Strat Pickups??

[fensonpaulcaster]

Hi everyone

I need to know what the standard pickups are on a standard MIM strat

I need to know so i can buy a bridge pickup (if you haven't already read my other questions haha)

And if no one knows I need to know what will give me that tone back?


It sounded like John Fruciante's (of RHCP) strat.

What could I get to make it sound like Johnny Fruciante?

[ShortBuSX]

I need to know what the standard pickups are on a standard MIM strat

MIM ceramic Alnico V's

What could I get to make it sound like Johnny Fruciante?

Fix your guitar and learn some Chilli Pepper tunes...the tone IS there even without a bridge pickup.

If youre lucky the wire is just off the switch...buy a new set of strings, take it apart to see whats up and then restring it.

[fensonpaulcaster]

Thank you man
Do you know where you can buy replacement pickups? If i need to resort to that

[markb]

MIM ceramic Alnico V's

I'm not trying to be too picky, but "ceramic alnico V" sounds like a contradiction. Strat pickups either use magnetic alnico slugs (aka pole pieces) or plain steel slugs with a ceramic bar magnet glued under them (usually, there are exceptions). The MIM strat I had some years ago had ceramics magnets. I replaced them with Duncan Alnico II's which I got a good deal on.

[wingsdad]

Generally, Alnico pickups for strats operate at a higher impedance (between 6K - 8K), so the higher resistance tends to make them play cleaner, brighter, glassier. With the bridge pickup, this will generally produce 'thinner' sound. Alnico II vs Alnico V has to do with the difference in the composition of the aluminum, nickel and cobalt alloy that is alnico, V generally yielding the brighter, cleaner vintage sound, II yielding warmer shades. The original Leo Fender pickup choice for his classic design, Alnico V pups produce the higher degree of that 'vintage' strat rubbery 'quack' in the 'in between' 2 & 4 pup combo positions. Dont' forget your 250K pots and .022 mfd caps.

Ceramic mag pickups operate at a lower impedance than Alnico II or V pups(between 4K-6K), so the lower resistance allows for higher potential output with fewer turns of wire than an Alnico, and thus, allows for overdriving an amp (especially a tube amp) much more easily than an Alnico, a 'thicker' single coil sound.

Either way, any of the above characteristics are in turn tempered or accentuated by the resonance and density of the body wood -- ash or alder most common and true to Leo's original designs -- and to some degree, whether the fretboard is glossed maple as in the original mid-50's design, or rosewood, coming along a few years later.

The original design's 12" radius neck, a fairly flat radius, was not only a playability factor, but to help yield more balanced string vibration pickup. The other factor in that balancing act's equation was staggering the heights of the fixed polepieces.

Leo was an electronics genius first & foremost, not a guitar player; for that aspect of his designs, he turned first to Doc Kaufman when he started out building amps and lap steels, and later to Jimmy Bryant and George Fullerton. His likely 'hero' in terms of KISS manufacturing & marketing priciples was Henry Ford.

[ShortBuSX]

I'm not trying to be too picky, but "ceramic alnico V" sounds like a contradiction. Strat pickups either use magnetic alnico slugs (aka pole pieces) or plain steel slugs with a ceramic bar magnet glued under them (usually, there are exceptions). The MIM strat I had some years ago had ceramics magnets. I replaced them with Duncan Alnico II's which I got a good deal on.

You may have a point, I really dont know, even with the wonderful explaination from Wingsdad...but given your description of thier differences, to that I have to reply with a question: what about humbucker pickups? They have bar magnets...are all of those ceramics too? And not alnicos?

From the info Ive gathered about my 2 MIM's was that these were Ceramic alnico V's...if thats not the case Id surely like to know what level of alnico(aluminum, nickel and cobalt)these ceramic bar magnets are?

[markb]

You may have a point, I really dont know, even with the wonderful explaination from Wingsdad...but given your description of thier differences, to that I have to reply with a question: what about humbucker pickups? They have bar magnets...are all of those ceramics too? And not alnico

Some are alnico magnets, some are ceramic. It's just a matter of materials. For strat pickups no-one bothers making cylindrical ceramic magnets for the poles, hence the obvious difference.

[sunvalleylaw]

Generally, Alnico pickups for strats operate at a higher impedance (between 6K - 8K), so the higher resistance tends to make them play cleaner, brighter, glassier. With the bridge pickup, this will generally produce 'thinner' sound. Alnico II vs Alnico V has to do with the difference in the composition of the aluminum, nickel and cobalt alloy that is alnico, V generally yielding the brighter, cleaner vintage sound, II yielding warmer shades. The original Leo Fender pickup choice for his classic design, Alnico V pups produce the higher degree of that 'vintage' strat rubbery 'quack' in the 'in between' 2 & 4 pup combo positions. Dont' forget your 250K pots and .022 mfd caps.

Ceramic mag pickups operate at a lower impedance than Alnico II or V pups(between 4K-6K), so the lower resistance allows for higher potential output with fewer turns of wire than an Alnico, and thus, allows for overdriving an amp (especially a tube amp) much more easily than an Alnico, a 'thicker' single coil sound.

Either way, any of the above characteristics are in turn tempered or accentuated by the resonance and density of the body wood -- ash or alder most common and true to Leo's original designs -- and to some degree, whether the fretboard is glossed maple as in the original mid-50's design, or rosewood, coming along a few years later.

The original design's 12" radius neck, a fairly flat radius, was not only a playability factor, but to help yield more balanced string vibration pickup. The other factor in that balancing act's equation was staggering the heights of the fixed polepieces.

Leo was an electronics genius first & foremost, not a guitar player; for that aspect of his designs, he turned first to Doc Kaufman when he started out building amps and lap steels, and later to Jimmy Bryant and George Fullerton. His likely 'hero' in terms of KISS manufacturing & marketing priciples was Henry Ford.

My Tex Mex pups that came in my strat are 7.4K in the bridge, and 6.4K in the middle and neck, and are Alnico V, with polysol magnet wire and reverse wound/reverse polarity middle pickup for hum canceling in positions 2 & 4. It is a MIM, but the pups are different. I personally love these pups.

[ShortBuSX]

Some are alnico magnets, some are ceramic. It's just a matter of materials. For strat pickups no-one bothers making cylindrical ceramic magnets for the poles, hence the obvious difference.

So my ceramic pickups cant be alnico V's?
Look at speaker magnets for example.
Im not suggesting that Im right, but you gotta see where Im coming from and why my confusion.

[ShortBuSX]

I just did a little reading...yeah, Im wrong...but I still dont know/understand why?

[markb]

No, your ceramic pickups can't be alnico V. Any manufacturer claiming to use "ceramic alnico" is lying. They may claim that their ceramic magnet pickups sound just like those with alnico magnets, but that's another thing entirely.

Powerful ceramic magnets are cheap, hence the reason they're used in budget pickups. Alnico rod is relatively expensive.

[fensonpaulcaster]

lol this has become a headache for meee

:

I don't know whats what anymore

I'm on a budget, so the cheaper the better.

Ther highest I'm willing to go is 150. I actually was wanting to go get a set of Fender vintage Noiseless pickups. How are those?

Whats the difference between the hot noiseless ones and the vintage? Higher output?

I was also told to look at keystones. I've been told they're good.

What I'm really looking for is something the tone Of john fruciante in the Song Under the bridge. but something I just realized was that he was playing a jazz master.... Hmmmm

very depressing but anyways..

I love that tone. I really want something like Jf, because i Love how it sounds as a Rhythm.

PLEASE HELP MEE hahah

[markb]

At the low end a GFS 60s set should get you there. These look good well below your budget. If you get a good deal try Fender Custom Shop 69s. Sorry for the extra (read: unnecessary) detail.

[fensonpaulcaster]

At the low end a GFS 60s set should get you there. These look good well below your budget. If you get a good deal try Fender Custom Shop 69s. Sorry for the extra (read: unnecessary) detail.

How good are Gfs's? Everyone here seems to know and talk about them in a positive light.

Are they quality? I just want to make sure there worth the money, cause i guess human common sense (which in my case is usually dead wrong) says that the cheaper they are the less quality. At the moment i'm thinking this is one of those times I'm dead wrong.. haha o well

Thanks evryone for the help!

[fensonpaulcaster]

Well
I cheecked a review and by what they say, its exactly what I'm looking for.

I have to thank you all for the help.
It was very inciteful, a little confusing, but I'm gettin there.

You'll have to excuse my constant references to John Fruciante haha.

Its just pretty much exactly what I'm looking for; that tone i mean.

:

[fensonpaulcaster]

Generally, Alnico pickups for strats operate at a higher impedance (between 6K - 8K), so the higher resistance tends to make them play cleaner, brighter, glassier. With the bridge pickup, this will generally produce 'thinner' sound. Alnico II vs Alnico V has to do with the difference in the composition of the aluminum, nickel and cobalt alloy that is alnico, V generally yielding the brighter, cleaner vintage sound, II yielding warmer shades. The original Leo Fender pickup choice for his classic design, Alnico V pups produce the higher degree of that 'vintage' strat rubbery 'quack' in the 'in between' 2 & 4 pup combo positions. Dont' forget your 250K pots and .022 mfd caps.

Ceramic mag pickups operate at a lower impedance than Alnico II or V pups(between 4K-6K), so the lower resistance allows for higher potential output with fewer turns of wire than an Alnico, and thus, allows for overdriving an amp (especially a tube amp) much more easily than an Alnico, a 'thicker' single coil sound.

Either way, any of the above characteristics are in turn tempered or accentuated by the resonance and density of the body wood -- ash or alder most common and true to Leo's original designs -- and to some degree, whether the fretboard is glossed maple as in the original mid-50's design, or rosewood, coming along a few years later.

The original design's 12" radius neck, a fairly flat radius, was not only a playability factor, but to help yield more balanced string vibration pickup. The other factor in that balancing act's equation was staggering the heights of the fixed polepieces.

Leo was an electronics genius first & foremost, not a guitar player; for that aspect of his designs, he turned first to Doc Kaufman when he started out building amps and lap steels, and later to Jimmy Bryant and George Fullerton. His likely 'hero' in terms of KISS manufacturing & marketing priciples was Henry Ford.

one day I hope to understand evrything you said.

Well lets see...

I get about the Alnicos...except the part about the quacking.. hmm well

I am not very smart about the technicals on pickups. The output i vaguely understand. The more output the better distortion it plays..to an extent..

Uhmm. I don't think I understand the impendance. It seems to me the somewhere between 6k and 8k is normal.. 10k is high out put.. Now what does the K stand for? Kilowatts right?

Dont' forget your 250K pots and .022 mfd caps. this about where i was starting to lose hope. What exactly does this mean??

[wingsdad]

one day I hope to understand evrything you said.

Well lets see...

I get about the Alnicos...except the part about the quacking.. hmm well

......

Play your strat a little more, or go out to a store that sells some and play some, or ask someone else who plays one, and maybe you'll get what the 'quack' is about.

HINT: it's about a strat's tone.

Until then, all the other technical stuff is just a bunch of useless information beyond what you need to know at this time.

What could I get to make it sound like Johnny Fruciante?

A Fender Mustang.

[Tibernius]

A Fender Mustang.

The one he played on video for "Under the Bridge" was a Jaguar. It should be possible to get a similar sound using the bridge pickup of a Strat with the tone set to full.

[fensonpaulcaster]

The one he played on video for "Under the Bridge" was a Jaguar. It should be possible to get a similar sound using the bridge pickup of a Strat with the tone set to full.

Now honsetly,
I dont think that it would be a Jaguar, because I've played them and the tone is way different then what is in under the bridge. Its really thick and it rolls.

but I played the one with humbuckers....the one with the single coils could definitely achieve that tone..

Well thanks