Dimarzio HS3.. Anybody got experience?

[Bryan]

I know it comes in the YJM Strat and that's about it.

I'm looking for something a little better for the bridge position in my Strat. I like the bridge and middle but my bridge pup is too thin for my tastes.

What are your thoughts on this pickup? I'm really looking for a Gilmour type lead tone from my Strat.

[Cleveland Metal]

I bought one for a present for the other guitarist in my band. He wanted it, but then found he didn't like it much and took it out for regular single coil. He is into YJM, SRV, Eric Johnson, Page, etrc...

I believe he said it wasn't a very powerful pickup, but I'll ask him to describe it a bit better when I see him tomorrow.

Gilmour is using EMG SA's I believe. I have them and hate them... I actually prefer the Jackson single coils over the EMG's, and I'm a big EMG 81 guy.

[Bryan]

Thanks for the help. Let me know the verdict...

I have the EMG DG20 setup in my other strat. I just wanted something a little more powerful in my bridge slot. But nothing outrageous like a Hot Rails or anything like that.

Just a slightly hotter output Strat sound.

[Twisteramps]

Bryan - check into Fralin pickups. My EJ strat had one in it (SP43 overwound 10%), and it was beefier and had a little more weight to it than the stock EJ pickup. Of course, I ditched it because it still sounded like a single coil and slammed a hot rails in there, but Fralins rock.

Pete

[jgcable]

The HS3 is completely silent but it is weak.

[markD]

my friend is a strat player, and swears by the dimarzio "virtual vintage heavy blues" pick up in the bridge of his strats. he is an SRV/hendrix style player. his tone is really good.

[Bryan]

Thanks. I'll definitely look into it. I'm looking for something along those lines for the bridge.

[jwoods986]

The HS3 is completely silent but it is weak.

+1 I have a YJM and the HS3 sounds good and cuts down the hum but it is NOT a high-output pup (which it sounds like you are looking for). In fact, it is pretty low output. Which is good if you're using a tube amp because you have to turn it up more. Well that's Yngwie's theory anyway but it makes sense.

[hippietim]

The Fender Texas Blues Strat pickup is really nice. The Duncan Quarter Pounder is great. The Lil '59 is cool but doesn't sound like a Strat.

[Bryan]

What about a Duncan SSL-5 custom staggered or the SSL-6 Custom flat?

Also a guy in my LMS recommended a JB. What about that?

Plus, thanks for all your input on this. I had no idea finding a replacement pickup involved this many choices. Thanks for helping me sort through all this.

[markD]

a JBjr. wil not sound like a strat at all. i use a lil 59 in one of my strats and like it a lot, but it is not a true strat sound, or a true 59 sound.....somewhere in between. there are a lot of options. think about what you want to hear tonally, then look at the different company's products. i have done well looking at the tone charts and other specs when i have shopped around for pick ups.

[Bert]

Any true single coil is going to sound a bit thin in the bridge position. That's just their characteristic tone. Van Zandt "Rock" model single coils will give you a bit beefier a tone than the stock single coils in a strat, but if you want real beef, the single-coil-sized humbuckers are the way to go.

[jcm800x]

I use the hs3 in my YJM, it has a great voice but low output. I hit my amp hard with a MT2 when I use the YJM. I have a Virtual Solo Pro in my other strat and it has more output and sounds great IMO. Dimarzio Virtual Solo is the most output in that series.

[straycat]

Lindy Fralin blues special is a beefy pickup.
The HS-3 is 23.72k and is a hot for a strat pickup.The virtual vintage solo is lower at 10.85k.
The hotter the pickup doesn't always mean better tone.
A GFS little killer in the bridge might just do the trick.
Van Zandt,WCR,Fralin all are great pickups.

[jcm800x]

Lindy Fralin blues special is a beefy pickup.
The HS-3 is 23.72k and is a hot for a strat pickup.The virtual vintage solo is lower at 10.85k.
The hotter the pickup doesn't always mean better tone.
A GFS little killer in the bridge might just do the trick.
Van Zandt,WCR,Fralin all are great pickups.

Those are DC resistance numbers, have very little to do with output. HS-3 output is rated a 93 at Dimarzio.com, compared to a Virtual Solo at 200. More than twice the output!