So I've had this American Strat for years, probably coming up on 6 years.
The thing is, as great as it feels and plays, I absolutely cannot stand the stock pickups in it.
After selling off a few guitars I decided I'd like to bring it back out and see what I could do to make it a player in my own ears.
For me, strat pickups and I have a love/hate relationship. For me, either they're too weak, too thin, or too brittle and harsh.
In other strats over the years, I've tried a few sets of GFS pickups (and had a few die on me...), and thought I had found gold with the Fender 57/62 set. Problem is, as sweet as they sounded, they were sorta lacking when I really wanted it to "umph" a bit more, especially with a bit of overdrive. I've tried the CS 69 set before, thought it was a great clear sound but too thin (to my ears) and I believe I've tried the '54 set (same thoughts).
So I'm back on a search for THE strat pickup tone. I like my strat pickups to be full yet clear, powerful but not roof-blowingly powerful when I need to be with overdrive. I like a bluesy sound, and I think bluesy pickups tend to be fuller. I play blues rock/classic rock.
Based on what I've described, could anyone suggest a set to me? Not sure if I should go the Duncan route (about a million possibilities, which is good and bad) or get a typical set. I thought about a Cool Rails/Vintage Rails in the neck and middle, but felt the Hot Rails may be too hot for my tastes. A friend of mine suggested Texas Specials, which sound like they kill overdriven, but I'm not sure if I'll find them too bright or too thin or "stringy". The Fat 50's sounded like a decent set, but again not sure how different they are from the '54s. Fralin Blues Specials with the bass plates were also recommended - yet from what I've heard they can be sorta bright too. I'd like to make use of my bridge pickup in a Strat, something I never do because I think that position is awful most of the time.
Guess it's all a matter of finding the right set.