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i am restoring a fender american standard guitar. when i got it, it was ugly...had a clear black pickguard with a strobe light behind it...some previous owner had painted it with some krylon...you get the picture. i need some pups for this thing, but i don't know what to get since i'm not really a fender guy. i'm looking for that srv tone (of course) but i don't know which model most closely approximates it. any help would be nice.

I'd suggest looking at the reviews of vintage strat pickups in The Vault section.

you will probably want SSLs, APSs, or Antiquities, depending on the wood types and your budget


Originally Posted by CurlyI'd suggest looking at the reviews of vintage strat pickups in The Vault section.
you will probably want SSLs, APSs, or Antiquities, depending on the wood types and your budget

SSL1/SSL2 would be good starting point.
If you want more power from bridge, there is always SSL4, SSL5 and SSL6 for the bridge postion.
If you want the untimate alnico 5 singlecoils, antiquity 2 set will get you there.
If your guitar/amp sounds too bright, you could go with APS1/APS2. In addition, you could go with twangbanger for the bridge position.
If you like Alnico 2 sounds, there is always antiquity 1 set.
Cheers

Fender Texas Specials for middle and neck positions and a Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot Custom Bridge (that's a big name for a pickup LOL).

If you're in a quot;freakquot; quest for that tone, maybe you should install a left-handed tremolo, but it's not that necessary.

The Fender TSs are OK, but since I own both a Texas Special strat as well as several strats with vintage type Duncans, I have to say I prefer the Duncans ... they are smoother, richer, and more responsive, with none of the somewhat harsh qualities of the Fender Texas Specials.

something like the California 50s set - a calibrated set of SSL-1s - would be a good starting point for the tone your after. With the 9.5quot; radius though, you could just as easily use SSL-2s. Over the years, Fender has switched from flat to staggered poles.

If you prefer a hotter bridge pickup, there are several choices, as Brisk suggested.

You want raised and staggered pole piece alnico 5 pickups wound to 6K or a little more. The best, IMO, are the Duncan SSL-1 Classic 50's set, the Fralin Vintage Hots, and the Duncan Antiquity Surfer set. The three pickups in SRV's Strat would all have been about 6K...personally, I like a hotter bridge pickup so the set I prefer is the Antiquity Surfer set which has a 9.5KSurfer Custom bridge pickup. That set, with a RW/RP middle pickup, sounds even better than vintage to me and it's hard to believe that SRV wouldn't have loved them too.

Lew

You want raised and staggered pole piece alnico 5 pickups wound to 6K or a little more. The best, IMO, are the Duncan SSL-1 Classic 50's set, the Fralin Vintage Hots, and the Duncan Antiquity Surfer set. The three pickups in SRV's Strat would all have been about 6K...personally, I like a hotter bridge pickup so the set I prefer is the Antiquity Surfer set which has a 9.5K Surfer Custom bridge pickup. That set, with a RW/RP middle pickup, sounds even better than vintage to me and it's hard to believe that SRV wouldn't have loved them too.

Lew


Originally Posted by HenryGabFender Texas Specials for middle and neck positions and a Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot Custom Bridge (that's a big name for a pickup LOL).

If you're in a quot;freakquot; quest for that tone, maybe you should install a left-handed tremolo, but it's not that necessary.

Yucky on the Texas Specials....Antiquities are the hands down McDaddy single coils!

thanks guys. it's going to be a difficult journey from straight up metalhead to quasi-blues guy, but with this advice at least i'll the tone i need-from a gear standpoint that is...