Tonerider pups in a strat - any opinions here?

[3rdstone]

I'm not sure this is the right forum to post in, but if not so, an adm or mod may move it if that's the case.

Ok, here's the deal. I have a Goldstar strat TST50 -84 since some years now, which I love playing for several reasons.

However, I bought it replaced with Fender Noiseless pups. Well, yeah perhaps they're less humming than other single coils, but whenever trying other strats, I can't help but think that the guitar would sound way better (in my ears that is) with other pups. And many guitarists praise Tonerider with it's performance contra cost issue, and I don't wanna pay lots of money just for checking out different pups.

It's hard to explain what I'm exactly looking after soundwise, but I have a Tokai SG and a Kramer -80's style for "heavier" and metal songs etc; but on this strat I mostly play bluesier, slightly rock'n'roll stuff (but still a little Clapton and even Blackmore feel to it) and I thought Tonerider's Classic Blues would fit into that. But I would like to hear other opinons of that.

Is there anyone here with experience with Tonerider pups?

 

[bluejeannot]

Do you still have the original Us?Gabe.

 

[brokentoes]

I bought some humbucker sized p90's from tonerider (rebel 90)based on suggestions from a few of the people on this and another forum, and i have to say i was surprised at what a great product they actually are for the money. I don't consider myself a tone connoisseur, but i play "clean" alot of the time and can't hide under distortion/ huge effects. Great value for the $$ in my humble opinion, however i have no experience with their strat pups, i'd say they are one of the better less expensive pup makers.

 

[marcusnieman]

I put Tonerider Pure Vintage pickups in my 78 ST60 Springy and love them. I also play mostly blues also and they give me the sound I'm looking for.

 

[3rdstone]

Do you still have the original Us?Gabe.

Yeah, they're still on the guitar as I bought it.

EDIT: Now I realise I must have misunderstood you. I read original Us and thought of the Fender US pups..

U-stamped single coils were originals on these TST50 Goldstars, right? Well, the original Tokai pups didn't come with the guitar, they'd once been replaced and the seller didn't have them.

 

[3rdstone]

I put Tonerider Pure Vintage pickups in my 78 ST60 Springy and love them. I also play mostly blues also and they give me the sound I'm looking for.

That sounds interesting. Reading reviews I headed back and forwards between the Pure Vintage and Classic Blues models. I think the Classic Blues would fit me, but I'm not sure yet.

Crap, it would of course be nice to have two strats equipped with each of these sets, but I'm trying to keep my "arsenal" as small as possible atm. The usual luxury problems, I guess.

 

[mark_p86]

I had a 2nd hand Classic Blues set in a MIM Standard as a quick, fairly cheap drop in replacement for the stock ceramics as the middle pickup was broken. I pretty much bought them just to have a working alnico set until I could get my hands on something fancier and ended up leaving them in! The Classic Blues set is a very full sound; nice, thick bridge position that handles gain without sounding too shrill or ice picky and classic twang played clean, the neck pickup I found to be particularly impressive and sounded great for Purple Haze distorted and Shine On You Crazy Diamond clean, 2nd and 4th positions have plenty of quack, and they roll off nicely with the tone and vol pots. A friend of mine installed their Pure Vintage set after hearing mine, they were equally as good. Like Fender's CS69's but slightly less Hendrix if that makes sense? Both of us played with Les Paul players and the Toneriders easily cut through with everything you want from a Strat.

The Tonerider site is pretty useful too, I believe they have mp3 clips of each set next to their descriptions: http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/stratpickups.html

 

[marcusnieman]

I'm tempted try a set of their humbuckers - particularly the Alnico IV's:

http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/humbuckers.html

 

[dombat]

I have a set of Rebel-90 in a cheap Squier Telecaster custom: they are great,