I installed these Friday night.

These are amazing pickups.

Funniest thing. Yesterday, I was playing in my living room, and I noticed these weird little sounds like little elves were playing with wires inside my amp.

After a few minutes, I figured out that I have "pickguard static" that's audible through my amp.

I wrote Lollar an email and he said that it's normal, but I could do a couple things to stop it (copper tape under the pickguard or wipe it with those dryer-static-cling thingies). My pickguard needs a ground? Man, you just can't make this stuff up!

Maybe I could integrate it into my overall sound.

"OMG how does he get all those staticy sounds?"

(I know staticy isn't a word)

hehehe so THAT'S why i've seen old guitars with 'random' pieces of tape stuck to the back of the pick guard hehe.

Did you get your Strat's pickups replaced yet?

nah i've been lazy on that, besides my esp is working fine. looking like it's going to be about $300 plus installation also. everyone and their dog seems to be telling me to get a humbucker installed in the bridge position too but i'd rather keep my strat with the classic triple single coil setup. i'm thinking a set of fender tex-mex specials should work nicely as replacements.

i've also noticed a dead note on the neck. not the entire fret, just one spot. it's like the 17th fret on the G string. i brought it in to get fixed once but it's still there.

ah well, i also stumbled across this thing not too long ago.... 1 of 50 it makes me want really bad

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...ayphotohosting

either way i'm going to have to wait until i'm working again before i do anything else with my gear or add to the pile. especially where i'm not a 'serious' musician, although there's a bar in town that's going to be starting 'improv' nights on thursdays soon. might have to stop being a hermit for long enough to see what's what.

I'll probably be upgrading my Strat in a few months.

Seymour Duncan. 2 SSL-1s and a Vintage Rails. They've been in my guitar for only a couple of years. Everyone and their dog talked me into the humbucking bridge thing, too. I have used the VR by itself on a couple friend's recordings to cut through the mix a little more.

I use very little distortion if at all and tend not to use a lot of gain, so noiseless PUs aren't really that important to me.

Anyway, the SDs sound nice, but I'd like to try some other things. Still have the original boxes for them and everything. Probably ask $100 for all three.

When I get to that point, I'll see if you're still in the market. Waiting is good...I'm not ready either.

I haven't had a dead spot myself. Don't want to guess at what it might be. Try a guitar forum or something.

I think you'd find it very easy to do yourself. If you are replacing singles with singles you just fasten them in the way the old ones were and you solder them in the same. Take pictures and notes along the way to make sure that you put it back together the same way. Normally the pickup wires are the same colour on pickups regardless of manufacturer (MOST of the time!).

I'd also take a couple of measurements of string height to top of each pickup (maybe both E strings) so that you could have a 'starting height' to work with. If you can...do some recording too so that you can verify the differences with the new pickups...nothing is worse than doing some work and then thinking "there's no difference!"

cool. i'll keep all that info in mind hehe