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I've got a white Clapton strat that plays and feels great. I'm not a big fan of the Lace pick-ups. What are the top of the line, top quality pick-ups that sound like a strat ought to. I'm mainly a LP player but I love strats & teles,always have,always will!
THANKS!
The new Clapton's come with the Fender vintage noisless pickups. Many actually prefer the Lace Sensors over the noiseless models.
I think Lace Sensors sound better without the mid boost circuit. The original Clapton had a switch to disengage the boost circuit that was removed on the production models for some reason.
Tim C.
I did exactly that. I wired my Clapton with Lace Sensors bypassing the active stuff. I like the sound. Retains the nice crystalline tone without the hassle of the guitar fuzzing out when the battery weakens or dies.
I'm REALLY digging the Rio Bass Bottoms that I just put in my strat. They're very nice, warm, sharp, clear, very classic tones! Also, Fat '50s are a great choice for another beafy single-coil pickup. :)
I think lace sensors can sound cool sometimes--I've only recently had the balls to admit this, hehe. However, they're certainly not my first choice, either. One of my strats is an old strat plus and I still have the orginal gold lace sensorts in it.
If you're looking for a traditional sounding pickup, anything by Fralin is worth looking into. My favorite vintage-style strat pickups are actually the ones that come in Fender custom shop 60 RI strats, but I don't think those are sold alone.
If you're looking for something that is quiet like the lace sensors, but more natural sounding, see if you can find some Suhr V60s, which kick ass, or check out anything by Kinman. Great sounding pickups which have the added benefit of being quiet.
I think first I'll try bypassing the active circuit. I never use it cause mine (to me) sounds muddy. Seems to be a waste of a knob that could be used for something else.
Also, does it kill the battery when you leave a cord plugged in (like active electronics on accoustics)?
Yes, it kills the battery if you leave the guitar plugged in.
The input jack is switched and turns the battery on when you plug the guitar in.
You can put a switch on the guitar so that you can turn the active boost on and off. That way it is there if you need or want it.
Tim C. :)
Try some Dimarzio Virtual Vintages. I have them in all my Strats, and LOVE them!
The config I usually use is Heavy Blues in the neck, Virtual 2 in the middle, and Solo in the bridge.
I like the newer '57/'62s in the American VR series, and the CS '54s. Personally, I'm not impressed with the Vintage Noiseless pups, nor do I like the Lace Sensors.
If you like noiseless then I can't say enough about EMG's. For regular p/u's my heart belongs to Duncan Antiquities. Fender's Delta Tone p/u's aren't that shabby either.