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:
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What Ohm Readings does your Split Blade 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.
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.
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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
109 Genuine Reviews for Split Blade Strat
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Fantastic Tone! An outstanding set of pickups! I put these in my Fender American Ultra Stratocaster and I love what they’ve done! The tone is superb! Has a slight quack to it in all positions. They’re dead quiet under high gain and just have a cool, quality sound to them. Perhaps my favorite feature, however, is the curved tops. I have always hated having my middle pickup, at its “proper” height, due to my pick making contact with it. The curve of these pickups has completely remedied that issue. I love these pickups and what they’ve done to my favorite Strat. Big Fan!!
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Sounds great. Great customer service. Added to a Parkwood H2 hybrid.
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Fralin Vintage Split Blade Strat
Very happy with these pickups. I replaced the originals I had in my ’62 reissue Strat (bought in ’91). Hum is no longer an issue, even when using extremely high levels of gain/distortion. High E and B strings no longer sound thin, they have a nice round tone, low E and A strings are very full, clear, tight. Everything sounds nice and even across the board, there’s a lot more sustain, especially the high strings. Thanks for making such great pickups!
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THE best. Lindy is amazing- customer service is awesome! And the pickup exceeds all (high) expectations!
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Grosh EJ + Vintage Split Blades = Bliss
I have two Grosh’s, the EJ and a Retro Classic. Both were “Blues” neck and middle, 9k Bucker at the bridge. Just installed a set of Vintage Split Blades in the EJ. All the Strat tone I can handle and zero hum in the studio. Didn’t know what I was missing with the Bucker in the bridge position! Guess I’ll have to do the Retro… -
Low noise, great sound
Very happy with the split blade, mixes well the fender noiseless PU’s in this customers stat. -
Variax magnetic fix! These are the best pickups I have ever played!
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Use it on my both guitars. My quest is over.
After spending several months with it on Neck for my SminiHH – I understand this is THE quietest ‘SC’ pickup, while offering all the dynamics and ‘Straty’ mojo I’d ever want + wider frequency response. I bought another one for my second guitar.
I’m guessing finding the right volume pot K + proper resistor + nF on tone pot – may give very interesting sound flavors to mimic various SC sound.
Amazing job, and special thanks for me not spending more money on pickups!One con I seem to hear from time to time is 4th string may sound weaker?
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Without question the best SC / Strat replacement on the planet. In about 2014, I bought a set of Split Blades. Lindy and his team insured I got a beautifully matched set for my project guitar. In the time since, it has become my ‘go to’ guitar as the SC clarity, cut and warmth are without peer. If I ever need another SC, Lindy’s Split Blades will answer that call.
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Split Blade neck pickup review: Replaced several other pickups that I tried in this position from other makers and for me this Fralin has been the best. Not going anywhere! Great customer service as well. Thanks!
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These pickups took my average guitar and made it the best sounding guitar I own. I couldn’t recommend these enough!
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Split Blade, Solid Tone!
Very happy with these pickups.Dead quiet with a healthy amount of Strat coming through. Great for the one-guitar-does-it-all…no need to carry multiple guitars for different songs and sounds. Wish I’d had these years ago. -
Amazing! Sounds great. I got the high output version and it’s nice and warm cleans and handles distortion wonderfully.
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This pickup is night and day better than the one I had in the middle before…it makes my Brent Mason setup sing
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I’ve been trying different pickups for years (One of the main reasons why I’m a Fender guy – you can take them apart!!)
Anyway, I’m with all the other 5 stars…after 45 years of pickup noodlin’ I’ve never been so satisfied with the sound of a
Strat from the working side of the guitar…always in love with the Chuck Berry and Derek of the Dominos raw growl of an
electric guitar. (I know Chuck liked his Gibsons) What an innovative design: end to end single coils?! With a thin blade to capitalize on the beauty of a 25 1/2 inch scale with a ‘single’ coil footprint!
I chose the high output for the bridge and vintage for middle and neck. I’ve always been a bridge guy for the most part
but now all three positions have a definite sweet zone…the in-between sounds? I can’t detect any power loss – I know there
must be but these pickups seem to ignore all the rules. And I thought I was an AlNiCo guy – would’ve never guessed ceramic could deliver what these split blades bring. I really appreciate the hard work that has gone into this design.
I’ve had these installed now for about 3 months – I wanted the ‘newness’ to wear off to make sure it wasn’t all the excitement of the moment…nope there real. Just one last word – I‘Ve also installed a push-pull blender pot from Lindy between bridge/middle and bridge/neck…so subtle, so smooth. This allows me to search out all those sounds my Tele has been ‘tellin’ me about all these years. -
I bought this mainly because it was the best comparable output to the main two pickups I built this strat around (Unbucker and noiseless p90) only to find that not only is this the best sounding single coil I’ve ever heard but it’s also the first time I’ve ever adored the middle position on a strat. My next Strat build will have three of these lovely ladies.
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Great pickups and service
I bought two Split Blade Strat pickups for a special build. Mr. Fralin himself called to verify the application and to be sure I got what I needed. I wish I could make the pickguard pretty as their guys can do, but even with my rudimentary soldering skills, this guitar is exactly what I was looking for. Just a heads up that the Fralin website has a wiring diagram for a 4-way blade switch that DOESN’T work. I’ve checked it out. Other diagrams may be great, but do check them out before sticking things together. For their product quality and service, Fralin gets my full endorsement! And my thanks.
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Hey Samuel,
Thanks for your review! Just a heads up, I fixed the 4-Way Switching Diagram a while back. If something is still not right, let me know immediately and I’ll fix it right away.
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Absolutely Wonderful
These Blues Specials are wound just the way I like them, and the use of 500k pots with a treble bleed circuit make it ideal…bonus= no noise. Thank you, Lindy!
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I first got a split blade in the neck of my Floyd Strat, and liked it so much I wanted to put a set in my newish American Elite Strat. I ended up going with the four-split blade set, including a pair that are used as a double coil “humbucker.” Followed the lit on this site and installed them with 500k master volume and tone. Sounded great. Played it that way for a few months and Coronavirus lockdown happened. Bored to tears I started messing with my guitars. In the Am Elite, I decided to try a 5-way mega switch with 4 poles to give me some ability to customize. I ended up with the following sounds on the switch: Position 1 – Humbucker (two split blades at the bridge), 2 – bridge single (just one split blade), 3 – bridge single and middle (Strat quack), 4 – bridge single and neck (Tele inbetween) and 5 – neck only. I have a push-push switch/pot to cut the neck pickup out, so I can do that Les Paul toggle thing where you turn off the neck and flip it back and forth for a sort of manual “tremolo” effect. Last thing I did was to flip the bridge “humbucker” to have the single coil on the neck side (closer to the middle pickup) instead of the one next to the bridge. It’s meatier to my ears…given that it’s closer to the middle, I worried that it would sound similar to a middle pickup but it doesn’t–sounds very much like a slightly darker bridge single coil.
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Great bridge
I just bought the bridge so I could use my strat for more distorted songs without a ton of hum. They are a little less bright than stock strat pickups, sound between a strat and tele bridge which is kind of perfect. No hum at all.
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