Problem with Duncan/Fender Pups...

[ML_LAX09]

Hey guys,

I recently installed a new pup in my Fender Strat. this one to be exact:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Seymour-Duncan-SVR1-Vintage-Rails-Pickup?sku=300481
Only one problem, the pup just sounds wimpy when I play. :( Not like the Seymore Duncan pups I've come to love. Anyone know what may be wrong? And if so, can you expain how to fix it?
Thanks.

[spoonbadger]

well its supposed to be a vintage sounding pickup so dont expect too much beef. split coils may be 'buckers, but they lack alot of the power that a full sized one would have. how does it sound compared to the old single coils?

[ML_LAX09]

Oh jeez, sorry, i posted the wrong link... here is the one i put in.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Seymour-Duncan-SHR1-Hot-Rail-Stacked-Single-Coil-Pickup?sku=300300

That's why this is bugging me. It's supposed to be high output, but I'm not getting anything that would lead me to believe that...

[ML_LAX09]

Don't know why it posted it twice...

[JD0x0]

Humbuckers are higher output most of the time, but humbuckers can get a more hollow(soft) sound kinda like when you switch to the 2nd or 4th pickup position because it is two coils. you can try raising the pickup height to get a harder sound. but i have a guitar with a pickup like that in the bridge and it doesnt have as much bite as the singlecoils in my other guitar. If you want a heavier sound try the single coil stacked pickups which is similar to a humbucker

[spoonbadger]

just checked it again, and you're right-that should be a higher output pickup.....i know this is kind of a mean question but.....are you saying its wimpy clean or distorted? because it probably would sound pretty weak clean compared to single coils. its possible that you wired it up wrong, as far as i know those pickups are designed so that they can be used with a coil-split switch if you use the two otherwise redundant wires instead of the 2 that are supposed to be used normally. go back over your wiring diagram and make sure you got your color coding right.

[JD0x0]

yea im 99% sure its wired right. its not rele wimpy clean it just lacks single coil sparkle but distorted it does sound wimpy

[P-Bass User]

I just installed some duncans of my P-bass, here is a bit from the instructions
If your combining your basslines pickups with fender pickups in the same bass, you'll need to reverse the black and white wires on the basslines. In other words, solder the white wire to the ground and the black wire of the selector switch


It might be worth a shot, bro.