Strat pups: Fralin vs. Van Zandt vs. Antiquity

[Kevin]

So, I'm putting another strat together to replace the one that Scotland took from me... :D This one is shell pink w/rosewood board, chrome hardware, and a green guard. The neck on this one, though, has a 10" radius and taller (6105) frets.

Anyway, I'm in the market, I suppose, for a set of pups. Here's where I'm at:

My current strat, which I love, has Duncan SSL-1s in it. They're great: clean and glassy = the sound I'll never let go. I want something different this time out, though.

I liked the Fralins in the Mary Kaye (ash/maple), but am really not sure I want to go that route again; I had told my dealer to get me a set, but then called back and told him to hold off for a bit....

KBR has me convinced to give the Van Zandts a try, but I'm not sure which ones I'd want. I'm not sure if I want Vintage Plus or Rocks....

Antiquities are supposed to be great, but I've not heard them.

The sound I want is the sound of my SSL-1s with just a bit more "oomph" behind them. Any ideas?

[Brad]

Kevin, you can't go wrong with either the fralins or vz's. As far as the Antiquities, I love em, but they may be close to what you already have on your other strat. I'd try the plus instead of the rock, but that's just my preference as I like as close to a vintage wind as possilbe.

Just to put a fly in the ointment...I recently put a set of Jason Lollar pickups in a strat and they are among the finest sounding strat pickups I've ever heard.

Good luck with your choice. Let us know what you settle on and how you like em. Did you get moved OK?

[Mark Davis]

To my ears the VZ's are a tad more harsh than the Fralins they sound better for rock but for me the Fralins sound better for everything else.

The Robert Cray pickups are the only ones I have found that come close to the Fralins. They have tons of quack and alot of defination.

[Kevin]

Thanks for the responses, guys...

No, Brad, I haven't moved, yet. I'm such a planner that this move I'm preparing for is actually three months away! We're already starting to pack, though, and I've stopped cutting bodies until we're resettled. I have a few more to paint, but that's it for a while....

Anyway, I talked with Kenny, again, and have decided to try VZ Blues in the bridge and neck and a Vintage Plus in the middle. That was his recommendation, and I trust his opinion. The Fralins are great (as are the Duncan SSL-1s), but I just decided that I wanted to try something different this time.

Now, I've got to order a pickguard and a bridge for this thing, so that I'll be able to play it once the pups get here.

[Scotland]

Any photos of this new baby yet ?
Be sure to let us know how these pups compare to the Fralins.

[Pierce]

truly a sweet vintage sound and probably the best pickup in his line..

[Brad]

Yeah, I would trust KBR's recommendation also! You can't argue that fact that MAN HAS TONE! Sounds like a great set up. Let us know how they turn out.

[shakedancer]

Hi! Which Fralin's did Kevin put in your Mary Kaye?

[Kevin]

I'm not Scotland, but they were Vintage Hots w/a baseplate on the bridge pup.

[flying]

My choice would be the *original* Fralins.
I bought mine on June 6th 1994 before he bent to the demand for hotter pups from the public.
Mine read
5.71= neck
6.15=mid
6.83= bridge no base plate
They have to be heard to be believed & the bridge has meat

I do not know if you can get them but Im sure if you call Lindy he could make them anyway you want. I know Callaham has him wind them this way & he does sell sets himself.

I had some VanZandts too but the vintage +
They read
neck=6.22
mid=6.3
bridge = 6.21

They were quite nice but in the end there can be only one 8)

Im kidding of course & what you chose will be fine I'm sure... but I still have the Fralins