Best budget single coil

[thepezident]

Bought one of the new Squier Sonics and want to slap some new pickups in there.
Anyone have a favorite budget set of single coil pickups?

I have a Holiday 2010 set of Wilde pickups but the covers are epoxied on and the covers are cream.
I want black covers.

thanks

[thepezident]

I have this

And want it to look like this

I'm also looking for advice on best budget locking tuners and should I replace bridge?

[andrewsrea]

I have this0373252574_sqr_ins_frt_1_rr.jpg

And want it to look like this
monaco.PNG


I'm also looking for advice on best budget locking tuners and should I replace bridge?

What is your budget on your pickups?

[thepezident]

I have this0373252574_sqr_ins_frt_1_rr.jpg

And want it to look like this
monaco.PNG


I'm also looking for advice on best budget locking tuners and should I replace bridge?

What is your budget on your pickups?

Ehhhh....Lets say under a 100 for all three...
I'd be ok looking for something used also.

I was casually looking at Wilkinson Vintage something or other and they were like ~$50 for the set...

[toomanycats]

Not sure if you'll end up with the best, though in all likelihood you'll end up with something better than what you started with, and it certainly is a budget option:

Order 18 ALNiCo rod magnets from Addiction FX. Remove the ceramic bar magnet from the bottom of your stock pickups. Knock out the steel slugs and replace them with the ALNiCo magnets.

http://www.addiction-fx.com/gallery2.htm

It's not a terribly difficult project, and if you like tinkering with stuff yourself it's fun. I was amazed with what A3 rod magnets did for a cheap set of Squier pickups when I did this mod.

[thepezident]

Why wouldn't I want Alnico 5? Wouldn't they be 2 more times bettr?

[jtcnj]

I have 4 sets of Bootstrap pickups. Very happy with them.
I am not a single coil expert (or any expert for that matter) and have never played any real Fender (for example) pickups to compare them to. 2 strat sets, 1 tele, 1 Jazzmaster.

The wait time is around 5 weeks.
I just got a set of strat Sun City Selects that took a little over 5 weeks.

[andrewsrea]

Ehhhh....Lets say under a 100 for all three...

I can hand wind you whatever you want in a set of three single coils, for $90 delivered.

[andrewsrea]

Not sure if you'll end up with the best, though in all likelihood you'll end up with something better than what you started with, and it certainly is a budget option:

Order 18 ALNiCo rod magnets from Addiction FX. Remove the ceramic bar magnet from the bottom of your stock pickups. Knock out the steel slugs and replace them with the ALNiCo magnets.

http://www.addiction-fx.com/gallery2.htm

It's not a terribly difficult project, and if you like tinkering with stuff yourself it's fun. I was amazed with what A3 rod magnets did for a cheap set of Squier pickups when I did this mod.

Do they have plastic bobbins that you can do the magnet for slug exchange without shredding the coil wire?

[toomanycats]

Not sure if you'll end up with the best, though in all likelihood you'll end up with something better than what you started with, and it certainly is a budget option:

Order 18 ALNiCo rod magnets from Addiction FX. Remove the ceramic bar magnet from the bottom of your stock pickups. Knock out the steel slugs and replace them with the ALNiCo magnets.

http://www.addiction-fx.com/gallery2.htm

It's not a terribly difficult project, and if you like tinkering with stuff yourself it's fun. I was amazed with what A3 rod magnets did for a cheap set of Squier pickups when I did this mod.

Do they have plastic bobbins that you can do the magnet for slug exchange without shredding the coil wire?

Yes, that's how my mine were made. I had an entire thread about the mod with step-by-step pictures on the old forum.

[thepezident]

@andrewsrea Lets do it!

Listen...I'm really a Neanderthal drummer with a couple guitars and knowledge of open, power and barre chords.
Get me above the 7th fret of the E and A string and I'm lost.

Here's what I think.
Neck pick up - whatever..."chimey" I guess...
Middle - Reverse wound - I dislike hum
Bridge - A P90 sound

Do you need to know string spacing so poles line up?
You can rock these with black covers?
Are they 40% better than others?
Will they make me play faster?

PEZ

[andrewsrea]

@andrewsrea Lets do it!

Listen...I'm really a Neanderthal drummer with a couple guitars and knowledge of open, power and barre chords.
Get me above the 7th fret of the E and A string and I'm lost.

Here's what I think.
Neck pick up - whatever..."chimey" I guess...
Middle - Reverse wound - I dislike hum
Bridge - A P90 sound

Do you need to know string spacing so poles line up?
You can rock these with black covers?
Are they 40% better than others?
Will they make me play faster?

PEZ

Literally, @RiverDog just hit me up for exactly what you are asking for. Which is my take on Bare Knuckles TRIPTYCH. Note that the bridge of that is like a P90 with sizzle, as it has a steel base plate that adds $18 to the price (total $108 delivered). I can make it without the plate if the money is a concern.

It will be my AMI EJ (Eric Johnson) set for the middle and neck, which is very chimey and quacky in the #4 position (Slow Dancing in a Burning Room). The bridge will be beefy mids with some sizzle, making the #2 position quacky and thick, but still in that Dire Straits territory.

Let me know if that is what you are after.

[thepezident]

@andrewsrea
Permission granted to wind some pups..
Lets go all out.
$108 delivered.

*edit* Sent you super secret private message with my contact info

[littlebadboy]

I would have recommended Guitar Madness on ebay. But, these great custom winders here would do better!

[redman]

Sorry I'm late to the party Mr. Pezident I was way laid at another MASH unit but for future reference I put a set of Guitar Madness ALINCO 5's in my last SX strat up-grade and for under $50 to my front door I was very impressed. Sorry again I was late to the party who won the door prize?