The Edge's Black with White pickguard Stratocaster pickups

[The Edge15]

Anyone know what pickups Edge has in his Strats that are Black and have White pickuards?

I think that the Black and White Strats are from the 70's.

Are they DiMarzio or are they something else?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

As far as I know, they are stock Fender pickups. I have not heard of them having Dimarzio pickups in them.

 

[The Edge15]

What stock pickups that Fender currently make would get quite close to the sound of the Strat?

 

[Rockhound252]

I think in some articles says that he uses Dimarzio fs-1

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

I think in some articles says that he uses Dimarzio fs-1

Yes and No.

There are articles from the mid-1980's Edge had tried both a Duncan Quarter pound pickup and a DiMarzio FS-1 in 'Blackie'. In that, it was in the bridge pickup alone.

There is no evidence that these went past experimentation on the one Stratocaster and for a limited time.

I have heard that he's had Rudy's in NY rewind his pickups. But I am not sure as to the specs of the windings that Edge prefers/has done at Rudy's.

Decent Stratocaster, set-up well with decent pickups and a AC30 or similar type amp should get you close to an Edge Stratocaster sound. My advice to one and all is to be sure to spend some of your time with just you, the guitar and the amp - no effects. Tone comes from your hands. I've seen many chasing better tone and throwing money at the problem when a lot of it can be solved by practice and getting your hands together.

I was told that in the early days of my playing and it has served me well. I still practice this today. It's fun to have all the effects going and playing U2 songs. But the one way you will get closer/faster will be to get a good guitar tone to begin with. And that comes from your hands; your approach to the instrument.

As for the current pickups. What model Strat are we talking about? Squiers are not so good. But many of the stock pickups in the Made In Mexico and American made Strats are fine. Again, decent guitar, decent amp and work on your hands - How you play, pick, fret the instrument.

There are various pickup upgrades that would help produce a better tone. So while stock Strat pickups should be fine - if it is a mid-price-range or better Strat, there are a number of pickups one could go to.

When I worked as a tech w/ a U2 tribute, we put Kinman Woodstocks in the Strat. These are not cheap but they sound great. But one could get Fender Custom 69 pickups that will be similar to the Woodstocks and produce great Strat tones.

 

[The Edge15]

Yes and No.

There are articles from the mid-1980's Edge had tried both a Duncan Quarter pound pickup and a DiMarzio FS-1 in 'Blackie'. In that, it was in the bridge pickup alone.

There is no evidence that these went past experimentation on the one Stratocaster and for a limited time.

I have heard that he's had Rudy's in NY rewind his pickups. But I am not sure as to the specs of the windings that Edge prefers/has done at Rudy's.

Decent Stratocaster, set-up well with decent pickups and a AC30 or similar type amp should get you close to an Edge Stratocaster sound. My advice to one and all is to be sure to spend some of your time with just you, the guitar and the amp - no effects. Tone comes from your hands. I've seen many chasing better tone and throwing money at the problem when a lot of it can be solved by practice and getting your hands together.

I was told that in the early days of my playing and it has served me well. I still practice this today. It's fun to have all the effects going and playing U2 songs. But the one way you will get closer/faster will be to get a good guitar tone to begin with. And that comes from your hands; your approach to the instrument.

As for the current pickups. What model Strat are we talking about? Squiers are not so good. But many of the stock pickups in the Made In Mexico and American made Strats are fine. Again, decent guitar, decent amp and work on your hands - How you play, pick, fret the instrument.

There are various pickup upgrades that would help produce a better tone. So while stock Strat pickups should be fine - if it is a mid-price-range or better Strat, there are a number of pickups one could go to.

When I worked as a tech w/ a U2 tribute, we put Kinman Woodstocks in the Strat. These are not cheap but they sound great. But one could get Fender Custom 69 pickups that will be similar to the Woodstocks and produce great Strat tones.

I am thinking about building a Strat from a DIY kit. What pickups other than the Fender 69's and The Kinman Woodstocks would imitate Edge's Strat sound well, not as expensively as the two pickups mentioned?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

There are a lot of pickup makers out there. Kinman, Lollar, Porter are all good.And the Fender Custom shop.

Quality isn't always expensive. But it is rarely cheap. So if you want quality you might have to spend a bit more than you might have been thinking.

Or you can get a $499 Made In Mexico Strat to start with and upgrade the pickups as finances allow?

That said, you CAN get a decent sound from a number of the mid-range MIM Strats and a decent amp.

What amp are you using?

 

[Izzy.nyc]

With bolt on necks there are a lot of exciting options I feel, I've had 'murican standards, specials, the included pickups and hardware in today's American special lines are lacking IMHO, so the difference between a nice-playing MIM and an American standard/special is further limited. May be worth it to find a Mexican that plays nice and upgrade the hardware. It did absolute wonders with my Tele.

 

[d_honda]

Is this The Fly/Bullet guitar?

Somebody knows its year?

 

[Rockhound252]

Yeah. I think it's a '76 or '74

 

[d_honda]

Yeah. I think it's a '76 or '74

Oh man, thanks for the info!

Also, do you know something about the Streets guitar? I've read a lot about Edge's 79, but in the music radar article Dallas says its a 73!

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Oh man, thanks for the info!

Also, do you know something about the Streets guitar? I've read a lot about Edge's 79, but in the music radar article Dallas says its a 73!

If Dallas said 1973...

Last time I ran into him, he said that he finds it weird some argue about the vintage of the guitars or question him on it. He said "I buy them. I have the receipts".

Could the dealer have mislabeled something and it be off by a year or something? Perhaps but the point being, that at the end of the day, they don't worry too much a about the exact vintage.

Keep in mind that many of the guitars are bought used. In that some alteration could have been made before they bought the guitars. Or that he/Dallas haven't made some change after the fact.

 

[d_honda]

If Dallas said 1973...

Last time I ran into him, he said that he finds it weird some argue about the vintage of the guitars or question him on it. He said "I buy them. I have the receipts".

Could the dealer have mislabeled something and it be off by a year or something? Perhaps but the point being, that at the end of the day, they don't worry too much a about the exact vintage.

Keep in mind that many of the guitars are bought used. In that some alteration could have been made before they bought the guitars. Or that he/Dallas haven't made some change after the fact.

Yeah, thats weird!

By now I have the opportunity to buy a 79 Strat. I'm going deeper into some specs and opinions. Its incredible how cheap it is. There also some unfavorable opinions about it. Then, it's hard to belive Edge owns one.

 

[Rockhound252]

The edge doesnt need any impressionant guitar for playing. Hes the best.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Does the guitar play good and sound good. Let your hands and ears be the judge.

1970's Stratocasters have only become more collectible as most of the 1950's and 1960's have been bought up.

1970's Stratocasters have a bad reputation. There were lots of inconsistencies in the woods. You can get one 1979 that is super heavy and another that is light.

That said, consistency was a big issue for not only Fender but for Gretsch and Gibson in the 1970's.

Edge bought his first 'Blackie' Fender Stratocaster used. He found the one that worked for him.

He had a Stratocaster previous to the black one. It was a tobacco finish 1970's model. He probably got it as it had a rosewood fingerboard and tobacco finish that reminded him of Rory Gallagher. He thought the pickups were weak and he hated the guitar.

Months later while in NY on vacation he bought the Explorer.

The early tobacco Stratocaster can be seen in the 'Street Mission' footage on YouTube. (Link below)
U2 Street Mission extended version 1978 - YouTube




In general, 1970's Stratcasters were his and miss. Many were shit. Edge found some of the diamonds in the rough. He found guitars that worked for him.

Similar can be said about his 1970's Les Paul Customs. 1970's Les Pauls were not known as the BEST ever. But Edge found some good examples and they worked for him.

Don't get too hung up on the idea of having to have the exact vintage or specs as his. You can achieve great Edge sounding Strat tones with a various Stratocasters of various vintages.

Yeah, thats weird!

By now I have the opportunity to buy a 79 Strat. I'm going deeper into some specs and opinions. Its incredible how cheap it is. There also some unfavorable opinions about it. Then, it's hard to belive Edge owns one.

 

[MackTheCasbah]

I remember from recent Pig Rundown from Premier Guitar, Billy Duffy said 70's isn't the best period of guitars; bad wood, weak pickups.... He even said that some of modern production guitar sounds better than vintage.

 

[d_honda]

Does the guitar play good and sound good. Let your hands and ears be the judge.

Thats the problem, I live far away from it. So, I can't put my hand on.

Don't get too hung up on the idea of having to have the exact vintage or specs as his. You can achieve great Edge sounding Strat tones with a various Stratocasters of various vintages.

Yeah, I'm not the kind of guy who wants to have everything like him. I just want to know a little bit more before buying something.

Thank you very much for all your words!

I remember from recent Pig Rundown from Premier Guitar, Billy Duffy said 70's isn't the best period of guitars; bad wood, weak pickups.... He even said that some of modern production guitar sounds better than vintage.

Thats why I'm afraid. Nowdays Fender American Standard Stratocasters are very good and almost the same price as a late 70.

 

[FredC]

Are you looking for something like this? Best of 3 worlds.. Modern Production - 70's design - Edge Mods:

Fender American Vintage 70's Reissue Stratocaster - The Edge - U2

 

[MackTheCasbah]

I just wonder, but (in general) 70's strats have weaker pickups, right? I mean, compared to 50s or 60s pickups.

 

[FredC]

I just wonder, but (in general) 70's strats have weaker pickups, right? I mean, compared to 50s or 60s pickups.

5.8K is the going rate for 70's era Strat Single Coils. Edge preamps his single coil guitars to bring them up to humbucker level.. which you can achieve by using something hotter like a Seymour Duncan SSL-4 Quarter Pound for Strat chain. (13+ K).

 

[MackTheCasbah]

I wish I have as many options for distortion/overdrive or gain as Edge

 

[FredC]

I wish I have as many options for distortion/overdrive or gain as Edge

You can achieve virtually every effect, distortion, overdrive, delay etc Edge uses with the Fractal Audio Axe FX II. While $2000 may seem like a lot for a single rack unit, its really much less $ than a board full of quality pedals and multiple rack units. The Axe FX even eliminates the need for expensive guitar amplifiers and actually sounds better when run through any decent keyboard amp. We use no amps on stage at all and run it straight to the mixing board with an XLR cable.

 

[The Edge15]

Thinking of changing pickups in my Strat, would DiMarzio FS1 get me close to Edge's sound?

 

[Rockhound252]

Maybe. I have one of my strats with a Dimarzio FS1 and the sound doesnt change much to my main strat. It has a little more gain... Only

 

[MackTheCasbah]

How about Lace Sensor Gold pickup, they're pretty noiseless and fat-sounding, right?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Thats the problem, I live far away from it. So, I can't put my hand on.

If you can't put your hands on it and play it first, don't buy. 99.9999% chance you will be sorry.

Buying guitars that you don't get to play first is a risky thing. It usually ends in tears and loss of $$$, particularly when you are talking about an item that has been used or is many years old.

Err on the side of caution. Just say no. (And all other cliche's that fit)

How about Lace Sensor Gold pickup, they're pretty noiseless and fat-sounding, right?

Gold lace sensors are great but if you don't already have a cavity space in the guitar for the battery and such (as they are active pickups), it's a pricey and usually fruitless alteration.

Maybe. I have one of my strats with a Dimarzio FS1 and the sound doesnt change much to my main strat. It has a little more gain... Only

The bit of extra output was the same reason that Edge experimented with a few bridge pickups in the mid-1980's. That then lead to the custom Danvel Nelson S-type becoming his 'Strat of choice' for mid to late Joshua Tree shows. And then that never being seen again as he went for the Clapton Fenders with Lace Sensors for Love Town.

But their isn't as much a need to change the p'up for just a bit of boost with the amount of boost pedals Edge has in the rig, the Boosts in the Pod PRO and now, in the Axe FX.

You can achieve virtually every effect, distortion, overdrive, delay etc Edge uses with the Fractal Audio Axe FX II. While $2000 may seem like a lot for a single rack unit, its really much less $ than a board full of quality pedals and multiple rack units. The Axe FX even eliminates the need for expensive guitar amplifiers and actually sounds better when run through any decent keyboard amp. We use no amps on stage at all and run it straight to the mixing board with an XLR cable.

Pretty much. We used an Axe FX a few boosts, a speaker cab for stage volume and line to FOH when for ages, when I was 'Dallas' for a tribute band. I shared that setup with Dallas Schoo in the summer of 2010, forwarded info. So it's sort of neat to see Edge and Dallas using the Axe.

LOL. Might be the first time Edge copied a Tribute band, instead of vice versa.

I wish I have as many options for distortion/overdrive or gain as Edge

What are you using for effects? You could get a great variety of Overdrives, Distortion, Fuzz, Boosts, Boost/Comp from the Line 6 M13 and HD series gear.

Experiment a bit with stacking OD's and Boosts and such and you could nail 85%+ of Edge's 'Dirt' tones. When I worked as a tech, we experimented with a lot of gear. At one point, as the Axe FX 1 didn't have as much memory, and we were using a lot of it for delays, shimmer etc… And the guitarist I worked with didn't like the Axe FX 1 boosts and dirt so much, we ran all the dirt out of a M13. The Boost Comp, Tube Drive, RAT, Fuzz Face all were VERY useful, particularly when stacking a few things together.

Plus with the Line 6, you can edit and store tones, like the AXE, via computer software.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Yeah, I'm not the kind of guy who wants to have everything like him. I just want to know a little bit more before buying something.

We've all been there. We would all love replica's of his entire setup. But the good news is, there are lots of ways to get those songs with minimal permanent financial harm. LOL.

I've seen some tributes play whole shows with Axe FX's, some with smaller facsimile's of Edge's rack, some Line 6 M13's or HD 500's.

You don't HAVE to have every guitar he has. It's great when one can do it but

The only reason the guitarist, with the tribute I used to work with, used as many guitars as he did in the sets is that 1/3 or more were mine on any given night AND he had me there to help setup, tune etc.

You don't have to have 12+ guitars to cover U2 convincingly. You can get the tones with 2-3 guitars. Les Paul, Strat and Tele. Or Les Paul, Strat and Casino would be a good trio option.

Casion would cover the Casino and Gretsch songs, Strat for the Strat and Tele songs (Edge usually only uses the bridge pickup on the Teles it seems, so the bridge on a Strat could cover it) and the LP would cover LP and Explorer songs.

Learn to alter the tones a bit with your volume and tone knobs. I see so many that don't seem to get that; that they can get a great variety with the knobs the guitar comes with. Don't just turn the tone and volume knobs to 10.

Any who… Just a couple of thoughts.

Oh yeah, and check

Ten Rules For Upgrading Tone (article). At ToneReport.com

Worth a read.

Happy St. Patty's Day to one and all.

http://www.tonereport.com/issue14/files/27.html

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

I remember from recent Pig Rundown from Premier Guitar, Billy Duffy said 70's isn't the best period of guitars; bad wood, weak pickups.... He even said that some of modern production guitar sounds better than vintage.

Guitar companies were in a slump in the 1970's. There were buyouts and cost-control measures that sadly - trumped quality control. It happened at Gretsch, Gibson and Fender.

 

[The Edge15]

We've all been there. We would all love replica's of his entire setup. But the good news is, there are lots of ways to get those songs with minimal permanent financial harm. LOL.

I've seen some tributes play whole shows with Axe FX's, some with smaller facsimile's of Edge's rack, some Line 6 M13's or HD 500's.

You don't HAVE to have every guitar he has. It's great when one can do it but

The only reason the guitarist, with the tribute I used to work with, used as many guitars as he did in the sets is that 1/3 or more were mine on any given night AND he had me there to help setup, tune etc.

You don't have to have 12+ guitars to cover U2 convincingly. You can get the tones with 2-3 guitars. Les Paul, Strat and Tele. Or Les Paul, Strat and Casino would be a good trio option.

Casion would cover the Casino and Gretsch songs, Strat for the Strat and Tele songs (Edge usually only uses the bridge pickup on the Teles it seems, so the bridge on a Strat could cover it) and the LP would cover LP and Explorer songs.

Learn to alter the tones a bit with your volume and tone knobs. I see so many that don't seem to get that; that they can get a great variety with the knobs the guitar comes with. Don't just turn the tone and volume knobs to 10.

Any who… Just a couple of thoughts.

Oh yeah, and check

Ten Rules For Upgrading Tone (article). At ToneReport.com

Worth a read.

Happy St. Patty's Day to one and all.

Tone Report

As you mentioned Les Pauls, would Epiphone Les Pauls be good for U2 stuff?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

They could be. The stock pickups are not great. If I had not choice but to use an Epiphone LP, I'd definitely invest in new pickups.

Anything from buying used T-Tops second hand, to Duncan Seth Lover… there are plenty of good (1970's warm) LP sounding pickups.

Ideally QUALITY over QUANTITY will serve you best.

One could buy a Squier, an Epi LP and hand of guitars that one might think would suit U2 songs. And that could work. But most who do, end up with buyers remorse later - Wishing they'd worked, saved and bought better quality.

So it $500-600 for an Epiphone LP or wait and save to buy a $1,200-1,400 Gibson Traditional LP -- I'd do the later. But to each their own.

That said, to some extent one could play the bulk of a U2 set with a Strat and an Explorer. Edge did it for a number of years.

The Epi Explorers were decent. I don't think they make them in natural finish any more. If you can find a used one from the mid-1990's to 2005-ish, those were decent - and probably the best made and sounding of Epiphone guitars from that period.

As you mentioned Les Pauls, would Epiphone Les Pauls be good for U2 stuff?

Again, the idea is that you CAN play the majority of U2 songs and not have to use all the gear or exact gear as Edge. It starts with getting some of the correct elements: Good single coil guitar (Stratocaster) + good humbucker guitar (LP or Explorer).