HSS Strat - suggestions

[MontyW]

Hi,

I have a HSS Strat and I'd like to get a set of BKPs.  I've just spent some time with a Richie Kotzen Strat that had DiMarzio pickups.  It had a PAF Pro humbucker at the bridge and a pair of Choppers mid and neck.

My question is which BKPs should I look into to give me that similar combination and tones?

[Frank666]

VHII and Irish tours work very well in my strat

[Brow]

I have a Crawler and 2 ITs in my Strat and it makes for a very versatile guitar.

[Telerocker]

Hi, I replaced the Rio Grandes (humbucker a tad microphonic) in my MXG custom strat with swampash body, maple neck and ebony fingerboard by a Crawler and two Irish Tours. Splitted, The Crawler makes a perfect balanced combi with the IT's. The Crawler is round, powerfull and never harsh, great for fat leads. The single coils are topnotch. I even use the middleposition, which I never did before. The IT's are great allrounders with a Gallagher/Hendrix-vibe to it. They can scream.. But also clean very punchy and 3D. Tim recommended me Crawler/IT's or, for a more vintage sound en less output, The Mule. VHII should do the job too, or maybe a Black Dog. That's a matter of taste and depends also on the woods in your guitar and the amp you use. My experience: highgainamps go best with lower to mediumoutput pickups if you want rich cleans, vintage crunch and huge overdriven sounds.

[MontyW]

Hi, thanks for the reply.  My Strat is a Standard with alder body and maple neck.  Your description of the Crawler and IT sounds along the lines of what I am trying to acheive.

I have only 2 amps one a high gain... it is a Diezel Einstein, and I love this amp, so your tip on lower to medium output pickups to get a more 'natural' vintage crunch/overdrive sound is helpful.  Although I guess the Diezel the Einstein is a little compressed.  The main amp I planning to use is a newly aquired Diezel Schmidt and that should with a nice set of BKPs get me some amazing Richie Kotzen tones!

Cheers.

[Telerocker]

You can ask Tim for advice. He is very helpfull and can wire a pickup like you wish. But I think you want something in the Vintage Hot-league. I think VHII in alder body + maple neck isn't just as fat as The Mule or Crawler. Crawler has more output then the Mule and a modern edge to the vintage-recipy but still creamy. It resembles somewhat a Paf-pro, which I had in my Jem.  Crawler is fatter and cleans up very well.  For an more aggressive, contemporary sound you can also can consider Emerald or Holy Diver. in combination with Sinner-singlecoils. But I have no experience with these puppies, so best is to contact Tim.
The Diezel Einstein is a great amp, vintagehot pickups will do best, if you want to keep headroom, I think. I play an Orange Rockerverb 50 (4x6V6) head into 2x12 cab and with The Crawler chords stay for days and this puppie takes pedals very well.
By the way, I thought Kotzen plays Cornford RK 100, his signature-amp?

[MontyW]

Yeah Kotzen does or may be did play his signature Cornford, but I was looking for a similar tone with my Diezel - tall order I know, but channel on the Texas mode comes darn close. 

I guess I'm GAS'ing for some BKPs  :D

[Telerocker]

So you're nearly there. I would send Tim an email to ask which BKP is suitable with your gear to get that Kotzen-sound.