I'm planning on upgrading the pickups in my MiM strat (all 3) and other things such as the nut and the saddles with graphite ones.
I'm planning to put:
NECK: SeymourDuncan Vintage Rails
MIDDLE: Dimarzio HS-2
BRIDGE: SeymourDuncan Hot Rails
I don't know much about replacing pickups and what should go where, put I know that the highest output pickup should be in the bridge for leads and other things. Other then that, I don't really know what would make a good pickup for the neck/middle. What could I use to help make the best choice for the neck and middle pickups? Also, does anyone, with knowledge on these things, think the choices I made are good? I'm looking to have a guitar that can "play it all." Like, I want the guitar to have good blues blues/rock tones, but still be powerful enough for classic/hard rock at the flip of a pickup switch.
Also, I read in a review that someone suggested to replace the volume pot with a 500k one if you are putting the Hot Rails in the bridge. They said that it gives you more control over the pickup. Is this actually true? and what difference does upgrading from a 250k pot to a 500k pot actually make?
Thanks alot
The change from 250k to 500k is recommended for any pickup with higher impedance (usually more windings = hotter, to simplify the explanation) to mitigate highend tonal roll-off. Humbuckers are the most obvious pup that fall into this category. Using a 500k pot with a lower impedance pup (eg., single coil) won't hurt anything -- the pup might sound a little edgier at the wide open settings, and the pot's range of use (how much one turns the knob to attain a change in voume or tone) will be compressed -- that is less rotation for the same effect, and most of the change happening at one end of the rotational range. You should choose the pot values to be the highest recommended for any one of your pups.
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Sorry could someone explain why you'd want the hot/active pup at the bridge (as a priority)? Isn't the bridge where the pups are less sensitive, ie. neck is where you play clean? So the tone will be less sharp and the aggression will be muffled?
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If you want to be able to play it all, then I recommend not using the hot rails in the bridge. The vintage rails might be a better choice for the bridge.
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duffmaster, can you please explain your response?
did you look at GFS pickups yet?
