Blues replacement pups?

Who makes the best blues replacement pups for a Strat? Looking to convert a MIJ to a blues tone beast.

Kinman Blues!!

I keep the pups and replace the blues with something more musical. :)

Yeah, I'm really diggin' my Kinmans too.

I put Kinmans in my AmDlx strat, and could not be more pleased.

If it's the Blues your after then I'd recommend a set of Duncan Antiquity "Texas Hots" or Antiquity ll "Surfers".

Don't let the "surfer" tag fool you. These are hand wound and the alnico V magnets have been de-gaussed to sound like a '63 strat.

The Texas Hots use de-gaussed alnico ll magnets and are a little smoother like an early 50's strat.

There's lots of great blues pups like Duncan's, Fralin's Kinnman's, etc. Matter of fact, you can't go wrong with any of 'em.

The Antiquity's are fresh on my mind because I installed a set of each in the past few weeks and was really impressed with the sound. I do think I like the "Surfers" a little better but it may be that I really like that guitar.

Am '62 re-issue with a massive Allparts maple/slab rosewood neck, Callaham saddles, Pyramid .011's and Antiquity Surfer pups = the blues.

:sun

I just picked up the Strat, an early '90's MIJ, reportedly brought out of Japan by the first owner as one of those "not for export" models that you hear about. Not sure there is any way to back up those claims. Anyways, it is immaculate, all original.

I was thinking pup replacement, nut replacement and saddle replacement. Taking to my tech today for his advice on these ideas and bridge, pots, cap, wiring, whole deal.

Haven't heard the Fralins, have heard the Kinmans, and had not considered SD's but maybe I'll try to find some. Any sound clips on their website?

Fender23.......

I went to the SD website and there is no official Antiquity sound file that I could find.

There are a few sound clips if you go to the Forum. The Forum "click on" is on the right hand side of the home page.

Look in the "Clips and Tips" section and then do a search for "Antiquity clips". Several will come up and some are quite good.

It will take you a minute to do this but it's not hard.

If I was a pickup winder I'd damn sure have sound files.

It's pretty frustrating to not be able to hear something that you're thinking about spending your money on. :bonk

These high end pups aren't cheap either but I guess the the good news is that they all sound :dude .

:sun

CS 54's are great pickups, too.

so many pickups.........so little time

:sun

What kinda tone you looking for? Dont forget about what yur playing yur guitar through. I get some nasty blues tones from a small webcore amp I converted to take guitars. Not a "pro gig" amp but sounds great for home jams and funtime recording. An outboard EQ (like boss) can do wonders for tone shaping too! BTW nice guitar! I have yet to play a MIJ strat that I didnt like in some way or another.