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Thread: SD SSL-1, or not?

  1. #1
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    SD SSL-1, or not?

    I have a 1978 strat. I'm thinking of getting a Seymour Duncan SSL-1 as a neck pickup. Is this better than the original, if you want that old bluesy sound? Any other pickup suggestions?

  2. #2
    Forum Member Porto Leone's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    is there something you dislike about the tone of your stock pickup?

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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Porto Leone View Post
    is there something you dislike about the tone of your stock pickup?
    No, not really. It sounds great.

  4. #4
    Forum Member Porto Leone's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    then, don't worry about changing it. save your money and time for something you really need.

  5. #5
    Forum Member jeru's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    +1

    If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

    Lord knows -- hell, even I know -- that there's plenty of actually broke-ass things what need fixing..

    JR

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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by PLarson View Post
    I have a 1978 strat. I'm thinking of getting a Seymour Duncan SSL-1 as a neck pickup. Is this better than the original, if you want that old bluesy sound? Any other pickup suggestions?
    I believe that is the pickup that David Gilmour put in his black strat in late 1979 to replace his DiMarzio bridge pickup. I believe that is a very strong pickup.

    For the blues sound, I would go to a Emerald Lace Sensor or Fender Texas Special.

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    Forum Member concert410's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    Gilmour used the Dimarzio FS-1.
    A good, screaming Strat just might be the greatest guitar sound of all..... -Slash

  8. #8
    Forum Member concert410's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    I agree with the above posters. I found out the hard way. Once you start trying to fix something that isn't broken, you'll never be happy. I went through a phase for about two years where I was swapping pickups like crazy in two Strats. At the end of the day, I sold those guitars as is and went with 2 new Strats and couldn't be happier. I still have a third Strat that I kept loaded Duncan Lil 59/Lil 59/ JB'r. I kept one guitar that way because it makes for a great high gain QUIET Strat, and as a reminder not ever do that again. In other words, while it makes a great hard rock guitar, I'd be lying if I told you that it was an improvement over how the guitar originally sounded.
    Last edited by concert410; 02-01-2011 at 08:33 PM.
    A good, screaming Strat just might be the greatest guitar sound of all..... -Slash

  9. #9
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    I can't count the number of "if it ain't broke" moments I regret.

    Especially with guitar equipment.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  10. #10
    Forum Member Gold Strat's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    Those late 70ies pick ups are low output and great for blues, I wouldn't think of replacing if it was my Strat, save your money and use it for a neck repair as posted in an earlier thread!! Your 1978 Strat in white looks great and I wouldn't change a thing on her !!

  11. #11
    Forum Member Gold Strat's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    Wel maybe I would change 1 wire on the selector switch to have tone contol on the bridge and leave the middle wide open, I do this on all my Strats, very simple and easely reversed.

  12. #12
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
    I can't count the number of "if it ain't broke" moments I regret.

    Especially with guitar equipment.
    Me too! Especially the times when I've modified for the sake of modifying!

  13. #13
    Forum Member frpax's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    SSL-1's are nice.

    But when I threw some Antiquities in, things got REAL NICE...

    But if your stock pickups sound good, why change?
    I can't even read notes. But I can teach someone how to make a guitar smoke.
    ~Ace Frehley

  14. #14
    Forum Member Direstraits's Avatar
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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
    I can't count the number of "if it ain't broke" moments I regret.

    Especially with guitar equipment.
    +1, if it sounds good, leave it alone & start saving for another guitar !

    When You point your finger 'cause your plan fell through, you've got 3 more fingers pointing back at you.

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    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    For $52 you might as well at least try it. I put one of these with the left hand staggered poles in a 1986 '57RI Strat and it absolutely KILLED the already fine sounding stock pickup. I'm sure the output was the same but the factory pickup sounded only so so in comparison. The SD SSL1 had better sustain, a juicier midrange (not really fatter sounding however) the high strings sounded sweeter and slightly fuller. This pickup just had a living soul and that's the best way I can put it because the overall comparison to the Fender neck pickup is that they both shared 85% of the same sonic ingredients and similar outputs. Beyond that the Seymour just pulled away in smoothness, feel and a bit of 3D presence.

  16. #16

    Re: SD SSL-1, or not?

    I would echo the
    " dont mess with it if it sounds good"
    camp
    Stratocaster-ghettoblaster
    www.MySpace.com/EdMcLaughlin

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