Do you guys find Fat 50's to sound too smooth?

[69strat]

I've been hearing this with my new CS strat. It sounds rich and clear acoustically (ash/maple wood), but too smooth when I plug in. I can't make the bridge single coil too bright if I tried. And that's odd.

I just read another post where a guy tried a new strat with Fat 50's and he described it as "muffled". Reminded me of mine.

The other thing I noticed on my guitar is when I use the tone controls, all the range is at the top and the sound turns so muddy and blanketed if all the way down. I've owned many strats and never heard anything so dark before. In comparison, my other CS strat gets nowhere near as dark/muddy with the tone all the way down.

I was going to change pickups and try 69's, but do you guys think it could be the tone caps? Where should I start?

[chuckocaster]

if you want brighter, why not try some 500k pots? that would open them up some. you can always go to other pups, i guess it depends on what you want to try. sorry i couldn't give a more definitive answer, but sometimes it's not as black and white.

[69strat]

I haven't opened it up yet, Fezz. I did pick up some used '69 pickups. What do time machine type strats normally come with? I thought it should .022.

[Cogs]

I've never tried the Fat '50s, but if you want clear, clean, bell-like tones from a set of Fender pickups try the Custom 54's.

[Plankspanker]

Somehow I remember these "Fat '50s" sounding different. Could it be they changed the specs on them recently?

I bought a couple of sets a number of years ago, when they came out, and was very pleased. They seemed to have everything I wanted in a set of Strat pickups.

Recently I bought a set to drop into a clone Strat and they sound very
muffled and bland, no sparkle and you have to search to get a setting that sounds decent.

I notice that the "In-Between" positions on the 5 way switch doesn't have the same "hollow tone" effect as other Strat PU sets , is this caused by the RP Middle PU that's in the "Fat '50s" set?

[Don]

I compared Fat '50s and Fralin Vintage Hots in my '57 Strat about 10 years ago. The Fat '50s were not even in the same class as the Fralins. I found the Fat '50s to be muddy and dull. The Fralins were clearer and more articulate.

Last week I took 800-900 windings (600-700 ohms) off of each of the Fralins. Even they seemed too hot and muffled for my taste now.

[sting7777]

Try lowering the pickups. Worked for me. I wouldnt describe my tone as muddy.