Best Fender Single Coil Strat Pickups for Fat Blues Tone

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What are your favorite single coils for blues?

• Thread starter Censport
• Start date May 1, 2021

• #1

I've almost got enough parts to build (yet) another partscaster, but I haven't decided on pickups yet. Here's what I'm running in my other SSS Strats:

EMG DG-20 w/ maple neck.
EMG DG-20 but SV pickups w/ rosewood.
Fender Fat 50s w/ maple
Robert Cray signature model.

What have you tried that you really like? If it helps, the amp I'm using is a custom Princeton Reverb with a Celestion. Also, especially interested in something hum-canceling, like stacked, active, or otherwise Noiseless.

Edited to add:

In the past, I've also had a Jimmy Vaughan with Texas Specials, signed Abigails, Fender custom shop '69s, silver and gold Lace Sensors, a couple of Malmsteens, and an MIJ Blackmore.

• #2

Noiseless: lace sensor golds.

• #3

Fralin Vintage Hot
Van Zantdt True Vintage

But then everyone hears differently.

• #4

Choose your pleasure... They are all Blues approved!

Bare Knuckle Irish Tour - 79' with rosewood neck
Bare Knuckle Apache - 91' with maple neck
Lace Holy Grail - 94' with maple neck

I also like the Fender Lace Sensor Gold set as they sounded great for the Blues. I currently don't have then installed, but I'm sure they will find their way into another build...

• #5

i dont think the blues demands a particular type of pickup... the blues demands a particular type of heart and soul.

• #6

i dont think the blues demands a particular type of pickup... the blues demands a particular type of heart and soul.

you beat me to it, only you said it much better than i could have.

• #7

I can't pick a favorite, but I like the custom winds in my Diamond Anniverary strat, some CS Fat 50's in a partscaster, a Fralin Split Rail Blues set in another partscaster and a set of hot (7.8) single coils in a pickguard Ron Kirn just reworked for me. And of course my EC with the noiseless, but I'm making another p/g for that with Lace Gold 666's. I like em all. But that's only so far.

So many great pickups..so little time. I got another awesome set in a custom build, but every time you mention them a fight breaks out about stuff having nothing to do with how they sound, so I'm keeping mum.

• #8

this was played on a squier affinity through a crappy little ss epiphone amp. the bass was played through the same amp too.....and.....i played E minor over an E major progression. and, no stomp boxes.

• #9

I like the lace sensor gold's with the Clapton midboost circuit for blues.

Ebidis

Providing the world with flat bends since 1985

• #10

I just put a set of $34 "Hot Texas Blues" pickups from The Stratosphere in my MIM Strat today, and as good as they are, I will never pay more for pickups again.

• #11

I never played a pickup that sounded bad for the blues.

• #12

Fralin Vintage Hot
Van Zantdt True Vintage

But then everyone hears differently.

Some not at all....

• #13

Texas specials have a darker, mature, grainer tone, which i like for blues.

Edit: The Jimmy Vaughn guitar comes with TexMex Pickups which are different from the Texas Specials.

• #15

Texas specials have a darker, mature, grainer tone, which i like for blues.

Edit: The Jimmy Vaughn guitar comes with TexMex Pickups which are different from the Texas Specials.

You're right. It's been so long since I've had that guitar that I forgot.

• #16

So ... this may not be what people think of for the blues, but .... It's more of an earlyish Knopfler setup: FS-1 in the neck, 57/62 middle and bridge. That's not a typo: the FS-1 is in the neck, not the bridge. Works great alone with some light smoky overdrive. Neck/middle for that Sultans tone, and middle/bridge still gives you that classic quack.

Ebidis

Providing the world with flat bends since 1985

• #17

I think the pickups that are in the guitar that you're playing are usually a good bet.

• #18

So ... this may not be what people think of for the blues, but .... It's more of an earlyish Knopfler setup: FS-1 in the neck, 57/62 middle and bridge. That's not a typo: the FS-1 is in the neck, not the bridge. Works great alone with some light smoky overdrive. Neck/middle for that Sultans tone, and middle/bridge still gives you that classic quack.

Is that the DiMarzio pup he replaced in his maple strat? Has a real clear punch to it.

• #19

My fave pickups for blues are the pickups I put in my guitars. I think they sound great for every style. (Fralin and Duncans in my Telecaster, EMG SA-Vs in my Strat, in case you care.)

• #20

'58/'62 for strat
Texas Specials on Tele & 4 way switch

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Source: https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/what-are-your-favorite-single-coils-for-blues.564703/

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