Strat-type n00b looking for upgrade advice

Hey all--

I have a Yamaha Pacifica that I really like the feel and response of. It's not my go-to guitar at all but I like it for a change of pace and I am starting to find times to use it. I'd like to upgrade the neck and middle single-coils to something a little hotter and with a bit more range than stock-- the stock pups are just sort of "dead", it's like they have a high- and low-pass filter on them by default, and the output's so low that it's hard to get any dirt. I already replaced the bridge humbucker.

Also interested in a somewhat more palm-mute-friendly bridge, the height adjustment screws are crazy long.

Suggestions from Strat cats? Don't worry about "why would you put $200 worth of pickups in a $250 guitar," me and this guitar just have kind of a thing :lol:

Bare Knuckle Pickups. Nuff said!

Try replacing the pots with a better brand. Its cheap and easy to do and will make a difference. If you don't like it, then change the pick ups. For single coil, I like Bill Lawrence L-250. Don't know if it will fit in your Pacifica, but it should.

I put some Seymour Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot in my Hamer T-62 (strat type, s-s-s pup configuration) and they sound incredible. They are definitely keepers. I use RS guitarworks pots/electronics. Always had good luck with them.

I rebuilt/hot rodded my 1982 Strat.... If I could do it all again I would just go and order a Carvin Bolt to my specs. I could have had two made for me for the same amount put into the Fender and both would have surpassed the Strat.

That said....

I installed a Kahler Pro recessed on my strat...that was awesome for palm muting

I have (had) a '84 american "crap" strat with the gawd awful TBX tone control and stock reverse wound single coils. My band was playing higher gain stuff and the thing was just too tinny and noisey in the odd positions on the 5-way 1,3 and 5. I bought a 2000 Gibson LP standard plus and decided to mod the strat to my liking whilst I had a new toy to play with. I installed a DiMarzio super distortion and the bridge (old school -right?), a DiMarzio HS-2 in the middle and neck, a 5 way - 4 pole "super switch", axed the TBX, a 500K pot for the volume, and a no-load tone pot for the bridge. The crazy thing is that the strat ended up to be much hotter and quiter than the LP all while retaining a good portion of the strat tone. I keep reaching for this guitar every time I play out and it does all genres of rock with flying colors including your palm-muted, thrash, go upside your f*ckin' head with my Doc Martins and you WILL like it, red mist in the front of the stage which turns out to be blood, viens poppin' in my neck with eyes bulging and teeth gnashing metal.

- Pat.

Bill Lawrence has a new brilliant pickup design....

called 'micro coils'.

do some research on them.....

here's a couple of links

http://wildepickups.com/

http://guitarsbyfender.yuku.com/topic/10688#.T5q_7atYs9U

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pickups/268389-bill-lawrence-micro-coil-pups.html

YellowJacket said:

Bare Knuckle Pickups. Nuff said!

Click to expand...

What he said!

I have installed a DiMarzio True Velvet in my HSH Ibanez and it's very true to it's name, very velvety indeed!

The Fender Texas Special PUs also sound good to me in an SSS strat.