Replacement pickups for my Mexican Strat

beatlenut · #1 12-27-2005, 03:28 PM

Just not happy with the stock pups. I'm looking for a good strat tone, maybe noiseless? I've read that the noiseless ones lack tone though. Doesn't appear that I can just buy American strat pups. I want something fairly versatile - good clean and dirty. I'm looking at:

Fender Vintage noiseless
Fender Custom Shop Texas Special
Fender Hot Noiseless ( I can get a really good deal on these Jeff Beck pickups)
Fender Fat '50s

ntannarong · #2 12-27-2005, 03:47 PM

I would look into the Texas Specials or 57/62 pups. Personally, I'd go with the 57/62 to get that vintage, Strat tone. Custom Shop 54s are really nice too. Check out www.acmeguitarworks.com to hear some audio samples of different pickups.

Nash

stargazer · #3 12-27-2005, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beatlenut

Just not happy with the stock pups. I'm looking for a good strat tone, maybe noiseless? I've read that the noiseless ones lack tone though. Doesn't appear that I can just buy American strat pups. I want something fairly versatile - good clean and dirty. I'm looking at:

Fender Vintage noiseless
Fender Custom Shop Texas Special
Fender Hot Noiseless ( I can get a really good deal on these Jeff Beck pickups)
Fender Fat '50s

You should be able to find a set of stock American Pickups on Ebay fairly reasonable. I put a set in my sons MIM Strat and it is a very nice upgrade. Fender Texas Specials are very hot and really bright/punchy. The bridge pickup in that set is a bit harsh to me. Overall they sound pretty good when properly adjusted. Shielding is a must with Texas Specials. I prefer Texas Specials in the neck/middle with a Duncan Mini Humbucker or a Rio Grande - Muy Grande in the Bridge. I *really* like Rio Grande Tallboys in neck/middle with Muy Grande in the Bridge.

-s

matt · #4 12-27-2005, 05:15 PM

dimarzio virtual vintage, texas specials, kinmans...the kinmans are a bit more pricey...i have a strat with texas specials in it and i love the tone...they are all really good pups tho...

Doc · #5 12-27-2005, 09:05 PM

I wouldn't be quick to throw money at a MIM Strat without, first, seriously evaluating the potential of the instrument as a whole.

Number one, be sure it's of a decent piece of wood. Some Mexican Strats are decent, others sustain about as much as a banjo. Few are exceptional.

Second, be honest with yourself about your expectations of the Axe. Specifically, do you expect it to sound like a top drawer electric, or, is "good enough" gonna make you content?

MIM's have pot metal hardware and the like, none of which contributes to tone in general.

Bottom line: Putting, say, Kinmans on a mass-market, price point instrument can be casting pearls at swine. I've heard more than a few tricked-out MIM's sound like beans. Just isn't cost effective.

Be careful and have fun.

Doc

beatlenut · #6 12-27-2005, 09:16 PM

Well here is the guitar in question. It is a keeper for looks (limited edition) and it plays real well. I think it deserves better pups. I got a REAL steal (less than used price) for a NOS guitar.

waynep · #7 12-27-2005, 10:26 PM

I also have one of those "splattercasters" . . . Cool paint huh . . . I had a friend play mint through his thousand dollar TopHat amp with his effects. He normall plays a American G&L ASAT Classic. He said my MIM strat is better than some american strats in terms of wood and the fretboard. He did say it could use some better pick ups. Looks like you got the same line of strat I have. They are nice for the money.

anthonyc007 · #8 12-27-2005, 10:40 PM

Check out GFS Pickups . I put some in my strat and really liked how they sounded. Very affordable, too. Bang for the buck.

franchelB · #9 12-28-2005, 09:49 AM

I'd be careful about just wanting to switch the pickups. I mean, a little pickup noise never bothered Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn. Are you looking to play the blues, rock, or something where you think you're better of with Noiseless pickups? And what kind of amp wattage are you playing the guitar through?? I have a tie-dye Strat with stock pickups that LOVE my 30 tube watted Peavey Delta Blues! I know that the stock pickups will squeal when played on high-gain amps.
Everyone who chimes in will have some kind of differing opinions about lots of pickups. I, too, have my opinions about pickups AND I'M also looking for a neck pickup that will compliment the bridge humbucker of my Strat!

beatlenut · #10 12-28-2005, 10:27 AM

It's not the noise, they just sound muddy on high gain through my Traynor YCV80 tube amp. I'm probably downsizing to a Peavey Classic 30. I play Christian Rock/P&W with some blues thrown in.

The cleans I'm happy with. I just want better high gain.

DVGuy · #11 12-28-2005, 10:41 AM

I put a set of Kinman Pickups in a MIM Strat, and they were TERRIFIC. I was VERY pleased with the tone. Still sounded like a Strat, but no buzz.

stargazer · #12 12-29-2005, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beatlenut

It's not the noise, they just sound muddy on high gain through my Traynor YCV80 tube amp. I'm probably downsizing to a Peavey Classic 30. I play Christian Rock/P&W with some blues thrown in.

The cleans I'm happy with. I just want better high gain.

In terms of clarity and tone, the stock American Fender Strat (alnico) pickups are way beyond the stock (ceramic) pickups you will find in a standard MIM strat. However the perceived output can be a little less at first, but the American pickups respond much more to the dynamics of your playing and they can really scream when you dig in. They are a fantastic upgrade for a reasonable cost (used). You can always find these on Ebay and you might be able to find a used set from your local guitar tech. Complete shielding and a 5-way switch/pot replacement in a nice addition to a MIM strat.

BillyR · #13 12-29-2005, 10:40 AM

I put DiMarzio virtual vintage in my G&L Legacy- If I could do it all over again, I'd have got Fralins (which are regular single coil, not noise-cancelling). I've found that much of the noise you get with single-coils can be eliminated with good shielding/grounding. The virtual vintage pickups are OK, but the tone is definitely more sterile than good single coils.

ryanspeer · #14 12-29-2005, 10:48 AM

I've often wondered about Tom Anderson pickups - if they're able to be installed in a Strat. It would SEEM so to this uneducated fella, and I HEAR that Tom Anderson pickups are simply incredible, but . . .

It's actually not uncommon to see them on eBay, too. They don't seem to command a huge pricetag either.

tbp0701 · #15 12-29-2005, 11:18 AM

Since you don't like the muddiness of the ceramics, I'm not sure if you'd like high-output AlNiCos like the Texas Specials or Hot Noiseless much, either. But, then again, you might, since ceramics are even hotter and just sound different. I'd try something like the CS54s, CS69s or 57/62s. None of those are hum cancelling (even in 2 & 4), though. The Fat 50s have a RWRP middle, so those might be worth a try. I think most of the Seymour Duncan sets have a reverse middle pickup, as well. For fully noise-cancelling pickups, the Kinmans, Lace Holy Grails (or one of their other sets) might be worth a look, too.

Besides the Acme and Kinman links above, the Seymour Duncan site has some nice smaples.