Anyone have a go with the 57/62 Fender pickups? I played one the other day but through a SS amp and I never got to drive it... For clean it was bell like and chimey the way Leo designed them... I just don't know how they are with some overdrive...
http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Origina.../dp/B000B1F9TU
I put Fender's 57/62 CS set into a CAR '63 Strat clone that I built last year. They're bright and spanky, with the traditional single-coil sonic vibe -- very articulate and especially ballsy through a vintage tube amp such as a Princeton Reverb, Super Reverb, or a Bandmaster with a Fulltone OCD out front to provide some punch. Personally I think they're the prototypical benchmark Strat pickup, at least as far as Fender's repro sets go.
HTH
"When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."
I have some stock in my Am. 60th Anniversary Strat. To be honest, I don't like them at all. Mine are shrill, thin, and when pushed very raspy. At low volumes at home through a clean Champ, they're fine... Until I change to a different guitar. Then you really notice the difference. It's possible that my experiences could be related to the guitar itself and not the pickups, but I doubt it. The guitar plays and sounds great unplugged. I've also tried just about every possible combination of pickup heights, and I'm still not satisfied.
In another Strat, I have a GFS set that is supposed to be a close match to the 57/62's, and the GFS pickups are head and shoulders better than what is in my 60th Anniversary. I would hate to mod the guitar because I bought it as a collectors item for my son (it was made the same year he was born), so it's not 'really' my guitar, and who knows what it's value might be (at least to him) in the future. It's a shame too, because otherwise, I really like the guitar.
POO DAT!!!
As far as I know there are the old ones (not beveled pole pieces)and the more history correct new ones (too much beveled pole pieces) I don't know which ones are in the 60th anniversary, must be the new ones and I can't comment on these. I have one in my bridge pos. from the first series (not beveled) and I realy liked it with nice chiming highes and great lows, the classic Fender sound!
I think it's a bit sad they went with the same impedance for all 3 positions. Very glistening highs without being over bearing and firm lows. I like how they shimmer in Fenders and VOXes, kind of have a sweet grind with saturation.
That said I kind of prefer the Lindy Fralin counterpart. There's something in the mids that just sound sweeter or bigger somehow. Also the bridge is available a touch hotter and features a bass-plate so they never get quite as shrill.
Older style 6.1 k DC resistance non beveled.
Newer style 1998 to present 5.65k DC resistance beveled
I have the both ( 1994 62 RI and a 2010 62 RI ) and.. I also have the MIA 60th Strat that Mesotech has. Lovely guitar and the middle pup is reverse wound.
Newer style to my ears are like what PM describes them. I happen to like them alot . I did add a baseplate to the bridge pup to give it a little more bottom while still maintaining the clarity . Great pups IMO.
Older style seem a little better for higher gain stuff.
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