So fralin vs Van Zandt. Where do we stand?

BashCoder · Post by **BashCoder** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 11:31 am

Yeah, it's funny how guitar products tagged with the moniker "blues" often seem to be lacking in top-end or heavy in low-mids. I guess I really don't know which blues artists they listen to. Albert King? Albert Collins? SRV? Buddy Guy? They all have pretty bright tones to my ear.

Fralin's Blues Special are overwound, which just means they are hotter and warmer. More often than not, blues players overdrive their amps a lot less than players in other genres, so why they need extra gain from their pickups is beyond me.

BrianH · Post by **BrianH** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:03 pm

The VZ Vintage Plus's are a bit more woody sounding, I suppose, than most Fralins I've played.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:36 pm

BashCoder wrote:Fralin's Blues Special are overwound, which just means they are hotter and warmer. More often than not, blues players overdrive their amps a lot less than players in other genres, so why they need extra gain from their pickups is beyond me.

Seems that beyond the actual need for blues, the title blues took on a double meaning for vintage hot with pickups. Ive never been into that. I think low output, extra clear sounding pickups do blues much better then Texas Specials or the other hot strat pickups.

jz · Post by jz » Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:28 pm

VanZandt Vintage Plus or True Vintage

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 5:08 am

I sent you those WCR Sr Single Coil clips in your email.

If you really like pretty clean and blues, then you might want to try some Seymour Duncan APS2. They're the cleanest prettiest strat Pickup I've ever tried, and they can get a real accurate sounding Pride and Joy tone when I have my Attenuator set on bedroom level, with the amp cranked.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:15 pm

Thanks for all the info Mike. I just may try one or all of those. I dont want clean really. I think thats an impression people are getting. I just want cleaner then what Im getting which I think you can understand me when I say, when I plug into my 67 on the neck in my strat, I dont want to sound like Trower which I am. Soupy. I want to sound like Jimi. Not exactly but in that territory. Im just going to have to split the difference between a perfect Paul setting and perfect Strat. I mean I already use the volume knob but I just dont think it sounds as good backed off.

ToneBone · Post by **ToneBone** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:41 pm

Billy Batz wrote:Thanks for all the info Mike. I just may try one or all of those. I dont want clean really. I think thats an impression people are getting. I just want cleaner then what Im getting which I think you can understand me when I say, when I plug into my 67 on the neck in my strat, I dont want to sound like Trower which I am. Soupy. I want to sound like Jimi. Not exactly but in that territory. Im just going to have to split the difference between a perfect Paul setting and perfect Strat. I mean I already use the volume knob but I just dont think it sounds as good backed off.

I've got Fralin "Woodstock" pickups in a couple of strats and they're killer for the Hendrix tone. You have to ask for them special but they're the same price as his regular other single coils. They have reverse staggered polepieces and are basically a '69 style strat pickup. They sound clear and woody to my ear with nice full bite on the bridge p-u with a baseplate.

mightymike · Post by **mightymike** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:31 pm

I wouldn't testing a guitar equiped with thos through my 45/100