Strat Pickups

Neilybob

I’ve been circling this rabbit hole recently.  

I currently have a set of Radioshop Chris Buck ID pickups in my strat. These are hotter output pickups and they do sound great and really sing in positions 2 and 4.  Also love the neck pickup tone. 

In regards to needing more oompf could you not just go with an always on boost or eq or overdrive pedal?

my one regret with hotter pickups is when I want to play loud and clean which is why I would maybe consider the pedal route to give you that option. 

Good luck in your search. 

Chimpankie

AsterixTG said:

https://www.radioshoppickups.com/product-category/pickups/stratocaster-pickups/

The Chris Buck set and variances seem to be liked.

I’ve got radioshop 64 pickups in my partcaster and it’s probably the best sounding single coil guitar I’ve owned

Yorkie

I've recently ordered and installed a set of custom strat pickups and wiring loom with matched CTS pots from Bloodstone Guitarworks, and I can wholeheartedly recommend. I wanted to fatten up the in-between positions, and that's exactly what I got, plus many other combinations through custom wiring. I can also dial in vintage-style strat tones if I lower the volume. 

That strat is basically irreplaceable now. 

nacnudnai

I have a few answers to this (like any decent politician).

Easy on the wallet all-rounder Strat pickup: Seymour Duncan SSL-1 set. No brainer. Can get them cheap used ( I picked up a set for £90 about 18 months ago). Sounds good in any strat, and just sounds like a strat. Simple spec, not super low vintage output, not a dark high output.

What I think are the "best" Strat pickups: Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Surfer (with overwound bridge pickup). These sound amazing, I've had them for a few years now. Bridge pickup does away with the shrillness, but balances well with the neck and middle. They are the Strat sound in my head, they do beautiful cleans and handle gain well. 

My favourite set: Mark Foley Lone Star "Number One". If you want the SRV sound, this is the set. He absolutely nailed it with these, as much as I love the Antiquity set - they can't touch these for SRV. Not the most versatile set, they aren't as good at the glassy cleans and don't handle anything beyond Tubescreamer levels of gain particularly well - but they do one thing perfectly.

Just my opinions!

equalsql

It's probably sacrilege to say this on here, but my absolute favourite strst pickups are the Lace Sensor models that appeared on the Strat Plus Deluxe in the mid 90s, especially the red/blue/silver combiation. They're really warm but with plenty of clarity plus they are really quiet. No ice-pick, buzz, hums or farts.

kelpbeds

I love my Radioshop CS 63's, did a vid review on them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpGi_GW1w18&t=15s&ab_channel=TimDaley

Mbarnez

I really like Smitty Blues ‘64 pickups. They are very lively. Quite angry sounding when pushed a bit.

oeljadi

Alan Dingwall is worth looking at. I have recently had a Strat-type made and used his Spirit 62 pickups. They're very vintage sounding, if that is what you are going for, but lovely and clear and his stuff is liked by a couple of the well-reputed makers in the UK. https://www.spiritpickups.com/ From memory they cost about £200-£250 for a set. 

HAL9000

Lestratcaster said:

I've got the Oil City Stone Tone (neck and middle) and they're great. Kicks the amp a bit harder with the input but still a single coil strat sound. Love getting those bluesy neck tones.

I’ve got Stone Tones in all three positions. As @Lestratcaster says they give the amp a bit of a kick (but not too much) and still sound Stratty. I’m very happy with them.