Single Coil Bridge Pickup

[Tone2TheBone]

I don't know how many of you actually use the single coil bridge pickup on your Fender type guitars. I don't hardly at all and I did want to keep my Strat "traditional"...but I've been wishing I had a useable bridge pickup that would have a little beefiness similar to a humbucker. Not so much for higher output...but just for a smoother tone. Currently I think the bridge pickup is useless to me just because it's way too bright and harsh (ice picky)...although the bridge/middle positions sound cool. I wouldn't want to lose that tone.

I tried the bridge to tone pot mod...but it sounded kinda corky. I wouldn't want to add another pickguard with a humbucker hole in it, but I would consider using a thick sounding single coil pup. Anyone have any experience with a better sounding single coil bridge pup? Any suggestions? Good suggestions? -RobJ

[Robert****]

Check out the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage 2.2 - Scott Henderson uses them on his Live, and the tones are pretty fantastic. He also plays the majority of the time on his bridge pickup. He says the Suhr pickups are the best, but humming is a problem when playing live.

[Tone2TheBone]

Mr. R,

Does Scott Henderson have any sound clips? I'm looking at the Dimarzio website now.

[Tone2TheBone]

Nevermind Rob...I found them.

[Robert****]

http://www.scotthenderson.net/live.htm
Now, isn't that some wicked tone and playing!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
If you don't like this man's tone and playing, I will come looking for you with lotsa tar and feathers.

[Tone2TheBone]

Robert,

If he's using the Virtual Vintage 2.2 then THAT is what I am looking for. It's got the output and tone of a humbucker but it still isn't quite a humbucker. No tar and feathering required. Sounds like something I want.

[EscalonJon]

Hey tone...

Maybe this pickup would work on your strat. I scratch-built a tele last year. I used an esquire pickguard, so it only had a bridge pickup. I bought a custom humbucker-style tele bridge off ebay, and put in a p-90 style pup made for a humbucker-sized hole. The body is the old coppertone metallic with black pickguard and vintage tinted maple neck. The pickup is made by Rio Grande and the model is called the "Fat Bastard" (pardon their french).....It sounds thick, but still has a bit of tele flavor. It doesn't sound like your "ice-pick" sound and it can go from almost SRV to almost Billy Gibbons. I used an old 50s style 3 way switch setup, #1 treble, #2 tone control, #3 bass. It got me some verstility out of the single pickup. (The only thing is that I'm thinking that this pickup only comes in black) With this pickup, no one can say that this tele's not different...

[Tone2TheBone]

Thanks for the recommedation. I can't put the Fat Bastard in my stock pickguard though could I? I don't want to change the appearance of my pickups from single coil to anything else. I'd still like a traditional setup...just a beefier bridge pup.

[EscalonJon]

Yeah, you would have to get a H/B pickguard. One of the double coil stacks would work for your tone issue, but they also look different than the standard pickup. I think Robert's Virtual Vintage idea is as close as you're going to get for what you are after. Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

[Robert****]

Have you guys heard Scott Henderson's Live stuff? Sound clips on www.scotthenderson.net - don't you think that bridge tone is pretty sweet?

I have CS 54s in my Squier Strat, and they are very sweet too, except for the bridge pup. They also hum quite a bit on stage, that's why I'd like the Virtual Vintage also, because they don't hum.

[Tone2TheBone]

Scott Henderson's live stuff sounds great Robert. I heard them the other day after I asked for the link. Also Rob, I think you do have demos of your Squire Strat on your Dolphin site don't you? I'm thinking of trying out various neck pickups on my strat as well as the bridge. I know I know...call me picky.

[Robert****]

Yes, I have some stuff with my Squier Strat with CS54 pups on the video clips page http://www.dolphinstreet.com/video_clips - it's under the heading
Hellhound Video Clips (April 2005)

They are nice, but not the bridge pickup - it's too harsh. That's why I'd try the VV 2.2 pup.

[tremoloman***]

I live at the bridge on most of my Strats since we play a lot of 80s rock in my band.

It's not easy to hear pinched artificial harmonics on any other position, which is a big part of my playing style for rock stuff. I love the sound of the bridge & middle together - always has a nice clean tone. For all other kinds of music, it's positions 2-5 from there...

I really like the DiMarzio Tone Zone 2 in the bridge for hard rock. Other than that, the Custom Shop '69s are my favorite pickups on Earth for anything else. (Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, Folk, etc.)

[tremoloman***]

I never use the middle pickup by itself... that's 1 position I can live without...

[Tone2TheBone]

I'm not much on the middle pickup either tremoloman. With certain Vox amp models the bridge pickup doesn't sound too bad....mostly on the amps with high gain on them. Setting the gain lower than when full on. Nice biting sound without any harshness, yet full tone. Kinda cool. Again...the volume knob on the Strats rules.

[tremoloman***]

The American Deluxe SCNs sound killer in positions 2 and 4 clean IMHO. Not your typical Strat quack, but it's own beautiful tone. I had yanked the SCNs out for a bit, then put them back in and realized how good they really are. I'll still take Custom Shop 69s over them anyday though.

[Bloozcat]

tone,

Try contacting Pete Biltoft at http://www.vintagevibeguitars.com/

He does a pickup called the SP90, which is a standard size single coil that's wound to sound similar to a P-90. Pete does some excellent pickup winding, and will work with you to get your tone.

I have an overwound set that Tony at Electrokraft made for me. The bridge is 8.0k. Unfortunately, Tony isn't winding pickups anymore, instead he's making effects now. Over in the Amps section I wrote something about how this Electrokraft bridge pickup sounds through my Valve Jr. head.

[Tone2TheBone]

Blooz - Thanks for your input and for the link.