RaistMagus
Joined: Mar 30, 2011
Posts: 388
Copenhagen
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Posted on Sep 12 2015 08:02 AM
I was wondering what's your preference when it comes to strat bridge pickups.
It is my understanding that in the old days all 3 pickups were the same which resulted in a thin sound from the bridge pickup due to it's position being close to the bridge. The bridge pickup was also not connected to the tone pot making it even thinner.
It seems that most current pickup manufacturers consider it optimal to make the bridge hotter that the other two p/ups, to recompensate, let's say, for it's thin sound. This would sound great for general use and it would be considered an improvement of the strat.
But there's the old recordings of all the guitarists we love that have been using the thin-sounding pickups and I think the new, hotter bridge p/ups move me away from those tones. I still remember the first time I played a strat with 57/62s (bridge position) through a VOX AC30... Instant vintage vibe, Atlantics tone 
So what's your take on this? Which one do you prefer and do you miss having the other? (Not only for surf music but for the general use of your guitars).
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Sep 12 2015 12:42 PM
I have recently purchased a 2006 American Standard Stratocaster reason being that my daily runner, a 1983 Squier JV Stratocaster needs extensive repairs. The pickups on the JV are exact specification 1950s replicas, black fibre bobbin, cloth wires held together with masking tape, center punched magnets, yellow crayon marked, non reverse wound with dark red windings and potted in lacquer just like Leo did in the 1950s when times were hard. How do they sound? kind of dull really, underwhelming.
The American Standard came with those machine wound plastic pickups, not the most sought after items in the guitar catalogue but at least it had an overwound bridge pup connected to the so called Delta Tone system. When I plugged in it was like heaven, just so responsive, spanky and alive I have no reason to change them.
But that's just my experience, as they say your mileage may vary.
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Sep 12 2015 04:17 PM
I use vintage-voiced/output pickups, all three of them, and I honestly never find that my bridge pickup is too weak. If it's set up correctly (i.e., a bit higher/closer to the strings than the other two), it sounds great to me, and I often use it, both in studio and live. (Having said that, the middle pickup is my favorite.) I have never tried the higher output bridge pickup set up, so maybe I'm missing out and don't even know it. But my thinking is, if it was good enough for Dick Dale, Hank Marvin, Jim Skiathitis, Theo Penglis, Eddie Bertrand, etc, all of whom used the bridge pickup quite a bit, then it's good enough for me.
Crumble, one thing: though I've heard great things about the JV series Strats, I've never heard much good about Japanese Fender pickups. Even if they were supposed to copy the vintage ones, something important seems to have eluded them. I'd highly recommend installing some US-made pickups in your JV and seeing if there's a notable difference - my guess is that there will be. I'd strongly recommend the new Fender Pure Vintage '65 pickups, which are amazing, and which can be gotten new for about $120 (at least in the US).
— Ivan
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Sep 12 2015 05:35 PM
IvanP wrote:
Crumble, one thing: though I've heard great things about the JV series Strats, I've never heard much good about Japanese Fender pickups. Even if they were supposed to copy the vintage ones, something important seems to have eluded them. I'd highly recommend installing some US-made pickups in your JV and seeing if there's a notable difference - my guess is that there will be. I'd strongly recommend the new Fender Pure Vintage '65 pickups, which are amazing, and which can be gotten new for about $120 (at least in the US).
The JV pickups I have are genuine 1983 Fender Fullerton USA. JV's were also issued with standard USA of the period with plastic wires and Japanese/USA made plastic bobbin types. Although my cheaply potted JV pups are more common they appeared at a point when CBS were not using cloth wires. Read into that what you may.
I'm happy to agree with you that Fender make better pickups than ever, they really know how to dial them in and very consistently too. My higher output bridge pup on the A.S. sounds fine and I don't really notice that it is any different to the others until I turn the tone control, it is effective for removing harshness for sure.
Last edited: Sep 12, 2015 18:02:11
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4537
Wisconsin
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Posted on Sep 13 2015 06:52 AM
For those who like numbers which aren't the whole story... (from pickups I currently own)
57/62, (They're all the same.)
5.78 - 5.81 kOhms
Custom Shop Fat 50 (used in the bridge with 57/62's is very nice)
6.56 kOhms
Current Vintage stock pickup set as taken from my AVRI '65
Bridge 5.8 kOhms
Middle 6.0 kOhms
Neck 5.79 KOhms
Those readings don't tell the whole story though; the resonant peaks of the pickups are different, so they sound different. I mean it's a Strat pickup, not terribly hot throughout the spread. They're all very nice but I have to agree with Ivan that Fender's current Vintage line are reeeally good right now (just put the set on my JM & lovin' 'em).
With any of the above Strat bridge pickups that thinner clarity that's evident is sometimes quite desirable. To be honest I often have a tiny bit of clean boost kicked in (e.g., some use an Xotic EP boost or equivalent) when on that pickup. I chased this for awhile (which is why I tried a Fat 50 in the bridge with the 57/62's). At this point I really think it's super-important to pay attention to pickup height back there; a 1/4-turn of the screwdriver can really make a difference. One just has to put some other things aside and nug it out but the effort does pay off.
If I had to rank 'em I'd put the Vintage at the top and, if I find a Strat with stupid pickups on it for cheap, the 57/62's with Fat 50 would go in. (In all circumstances the bridge has its own tone control; for me that's a must-have.) But I played just the 57/62's on another guitar for quite awhile before finding a solo Fat 50; I wouldn't hesitate to use them either - very true to their lineage. Just the current Vintage really nailed it in my opinion and they're not much $$ all things considered.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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derekirving
Joined: Nov 03, 2011
Posts: 660
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Posted on Sep 13 2015 09:40 AM
I agree that the new Fender American Vintage / Pure Vintage pickups are very good and reasonably priced. I also think the VanZandt True Vintage are good, but I'm a fan of Don Mare's pickups - expensive and boutique sure, but nail the old school Fender sound. Fat/Clear/Articulate/Bright with something special going on in the mids.
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