Blues Special Strat
Are you seeking a thicker Strat sound, that still sounds like a Strat? Look no further than our Blues Specials. One of our best-selling Stratocaster sets, Blues Specials provides more output and a thicker sound while retaining that Stratocaster tone we all know and love. Manufactured by hand in Richmond, VA with 100% USA-Made materials, instantly transform your Strat into a versatile powerhouse and discover what you’ve been missing with our Blues Specials.
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All Strat Tone, Only Thicker.
Want to learn more about our Blues Special Strat? Here's all the information you'll need:
Blues Special Strat FEATURES:
- 5% more coil than our Vintage Hots: 5% more output and mids, 5% less highs
- Modified Fender specifications, with more output and thicker tone
- High output, but still has Fender sparkle
- Compensated Bridge for even volume across all pickups
- RW / RP Middle pickup for Hum Cancelling in positions 2 & 4
- USA-made Alnico 5 Magnets and wire for optimal tonal balance and output
- Two magnet staggers available for different fingerboard radiuses
- Hand-wound with our “Sectioning” technique for unique, dynamic tone
- Hand-built, locally-sourced fiberboard Bobbins for unrivaled quality control
- Backed by our 10-Year Warranty on manufacturing defects
- Risk-free 30-day exchange policy
Overview
Blues Specials are our second best-selling Stratocaster single coil set, and for a good reason: with a thicker, warmer tone, they are perfect for balancing out a bright guitar and pushing your amp hard, all while retaining “the” Strat tone! If you are looking for a thick, warm sound out of your Strat, you will love the sound of these pickups. With more turns per coil than our Vintage Hots, these slightly overwound pickups sound a bit thicker and hotter than vintage-voiced models.
Plugging in, you’ll immediately get inspired by the powerful, slightly compressed, and creamy Strat tone coming out of these pickups. You’ll notice the tight and warm midrange coupled with crystal-clear lows and round highs.
It starts here: Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control and tonal bliss. Blues Specials consist of locally-sourced fiberboard, USA-Made Alnico 5 Magnets, and USA-Made 42-Gauge Single Poly Nylon Wire.
We wind each pickup by hand using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique, one at a time in Richmond, VA. Winding this way is more labor-intensive, but it gives the pickup a sweet, clear tone. Finally, we wax-pot the pickup in a neutral wax to prevent microphonics and preserve the pickup for years to come.
Sound
Whether playing clean or dirty, Blues Specials feature a thicker midrange and rounder highs than vintage-voiced Strat models like our Real 54’s or Vintage Hots. Although they are an overwound Strat pickup, they are not too aggressive and feature a very open and dynamic tone. Blues Specials sound more like a traditional Strat pickup, unlike our Steel Pole 42’s, which lean closer to the sound of a P90.
Expect a thicker high-end and low-end growl, which will push your amp or pedals hard and provide a versatile and creamy breakup that is ideal for many music styles.
Are you looking for a Hum Cancelling Strat pickup that actually sounds like a Strat? Check out the Blues Output of our Split Blade Strat Pickups
Lastly, cut through in the mix when soloing with a thicker, rounder single note and a powerful attack. Chords sound warm with a great string-to-string definition. Blues Specials sound powerful and bold – a great way to take your guitar’s tone to the next level. You’ll wonder why you didn’t make the switch earlier.
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FAQ's
- What Magnet Stagger Do I Use? This all depends on your fingerboard radius. If you have a 7.25″ – 10″ Radius, we recommend going with Stock Stagger. If you have a flatter or compound radius, go with the Hybrid stagger.
- What’s the difference between Blues Specials and Vintage Hots? Blues Specials have more turns per pickup – they sound thicker and darker, with more output than Vintage Hots. Vintage Hots sound cleaner, clearer and a tad bit more balanced.
- How far away from the strings does the pickup need to be? Push your Low E String down at the highest fret. Measure from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string. The ideal starting location should be 1/8″ on the bass string, and 1/16″ on the treble string when the High E string is pushed down at the highest fret.
- Wiring Diagrams? Here!
Tech Specs
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Blues Special Strat.
Blues Specials are made with 100% USA-Made parts.
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Neck Ohm Reading: | 6.3K |
| Middle Ohm Reading: | 6.3K |
| Bridge Ohm Reading: | 7.1K |
| Neck & Bridge Polarity: | Clockwise Coil Direction, South to Strings |
| Reverse Middle Polarity: | Counter-Clockwise Coil Direction, North to Strings |
| Recommended Pot Value: | 250K |
| Magnet: | USA-Made Alnico 5 |
| Wire: | USA-Made 42-Gauge Single Poly Nylon |
Sizing
Blues Special Strat Questions And Answers:
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS
85 Genuine Reviews for Blues Special Strat
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I am going to get a used Strat to build “partscaster” of sorts. It will likely be a MIM or maybe even a Squire. I should know this probably just by feel but would I just look up the Serial # to determine the neck radius?
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Hi there I have a set of Blues specials Strat set and am wondering how can I be sure they are in fact fralin pickups. Are there any distinctive markings on them or a means of verifying they are authentic . Apologies as this is my first set of after market pickups . Ive heard great things . Please let me know of any helpful guide or means of confirming whether they are fralin pickups Thanks in advance
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Hi Lindy, a friend would bring a full set of strat blues special, but he’s asking about the dimensions of the box, can you give me this information?
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The Blues Specials have really woken my new strat up. Much improvement over what came stock on my new Fender American Pro 2. Excellent job Fralin. I highly recommend. I’ve also put one in neck position on my Fender American Pro 1 Tele. Just as amazing improvement. These really spank with a beautiful blend of punchy lows and mids. Very dynamic and responsive to what comes out of your hands. I love them!!!
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I have eight electric guitars that I like to play. The warmoth strat with Fralin blues specials might be my favorite. Played through a Marshall DSL40 or Fender supersonic 22 it just sounds fantastic. I should mention I have the mojotone electronics with the blender knob which I do like. Anyway, the blues specials are so good, I’m pretty sure I’m going to try the ones for tele too.
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My strat was 100% but now is 200% better, I really love my new tone
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I was hesitant on buying these pickups because they are expensive. But…. they are worth the money imho. The articulation and clarity on the bridge pickup is significant, not a subtle improvement, but an improvement that has made me smile every time I have played this guitar since this install. I have a very nice Fender Telecaster that costed me plenty and it is a sweet professional grade guitar. I can honestly say that these Blues Special pickups sound better. I am very pleased and impressed with the Lindy Fralin Blues Special. I would buy them again in a heartbeat and I would highly recommend them to a friend.
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Unbelievable thick tone, touch sensitivity and presence. You will see the difference in the build and materials quality when you compare the stock pickups to these. The cooper is a darker richer colour and thicker strand. It is both visually and sonically thicker and more solidly built. The magnets are fatter and have differnt magnet heights than the stock giving it a nice balance on every setting. Good for every genre of music but they do seem to shine playing blues/rock.
You cant go wrong these you will not be disappointed . -
Great pickup!
I am going to get a used Strat to build “partscaster” of sorts. It will likely be a MIM or maybe even a Squire. I should know this probably just by feel but would I just look up the Serial # to determine the neck radius?
More often than not, you can find the neck radius if you look at a product specification page. If in doubt, it would be worth it to purchase a neck radius gauge – they are inexpensive, and handy to have if you work on guitars!
Hi there I have a set of Blues specials Strat set and am wondering how can I be sure they are in fact fralin pickups. Are there any distinctive markings on them or a means of verifying they are authentic . Apologies as this is my first set of after market pickups . Ive heard great things . Please let me know of any helpful guide or means of confirming whether they are fralin pickups Thanks in advance
Hey Steven, you can send photos of the pickups (preferably out of the guitar and uncovered) to [email protected]. We’ll take a look at them and see if they look like ours.
Hi Lindy, a friend would bring a full set of strat blues special, but he’s asking about the dimensions of the box, can you give me this information?
The box the pickups are packed in? 4″ x 3″ x 2″.
I’m still unclear as to what hybrid pole stagger is – that is, what the profile looks like. However, my 2003 MIM strat fingerboard appears/feels very flat (12”?) and I have tried flat pole pickups, and would really prefer flat pole. Is that a possibility with you guys? Increased price?
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