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View Full Version : Tonal differences---SA's/VA's



GASMAN
05-10-2004, 11:47 PM
Can anyone tell me what to expect when comparing SA and VA pickups? I'm familiar with SA's-----and like them. Will VA's have a lower output? Will they be noisier? Thanks for any input.

Stan Malinowski
05-11-2004, 06:18 AM
I have VAs in most of my Andersons (3 Classics and 1 HDTC), but my Koa HDTC has SAs in the neck/middle. SAs are stacked humbuckers in a single coil size while VAs are true single coils. The SAs are splittable, more powerful and quieter than the VAs since they are buckers. Personally a "Strat" needs sc noise to sound like a "Strat" so I prefer them. The SAs work quite well in my Koa HDTC which tends to sound a more modern than my conventional Anderson Classics.

GASMAN
05-11-2004, 12:31 PM
Thanks Stan. That helps me.
How about the VA boosted series? Would they also have a lower output than SA's?

Stan Malinowski
05-11-2004, 12:34 PM
I have 2 Andys with the VA Boost Option, a swamp ash classic and a HDTC. Even with the boost on I still feel the SAs have a bit more power.