Hi, I am planning to buy myself a Fender Strat or make one Custom Strat from Tulasi. Custom Strat would sport a large CBS headstock like Blackmore. I recently read an article of how a big headstock helps a lot. Anyway that's a different thing. So I am planning to buy 3 single coil pick ups. No Humbuckers please. I am looking for a Sparkly Tone which also has a lots of muscle to get that Blackmore kinda tone. I have a few considerations. 1. Lace Sensor Gold (Eric Clapton / Jeff Beck uses them) 2. EMG actives (The one that Dave Gilmour uses) 3. Rio Grande (Muy Grande set) any other suggestions for the pickups.
Rio Grande is really good from what I've heard...Ron Thorn recommendations. Lindy Fralins might be a good idea. I really wouldnt recommend the EMGs unless you'll use the Strat exclusively for clean. John Suhr makes very good single coils...dunno about availability though..might be tough to get.
I would prefer a Dave Gilmour tone on the single coils. (+nice mix of flange/chorus/phaser + delay ---> sounds n feels like heaven) Hey how does a big headstock help? + wont it look disproportional if it is really large?
It adds weight at the nut end, adding to sustain. Also since the Strat headstock is not angled back like LPs, a heavier headstock is more stable and less prone to tuning instability.
ok for sustain use compressor and for tuning stability use floyd rose system But it does beg a question: does a few grams/centimeters of wood really make that much of difference?
Adding a weight at the headstock removes dead points from the neck and it results in a much cleaner tone with a lot more sustain. There's a product called Fat Fingers. All it does is to add some weight to the headstock. That explains why Blackmore wanted large CBS headstocks. Infact Blackmore used to keep his amp at full and also drive it hard with a Treble Booster just for sustain. Lindy Franlin are good as far as I have heard. How about DiMarzio Fast Track or the Virtual Vintage.
@ alpha1: Natural sustain vs processed sustain..also compression changes the overall sound as opposed to natural sustain. At the extreme of the argument, everyone could play Steinbergers and add any sound they want through processing and modelling. Floyd Rose=pain in the ass @ Ronnie: If you want Blackmore sound why not go for a DiMarzio HS3 stacked HB thing? I think it can reasonably nail a Blackmore type sound. No clue about the other DiMarzios you mentioned.
I dont think Blackmore uses a Stacked Humbucker like Yngwie. I remember reading in an interview how much Blackmore wanted to play single coils. He was a Gibson user before he took the Fender. Blackmore uses what's called Quarter Pounders.
I didn't mean he uses one. I tjust meant you can get a sound close to his using the HS3 as well..plus added advantage of no hiss. It'll get you in the ballpark. Have you heard the wonderful version of Still I'm Sad on 'Stranger in us all' btw? Theres this clean (volume turned down) intro and then he just increases the guitar volume and theres this wall of sound as the drums kick in.yummy!
I felt Blackmore screwed up Still I am Sad in Stranger In Us All. Have you heard the instrumental one in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow and the live version in Rainbow On Stage. I have humbucker on my other guitar, so I strictly looking at a single coil for a proper single coil tone. Get that Blackmore or SRV kinda creamy tone.
@Abhijit........ I didn't mean Blackmore's tone was screwed in that Stranger In Us All. I felt the song was screwed. But his tone was awesome :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: as usual.
Yeah I've heard the instrumental one..it used to be the theme tune on some rock radio show in Delhi...used to hear it every Wednesday I was only referring to the tone...theres this wonderful sparkle in the cleans which just erupts into the distorted portion. Hm..vintage vibes. I think Rio Grande should do fine honestly....they are wonderful and wound exactly like vintage single coils
^ Music on the Rox. Taht was the show whic got me hooked to rock music. I remember listening to it when I was in - 10th? or 8th?
Why dont you go with the Fender Texas Special Single Coils . SRV uses them and I find his tone amazing
I'd actually go for either Fender® Vintage Noiseless Strat Pickup Set - Vintage noiseless tone 150$ OR Fender® Custom Shop Texas Special Strat Pickups - Stevie Ray Vaughan 140$ OR Fender® Hot Noiseless 3 Pickup Set - Jeff Beck 150$ actually personally i'd go only for Texas ones and then build a custom strat with wilkinson bridge with hot noiseless pickups
I am getting this Lace Sensor Gold Pickups. The Bridge is a Hot Gold which has a DC resistance of 13.2K and the middle and neck are the regular 6K ones. Will get these pickups with me in another 20 days. Unfortunately I dont have a guitar to put these pickups :shock: , so planning to get a Mexican Fender Strat to put these on. So I will have Fender soon :beer: maybe in a weeks time.
