Trying to decide on a pickup for my Strat...

[PhloridaMan]

Currently I have a JB in my strat and for whatever reason it just doesn't sound good to me in that guitar.

I have EMG 81/85s in my Ibanez and ESP, DiMarzio D'Activator in my Schecter and a JB/59 in my Les Paul so I want something a little different.

I was thinking of checking out a Fishman Fluence.

Anyone have any suggestions/thoughts? The guitar is a single Hum Single Volume config. Very simple.

Thanks!

 

[romanianreaper]

I have never had it in a Strat but what about a Suhr Aldrich? I think Doug uses those in his LP and Strats. I thought it sounded great in a Les Paul I had years ago.

 

[Exo-metal]

Stradazone Jalen pickups, they sound like the real deal in his demos.

 

[Emg77]

I just installed a SD Custom Custom in mine and it sounds fantastic!

 

[Econ]

Dimarzio AT1.

 

[ChurchHill]

I just installed a SD Custom Custom in mine and it sounds fantastic!

The SD CC is one of my favorite pickups. I've got one in a Charvel an another in an LP Standard. I really like the BKP A-Bomb, too, which I have in an ESP and a Jackson RR-1 (which sounds surprisingly like a Strat when unplugged).

What kind of sound are you going for? Are you looking for more gain, more clarity, more ???, or just looking for a change?

 

[paulyc]

Duncan Custom or Distortion, Jackson J90C

 

[Chris6870]

Dimarzio AT1.

That's what I put in mine.

 

[thenine]

tonezone

 

[Zado]

Have you ever properly set up the pickup? I mean changing poles height. It really becomes another thing if done properly

 

[PhloridaMan]

Have you ever properly set up the pickup? I mean changing poles height. It really becomes another thing if done properly

Yeah, me and my buddy who I normally have do all my setups etc sat with all my guitars and dialed them in nice a couple months back. Never had done it previously and I definitely can see exactly what you're saying. Just something about the JB in this one to my ear doesn't sound appealing.

I'll have to check out the other suggestions. Thanks guys!

 

[Zado]

Have you ever properly set up the pickup? I mean changing poles height. It really becomes another thing if done properly

Yeah, me and my buddy who I normally have do all my setups etc sat with all my guitars and dialed them in nice a couple months back. Never had done it previously and I definitely can see exactly what you're saying. Just something about the JB in this one to my ear doesn't sound appealing.

I'll have to check out the other suggestions. Thanks guys!

Consider I was one of the most convinced JB haters before havin it tweaked a bit (and degaussed as well), there was just no way I would consider puttin that thing into one of my guitars. And I still dont like the stock ones I play.

 

[cardinal]

I have the Fluence modern or whatever in a Superstrat. I was somewhat surprised at how normal and mild they sounded to me. They sound nice; a solid, even tone. Pulling the tone knob takes a bit of sizzle off.

I was expecting scooped and edgy flame throwers, but they seem fairly moderate to me, which I think is nice.

 

[PhloridaMan]

I have the Fluence modern or whatever in a Superstrat. I was somewhat surprised at how normal and mild they sounded to me. They sound nice; a solid, even tone. Pulling the tone knob takes a bit of sizzle off.

I was expecting scooped and edgy flame throwers, but they seem fairly moderate to me, which I think is nice.

I've only heard video demos of them and it's so hard to tell what they are really going to be like because everyones amp, cab and guitar config is different. I play so much metal I want it to be able to do stuff like the Acacia Strain in a pinch but I use this guitar mainly to jam on stuff like Alice in Chains

 

[mixn4him]

250k pot on that JB? Otherwise may not sound right in there, pretty well proved in the past it needs a 250k pot.

 

[cardinal]

I have the Fluence modern or whatever in a Superstrat. I was somewhat surprised at how normal and mild they sounded to me. They sound nice; a solid, even tone. Pulling the tone knob takes a bit of sizzle off.

I was expecting scooped and edgy flame throwers, but they seem fairly moderate to me, which I think is nice.

I've only heard video demos of them and it's so hard to tell what they are really going to be like because everyones amp, cab and guitar config is different. I play so much metal I want it to be able to do stuff like the Acacia Strain in a pinch but I use this guitar mainly to jam on stuff like Alice in Chains

AiC is the type of tone and music I go for. I use an old Marshall 2204 and an SD-1. The Fluence just sounded kinda “normal” to me. I had to send the guitar back to have the fretwork touched up, but for my limited time with it I thought they were fine.

I had expected to rip them out because all the demos are insane modern metal riffs that just don’t have a tone I like. So I was surprised to hear them just sound like a solid, even, moderate output humbucker.

 

[SpiderWars]

Maybe I missed it but what is it that you don't like about the JB in that guitar? It would be much easier to suggest if we knew which direction you want to go from there.

 

[grooveHT]

Howabout a PATB-3 Blues? It's one of the parallel axis trembuckers; designed to bring some warmth and more LPish sound to a 25.5 inch scale guitar. Think of it as a wider overwound PAF sound. I dig it both in series and split!

 

[PhloridaMan]

Maybe I missed it but what is it that you don't like about the JB in that guitar? It would be much easier to suggest if we knew which direction you want to go from there.

It's just not exciting sounding. i can't really pinpoint any one thing. The JB sounds great in my Les Paul, but in the Strat it's just very dead. No life to it. Very uninspiring.

 

[droptrd]

I have never had it in a Strat but what about a Suhr Aldrich? I think Doug uses those in his LP and Strats. I thought it sounded great in a Les Paul I had years ago.

Thats my go to in Strats . Especially the neck. But to me the Aldrich sounds like a better JB. More dimensional, dynamic, extended top and bottom.