Split Blade Strat
Split Blade Strat Pickups: a Lindy Fralin original! Designed as a fully noise-canceling replacement for Strat-style pickups with all the high-end clarity you expect from a traditional single coil. As always, Lindy Fralin Guitar Pickups will give you the most clarity, articulation, and string definition you can get – period.
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All Strat, No Hum.
Want to learn more about our Split Blade Strat? Here's all the information you'll need:
Split Blade Strat FEATURES:
Are you searching for an authentic Fender Strat sound, but hate hum? We have the solution for you: Split Blade Stratocaster Pickups – The revolutionary design in single-coil sound, without the annoying 60-cycle hum. We’ve built this pickup with a 2-coil design using steel blades for the pole piece. Unlike most humbucking pickups, Split Blades are designed with a left and right coil design, offering a more accurate and more balanced single-coil tone. You can expect a traditional single-coil tone from Split Blades, except with more fatness and warmth. Split Blades are perfect for those who love their guitar’s tone, but want to rid themselves of the noise.
- A Lindy Fralin Original Design!
- An interesting and unique look
- Clean and clear, lots of Fender sparkle and twang
- Traditional Fender tone, with no noise
- USA-made Magnets for optimal tonal balance and output
- Compensated Bridge for even volume across all pickups
- Three Blade heights available for different fingerboard radiuses
- Hand-wound with our “Sectioning” technique for unique, dynamic tone
- Hand-built for unrivaled quality control
- 10-Year Warranty on manufacturing defects
Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control. Split Blades consist of a precision injection mold and USA-Made Steel Blades. We use a variety of USA-Made magnets to make this model loud and efficient. Each bobbin is carefully inspected and cleaned before winding.
We wind each pickup by hand, one at a time. Each pickup is wound using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique. This gives the pickup a sweet, clear tone. Finally, we wax-pot the pickup to preserve the pickup and prevent microphonics.
Sound
Lindy Fralin Split Blade Pickups are unique: they offer a single-coil sound, with no hum, whatsoever. You can expect a fantastic warm, full-bodied tone with incredible string articulation and enhanced detail. Low strings sound clear and articulate, while the plain strings sound thicker than a single-coil, but still sparkle. Also, adjusting the pickup on the Bass and Treble ends allows the player to fine-tune the pickup to their needs.
Split Blade Pickups will not pull strings out of tune – even if they get close. When playing with distortion, Split Blade Pickups sound thick and dynamically creamy. Chords have excellent compression, and single notes have a much broader sonic footprint. Split Blades sound thicker than our Vintage Hots in our Vintage output option.
Tech Specs
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Split Blade Strat.
Since we have a few different outputs for Split Blade, we've grouped them by their recommended Pot Value:
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Vintage Output Ohm Readings: | 4.7K Neck / 4.7K Middle / 5K Bridge* |
| Vintage Output Recommended Pot Value: | 250K or 300K |
| High Output Ohm Readings: | 5.3K Neck / 5.3K Middle / 6.7K Bridge* |
| High Output Recommended Pot Value: | 250K or 300K |
| Blues Output Ohm Readings: | 5K Neck / 5K Middle / 5.8K Bridge* |
| Blues Output Recommended Pot Value: | 500K |
| Super High Output Ohm Readings: | 7.2 Neck / 7.2K Middle / 9.5K Bridge* |
| Super High Output Recommended Pot Value: | 500K |
| Wire: | USA-Made 42 / 43 Gauge Single Poly Nylon, Depending On Model |
| Magnet: | Ceramic |
| Polarity: | Hum Cancelling, Request 3 Wire If Buying Single |
| Pole Pieces: | Steel |
| Recommended Cap Value**: | 0.02mfd |
**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.
* Due to the unique design of this pickup, ohm readings aren't very helpful. Our Vintage Output is close to the a Vintage Strat Pickup output.
Sizing
Split Blade Strat Questions And Answers:
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Have a question about our Split Blade Strat? Ask it here. Your Question will be publically visible. If you want to ask a Private Question, please contact us through our Contact Us Form.
If you have multiple questions, please call us at (804) 358-2699.
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I have a 1985 Gibson Explorer 425 HSS that is extremely dark sounding (mahogany/ebony). You've recommended to others the combination of High Output and 500k to get the brightest sound. I'm putting a Bare Knuckles VHII (Alnico V/8.9K/Vintage Hot) humbucker in the bridge position. I'm concerned that the output level of the neck Split Blade (5.3k) will not balance well with the 8.9K of the humbucker I've chosen. Should I consider putting a High Outp...
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Q I have a 1985 Gibson Explorer 425 HSS that is extremely dark sounding (mahogany/ebony). You've re...... Read moreA
Hey Edgar, the ohm readings don't really provide any useful information on Split Blades. They are a unique design and therefore the ohm readings are basically useless unless comparing to other Split Blades. That said, I believe the High Output on 500K would definitely give you what you're looking for. I'd recommend starting with the Neck first. It should match up nicely with the 8.9K Humbucker you have. Just note it will sound a bit "crispy" o...
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I have a mahogany body with a JB already in the bridge position and I will be ordering a Split-Blade for the neck. Would you recommend Blues or Super High Output to keep it somewhat balanced? Pedals tend to be delay and overdrive - rock spectrum, no metal. Thanks!
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Q I have a mahogany body with a JB already in the bridge position and I will be ordering a Split-Bl...... Read moreA
Hey Jon - if you have 500K pots, I recommend Blues if you're looking for a cleaner, more traditional Strat tone. If you want a thicker, warmer tone, go with the Super High Output. If it were my guitar, I would select the Blues Output.
Which output, vintage, blues, high, or super high is more closely associated the output of your pure paf's? I have those in an SG and I love the tone. i also have some TV jones filtertron pickups in a tele with a similar output as the pure pafs. i'd like my strat to match! thanks!
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Q Which output, vintage, blues, high, or super high is more closely associated the output of your p...... Read moreA
Hey Keith, our Super High Output will be the closest to the output of our Pure P.A.F.s
Can the output of the left and right coils be used and combined separately, allowing for example the lower strings coil at the bridge and the higher strings coil at the neck to be combined the same way the two coils are normally combined in a singe split blade pickup? And if so what modificatiosns would be needed?
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Q Can the output of the left and right coils be used and combined separately, allowing for example ...... Read moreA
Hey Si,
This is a good question for Lindy - please call the shop at your convenience at (804) 358-2699
I've got a tele routed for strat pickups, which I primarily use for a lot of soul/funk work. Is it possible to get just a neck + bridge matched set, and what would you recommend for a slightly darker neck and rather bright bridge sound?
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Q I've got a tele routed for strat pickups, which I primarily use for a lot of soul/funk work. Is i...... Read moreA
Hey Maxwell, that depends on if you're primarily a Neck or Bridge player. Personally, I'd go with a slightly darker neck and a brighter bridge for position 2 as it will provide more "spank" for funk. That said, if you like a cleaner neck tone and want to solo on the Bridge, having a higher-output Bridge is the way to go.
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Asking a question here will be public to all users of this siteHey!
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GET IT PREWIRED
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Prewired HSS Strat Split Blade Pickguard
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I have been hearing great things about Fralin pickups for years from my friends at Aviator Audio and Mike Lull’s Guitar Works. However, the accolades were for single coil Fralin models. But, with mixed feelings, single coils are not my cup of tea.
For 30 years I’ve been a patron of Joe Barden pickups and Seymour Duncan “stack” models for Telecaster and Stratocaster replacements. Otherwise, I’m not a fan of stock Fender pickups or their noise.
For a decade I’ve been intrigued by the Fralin Split Blade pickups and finally got around to getting a pair for a Telstrat Partscaster build to a pretty good outcome. I was looking for something different and the Fralins fit the bill.
Feedback:
1. Delivery of my order took around 4 weeks to turnaround, a bit longer than other aftermarket pickup manufacturers. And the number of emails I received from Fralin in the interim was a bit disconcerting.
2. The mounting screws that came with my Fralins did not fit the holes in the bobbins. The screws were the standard size used for Fender style guitars, but the bobbin holes were too small. I had to carefully drill out the holes for the screws to fit.
3. No 4 conductor lead wiring. Perhaps this has something to with the construction of the Split Blade anatomy being something like a pair of P-Bass pickups? I can see a design like being wired in series only. But maybe a Split Blade might also sound good in parallel.
4. The pole blades are grounded. Reversing the polarity on the pickup can cause a short if the string touches the pole with use of a phase switch. I saw special notice of polarity needs when using Split Blade models with other brand of pickups, to order a 3 conductor lead. But I didn’t see any specific notice of use with a phase switch. But maybe I overlooked something.
5. Model information on pickups are attached with paper tags on the wire leads. It would be better if something of a more permanent sticker were adhered to the pickup bobbin.
Once I got the issues with the mounting holes resolved, the wiring completed, and the height adjustments correct, I got to appreciate some pretty good sounding pickups.
I would recommend the Fralin Split Blade model pickups to other players with some discretion. I give the pickups a high rating for their tone. But not so high in the versatility department compared to other humbuckers. The only real disappointment was the mounting holes on the bobbins being way too small for the standard Fender screws supplied with the pickups.
great sound….great look…. for my HSS 98 nitefly. i’m inspired to play (:morebetter:) with these pups !! chose the blues output for singles and Pure Paf for bridge
My god, what a gorgeous sound, wish I had bought these sooner…
I have the vintage wind btw.
Would give 6 stars if it was an option!
Got a set for my Strat – High Output Neck and Bridge, Vintage Middle (plus a second, lefty bridge pickup – more on that later), and man, do these sound great!
The neck has that little bit of extra push in the mids and lows that makes rhythm work have a wonderful meaty bounce to it, and for lead stuff, it makes me want to break out the SRV licks.
The neck, combined with the vintage middle, takes you instantly to the “Sultans of Swing” tone. Crisp, fat, clucky, and good bounce on the lows.
The middle by itself is what one expects. Stick a phaser on it and feed it to a Marshall-y amp, and it’s instant “Bridge of Sighs” tone.
Bridge and middle have that signature “cluck” that Clapton made famous in the early ’70s.
Bridge has nice bite, but more fatness in the mids and lows, so it isn’t as piercing as a vintage one. Kick in that extra lefty one, which sits next to it, turned so they are back-to-back, and it jumps up into a nice fat HB tone that’s got a wonderful midrange and low end push, and just a hint of top end softening, like a just-right slightly-hot bridge humbucker.