Oil City Strat Pick-up Base Plate

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richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
edited June 2017 in Other Reviews
I promised when I recieved my base plate off Ash (@TheGuitarWeasel) that I would post my thoughts.

Firstly its a doddle to install - it fits perfectly (I've fitted to a Fender American Vintage Series '59 pick-up) and requires only the ground cable trimming to length and soldering to the back of the volume pot. Double sided tape (which the plate comes with) and magnetic pull take care of the rest.

So?

Fantastic!

The middle and neck pick-ups have always been well balanced on the guitar in question but - in spite of having a tone control wired across it - the bridge pick-up was just too harsh and spikey.

The plate gives a much more solid low end and tames the extreme high-end, just as Ash said it would. It now sounds 'bigger' - but still like a Strat - beautifully clear and 'open' sounding. This is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to fatten up the bridge pick-up on their Strat.

Highly recommended. Thanks Ash - I very grateful.
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Comments

  • AlnicoAlnico Frets: 4616
    Wow, i never would have thought of doing that.

    Sounds like a great idea, well done both of you.
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  • RichardjRichardj Frets: 1538
    I fitted one to the bridge pickup on my Blade Texas Pro. Really brings the pickup alive and broadens it's tonal range.
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  • citizen68citizen68 Frets: 172
    Nice that you're happy with the results @richardhomer & has got me thinking - I recently put a set of CS Fat 50's in my strat plus - @TheGuitarWeasel - would a base plate thicken out the bridge pup in this set?
    Seemed like a good idea.....

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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16543
    Funny ain't it. You wouldn't think it would make much difference, but once you try it you wonder why all strat bridge picks are not done this way.
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  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    WezV;477947" said:
    Funny ain't it. You wouldn't think it would make much difference, but once you try it you wonder why all strat bridge picks are not done this way.
    I agree. The difference it makes is not something that re-eq'ing the amp allows either - at least not without ruining the sound of the other four positions.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    I put the Fralin version on my Strat several years ago.  Definitely fattens it up a bit.
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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    I've got a baseplate on the Oil City bridge pickup in my Strat - I don't have anything to compare it to, but it sounds really, really good - fat and punchy, just like what you'd imagine a Strat pickup on steroids would sound like. Brilliant.
    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • rossirossi Frets: 1699
    In theory It turns your strat pickup into a tele  type sound.In theory .I keep meaning to try it .
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16543
    Nah, tele's are still quite different.

    Its still very stratty, just fatter.
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  • breakstuffbreakstuff Frets: 10229
    Think I might try one of those for my Classic 50's Strat.Just had a look on Ash's website and at that price it's daft not to.Never been a fan of bridge single coils but sounds like one of those could be just the ticket.
    Laugh, love, live, learn. 
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  • timmysofttimmysoft Frets: 1962
    I'm ordering in the morning! Tempted to order a stone tone to go with it too!
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  • AlnicoAlnico Frets: 4616
    I was already ordering Stone Tones in February for my Squier...................
    Now they are coming with a base plate.

    Sounds like an awesome addition. 
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    edited June 2017
    I'm going to try one of Ash's baseplates.

    Ive got a really nice Fender Robert Cray Strat and the pickups are excellent but I'm missing a bit of girth, sustain on the bridge pickup but I didn't want to swap it out  and so I'm hoping this gets me to where I want.

    On another Strat, I've got base plates on my Fralin pickups but as they came with them, I can't compare them to what the pickup would've sounded like without them. They do sound good though.

    Let's see and it's all reversible if it's not for me.
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  • I have one on a tapped Stonetone (9k full output, taps down to equivalent of Triple Blues.

    between the baseplate and the extra winds the pickup has a fantastic growl to it, but still loads of definition, and when tapped there's still plenty of twang.
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  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    Moved @Roland's suggestion into 'Other Reviews' section.
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