Blues Special Strat
Versatile, Thick Tone for 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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Jump to Sound Clips and more Info:
All Strat Tone, Only Thicker.
Want to learn more about our Blues Special Strat? Here's all the information you'll need:
Features
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.
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
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 & Video
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.
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.
Sound Samples for Blues Special Strat:
About this Sound Clip:
All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.
Tonal Graph For Blues Special Strat:
The tonal graph below for our Blues Special Strat features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Videos for Blues Special Strat:
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 1 |
| Middle Ohm Reading: | 6.3K 1 |
| Bridge Ohm Reading: | 7.1K 1 |
| 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 |
| Recommended Cap Value: | 0.02mfd 2 |
Additional Technical Info:
1 Ohm Readings can vary due to a multitude of factors, including ambient temperature, multimeter calibration, different wire batches, and other factors. Due to this, ohm readings are approximate. Learn more about Ohm Readings here.
2 We recommend a 0.02mfd Cap Value on most guitar and bass pickups. The exception is a Magic Cap, which Lindy prefers on the Bridge Pickup of Fender® guitars only. Learn More about Caps Here.
Polarity Information:
Here's how we wind and magnetize our pickups:
Note: We depict all our coil directions from Ground (Black Wire, or Start Wire) to Hot (White Wire, or Finish Wire).
Blues Special Strat Dimensions:
Blues Special Strat FAQ's
General FAQs
Here are quick answers to common questions we get:
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What Ohm Readings does your Blues Special Strat have?
Navigate to our Tech Specs Tab for complete Ohm Readings and more useful information.
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Will this pickup fit my instrument?
Check our "Sizing" tab for the size of the pickup. No Sizing tab? Check under the product image gallery for dimensions.
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Is your Lead Time of 2 Weeks accurate?
It depends on the shop capacity at the moment, and the size of your order. Feel free to give us a call for an accurate lead time. We always try to beat our estimated Lead Times.
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What pickup height do you recommend setting your Blues Special Strats to?
Our recommended Pickup Height is 1/8" (3.175mm) on the Bass Side and 1/16"( 1.5875mm) on the Treble Side. To measure, hold the correct side down at its highest fret. Then, measure from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.
Product FAQ's
People frequently ask these questions about our Blues Special Strat. If you have a question that you don't see listed here, click "Ask" in the Quick Links section above.
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What's the difference between this pickup and the Vintage Hots?
Two things –
- Our Blues Specials are slightly hotter (5%)
- We use a different wire with a thinner enamel to get the extra turns of wire on the bobbin
Essentially, the Blues Specials have a subtly thicker sound that’s a touch quicker to break up.
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What's the difference between this pickup and the High Outputs?
Two things –
- Our Blues Specials are not as hot (5% underwind from the High Outputs)
- We use a different wire gauge on the High Outputs to comfortably fit all the turns of wire.
Essentially, the Blues Specials sit in between the High Outputs and Vintage Hots, tonally speaking.
Featured Artists
These artists trust their tone to our Blues Special Strat
Ben PlattInikoBig Stuff
"Fralin has absolutely breathed new life into every guitar I own. These are some of the most dynamic and reliable pickups I have played and will continue to be a part of my sound for years to come."
Pickup Pairing
Our Blues Special Strat pairs well with the following models:
Blues Special Tele - Set
Pair a middle with a Blues Special Tele Set for a versatile and punchy Telecaster Tone
Get It Prewired
Get our Blues Special Strat prewired into a Prewired Pickguard!:
Featured Reviews
Reviews We Worked Hard For, and Are Proud Of
Customer Reviews
130 Genuine Reviews for Blues Special Strat
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Thank you for your product. The Strat package of Blues wound pickups sounded even better than I expected. One doesn’t wish to put it down (Strat into rebuilt Fender Twin). We all search for a Gitar that makes us feel this way. Can’t describe, one just knows.
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I had a Charvel ProMod that had the SSS setup, but it had pickups for heavy metal, and they had ZERO cleans from any of the 3 of them. I purchased this set hoping to tame it because the guitar is my favorite playing guitar. WOW!!!! I’ve got a SUPER Strat now! Amazing tonal palate available and I’m loving these pickups! Articulate and touch sensitive. I can’t say enough. Considering the SD pups in the guitar retail for what I paid for these, I’d say Fralin is either selling these way too cheap or SD way overcharges. NO Comparison.
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These pickups are fantastic …. Blues tone like I have never heard before.. 25 year player/ Tone junky.. I was floored at the tone .. Dial it it and the tone is euphoric .. Hard to believe pickups could sound this good ..lifetime keepers
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I put a set of Blues Specials in an American standard strat many years ago and the difference in thickness, overtones and just overall musicality was amazing. They made the guitar such a treat to play, I love them the same as day one and I play that guitar daily. Pair with an amp with a good speaker and tubes and you will achieve a heavenly tone.
IEven without an upgraded amp f you are looking at giving your strat an upgrade start with Fralin pickups you will not be disappointed!! -
Quality, tidy build – Blues Special pickguard! Sound Amazing! Articulate & versatile across genres with Blender & two cap push/pull mods! Perfect addition to my hardtail. Thank You for a Quality, great sounding product!
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I bought a 70th anniversary strat from Sweetwater with what they called “hot” 60 Fender pups. Replaced them with Fralin and the difference is night and day. The guitar now has a chime and bite that was lacking from the stock pups. I have these same pups in a frankenstrat I put together and love them. Thanks Fralin!
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I’ve been using Fralin Pickups for over ten years on my Fender Strat and Tele.. best decision I’ve ever made regarding tone.. Thank you guys and thanks to my tech Darren in Raleigh for his help..
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Got these for my HSS Strat and they sound fantastic!
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I purchased the Blues Special Strat Bridge Pickup to match the Blues Special Strat Neck & Middle pickups that I purchased earlier last year for a HSS set up. Now I am have a complete SSS set up with Lindy Fralin Blues Specials. I like them! They sound great! I’ve tried a lot of different pickups and I like these the best. I’m settled now. My search is done.
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Got this on a HSS Charvel, and while at first I was astounded I’m now in love. They were like pulling a blanket off on my guitar. Actually pretty quiet from my last big name brand PU’s that came in it. The only thing I’d recommend is getting a resistor for your 500k pot if you’re using them in your guitar. I had to call the guys at the shop so I could get a good solution. Without a resistor they just aren’t rolling off and letting me do jazz. But they still sound AMAZING.
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