Split Blade Strat
Pure Strat® Tone, No Noise
$130 – $390
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.
Quick Links
Jump to Sound Clips and more Info:
All Strat, No Hum.
Want to learn more about our Split Blade Strat? Here's all the information you'll need:
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.
Sound Samples for Split Blade Strat:
Compare Outputs
We have 2 outputs of our Split Blade Strat. Compare them below.
About these Sound Clips:
All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.
Tonal Graph For Split Blade Strat:
The tonal graph below for our Split Blade Strat features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Vintage Output (250K / 300K Pots:
Attack: Dynamic & Full
High Output (250K / 300K Pots):
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Blues Output (500K Pots):
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Super High Output (500K pots):
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Videos for Split Blade Strat:
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* 1 |
| Vintage Output Recommended Pot Value: | 250K or 300K |
| High Output Ohm Readings: | 5.3K Neck / 5.3K Middle / 6.7K Bridge* 1 |
| High Output Recommended Pot Value: | 250K or 300K |
| Blues Output Ohm Readings: | 5K Neck / 5K Middle / 5.8K Bridge* 1 |
| Blues Output Recommended Pot Value: | 500K |
| Super High Output Ohm Readings: | 5.8K Neck / 5.8K Middle / 9.5K Bridge* 1 |
| 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 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.
* 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.
Polarity Information:
Here's how we wind and magnetize our pickups:
If you're buying a set from us, all pickups will work together seamlessly. If you're buying a single pickup, all you need to worry about is Coil Direction.
To ensure your pickup will work, make sure you select multiple leads (2-Conductor, 3-Conductor, or 4-Conductor if available), or the 3-Wire modification so you can reverse the coil direction, if need be.
Split Blade Strat Dimensions:
Split Blade Strat FAQ's
General FAQs
Here are quick answers to common questions we get:
-
What Ohm Readings does your Split Blade Strat have?
Navigate to our Tech Specs Tab for complete Ohm Readings and more useful information.
-
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.
-
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.
Product FAQ's
People frequently ask these questions about our Split Blade Strat. If you have a question that you don't see listed here, click "Ask" in the Quick Links section above.
-
What pickup height do you recommend setting your Split Blades to?
Split Blades sound best a little closer to the strings than a standard Strat or Telecaster pickup. Split Blades don’t pull your strings out of tune like a normal pickup will, either. Feel free to get our Split Blades pretty close to the strings – you’ll love the tone of them when you do!
Get It Prewired
Get our Split Blade Strat prewired into a Prewired Pickguard!:
Customer Reviews
108 Genuine Reviews for Split Blade Strat
-
I came across Lindy’s Split Blades about 10 or 11 years ago when I was building out an ESP LTD ST-213 ‘Strat.’ I test drove Don Lace, the Fender Pro Series, SDs and a few others but nothing compared to what I heard from the Split Blades. When I told my luthier / tech of 30 years what I had settled on, he seemed pleased but there was a problem: The set I wanted didn’t exist. I wanted a Super High Output on the bridge, a Texas Special (as it was called at the time) in the middle and a Vintage ’57 up front. Luckily, my luthier / tech was an authorized dealer for Lindy’s pups and put in a call to him.
Lindy agreed to wind a set of pups without those specs and tone characteristics but also insisted on winding the pots to run them. As can be seen in his video, it’s the same wiring … a master volume and tone with a ‘blend’ pot.
Simply put, these are the best Single Coil pups for ANY Strat. I also enlisted Lindy’s help with High Output PAFs for a US ESP Eclipse which absolutely sings.
-
Just received your split rails. They are excellent! They retain all of the traits of a Stratocaster but are noiseless. I put these in a ’91 Levinson that the VSC circuit had been disconnected by a previous owner. The pickups were noisy and low volume. Those problems are cured now. Now I have a number of guitars with LS pickups, and I do like them, but I like to mix it up with pickups in that I don’t like every guitar to sound the same and have the same pickups. I have two other guitars with Fralin pickups and they sound great, DID I SAY THEY SOUND GREAT? Yes, they do! I have the Blues Specials in a Rosewood neck Strat and P90’s in a custom Abernethy guitar. If you do a lot of recording like I do and use distortion/overdrive pedals and have excessive noise but want the full-on beefy Strat sound these are your pickups. Thanks, Lindy, Peter.
-
I already had a neck and middle Blues but bought high output for my bridge.
I already had Fralin regular strat pickups installed in my hand made Strat but hate the noise. Lovely sound though!
The wiring was already a Fralin wiring and the pickups sounded great right away.
I had to fine tune the high of the pickups but after that, it was very versatile and awesome. By turning down the volume I have a wide range of sounds and dynamics with these pickups. I can do Jazz to funky sparkly tones. And on lead sounds!!!! Killers!!!! Very modern but very classic sounding at the same time. They pierce in a mix, are articulate and are meaty !!!
Go for it but make sure to have a proper wiring to use their full potential! -
By now, I have tried every variation of the split blade strat size pickups.
They are my all time favorite.
My current custom guitar has the blues version @ neck, high output clean @ middle and the high output clean Humbucker @ bridge.
I have extremely good working tones no matter what I am plugged into including amps & modelers with (gasp ?) IRs. -
ya don’t even have to ask my friend! I already had the bridge pick up and wanted to try a neck with bridge (like a tele set up)but on a stratocaster. much to my surprise it sound pretty Kool when in 2nd position. I told the fralin crew what I was trying to do and they kicked n they’re 2 cents which I was grateful to hear from them the tone they make and the no hum is also a welcome advantage its very simple jus place her order and do something else while its being made. Lindy and his team don’t lolligag around in notime at all I got the heads up that my single pickup was on its way! my single pickup purchase was treated like a full blown purchase of these split blades. this is my 3rd purchase of frail pickups (blues special for tele and vintage for tele both are usually the first axe I pull out to play and I feel so pleased with myself cuz my playing actually sounds good even thou I suk ha. I’m stashing some lawn cutting aside so I can get the middle pickup made for my strat and will just have to suffer playing the blues specials to the vintage in the meantime. thanx gang at fralin. I’m a customer for life Joe g
-
Awesome Pickups!
I bought two Vintage Split Blades for the Neck and Middle positions of my G&L Legacy. While the Stock CLF100 single coils were nice and sounded good, I wanted hum cancelling. After listening to and comparing many different hum cancelling pickups over a year and worrying about whether or not they would pair with the SD Little 78 I had in the bridge position, I decided to go for the Split Blades.
After I had them wired up along with some other electronic customizations (A three-way switch instead of the five way, wired like Alex Lifeson’s Hentor guitars from the 80s, and the tone controls were disconnected, just volume.) I tried them out, and wow!!! They sound very similar to the stock single coils, but with some slight differences (good differences)
The clarity they have especially on the E,A, & D strings remind me of SD Hot stacks, but more “Authentic” sounding. The G,B, and high E have clarity, but are fuller and thicker sounding without sounding like it’s imitating a humbucker, which I welcome because that was one drawback I was experiencing with the CLF100’s (Some settings they were too mid-scooped and brittle.) They also pair nicely with the Little 78. I’m one happy camper!!
Many thanks to Lindy for designing them, Jon for winding them and answering a lot of my many questions, Vic for shipping them out way quicker than I expected, and the rest of the folks at Lindy Fralin!
-
The Split Blade Strat neck pickup sounds great in my Grosh ElectraJet. All the expressive dynamics and spank you expect from a vintage neck single coil. I avoided using this guitar in many venues for years due to noise problems. Now I can play it anywhere anytime.
-
Installed match set of split blades on a 2018 Fender American Professional that had V-Mod pickups. Was having issues with low output on B and high E strings. The split blades cured everything and sweetened the tone…my drummer asked if I got a new guitar when we jammed last weekend. Nope just new badass pickups!
Thanks Fralin team!
Plan to do my Jaguar next! Wondering what the team recommends for an H-S Jag? Let me know!
Add a review
Leave a review for our Split Blade Strat
