Ended up a good day

I got my set of GFS 60s repros today. After reading all the posts and the GFS website I couldn't wait to get them in. I put them in and they sounded pretty good but I wasn't getting the "quack" I was hoping for in 2 and 4 position. Then I noticed...no hum. I pulled up the pickguard and yes indeed, the middle pickup had the black and white wires reversed from the others. I don't know how I missed it before I put globs of solder on the ends and stripped back the grounds. Oh well, I pulled them out and confirmed the middle pup is reverse polarity as well. I looked on the website and I can't find another set of Alnicos with black bobbins and black and white wires with a RWRP pickup. Hmmm. Not being one to give up playing for the night I took a set of Dimarzios I had from a '78 (I think) Hondo II and put them in. Instant tone!! I'll try and make sure I get a real set of 60s repros this time but I'm tempted to leave the Dimarzios in. Does anyone know about these? They're black and came out of a Hondo which was a ply strat replica with the same shaped headstock. They have no numbers or anything. I know the covers came with the pickups and they say Dimarzio on the inside.

I sent GFS an email about the RWRP middle pup. I got an immediate reply from GFS apologizing for the mixup and they said they'd send the correct middle pick up right away. They've been really good. I sent DiMarzio a email asking for info on the magnets and such. Just thought I'd share the info.

I don't know anything about the Hondo II strat pickups, but back in the mid '70s I had a Hondo II Les Paul Copy with some weird DiMarzios in it. They were exposed coil humbuckers, with slug coils on both sides. They sounded really good. The guitar is long gone, but I wish I still had the pickups.

Well DiMarzio said the pickups from my Hondo are similar in tone and performance to their FS-1. I think they sound good but since I'm looking for the "classic" strat sound I put the GFS set back in (with the RWRP in the middle). So far I'm liking that sound. Now however, I got the non-RWRP from GFS and I'm going to try and do a "quack" test to see what the difference is. The only amp I have at home is a Epi Valve Junior so that's what I'll use. I saw another discussion on GFS here so I'll post the results. I might try and record the before and after as well.

i've never been a fan of the middle RWRP pup in a strat...YMMV. hondo and ibanez pups from the 70's are pretty close to what a dimarzio "was" back then, whether that is good or bad is up to you.

try it out, and post some clips.

I'd be very interested in hearing any clips that show the difference between RWRP and non-RWRP in the middle pickup.

I hope I get this right. I recorded some clips using my Epi Valve Jr. and a homemade cab with Jensen 10s. Here's two clips:[ATTACH]Attachment 555[/ATTACH]

Were those both recorded with the same switch position? And are they both done with 60s Repros, the only difference being one is RWRP and one is not?

'Cause I can definitely hear a difference. The first, no-RWRP one sounds noticeably more Stratty and more Free Ride-y. :D

Switches are the same. RWRP is not 60s Repro. It looks like the 60s Repro but has the wires reversed and magnets reversed. Checks out at 5.54 where the non-RWRP is 5.41.

I didn't think I heard a difference at first but after a few listens I like the non-RWRP better. I might use the 1,3,5 positions more now too since they all hum the same.:spin:

I like the non RWRP sound clip. Cool.