Single Coils with Seymour Duncan JB Bridge

Purplestrats

Purplestrats

Inspired
I’d like to get some opinions about which single coils to use in a HSS strat that has a JB in the bridge. Right now I have DiMarzio Injectors in there, but they are a little too bright and biting I feel. The volume and tone pots are all 500k, which I like for the humbucker And would like to keep. I need some singles that are a little warmer, but still have output to keep up with the JB. (I don’t mind a bit of volume difference between bridge and neck, but it shouldn’t be huge.)

We play mostly blues-rock, hard rock and hair metal. I like to get that liquid bassy lead tone from the neck pickup. I have had DiMarzio Cruisers before that worked OK, but I wasn’t exactly blown away by them.
 
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I've got a Texas Special in the middle and a Sustainer Driver neck pickup in my Ed O'Brien Strat. Decent combos for sure but I wouldn't call any of them classically Stratocaster in sound. Very rock-focused sounds.

I quite like the Sustainer neck pickup tone. It's big, round without being overly woofy.

If I was going more traditional setup, I'd probably pair up the JB with BKP Irish Tours -- hot pickups in all three positions that way and the Irish Tours have glorious nice low-end characteristics.
 
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I second the Texas Specials, they sound gorgeous. Also SD Classic Stack and Hot Stack depending on what output your after.
 
iaresee said:
I've got a Texas Special in the middle and a Sustainer Driver neck pickup in my Ed O'Brien Strat. Decent combos for sure but I wouldn't call any of them classically Stratocaster in sound. Very rock-focused sounds.

I quite like the Sustainer neck pickup tone. It's big, round without being overly woofy.

If I was going more traditional setup, I'd probably pair up the JB with their Irish Tours -- hot pickups in all three positions that way and the Irish Tours have glorious nice low-end characteristics.
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BKP Irish Tours is a cool suggestion, thanks! Texas Specials have also been on my radar for a while.
 
I quite like the Sustainer neck pickup tone. It's big, round without being overly woofy.
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Same here.
I have a Vintage rails in the midlle and that pairs wonderfully with the JB on the 2nd position, even with high gain amps as a Friedman HBE
 
im on a similar quest . Trying find best vintage sounding humbucker for my HSS Strat. Thought about JB but heard it could be on a brighter side. My guitar has maple fret board with ss frets which adds brightens
 
Niko said:
im on a similar quest . Trying find best vintage sounding humbucker for my HSS Strat. Thought about JB but heard it could be on a brighter side. My guitar has maple fret board with ss frets which adds brightens
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If I was putting a full sized humbucker in a Strat I'd look at the Thornbucker.
 
Niko said:
I thought about that. All my research says it’s really bright.
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Interesting. I'd figure it'd be balanced as it was designed by a company that primarily makes a Strat-type guitar. Can't go wrong with a BKP! :D
 
I have a full size JB, I don’t find it to be overly bright. It is however very sensitive to height adjustment, you need to use your ears and hunt around for the sweet spot.
 
I’m actually going to try a pair of regular ceramic MIM single coils with that JB. As I recall they had a warmer and hotter sound than the custom shop/boutique pickups I normally use, and I have a hunch they will sound pretty cool in a blues/rock oriented strat.
 
Seymour Duncan can match pickups to the JB. Give them a call or email, and ask for suggestions. The JB is a very versatile pickup, I like it a lot. The other maker I can suggest is Lindy Fralin. I've used several of his pickups, single and humbucking, and they are very musical.
 
The blue TA is the one Im thinking to fit with HSS guard. In fact it originally came with HSS with P90esk humbucker size pickup in the bridge. as much as I love TAs, I find thier pickups too modern or hi if for lack of better term. Right now guitar has 3 single coils from Wildwood 10 Strat. I love neck & middle but would love to be able do some mid to high gain in the bridge too. I know it will noticable disbalance which doesnt bother me. Second pic is original guard
 

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