too many options, need help.

[1bmf]

Hey fellow fender lovers. I need help deciding on a new set of pickups. I recently bought a used Fender Strat Plus with the red silver and blue lace pickups. I also own a 2001 American deluxe strat that I had SCN pickups installed into. What i'm looking to do is swap the lace pu's out of the strat plus and install a more traditional, vintage single coil pu in it. I then want to install the lace pu's into my deluxe and sell the SCN's. I know this seems like alot of extra work when I could just install new pickups in my deluxe and leave the laces in my plus, but I like the strat plus alot more than my deluxe and I want to make it my main guitar. Also I like the lace pu's more than my SCN's and I like the versatility of having the laces in one guitar and some true vintage style pu's in the other. My questions are 1. Is this swap more work than it's worth? 2. What all would I need to change in each guitar other than the pickups? and 3. What pickups would you guys suggest for my Plus? I use heavy strings, play hard and use various overdrives pedals through a twin reverb. The music I usually play is SRV style blues with some clean slower blues thrown in. I want to stay with fender made pickups. I need a really tight low end and a nice crisp top end. I've been looking at either the texas specials, the cs 54's, 69's or 57/62's. Which of those what best meet my needs? Thanks for the help.

Matt

[danii]

I know I'm not going to help by offering this piece of advice, but if you're open to new things, try to consider going outside the box (meaning Fender products only) and look into GFS pickups. I was in those very same Fender-crazed shoes at some time, but the quality and value of GFS pickups really loosened my views on how a pickup should be valued...on sound not price or licensed name.

[1bmf]

My choice to stay with fender brand pickups has nothing to do with their brand name, price or quality. My strats are the only guitars whose pickup brand matches the name on the headstock. More than likely my other strat will end up with non fender made pu's, but the strat plus is going to be all Fender.


Matt

[JAM]

... More than likely my other strat will end up with non fender made pu's, but the strat plus is going to be all Fender.

??? Why? I put GFS p'ups on my Strat Plus and it's the best thing I've ever done to it.

[1bmf]

??? Why? I put GFS p'ups on my Strat Plus and it's the best thing I've ever done to it.

I'm happy you found what you like. I'm not saying I don't like other pu companies, I'm just saying I want this guitar to be a plain, old fashioned, all Fender guitar.


Matt

[JAM]

I'm happy you found what you like. I'm not saying I don't like other pu companies, I'm just saying I want this guitar to be a plain, old fashioned, all Fender guitar.


Matt

Sorry if I dont get this. But unless you want to sell it, if the pups sound really good at a bargain price (or any price for that matter), who cares who made them? Players have been upgrading the stock Fender p'ups from other companies for years.

[cooltone]

I put GFS p'ups on my Strat Plus and it's the best thing I've ever done to it.

I'm with Jam on this.

I was able to get a pre-wired pickguard assembly from GFS to just drop in to my plus at about the same cost of a set of 'name' pickups.

FWIW I have a set of CS '69's and they aren't as balanced as you might find with the 57/62's, based on some expert reviews.

I've fallen seriously out of favor with the Texas Specials..I have seen the light...

[Russ]

I would get the Fender Fat 50s or Texas specials if I was in your shoes. Wanting Fender pups that is.

[Mesotech]

I can understand the desire for Fender purity, especially if prep'ing the guitar for sale. In that case, I'd probably go with the 57/62's.

In all honesty though, if I were to purchase a guitar used, and it didn't have the "original" pickups installed, then I'd ask for them to be included in the price, or a discount of the price instead. No matter what brand of pickups were installed. With that in mind, I'd opt for the least expensive best sounding replacements I could find, and there are no less expensive or better sounding than a set of GFS's. The 50's AlNiCo's sound very convincingly close to Fender's own 57/62's at a fraction of the cost. I hear that their 60's sets sound extremely well also. If you go with a set of GFS pickups and someone compliments your tone at a gig and wants to know your pickups, tell them you home spun them with scrap metal from old Cadillac bumpers (hey it works for the Rev.).

[1bmf]

Sorry if I dont get this. But unless you want to sell it, if the pups sound really good at a bargain price (or any price for that matter), who cares who made them? Players have been upgrading the stock Fender p'ups from other companies for years.

You don't have to get it. I'm not asking for your approval. I have no doubt that GFS pickups sound great. I'm really interested in a set for my other strat. However, they will NOT be going in my Strat Plus, at least not at this time. Thanks to the people who are actually answering my questions.

Matt

[photoweborama]

Well, here is another opinion... I can't stand Lace Senors, but I really do like them stock in a Strat Plus. I think with the combination of the body, neck, nut and tremsetter, they sound really good. I think that extra hardware in a plus has something to do with it.

But I've had Lace sensors in a few other guitars and they sound like total junk.

I'd just leave the plus stock myself.. but that is just an opinion..

I put Vintage noiseless in my strat because I got them for free, but I'm still not convinced I like them...

[1bmf]

I have to admit the Lace sensors are really growing on me. I might end up trying a hot gold lace in the the plus and seeing if I like that. I'm real tempted to try some Texas Specials. They seem to have a real love/hate relationship on this forum and I would like to see what all the fuss is about. Has anyone tried different pots with the lace sensors? I wish they had a bit more definition. Thanks.

Matt

[1bmf]

We express our opinions here. Nothing wrong with that. It's not about approval. Fuck approval. I, and you, should do what you want to do.

On this board we respect people, and don't cop a 'tude about it. FWIW, I don't get the need for all Fender all the time either. But, whatever floats your boat. These guys aren't dissing you. If they did, they wouldn't be posting here.

I definitely wasn't copping a "tude" if that's what you are saying. I asked a simple question and got a couple answers that had nothing to do with my question. If you asked what model of strat you should get next, I would never say "Just get a les paul". I am as open minded as can be about musical instruments. Wanting only fender pickups in my plus is a route I felt like going on this particular strat. It's not because I feel Fender pickups are the best. Far from it. I have had three different sets now and am unhappy with all three. Although the SCN's do a good job for what they are meant to do. As I already said, most likely I will be getting non fender pu's for my other strat. I like to make each guitar very different from each other. Luckily I will get to come back to this thread to figure out which ones to get.


Matt

[Kap'n]

Having a name like "1bmf" could also be construed as having a chip on one's shoulder.

Unless, of course, it stands for one ballad melodic folker.

[NeoFauve]

I assumed it was "be my friend."

[Kap'n]

shuchomouff!

[1bmf]

Having a name like "1bmf" could also be construed as having a chip on one's shoulder.

Unless, of course, it stands for one ballad melodic folker.

I just happened to be thinking of Pulp Fiction when I signed up. There is no chip on my shoulder.


Matt

[1bmf]

And I wasn't copping a 'tude.

Matt

[Kap'n]

I assumed it was "be my friend."

Looks like your glass is mostly full.

[1bmf]

From where I sit, you were.


Seriously, if you want a tight low end with clear clean highs, the CS69's or 57/62's will do this very well.

The reason I have an aversion to Texas Specials is they're a very monophonic sounding pickup. No matter how you adjust them, they sound the same. The 69's and 57/62's are very sensitive to how they're set up, and you can change the sound of the pickup with a couple of turns of a screwdriver.

My only concern with the 57/62's is their lower output. I like a real full aggressive sound. Is this a valid concern with these pickups? Thanks for the help.

Matt

[Kap'n]

I think of aggressive as high mids and highs. You should get plenty of those from a 57/62 or '54's.

If you're looking for grunt and thud, just stick a JB Junior in there.

If you want to keep it all Fender, go for one of their VintageToneless or Red FLS.

[1bmf]

Thanks for the clips. They sound good.


Matt

[1bmf]

They are definitely at the top of the list right now. Thanks. What was your whole setup on "Franks Theme"? If you don't mind me asking.

Matt

[1bmf]

Cool. Thanks.

Matt

[cooltone]

If you're really concerned that an underwound pickup won't be right for you, you might want to consider the 'fat '50's'. They'd probably be a good compromise between the 57/62's and Texas Specials.

[1bmf]

I just ordered a set of the 57/62's. I'll let you know how they are when I install them. Thanks for the help.


Matt

[Russ]

FUCK a person can say FUCK here great.

[1bmf]

Ok, I got the pickups. 57/62's. Now all I need is a wiring diagram. My strat plus has the tbx tone control. Half of the split shaft is broken so it needs to be replaced. I think im going to replace it with a plain 250k pot. Also the guitar has a .022k cap. So I don't know if this needs to be changed. What would you guys suggest for wiring? I would like to see several different options and get opinions on each one. A diagram would be nice too. Thanks.

Matt

[Mesotech]

The Fender site is full of stock Fender wiring diagrams.

[1bmf]

They sure are. Thanks.

Matt

[Overdriver]

Never used Lace Sensors myself, but the Lace Holy Grail 1500s (with pole pieces) are a different animal altogether. They're the best Strat pickup I've ever heard AND they're noiseless! Clean they're exactly what you'd expect the best vintage ones to sound like and at high gain they're somewhere between P90s and PAFs.

[1bmf]

I just got the pickups installed and they sound amazing. They sound better than anything else i've tried in a strat and I haven't even had enough time to mess with them yet. Thanks for helping me find the sound i've had in my head. These things are great!

Matt

[Mesotech]

The 57/62's are great pickups. Glad they're working out for you.