Buyer’s Gear Guide pickups
The importance of choosing the right pickups for your guitar, is an often overlooked part of the whole tone search. We spend most of our budget on expensive pedals but a tone starts with the guitar and its pickups. In this feature we’ll look at different single coil models with David Gilmour’s tone in mind as well as a few tips and tricks.
Simply put, a single coil pickup consists of a given length of coil, six magnet poles and mounting plates. The tone characteristics of a pickup is a combination of different types of ALNICO magnets and coil, number of wounds and the technique used during the winding process. Less turns of the coil creates a cleaner, more transparent tone with less output. The more turns, the more output with more mid range and less highs.
When you pick a string, the vibration resonates between the wood (body and neck) and the strings. The vibration is picked up by the pickup magnets that pushes the magnetic field through a stationary coil. The signal is induced and in turn amplified. The type of wood, lacquer, string gauge, pick etc will colour the resonance.
Why new pickups?
Like pedals, the pickups in your guitar are a part of your tone but perhaps more importantly, they pick up and transfer all the nuances in your playing. You could very well just use whatever pickups you want or even make a pickup yourself but choosing a model that fits and enhances the timbre of your guitar, the tone of your amp and your technique, is important to get the tones you want.
In the listings below, I’ve focused on the familiar and easily available models from Fender but I recommend that you check out similar models from different brands. Everyone has their special way of winding a pickup and it’s the small nuances that makes a difference.
Choosing the right pickups
Obviously, which pickups you should choose depends on your taste and purpose of use. Depending on what tones you want, a dark sounding guitar, will perhaps need brighter, low output pickups (Fender CS 54, 69), while a bright, thin sounding guitar, can be improved with a set of higher output pickups with more bass and mids (Fender Tex/Mex, Duncan SSL5, EMG DG20).
The same principles applies to combining pickups and amps. The hotter the pickup, the more you push the amp towards breakup. This can cause some difficulty in choosing the right pickup if you’re mostly playing at home. A hotter pickup will compensate for some of the tone loss caused by low volume but it can also make a smaller amp distort sooner. My best tip is to check to try out a couple of models or at least have some idea of how the models will work with your rig.
I prefer low or moderate output pickups. These are generally more transparent sounding, allowing the pedals and your playing to sound more natural and dynamic.
All of the models I’ve listed are tested with David Gilmour’s tones in mind, using the same guitar (alder body and rosewood neck) and setups for both stage and bedroom. Most of the models will be able to cover a wide range of other genres and tones as well.
Fender Custom Shop 54
Recommended similar models: D Allen Tru Vintage 54, TTS ’54 Proof, DiMarzio Area 58, Kinman Impersonator 54
Classic clean and transparent, bell-like Strat tones, with a bit more bite in the bridge position. A bit thin in the lower frequencies but this can be compensated by installing an even hotter bridge pickup. If you want David’s Strat Pack 2004 tones, then look no further.
Magnets: Alnico V
Resistance ohms: 5.9k to 6.5k (neck to bridge)
Gilmour tones: #0001 Strat.
Fender Custom Shop Fat 50s
Classic clean and transparent Strat tones with, compared to the 54s, a bit more mids scoop and bass. Ideal for neck position.
Magnets: Alnico V
Resistance ohms: 6k to 6.3k (neck to bridge)
Gilmour tones: Featured neck pickup of the Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour NOS/Relic Stratocaster
Fender Custom Shop 57/62
Classic clean and transparent, bell-like Strat tones. Very similar to the CS 54s, with slightly less output.
Magnets: Alnico V
Resistance ohms: 5.6k (all positions)
Gilmour tones: A lower output alternative for the #0001 and Black Strat tones.
Fender Custom Shop 69
Recommended similar models: D Allen VP ’69 Voodoo, TTS ’65 Haze, DiMarzio Area 67, Kinman Woodstock
Classic clean and transparent Strat tones, with glassy highs, mids scoop and thumbing lows. A full set is spot on Gilmour’s Atom Heart Mother-WYWH tones. Replace the stock bridge with a Duncan SSL-5 pickup for Animals-present Black Strat tones.
Magnets: Alnico V
Resistance ohms: 5.8k (all positions)
Gilmour tones: Black Strat all eras.
Fender Custom Shop Texas Specials
Recommended similar models: D Allen Austin Blues, Kinman Blues
Based on the CS69s, these have a bit more output, with extra mid range and bite. Great alternative if you want that classic late 60s tone on brighter sounding guitars and amps.
Magnets: Alnico V
Resistance ohms: 6.2k to 6.5k-7.1k (neck to bridge)
Gilmour tones: Slightly warmer alternative for Black Strat tones.
Fender Custom Shop Tex/Mex
Classic, vintage Strat tones with, compared to the CS69s, higher output, boosted mid range and an overall warmer tone. Great alternative for brighter sounding guitars and amps and bedroom, low volume level setups.
Magnets: Alnico V
Resistance ohms: bridge 7.4, neck and middle 6.4k
Gilmour tones: Warmer and darker sounding alternative for Black Strat tones.
Seymour Duncan SSL-5
Recommended similar models: DiMarzio FS-1
Based on the late 60s tones, the SSL-5 was conceived in 1979, designed for David Gilmour’s Black Strat. The pickup has a classic, vintage Strat tone with considerably higher output and mid range, compared to the CS69s. Great bridge pickup for more sustain and bite.
Magnets: Alnico V
Resistance ohms: 12.9k (all positions)
Gilmour tones: Black Strat bridge pickup (Animals – present).
Fender CS 69 and S Duncan SSL-5 combo
This combination is as close as you’ll get to David’s Black Strat setup from Animals to present. The moderate output, transparent sounding 69s in the neck and middle, makes a great contrast to the hotter sounding SSL-5 bridge. Ideal for warm and smooth rhythms, bluesy solos and full-blown Big Muff mayhem.
The Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour NOS/Relic Stratocaster sports a slightly different setup than the original Black Strat, as requested by David: Fender CS Fat 50s neck, Fender Custom Wound middle (CS69-ish) and Seymour Duncan SSL- bridge.
TTS Crazy Diamond set
The Crazy Diamond set is based on that late 60s transaprent, mids scooped tone, with a slightly overwound bridge for a bit more output and bite. Well balanced and dynamic pickups ideal for those early Black Strat tones. See my full review of the Crazy Diamond set here.
D Allen Voodoo Blues set
The Voodoo Blues set feature a combination of the Voodoo 69 neck and middle pickups and a slightly overwound bridge pickup for more output and mid range. Lovely open sounding and dynamic pickups, ideal for Hendrix, Blackmoore, Gilmour and all your favourite late 60s tones. See my full review of the Voodoo Blues set here.
EMG DG-20 set
This is a custom set featuring EMGs legendary SA single coils, similar to the Fender CS69, and the active tone controls, the EXG treble and bass booster and SPC mid range booster. The set was featured on Gilmour’s 1983 Fender ’57 reissues, notably the Candy Apple Red Strat – David’s main guitar between 1987-2005. See my full review of the EMG DG-20 set here.
Active VS passive pickups
Single coils are by the nature of their design, quite noisy. Some manufacturers has tried to tackle this issue by designing different kinds of hum canceling systems for single coils. EMG, among others, started to offer active pickups in the late 70s. The advantage of the active pickups was that they shielded the guitar from the huge stadium light rigs and they could also drive the guitar signal through long cables and big effect racks. The down side, and what made many go back to the passive, vintage style single coils, was that the active pickups didn’t sound Straty enough and lacked some of the dynamics of the vintage models.
Others, like Kinman, has succeeded in making noiseless pickups with a twist on the basic, vintage design using iron and differential winding techniques in the noise sensing coils. The tone and dynamics are intact and you get a very silent signal.
If you simply can’t stand noisy single coil pickups, you might want to look into a humbucker. It won’t sound exactly like a Strat but choosing the right model will take you very close. I prefer the old PAF or a mid 50s humbucker. Set them slightly lower than usual and you’ll have a warm, transparent Straty tone. It’s also worth checking out the humbucker sized Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90s.
Pickup height
There’s no right way of setting up the pickups but keep the following in mind: low string action will create a strong magnetic pull, which can kill the sustain and create distortion and bad pitch. A high string action will create less magnetic pull but the pickup will also sound weaker and loose some of its characteristics.
I like having the bridge pickup fairly close to the strings and the neck slightly further away. This allows a slighty edgier lead tone and smoother rhythms. You can do this because the strings has a higher tension at the bridge, so there’s also less vibration and magnetic pull. You can also experiment with different outputs, like a hot Duncan SSL5 bridge and a mild Fender CS69 neck. This allows a bit more boost for leads and solos.
Noise
A single coil pickup is pretty much an exposed antenna picking up all kinds of electric radiation. There are two types of noise that afflict magnetic pickups. HUM is electric interference that surrounds us all, caused by 50Hz (Europe) or 60Hz (USA) alternating mains from electrical components. BUZZ appears as a static caused by radio noise propagation from electrical components (motors, processors etc).
The typical 50 or 60 cycle hum is hard to eliminate. You can add a gate or noise suppressor to the signal chain but these units have a nasty tendency to kill the sustain. There are also hum canceling systems like the Ilitch, which works quite well. However, the most effective and inexpensive way of dealing with the problem is to eliminate as many nearby electrical components as possible and turn away from the source. A few degrees to the left or right or a step back, is often enough.
Buzz can only be eliminated by installing a conductive shielding (copper foil) inside the guitar cavity that’s connected to ground. It’s not a shielding like an umbrella but rather a drain of the electric interference out of the guitar to ground. Although an easy and effective way of dealing with the problem, shielding will also reduce some of the high frequencies in your tone by raising the capacitance of the circuit. This is especially noticeable on low output, bright sounding pickups like the Fender CS69.
Pickups is a huge topic and just like pedals, it’s easy to get lost in what models and brands to choose. My best tip is to have an open mind and to appreciate the fact that pickups matter and by choosing the right pickups for your guitar, you’ll get a much better tone and basis for your pedals.
Feel free to use the comments field below and share your favourite pickups models and tips!
Related feature – Tip of the week (15) – Tone (part 2) Guitars.
In terms of the noiseless pickups, have you checked out the Seymour Duncan STK-S6? It’s supposed to be a noiseless version of the SSL 5. I’m curious what you think about it.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/high-output/custom_stack_pl/
[Yes. It's a tad darker and not as open sounding, I think. Didn't really like it that much. - Bjorn]
Good Article Bjorn
I followed your advices and last year I upgraded my MIM Strat.
I have a SD SSL-5 for the bridge and CS69 for the others and it sounds great.
[Glad to hear, Luc! - Bjorn]
I find one thing a bit curious: The 0001 Strat is supposed to have Alnico III pickups if original, not Alnico 5, althought the not so correct ’54 reissues do feature that alloy. Also the polepiece crossection is supposed to be different, though I don’t remember quite in what way, now.
As such the ’57/’62 set and others similar should sound a good bit steelier and stiffer by comparison.
Those original pickups should be closer to Fralin Real ’54s, and those other non-Fender pickups mentioned by you w. 54 in their names, with more compression and less snap in the highs. Some pickups w. Alnico II and even 5, if designed with that in mind, come pretty close too.
[You may be right on that one. The CS54s are very close but perhaps not authentic enough. I guess we won't know unless we get to try the #0001. Depends on the guitar's specs as well and how well it resonates all the characteristics of the pickup. Thanks for the input! - Bjorn]
Have you heard (of) Nico’s USA DeeGee Tribute pickups? I’d be interested to know what you think if you have the chance to try them out.
[Nope. Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out! - Bjorn]
Check out the Klein handwound set modelled after the black strat https://www.kleinpickups.com/p-105-s-8-stratocaster-set.aspx
[Thanks for the tip! - Bjorn]
Hello, Bjoern. In my guitar I use DiMarzio Area/Virtual Vintage noiseless pickups. For me they are great. Have you ever tried them?
[No, thanks for the tip! - Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn!
I’m in love with two of David’s main tones, only problem is, their from polar opposite eras. I love all of his Pompeii-Wall tones, and that smooth screaming loud late 80′s modern Delicate Sound of Thunder tone. I’ve been really torn between to DG20s and the CS69 with SSL-5 and possibly Fat 50′s Bridge combo. Is that tone all in the pedals, or hidden in the pickups? In other words, what are the most versatile pickups to nail both those eras? A few more questions; I’m going away for the summer out of the country, and my guitar’s a little hefty to carry on the plane, and I’ve heard horror stories about $20,000 vintage guitars getting eaten by those monstrous baggage machines. So I was looking into getting a travel guitar and amp as well. I looked at the Steinberger GT guitars, and the fact that David used them on Momentary Lapse was a big plus for me. But Im kinda at a loss for amps. What is an amp that is small enough to fit in a suitcase easily but can still pack a nice punch, and maybe has some headroom for pedals? My Fender Champ 600 is too big and wont match the voltage over there. Thanks in advance!
[The tone is mainly in the pickups, pedals and not least the amps. Regardless of what pickups and pedals you choose you can't expect them to sound like David's setup without a decent amp. If you ask me, I would say that the Black Strat pickup combo is the most versatile. They nail all of the early and latter tones and they'll do a pretty nice job replicating the 80s and 90s as well. Ampwise, I think you're better off with a processor like the POD or similar. - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
I like the new look articles on Pickups and Fuzz, good stuff. I’m thinking of upgrading the pickups on my Korean Strat (Ash body, maple neck), it’s not necessarily too bright or too dark, they sound okay clean but don’t seem to handle fuzz well! I’m thinking maybe a set of Fender 69′s or maybe Dimarzio Area 58′s or 67′s as i’m trying to go for an early Gilmour-based tone. Someone i know mentioned Gold Lace Sensors but I’m not sure. What do you think?
[What amp are you using? I would assume that the fuzz issue lies more with the amp than the pickups. Anyway, the vintage style pickups you mention will all do nicely for an early era Gilmour tone. Personally I don't care much for the Lace. To me they sound a bit flat and dark but try them and make up your own mind :) - Bjorn]
Following up on the Nico’s USA DeeGee Tribute pickups, I came across these YouTube videos that you and some readers might be interested in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CXSyGf48lo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH2y8_rc9_E
[Thanks! - Bjorn]
Since you knew this was coming, I thought I’d get it out of the way. It is a fact, not some myth, that Lindy Fralin wound the pickups from the black strat, they are not being used, because of many reasons, some of which seem to be contractual with Fender,(this has been told to me, but this reason, I cannot say is true or not), but the fact that Phil sent them to Lindy says something about his work. You said you’d tried some of his pickups, but not his Vintage Hots, which are .1k hotter than Fender 69′s at 6k neck, and middle. The bridge can vary depending on what you want, but because of the use of #42 formvar wire, the max is 6.8 which I chose for CYMBALINE,( my handcrafted, Not Quite Black Strat replica. You never said which of his pickups you didn’t care for, but he is world reknown for making the best Strat style pickups, and P-90s available, anx I cannot under any circumstances understand why you haven’t tried the Vintage Hots. I know you depend on builders to send you items for review, and Lindy showed some interest when I told him of the site, but he spends every waking hour winding pickups the old way, and NO ONE but he winds pickups with his name on them. He has a staff of three, who solder leads, anzwer phones, and take care of the shipping, but none ever touches the winding. He also hand bevels each pole piece, uses Alnico III in his 54s, and Alnico V in the V Hs. He as a player, has always lived, and breathed STRATS, and I’ve seen him play one of the most incredible Voodoo Chile( slight return) versions through a champ, no pedals, that would have made Jimi Smile! He is THE STRAT MAN I’m going to attemt to get you two together one more time, as I KNOW his pickups belong at the top of the list. Once again, no insult intended, as you can’t review what you haven’t played, but there has to be a way to get a set to you. I promise you will freak out, and fall in love with them!
Peace, love the new gear guide! KEITH
[Nice plug, Keith :) I don't doubt you're happy with the pickups! As I've said before, I'd be happy to check out whatever I may receive :) - Bjorn]
Howdy, really enjoy your site, Bjorn. Just wanted to put in a word for the 57/62s, which surprised me no end — I was expecting them to come up short to the CS69s I’ve been using (and still will) but on the 57 Vintage reissue, which isn’t an expensive guitar, these stock Fender pickups are great for Gilmourish tones (early period, my favorite period). I’m using a Lunar Module and/or Hoof Fuzz, Laney Cub, and the Pompeii tones are phenomenal (not that I can really play it — yet!). I thought they’d be too “country” but they really shine. They can cut up some harder stuff as well, very versatile. Cheers –
[Thanks for the input, Richard! - Bjorn]
hot gold lace sensors rules!!
Hi Bjorn
How would you say SD SSL5s compare to SSL1s ? I understand John Frusciante uses SSL1s in his vintage strats, which must say something about their quality.
Cheers
Gary
[They're very similar to the CS69s. Perhaps a bit more open sounding with a slightly rounded top. - Bjorn]
What do you think about set:
bridge: DiMarzio FS1
middle & neck: DiMarzio Area ’67
I have Laney Cub 15W stock.
[Should be spot on the late 70s Black Strat :) - Bjorn]
I’ve used a Lace Sensor Hot Gold set for the last couple years in my Black Strat and what I can say about them is that they are good pickups but they are not the most Gilmourish pickups. The Hot Golds are good for more of a more modern sound (although I did run across a video of Gilmour playing a strat loaded with LS Hot Golds when he was playing for some random unrelated act). Now I’m replacing them with a set of Fender Tex Mex for the neck and middle and an SSL-5 for the bridge, finally building the guitar I’ve dreamed of
[I have the TexMex and SSL5 combo in my test-Strat at the moment... the sunburst used on the AnalogMan SunFace clip. I love that combo! - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
Thanks for this article. I’m wondering if you are familiar with LeoSounds pickups, and if so, if you can offer any comments please? I’m thinking about putting a set in my Strat, possibly their Vintage Player 1966 Classic in the neck and mid, and a hotter model such as their Red House in the bridge.
http://www.leosounds.de/EN/
Thanks!
[I haven't tried them my self but heard much about them. I'm very fond of Gregor Hilden and I'd love to try his signature sets. - Bjorn]
What kind of pickups are in “The Workmate” 1955 Esquire? Are the other telecasters he is using right now (eg, 1952 Butterscotch Reissue) have stock pickups, or are they Seymour Duncans?
Thanks.
BTW, your site gets better and better — thank you for this.
[Thank you Fritz! To my knowledge, it's never been documented what kind of pickups there is in the Workmate. It says that Duncan custom wound the neck but I would assume he also did the bridge. Judging by its tone, I would guess it close to a so called NoCaster winding... perhaps a tad hotter. The 52 Butterscotch and the 50s Custom Shop that he used on the last tour, all feature stock pickups. - Bjorn]
This post is just because of the question about Tele Pups. Lindy Fralin, of Fralin pickups now makes a P-90 that is very close in sound to stock Gibson spec P-90′s, although a bit quieter, and fits standard Telecasters! They look like a tele pickup, but sound like an early P-90. Since my Squier Thinline has a Gibson scale neck, and is a semi hollow body, I’m having a set put into it to get just a tad closer to the sound of an ES series Gibson, I hope! I sure do miss my ’71 335. :(
Check out his website, although I don’t think he’s updated the site to include the Tele P-90 yet!
Peace y’all, Keith
Another pickup find:
https://www.kleinpickups.com/p-105-s-8-stratocaster-set.aspx
[Thanks! I've seen these before but never got to try them... perhaps they're worth checking out. - Bjorn]
HTTP://WWW.FRALINPICKUPS.COM There, I said it!
Regarding DG’s use of Seymour Duncan pickups, I directed your attention to page 116 of Phil Taylor’s book on The Black Strat. There is a picture of the invoice from SD for pickups dated July 1979 — this is when DG changed from the Dimarzio FS-1 in the bridge position to the SD SSL-5 which has remained and is used in the Custom Shop signature model. As I understand it, the 3 pickups identified as SSL-1C are now under the name of the SSL-5. Is this correct?
What about the other two SSL-1C? What about the SSL-4 Quarter Pound and the standard SSL-1? Were these simply tried, found lacking and set aside?
The reason I bring this up and ask is that I have recently received information that the configuration of The Black Strat in the neck and middle positions are not, in fact, the stock Fender pickups from the 1971/2 Bullet Strat, but are Seymour Duncans closely resembling SSL-1.
I don’t have Phil Taylor’s contact information, nor do I have a contact at Seymour Duncan to try and find this out, so …. I thought I’d throw it out here.
[The Black Strat book clearly shows pictures of the Bullet Strat pickups in the neck and middle position of the Black Strat. I haven't heard or seen otherwise. The Fender Signature Strats feature a FAT 50s neck and a custom wound late 60-ish middle, which is different from David's own setup. I have no information on what may have happened to the SSL4 and standard SSL1 but I'm sure David and Phil tried and still tries out tons of stuff that they end up never using. According to Duncan, the SSL1C is the forerunner to the SSL5 so I assume they're more or less identical. - Bjorn]
Bjorn, good article. Just want to know if you heard of duncan’s svr-1 vintage rails pickup and what do you think of it as for neck/mid? Thanks.
[Thanks! Haven't tried them, so I can't relly tell... - Bjorn]
Excellent article Bjorn!… So, I have a setup in mind… A Fender Classic Series 60′s reissue with a Dimarzio FS-1 bridge pickup… I plan on building a replica of the ’77 version of the Black Strat… What do you think? Are there any other little things that I have missed out? Many thanks, Will.
[Thanks! Depends on how much you want to spend. The stock Classic Series pickups are OK and based on the late 60s tone but I recommend upgrading these for some handwound ones like the Fender CS69s or the D Allen Voodoo 69. I also recommend that you consider replacing the stock tremolo system with something better, like the Callaham Vintage set. It's much more stable, smoother operation and better sustain. These upgrades will take your guitar to a pro level. Good luck with the project! - Bjorn]
@ Fritz, I’m by no means an expert on what DG does, or doesn’t use, but living in Richmond, Va. and being a close friend of pickup artist Lindy Fralin, I do know that about 1 1/2-2 years ago, the original Black Strat pickups came into the Fralin shop, with Phil Taylors name as the sender, asking for a stock rewind. Whether they got used or not is not known, but it is a fact that they were wound with stock wire, at 8000, 8000, and 8400 winds respectively. I assume they were sent to Fralin because in the opinion of most, he is more familiar with Fender, and specifically Strat pickups, than most people alive today, and I have his Cintage hots in my guitar, with resitance readings close to those DG has in the current Black Strat: N: 6.0, M: 6.0, B: 6.8 middle pickup is RWRP, and all have #42 Formvar wire, with the bridge having a “bass plate” to strengthen, and smooth the bass, without losing high end, and middle. Just Google Fralin pickups to check out his site.
peace, Keith
Hi Bjorn, excellent site and great reviews. Any experiences about “loaded” pickups? (For example: http://www.siglermusiconline.com/store/pc/Seymour-Duncan-and-Fender-Loaded-Pickguard-DG-style-181p5000.htm).
[Thanks! Loaded in this case means that the pickguard offered is set up with pickups and electronics. The pickups are all stock Fender and Duncan, selected for David's Black Strat tone. - Bjorn]
Bjorn,
I’d interested to know whether you’ve tried Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups, and if so what you thought of them. I’ve currently got Surfers fitted to the neck/middle of my G&L Legacy, and I’m planning on putting a Texas Hot Custom bridge in the bridge position…
Regards
Stevie
[Never tried them so I can't really comment on that. - Bjorn]
Bjorn, where is the best place in my chain for the Octavio?
Thanks, Keith
[First :) - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn, great site very informative.I’ve got CS Fat 50s in my Strat and i’m putting a Dimarzio FS-1 in the bridge should i change the middle pickup to a CS 69 to get the Black Strat tones or will the Fat 50 cover it. Thanks for all the jnfo, Pat
[The Fat 50s will cover it but I prefer the 69. It has more clarity and punch, which is nice for the middle position. - Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn, I know you said first, and I always listen to you, but I’m taking the wah off the board to make room, and to place the wah where I can easily reverse it. Would it make a big difference to place the Octavio between the Wah, and my JH-M1 Fuzz Face? It sure would make my board work out better, space wise!
Thanks, Keith
[There's really no wrong way to arrange the pedals. Either way it will affect your tone. I prefer having all fuzz pedals first, then wah, the rest of the gains etc. The wah will alter the fuzz even when it's off, so it's best to have this after. Why don't you just arrange the pedals as you want them and use longer cables? A buffer at the end of the chain will compensate. - Bjorn]
I swear I’m not trying to hijack the posts, but I just read an interesting article by Roger Mayer, who worked with Hendrix, and designed what he called the ” Ocatavia”. I always thought it was just an octave pedal, with a unique sound, and had no idea it was a Fuzz pedal as well. The originals were two piece, with basically a germanium fuzz in one box, and an octave, and filter in the other. Mayer then went to silicon, and combined everything in the famous”cheese wedge”. Quite frankly, I didn’t even look at the pedal enough to see the controls are, level, and fuzz, and only ordered it to get 1 of 2300, attempting to get the entire tribute set, but missed out on the Univibe. So, have you played this pedal, and how does the fuzz stack up against the Fuzz Face? I believe Jimi used a germanium Fuzz Face, then a germanium Octavio, as he liked to call it. I’m not sure if he continued to stack another fuzz in fron when it went to silicon. Should I run both to get that wild sound in the Purple Haze outro solo, and Machine gun? I know this is Gilmourish, but I know you know quite a bit about Hendrix as well. Sorry to be so inquisitive about a pedal that’s not Gilmourish, but it is a very interesting subject, having actually learned what it really does!
Thanks, Keith
[No worries Keith... it's all about guitar :) I haven't explored Hendrix's setup that much but I know he did some crazy stuff and stacked the FF, Octavias, UniVibe and wah on some occasions. I haven't tried that my self, basically because I don't like Octavias (imagine that!), but I would imagine you'd need to be pretty hands on the guitar volume to find the right balance. Jimi's old Marshalls were cranked beyond sanity but they also had a lot of headroom, which could handle this sort of setup. Again, I'm sure there are others that both knows and has much more experience with Hendrix's setup than I. - Bjorn]
This is the case with some fuzz pedals, unless you have a buffered wah like the Area 51 Buffered Wah for Fuzz pedals which works well in front of fuzz pedals. I recommend a Eye Rock Electronics Gull Switch if there is an issue. it is just a signal switcher and turns your wah from a wah into a seagull at the push of a button. I truly prefer having the Fuzz after the wah in my system (using an Area 51 buffered wah). Putting a fuzz before the wah makes the wah sound anemic to me personally. Cheers
You have an awesome site going here, very informative. I love it! What would be a good set/combo for Live at Pompeii tones? Would it be just a set of all ’69′s? Or would a combo of 69′s/SSL5′s work? Also, which combo gives more variety in it’s tones; I play more than just Gilmour inspired stuff – when it isn’t Gilmour/Pink Floyd, I listen to Southern type stuff like the Allman Brothers and the Black Crowes. Any insight you may be able to give me into what types of pickups would work for me would be great. Thanks
[Thanks for your kind words! A full set of 69s would be the closest match to David's Pompeii tones. The SSL5 in the bridge works nicely too and adds a bit more balls to your tone. I also recommend the Texas Specials, which are similar to the 69s but the slightly boosted mid range might make them more versatile. - Bjorn]
Thanks… What do you think a combo of 69s with Texas Special bridge would do? Just pondering…
[Might give you a bit more bite but it's not that big difference. The SSL5 would be a better choice I think. - Bjorn]
First great thx to your answers in the other 2013 reviews. Secondly – topic came up above already – any input for telecaster set-up for David’s tone (beside custom made tele with strat pickups)? Quite not a friend of strat shape, tele feels much better in my (!) hands. thx
[I think almost any Tele could replicate David's tones. I have a Custom myself that I've loaded with a custom NoCaster neck and custom late 60s bridge, which has a bit more mid range than the stocks. You could also go for something with even a bit more bite. - Bjorn]
Lindy Fralin, Fralin pickups, makes some fine split blade Tele pickups, and a p-90 style Tele pickup as well. Search his site, or call and talk to them. I’m sure they could set you up with some great Gilmourish pickups for a Tele. Mine’s being done with custom wound Fralins as we speak!
Peace all, Keith
Hey Bjorn,
Love the new site! Quick question– I’ve got a MIM CS ’50s and am looking to at least replace the bridge pup for something SS-L5ish. Do you know how my stock neck and middle pups compare to, the Voodoo Blues neck and middle? Should I replace the whole set or just go for the Voodoo Blues bridge, to get Animals-present Black Strat tones? My current neck/middle have really nice tones, as is, but perhaps the D Allen is a bit more well-rounded… I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks, John
[The stock CS 50s pickups are based on the Custom Shop 54s. Low output, clean and a hint of mid range. The Voodoos, being hand wound and having better quality parts, will sound fatter, more open and have a much better sustain. Tonewise, they're quite similar with a transparent clean tone and a fairly low output, as vintage single coils did have. I would definitely make the swap. - Bjorn]
Hi,
I am planning on building a Gilmour Black Strat and I would like to get in the neighborhood of the “Live in Gdansk” sound of “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” clean and over driven sound. What pickups do you currently recommend? I see some new Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Gilmour sets of 3 out on the market now, but I thought I would ask your opinion. Do you still recommend the Classic Series 50′s Strat?, then replace the pickups, bridge, pots & caps, etc. You have a great site and you’re doing a good service helping all of us on our tonequest. Thanks, Mike
[Yes, the Classic Series feature som very nice guitars with the right feel and looks for the Black Strat. I do recommend that you try a few models and choose the best sounding one. Mexican Fenders tend to vary in quality and tone. Pickupswise, I'd go for a classic 69 neck and middle and a SSL5 bridge. That'll give you the closest match to David's guitar. Swap the Fender 69s with Duncan SSL1 or check out the D Allen Voodoo 69s. - Bjorn]
Regarding Mike’s post of March 15:
Doesn’t DG use the Red Strat with EMG-SAs for “Shine On…” in Gdansk?
[Indeed he did but only for that song so I thought a more versatile setup would be more appropriate. Anyway, depends on where you want to go and personal preference. - Bjorn]
Good day Bjorn lovin the website its a great spot for info on setups the pickups here talk more on a strat model guitars but what do you recommend for pickups for a Telecaster Since I read that the mim tele pickuos are a bit boomy Im trying to get that Run Like Hell type of sound
[I prefer the early 60s models with about 7k. These are transaparent, vintage voiced with a hint of mid range and a nice bite. The Texas Specials are also quite nice. Personally I'm using a NoCaster neck and early 60s bridge. - Bjorn]
@ David, check out the Lindy Fralin pickup site, he has many alternatives from Stock Tele,(slightly hotter), to a P-90 that fits Teles. If you’re looking for low noise, straight Tele sound, with a little heat, his Split -blade® Teles are noiseless, but not the kind of noiseless that keeps you from getting good feedback, and works just like single coils. He will wind the bridge as hot as is humanly possible upon request, and you can call, and tell him exactly what you’re looking for! I have his Vintage Hots in my Strat, and they are the quietest single coils I’ve ever owned, but the tone is pure ’69 Fender! I am his friend, but recieve no compensation for pushing his pups, just trying to give everyone on GILMORISH, THE Fender alternative! Bjorn, had a meeting, your Vintage hots will be in the mail soon!
[Great! - Bjorn]
Thanks guys your input means alot to me as an avid Gilmour fan you try to play as your hero and try to replicatehis sounds I got my Telecaster at what was Manny’s Music shop (now its sam ash) and it was like calling out to me as I plugged it through a blues junior which thanks to this site for recommending it I now intend on getting it. I also checked the Fralin pickups site and a couple of models caught my eye my worries are for songs like dogs or sheep would a hot pickup be too much or is vintage styling the way to go? Again thanks for your time fellas cheers from New York City!!!!
[Glad we can help, David! I don't think you can wrong with any pickup although for the typical Gilmour Tele sounds, I'd prefer low output vintage voiced around 6-7k. Pickups, although important, is just one factor of the tone. How your Animals or other tones ends up, depends as much on the guitar it self, the amp, pedals, your settings, playing etc etc etc... :) - Bjorn]
great article. i have recently replaced the stock pickups in my black 2008 mim strat with a sd ssl-5 in the bridge and ssl-1s in the neck and mid and will probably leave them there from now on. these pickups are outstanding. the ssl-1s totally have a vintage vibe while the ssl-5 has an overwound sound it still sounds like a strat.
by the way i personally belive that with a proper setup a stock mim strat can be just as good as a mia but thats just my opinion.
[I agree with you there, Jason. How good or well a guitar sounds and play have nothing to do with where it's made. There are some differences between US and MIMs, in terms of laquer, contour and general specs but that's more down to taste than quality. The biggest difference is the hardware, electronics and pickups but as you say, a proper set up and some mods will make a MIM stand up to any US. - Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn, how are you doing?
I’m considering intalling a CS Fat 50′s on my MIM Strat and I was wondering if shielding the guitar as well would be a good idea. Are your guitars shielded?
When I last participated in a recording session the buzz kinda got under my skin at the moment of recording, but nothing that was really a problem at the mix.
Considering that “shielding will also reduce some of the high frequencies”, in your opinion does the buzz reduction pay off the signal loss?
Thanks a lot!
[If you have a serious problem with buzz then shielding might be a good idea. However and as you point out, there will be some high end roll off. You might not notice it though depending on the transparency of your signal. All my Strats are shielded with copper foil and I have no problem with buzz. - Bjorn]
Thanks a lot for the answer! I talked to my guitar tech and he said “I can’t even play with a guitar that isn’t shielded”. So I’m gonna have it done.
But I have a kinda silly question: if you could choose just one set of pups, having in mind a gilmourish tone (let’s say… from More to Pompeii or DSOTM)…
Which one would you go for: a fat 50′s or a Texas Special?
[Keep in mind though that shielding will only eliminate the buzz. The hum is hard to get rid of. See the feature above for details. Both pickup sets will go nicely for the periods you're mentioning but a more accurate set would be the CS69s. - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
Just wondering what could be the alternative to CS69/CS50/SSL5 if i consider Dimarzio pickups? Since I already have CS-SSL combo in one guitar and thinking to upgrade the other one.
Thanks in advance.
[Don't really have that much experience with DiMarzio but the FS1, that David used for Animals, is somewhat similar to the SSL5. - Bjorn]
K…so far i have a 50RI fender neck…a single piece alder cut to the us strat specs and now getting ready to buy the pups. but how do i know the types of pots to use….for the black strat do i use 500 or the 250k? any suggestions?
thanks
[I'd use 250k. They fit the single coils better. Be sure to get some high quality ones. You don't want to compromise the quality of the tone and volume pots. - Bjorn]
Just got the 50s RI neck with the vintage tuners….aged alder solid piece cut to American strat specs….vintage style trem….
Question:
1) Now I’m ready to get the pickups. But a bit confused on 250k vs 500k pots and where to go to buy the neck toggle switch.
2) other than the finish how does nitro cellulos vs poly paint effect the tone?
[Sorry for my late reply Randy. There are lots of part dealers out there. I usually search guitarpartsresource.com. Go for the 250k for your Strats but be sure to get some high quality ones and not the cheap copies. How the laquer affects your tone depends on the wood of the body and neck but in general, nitro is a bit warmer and softer, while poly is a tad brighter with a it more bite. - Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn
For anyone looking for a flatpole alternative to Fender 69′s, I highly recommend the Gypsy set from Rumpelstiltskin. I have these with a slightly hotter bridge (6,1k) in a 10-16 radius Warmoth strat, and they definitly hold their one against the 69′s. Slightly mid-scooped with clarity and strong bass, and perfect for authentic Hendrix, Gilmour and Blackmore tones etc.
Great customer service, and lots of configurations to choose from. Aaron will wind to your exact spesifications
[Thanks for the tip, Rolf! - Bjorn]
Hey Bjorn!, i just have one question, i’ve been trying to get the Echoes tone, and i’ve been wondering what kind of pickups should i get, the stock ones i have do not have the punch nor the crystal sound i’ve been longing for…
[Hi Robert. What amp and pedals do you use to get the Echoes tone? Let me know and I'll try to help :) - Bjorn]
Well, i have never followed the rules everyone suggests that will get you a Gilmour sound…or any sound or tone…i tend to make my tones a little more versatile and dynamic, so i can use them and adapt them to every genre i play.
Currently i use an old 80′s Peavey Bass head, Mark VIII (yeah, i said bass head), wich will give me exactly the highs i want and love, and the low thumping bassy lines i need.
A modified and reversed, Vox Wah V847,
a modified Boss DS-1, wich gives me heavy as hell, or barely distorted sounds…
a Boss GE-7,
a MXR Analog Chorus,
a Boss FDR-1 Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb…
yeeeah, it isn’t that fancy or complicated, and i almost get that gilmour sound i want, is just that my strat lacks the ‘punch’ or the ‘highs with a little bass thrown in there’ …
by reading your reviews of the pickups, i think i feel more attracted to the Custom Shop 69′s, but i’m not too sure…
[Sorry for my late reply, Robert. I agree with your philosophy. Create your own tones, that's always the best approach :) Based on your setup I'd recommend the CS 69s. They're very similar to the late 60s pickups David used when recording and playing Echoes in the 70s. You might want to check out the D Allen Voodoo Blues set, which are 69s neck and mid and a slightly overwound bridge for a bit more bite. - Bjorn]
Hello Bjorn,
I’m still sticking to my beloved Fender CS 69′s, and I’ve left the complete set on one of my strats, even the bridge pickup. I’ve also got the leosounds Fireball, wich is the same pickup. Made for that end 60′s /very early 70′s, Ritchie blackmore , Gilmour tone (till DSOTM), or hendrix at woodstock.
You should give the Lesosounds a chance, they’re made in Germany, old style wiring. great stuff.
that being said…. As everyone knows, having the 3 pickups withe the same low output (5.8 Hz ), gives a bridge pickup sometimes a bit too much trebly, not as hot as you’d like to.
Doi you think it would be a great choice to have a slighty more hot bridge pickup like in the Dave alklen Cs69 Voodoo set ( not the voodoo blues). does it really improve the bridge pickup sound, and won’t it kill my Blackmore tones(the guy switched between the bridge and the neck only, the middle pickup was pulled off)…in your opinion?
What do you have in, your strats today?
– I know that your black strat has SSl5 + 2 X cs69
– your rosewood neck japanese 65 model has the DG20
– what pickups do you have in your Hybrid strat with road worn body and warmoth neck?
- any other strat ?
At last, do you use the Dave allen pickups as definitive pickups in one of your many strats? or the TT Crazy Diamond?
Thanks again ,
Have a good evening .
Regards,
Sebastien
[Hi Sebastien! I don't think the Voodoo's will ruin your Blackmore tones. They have a slightly hotter bridge but not nearly as much as the SSL5. It just makes the pickup sound a bit more balanced and rounded. I experiment with new pickups all the time. At the moment, my main Strat feature D Allen Voodoo 69 neck and middle and Duncan SSL5. I also have one with DG20 that I often use for recording. The "frankenstein" you're referring to feature Fender Tex/Mex (stock) neck and middle and a D Allen Voodoo Blues overwound bridge. This is my test guitar so I'm swapping pickups all the time. - Bjorn]
Hi Bjorn,
Thanks for your prompt answer!
I’d like to know what you think about the RWRP middle pickups
. This seems to be a standard feature nowadays on many boutique pickups, as opposed to the exact vintage specs of the fender CS 69 which doesn’t have the RWRP for example.
I know the RWRP feature is supposed to lower the hum but won’t it kill the vintage vibe in your opinion?
And my second question is abour caps. The only ones I’ve used are 0.22 uF and 0.47 uF.
But after visiting a couple of websites that show the inside of vintage strats, it seems that all the vintage strats form 55 to 69 had a 0.1 uF cap ( orange round like the Cornell dubilier).
Do you know if David’s main Strat in the end of 60′s and till WYWH had a 0.1uF cap?
Best regards,
Sebastien
[I guess RWRP is about taste and preference. It doesn't do all that to the tone but you will notice a slightly rolled of top so that might make them sound less vintage... I don't know. Depends on the overall sound and resonance of the guitar as well. In regards to the caps... I'm sorry but I have very little knowledge about this. Perhaps someone else can help. - Bjorn]