Strat pickups

timmypix

I have a set of Bare Knuckle Mother's Milks in my Strat, and they're very good. Woody, clear, smooth and plenty of mids; baseplate on the bridge for a tad more beef. Lovely and Stratty and warm.

But.

My brother-in-law has recently acquired a G&L Fullerton Deluxe Legacy and it's quite possibly the nicest Strat I've ever heard and played. The middle pickup in particular is really lovely, and overall the pickups have a load of brightness, snappiness and glassiness that I'm in love with and is missing from the Mother's Milks.

I know a good portion of this will be acoustic - my Strat is warmer and bassier acoustically whereas the G&L is quite bright. That said, the pickups also obviously play their part in that brightness and snappiness.

I like the woodiness of the Mother's Milks, but they do sound a bit dark in comparison.

What would the hive mind suggest?

Before anyone says "buy a G&L" - I like my Strat very much, I'd just like some brighter pickups to complement it.

the_butler

Try emailing seymour duncan, they're pretty helpful in helping you choose (buy some of their) pickups.

Different saddles/bridge/nut material could also 'brighten' the guitar up a little

Funkfingers

The G&L single coil pickups with the adjustable polepieces employ underslung ceramic bar magnets. This might explain some of the snappy brightness.

soma1975

I find that very strange. you consider them dark The Mothers Milks are bright as hell. Even on their website they are the most bright single coils there. Maybe more to do with your guitar itself being dark?

paulnb57

soma1975 said:

I find that very strange. you consider them dark The Mothers Milks are bright as hell. Even on their website they are the most bright single coils there. Maybe more to do with your guitar itself being dark?

Or Amp settings?

timmypix

paulnb57 said:

soma1975 said:

I find that very strange. you consider them dark The Mothers Milks are bright as hell. Even on their website they are the most bright single coils there. Maybe more to do with your guitar itself being dark?

Or Amp settings?

The guitar itself is quite dark, hence wanting some brighter/snappier pickups I think.

Amp settings were the same for both guitars - we were going back and forth between the two.

For what it's worth, the Mother's Milks do sound fine, I like them very much! I just found them missing some snap and sparkle in comparison. It might be the guitar is dark and I have to live with it - it's already got a Wudtone trem and stainless steel saddles, so I can't do much more to brighten it. Just figured I may as well ask if anyone knows of pickups that might give it a bit more of that top end snap and glassiness.

richardhomer

Don’t know if they’re still available - but KTS titanium saddles definitely add some glassy high end.

Winny_Pooh

Just looked at the BK specs, low wind and a5 magnets

I'd look into a set of 60's style alnico 3 next.

However it will be worth adding 500k pots first to get more highs. 

fretmeister

Can you not get G&L Pickups for your strat?

timmypix

Winny_Pooh said:

Just looked at the BK specs, low wind and a5 magnets

I'd look into a set of 60's style alnico 3 next.

However it will be worth adding 500k pots first to get more highs. 

Did not think of the pots - seems obvious! I'll try that first but then bear any pickup suggestions in mind as Step 2, as it were.

fretmeister said:

Can you not get G&L Pickups for your strat?

Not as easily as getting something from BKP/OCP/Creamery etc - there's a US webshop but add shipping, VAT, etc...

menamestom

Mothers milk are quite bright.  Irish tours have more top end sizzle as I remember.

Can you not get the G&L pickups, or are they a different size?

They do Alnico and MFD ceramic, which one did his strat have?

https://g-l-online-store.myshopify.com/products/clf-100-single-coil-pickup

timmypix

menamestom said:

Mothers milk are quite bright.  Irish tours have more top end sizzle as I remember.

Can you not get the G&L pickups, or are they a different size?

They do Alnico and MFD ceramic, which one did his strat have?

https://g-l-online-store.myshopify.com/products/clf-100-single-coil-pickup

His Legacy has the Alnico CLF100s, like those you've linked. Can't think they'd be a different size, they'd just be a bugger to get hold of once you factor in import costs. If there's no UK/EU available equivalent, then I'll re-evaluate, but they can't be that unique, surely?

menamestom

timmypix said:

menamestom said:

Mothers milk are quite bright.  Irish tours have more top end sizzle as I remember.

Can you not get the G&L pickups, or are they a different size?

They do Alnico and MFD ceramic, which one did his strat have?

https://g-l-online-store.myshopify.com/products/clf-100-single-coil-pickup

His Legacy has the Alnico CLF100s, like those you've linked. Can't think they'd be a different size, they'd just be a bugger to get hold of once you factor in import costs. If there's no UK/EU available equivalent, then I'll re-evaluate, but they can't be that unique, surely?

Doubt it, would be worth finding out the specs and speaking to one of the pickup guys on here, should be quite easy to wind something to the same specs.  

The tributes have the same USA pickups, if you can get hold one, you could swap the pickups and sell it on.  Or see if your mate will let you try his in your guitar. I wonder if the whole pickguard would fit?

menamestom

Also worth noting that the g&l may have PTB wiring which may affect the sound also.  You’d probably have to get the schematic of the internet.

LastMantra

Could you not try a compressor pedal or something to add a bit of snap? Seems a shame to swap the pickups if you actually like them

March

richardhomer said:

Don’t know if they’re still available - but KTS titanium saddles definitely add some glassy high end.

WD Products sell KTS saddles. Not cheap, but they'll certainly add some snap.

OilCityPickups

With Strats I always sort: bridge block, saddles and electrics before considering new pickups. Of course you may just have a dark sounding Strat as you have suggested. Pot changes will help ...

timmypix

OilCityPickups said:

With Strats I always sort: bridge block, saddles and electrics before considering new pickups. Of course you may just have a dark sounding Strat as you have suggested. Pot changes will help ...

Block and saddles are done, so pots it is! To be fair I've been finding the push-push pot I put in for the 7-way mod more irritating than anything so that may as well go while I'm at it. Might put in a master treble tone and master bass tone roll off as well - they're so useful on the G&L.

paulnb57

I have several Strats and the brightest has Oil City 60's, as Im a terrible tinkerer the pickups have been in various different body woods and have always been bright......
I tried Mothers Milks some time ago and didnt rate them.....

King85

timmypix said:

paulnb57 said:

soma1975 said:

I find that very strange. you consider them dark The Mothers Milks are bright as hell. Even on their website they are the most bright single coils there. Maybe more to do with your guitar itself being dark?

Or Amp settings?

The guitar itself is quite dark, hence wanting some brighter/snappier pickups I think.

Amp settings were the same for both guitars - we were going back and forth between the two.

For what it's worth, the Mother's Milks do sound fine, I like them very much! I just found them missing some snap and sparkle in comparison. It might be the guitar is dark and I have to live with it - it's already got a Wudtone trem and stainless steel saddles, so I can't do much more to brighten it. Just figured I may as well ask if anyone knows of pickups that might give it a bit more of that top end snap and glassiness.

Have you had a play with the pickup heights?

timmypix

paulnb57 said:

I have several Strats and the brightest has Oil City 60's, as Im a terrible tinkerer the pickups have been in various different body woods and have always been bright......
I tried Mothers Milks some time ago and didnt rate them.....

Thanks, will bear that in mind! I almost ordered those before the Mother's Milks popped up used at a good price.

King85 said:

Have you had a play with the pickup heights?

Yes, this difference is quite a bit more drastic than anything that would achieve. Pickups are in a good place at the moment - far enough away for decent clarity but not so far as to be weedy.