Single Coil Pickups - Arcane, Fralin, Bareknuckle

[DorsetRatt]

Hey All,

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience using Arcane pickups?

I'm looking for some true single coils (neck + middle), and not wishing to go down the usual Duncan/Dimarzio route, I fancy trying something a bit more boutique. Up for consideration so far has been Fralin and Bareknuckle, but I've recently discovered a few reviews on Arcane pickups. Any thoughts? Or perhaps some single coils that I haven't considered yet?

[rnolan]

I'd been looking at the Kinman PUs a while ago (http://kinman.com/index.php), although apparently the build quality isn't as good as it used to be now he's moved it all to the Philippines. Anyway worth a look, I read his history/bio and they seem quite interesting, and not outrageously priced

[vansinn]

You state neck+mid only, so I assume you have a bucker on bridge position.
Maybe take a look at a set of Texas Heat single coils; methinks those should fit well with a bridge bucker.
Also try looking up Lollar Pickups, he'll likely make you just that sound.

[DorsetRatt]

Yeah, I should've been a bit more specific, it's for a Jackson SL-1, so a HSS pickup configuration. It's currently got the noiseless stacked humbucker (single coil sized) pickups in the neck + middle positions, but I'm not too impressed with them, they sound a bit lifeless compared to true single coils ... they're great for heavy distortion but not so good for gutsy blues rock.

@richard, yeah I mentioned Kinman pickups to you a few weeks ago, I am considering them, but again they're gonna be a noiseless design, I'm not sure how they compare to true single coils. Maybe they'd be ok?

@vansinn, I'd forgotten about Lollar pickups, good call, I'll add them to my list. Would the Texas Heat be Texas Specials by Fender?

[tomy]

Well...couple of month I bought  a loaded pickguard on ebay. I'm still Using it, the brand is dragonfire. My strat was SSS configuration and I just wanted to try a HSS configuration, thinking of spending more money if it was Ok... texas special or whatever.
And finally those are good enough for me

[rnolan]

Kinman doesn't like the stacked PUs either. From what I read on his (now old) site, he's achieved noiseless and preserves the single coil sound. I'm liking the SD little 59 in the N, quite strat sounding in parallel and nice and creamy in series. But then you didn't want to go the SD route..

[vansinn]

@vansinn, I'd forgotten about Lollar pickups, good call, I'll add them to my list. Would the Texas Heat be Texas Specials by Fender?

Not sure, could be. I'm referring them from this neat clip of Polish Silwia Urban playing the solo from Polish band COMA's Silence and Fire song; while being fairly long, not a complicated solo, but requires feelings, and with all the cymbal works going on, not that easily played along with, so give her a touch slack for seemingly being off-rhythm at times. Elsewhere she mentions using some software and the Texas whatever-the-name pickups.

[tomy]

Hey DR, did you find what you expected ?