Best pickup for a 56' Strat Sound (Clapton's Brownie)

[Luciano.Neri]

Hi, i'm new here. I looked for some informations about 56' pickups on the forum, but I didn't found what I want...
I have an ash body maple neck Strat, and I want a sound like Clapton's Brownie on Layla album. This strat must sounds like clapton and Mark Knopfler. I was thinking at Sultans, Apaches or Irish Tours. If you have any other idea of pickups that will give me that sound, just say it :D
Thanks for helping!!

[38thBeatle]

Welcome to the forum.

I don't have experience of the  Irish Tours  but of the Apaches and Sultans, I would opt for Apaches personally.  The sound on the album, though, is a bit biting though quite warm and I think  possibly Apaches would provide that. I've not tried the Apaches and Sultans side by siide and I am remembering them from an afternoon playing a friend's guitar that had a set in. Apaches, on the other hand, I know well and I am pretty sure I could get a similar Layla era "Derek" Clapton tone from them.

[Luciano.Neri]

One more question: why so many people prefers apache? Sultans have a nice sound, apache too. But Why apache? Its because Sultans output it's too low? Or it's just because Apache sounds more "classic"?

[38thBeatle]

Very close run thing- the Sultans sounded fantastic but I only had an afternoon at a friend's house with his guitar and gear wheras I have a set of Apaches and have had them for 6 or 7 years and so I know them well.  I have no idea if, indeed, more people prefer Apaches to Sultans. They both have their merits I just think that for what you are looking for, the Apaches might more readily provide the tone- but I think that both could get close.

[Luciano.Neri]

Thanks for helping :D
I still don't know wich buy. But I found Sultans for a good price. I think I will give it a shot, because I really like alnico II pups. If i go wrong, I will sell it, or just change.

[AndyR]

You'll be OK with Sultans :D

In my experience, they're a little bit more "polite" and slightly less "body" than than Apaches. So given the two, I would choose Apaches for the job

But Sultans will get you very close. I think either would do it for you in that guitar.

[Telerocker]

I would prefer Apaches, but if you got a Sultan-set for a good price, I would not hesitate to try them. Lots of BKP's have some magic and they could work very well in your guitar.

[Luciano.Neri]

I bought the Sultans. When it arrives, I'll write what is my first impressions of the Pups.

[Luciano.Neri]

Well, after testing the Sultans on diferent amps and pedal, here is my opinion:
Man!!! What a sound!!! These pups are great. Really Great. Don't have a thick sound as fenders, it's more "beefy", bassy, has a good sustain and work very well with drives. I tested it with a BOSS OD3, a Proco Rat II and a Orange TH30. All drives sounded great.  Don't have so much Brightness as alnico V pickups, but i like the sound of the alnico II magnets. Don't sound "so Clapton", but they have a real vintage tone.
I have just a complaint: Why "Sultans". These pickups doesn't sound as Mark Knopfler. So, if you want a Mark Knopfler sound (as me, before testing them) buy apaches or another brand. Anyway, I really Like the Sultans. Great Stuff!

[Telerocker]

Glad you like them. Maybe the Sultans don't sound like Mark Knopfler, but the TH30 is perhaps not the first choice for that particular sound. I love Orange. I have a Rockerverb 50 watt head myself. But my strats sound way more Knopfler on the The Valve 2/50 I purchased half a year ago. The clean channel sounds like a Twin Reverb, with just a tad more mids. The Rockerverbs clean channel has more of a Vox-vibe, though there is some Fender-esque sparkle. My singlecoils are Irish Tour and Mother's Milk. Never tried the Sultans, which I should one day.

[gwEm]

Well, after testing the Sultans on diferent amps and pedal, here is my opinion:
Man!!! What a sound!!! These pups are great. Really Great. Don't have a thick sound as fenders, it's more "beefy", bassy, has a good sustain and work very well with drives. I tested it with a BOSS OD3, a Proco Rat II and a Orange TH30. All drives sounded great.  Don't have so much Brightness as alnico V pickups, but i like the sound of the alnico II magnets. Don't sound "so Clapton", but they have a real vintage tone.
I have just a complaint: Why "Sultans". These pickups doesn't sound as Mark Knopfler. So, if you want a Mark Knopfler sound (as me, before testing them) buy apaches or another brand. Anyway, I really Like the Sultans. Great Stuff!

I agree Sultans do take drive very well - that 42 guage wire I think.

To get the Knopfler clean tone will depend on a lot of factors. Your ash/maple strat will probably sound rather zingy anyway compared to an alder/rosewood one, plus of course the amp.

[Luciano.Neri]

Fender Amps could do a lot of diference. I tested these pickups on a Frontman 212. Well, it's not the perfect amp to Knopfler sound, but I don't get Sultans of swing sound again. But Knopfler was not my target. I wanted Brownie sound and The Sultans get that "vibe" of the 50's pickups used on Layla. This was what I wanted.  it's not equal, but it's perfect for my ears!! These pups have a "mojo" that makes your guitar scream. The Recipe is: The Sultan's + Fuzz = Heaven.
Thanks hor helping  :D

[gwEm]

your thread has inspired me - I will rock out with my Sultan strat tonight :)

[PhilKing]

I have both Sultans and Apaches, and actually prefer Sultans for a clean tone.  With a Princeton Reverb, you can definately get a Mark Knopfler (or Richard Thompson) clean tone.  It is partly down to the guitar and amp in this case. 

[AndyR]

That's my experience too - I love Apaches for their slightly "weighty" and "spanking" strat tone... most of the time I run them on a "hairy" to distorted tone... but if I really want CLEAN strat, the guitar with the Sultans in is the one I reach for... the guitar itself doesn't suggest "dirty" so I don't use it like that very much, but when I do, I also love how the Sultans respond to dirty tones and how it fits into a mix...