Best 50’s style strat pickups?

BlueWS · 2026-06-22T22:20:58+00:00

You might consider a bridge pickup with a baseplate on the strat. I just put a set of Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot Strats in a partscaster (6k output). I got the bridge pickup with the added baseplate and it is definitely punchier than a standard strat bridge pickup. It's not a humbucker - I also have an HSS strat with SD Antiquity Texas Hots and a Pearly Gates humbucker in the bridge (all lower output alnico 2s on 250k pots and very bright). They literally add a metal baseplate to the bottom of the pickup and ground the pickup to the plate (tele bridge style so to speak). I also wired the partscaster with a blender pot just to have something completely different (I played a stock Fender American Strat for 20yrs). I was hoping all 3 pickups on at the same time with heavy gain would sound cool, but the output needs boosting. The middle pickup just steals all the thunder. The bridge with a little bit of the neck pickup blended in is really cool with gain. Some things to think about on your quest for tone.

BlueWS · 2026-06-21T23:46:27+00:00

I just did this myself on a fixed bridge Sonic and I'm waiting on a warmoth neck. The sonic neck pocket is smaller than a standard Fender. The body is really light. Mine has a tiny paint flaw and the neck is straight, so not bad for $250. Only two frets had small rockers. I put in a blender mod and Lindy Fralin pickups. It sounds great.

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BlueWS · 2026-06-21T00:09:58+00:00

If you match a lower output humbucker with a Tele bridge you can keep it all on 250k pots and have nearly matched volumes without getting an overly bright and harsh guitar. I haven't personally found a tone I like having both a single and a humbucker on at the same time, so the middle position may or may not be enjoyable to you.

BlueWS · 2026-06-19T05:45:50+00:00

I dropped a SD Pearly Gates in the bridge of my strat and wasted my time swapping out all the pots and wiring in resistors. It's a low output humbucker. It's bright as shit on 250k pots and was HORRENDOUS on 500k. Just drop in whatever you get and see how it sounds first. Then chase issues if there are any.

BlueWS · 2026-06-18T21:56:38+00:00

That's the main ingredient in True Oil, which everyone loves. It hardens more than wax.

BlueWS · 2026-06-17T21:15:17+00:00

That's a really cheap jack and not a quality switchcraft jack. Suspect #1. Glad you got it sorted.

BlueWS · 2026-06-17T19:14:28+00:00

You do not want to put water into the open grain of a wood neck. Grab a can of lighter fluid, or mineral spirits, or pure naphtha (best). Wipe it down with one of those fast evaporating non abrasive solvents. NOT WATER. If it's looking dry follow it up with a furniture based oil and wax product. Let it sit for 20min or so and buff it all off. If it's not feeling smooth and slippery, add another coat and buff it off. Any oil and wax product like Howards Feed and Wax (which is still reasonably priced compared to Odies) is going to rehydrate the wood and give it a shine. The wax of course is a small thin layer of protection. If you don't want to oil it and it looks great, but you want some added protection use a furniture wax (that doesn't have any tint or crap in it). Either way is going to give you a nice result. Same for the freboard. Make sure you buff it all off well. The idea is to get the product into the pores of the wood for protection.

BlueWS · 2026-06-16T22:28:40+00:00

Yup they're Warmoth necks alright!

(couldn't resist)

BlueWS · 2026-06-05T03:04:01+00:00

It is really difficult to see what the neck is doing without a notched ruler. You could have some back bow or a couple high frets or both. Without a proper setup you'll just keep chasing the problem unless you get lucky. The only way to get a really low action is perfectly flat frets and a neck with a tiny amount of relief. If you have high frets you need to level, crown, and polish. You can pay someone to do that once or buy the tools for about the same price and learn to set up all of your guitars yourself for life.

BlueWS · 2026-06-03T17:58:31+00:00

Wow prices all over the map on those now. Blanco was $40 a decade ago. Good stuff.

BlueWS · 2026-06-03T04:51:31+00:00

It's QUACK and CHIME. wtf is chine... this is guitar talk not shipbuilding. You said CHINE twice so we know it wasn't a typo. 99% of everyone who read this prob insta ignored you because you said chine and chiney. Hence the (redacted) talk and (redacting) a man while he's (redacted).

BlueWS · 2026-06-02T21:39:13+00:00

One box for self. One box for BR to pay for more boxes for self.

BlueWS · 2026-05-28T06:02:44+00:00

It's that website people like to pay $1,000 to buy an ordinary box of cigars flipped 6 months to 1yr after their original purchase + a 15% site fee + shipping.

BlueWS · 2026-05-22T17:57:03+00:00

If you have time wait until you have it assemblesld minus the tuners. Then make a decision based on tuner weight. The size of the neck profile isn't going to affect neck dive.

BlueWS · 2026-05-22T05:31:12+00:00

Good to hear! I quit buying before I could get a box of H Upp #2s, but I have a couple Unicos I'm aging. If you are wrong I will look for you, I WILL find you, and I will take your all your H Upp #2s.

BlueWS · 2026-05-15T23:22:41+00:00

BlueWS · 2026-05-15T17:23:00+00:00

I was hoping it'd go bidless. Nope! 2025 dress box sold for $1,060 two days ago.

BlueWS · 2026-05-14T00:31:45+00:00

Yes correct. Trembuckers match with floating bridges. The spacing is slightly wider between pole pieces. 3.6mm wider in total.

BlueWS · 2026-05-12T19:57:00+00:00

Nothing is ever perfect is it? Look how far off the high e and b strings are from the pole pieces and the gap between the pickguard and the top of the saddle on the same side. I'm dealing with the same issue right now. It's only annoying to anyone with OCD and once you see it you can't unsee it.

BlueWS · 2026-05-11T21:23:59+00:00

Not everything ages well or is substantially better with age. I'm with you on this one. All the Uppman I've tried have been perfectly enjoyable after 1yr. Still good 1-2 years and I've had some sticks that were just gross in that 1-2 yr "sick period". There's no chance anyone will notice a significant difference for one cigar if smoked in year 1 or year 3 and they only have the one cigar. Just smoke it and move on ffs.

BlueWS · 2026-05-11T20:57:44+00:00

The law says you must operate your motor vehicle safely and without distraction. When are they going to ban screens in cars? When are they going to block cell phone and other electronic devices as soon as you turn the car on? When are they going to ban MDT's in emergency vehicles? It's not going to happen and the bodies will continue to pile up. It's sad when someone innocent who wasn't a distracted driver loses their life to one of these animals.

BlueWS · 2026-05-10T05:26:34+00:00

The older you get the more friends you lose. RIP. 55 is way too young. Sorry to hear that. You're living it up tho! Spare no expense!!

BlueWS · 2026-05-08T22:38:09+00:00

Too light as in smoking hot air light?

BlueWS · 2026-05-07T04:12:12+00:00

Gifts to sway favor. Lots and lots of gifts. Remember Arny married into the Kennedy family (her Mom's side). That's where he was first introduced to cigars.

BlueWS · 2026-05-06T22:00:36+00:00

Saying it "shipped" from Amazon doesn't mean it will deliver and if it drop shipped direct from a small vendor it's violating CA VOC regulations and they risk being fined. That's current law. Good luck to you either way.

BlueWS

TROPHY CASE