (Im 1x12), and you know the sound! Great amp isnt it? I love it! It has a warm full responsive sound and not harsh eh? You give some great suggestions here, and the dialogue is helping me refine what Im looking for (Thanks Tom, Andy and Elliott  :D), which will help me to be clearer with Tim if and when I give him a call. Interesting idea that he might wind something between the two - I find that very exciting! had'nt thought of that at all so thanks! It is a bit of a loose thing without actually hearing and playing each of them - downloading the few sounds I can find online is definitely not the same! Thats why its good to hear from those of you who have and know the sound and feel of these pups. Interesting to hear your thoughts on the Chilli sound with the IT's, I thought there is a smoothness in here that might be closer to MM than the more overwound sound. So its had me thinking some more. Also took on board what TomJackson was saying re how all the fullness comes alive when playing at stage volume, and not to forget that - cos when I was ABing the Suhr I wasnt playing at that level.

Enjoying the dialogue guys thanks!  :D    Cary

[Cary]

Hi been scouring the other conversations an the forum and found this by TomJackson which I found interesting so have copied it in below for those who are interested in the differences between these pups - thanks Tom, Cary


"I have tried Mothers Milk and Irish Tours. The Mothers Milk are fairly lean, beautiful for clean twang and chord embellishments aka John Mayer.  All pickups are very usable which as you say, they are not on a AS Strat.
The Irish Tours are a bit jucier, for me they are a better all round pickup, with the bridge being quite fat.  They are great clean but in an ideal world I'd have a MM strat for the pure clean, and the IT's for everything else (i.e. nearly clean+).  The IT neck is amazing, but it is also nice to flick to the brdge pickup and have a sound just as fat but that cuts too, really, this is the best bringe single coil sound you would get without a telecaster.

I've just upgraded my usa strat to IT's but I also upgraded the saddles and sustain block to Callaham which made just as much as a difference."