Bluefeather42
Joined: Jul 13, 2019
Posts: 9
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Posted on Nov 11 2019 07:43 PM
I've got this 2006 American standard HSS stratocaster that I'm absolutely in love with - however as I'm no longer really into playing heavy stuff I want to get rid of the humbucker. The neck and middle pickups are Tex Mex and I love the sound (they actually sounded better than the humbucker when playing fuzz-heavy stoner rock, IMO) Because I have this illogical love for Fender, I want to stay with Fender pickups, and I've found myself drawn towards the Custom 54s, because I love the vintage sound. And I'm not too keen on having two guitars with the exact same setup. Are the Custom 54s worth buying? And, what exactly is the difference between them and the Pure Vintage 59 pickups, aside from the Pure Vintage being slightly cheaper?
Last edited: Nov 11, 2019 19:45:46
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Redfeather
Joined: Jul 30, 2016
Posts: 896
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Posted on Nov 11 2019 09:00 PM
I don't have direct experience with the Custom 54s but I can offer some perhaps related commentary.
My uncle has a John Mayer strat with the famous Big Dipper pickups and after falling in love with the sound, I sought to find a (much) cheaper alternative that landed somewhere in the same ballpark. I watched a bunch of videos and found this one, which included the Pure Vintage 65 versions. I was impressed with how similar they sounded and got a pair for 100 bucks or so.
And referencing the backs of these three different Fender pickup boxes, I see that the 59s are actually scoopier. And those 54s appear to be the lowest output and have the least amount of highs, proportionally.
So in answer to your question are the 54s worth buying, I'll say that I am really happy with the 65s. They do seem to have a nice vintagey sound and my uncle likes my guitar better than his John Mayer! I'm guessing you would be happy with any of the three of these.
One thing I found was that with the staggered pole pieces, these vintage accurate pickups do yield a very noticeably louder G string, as they were originally intended for a wound G. I switched to some heavy flatwounds with a wound G and it evened them right out.
Last edited: Nov 11, 2019 21:02:46
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Bluefeather42
Joined: Jul 13, 2019
Posts: 9
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Posted on Nov 11 2019 10:12 PM
Thank you for sharing that video. I missed it when looking up different pickups on youtube. I'm gonna give it another week or two and make a decision. Gonna be my christmas present to myself, this year, hopefully!
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Nov 12 2019 11:15 AM
Like Redfeather, I don't have experience with '54, but I just quickly wanted to second his recommendation for Fender's Pure Vintage '65 pickups. I have those pickups in two of my Strats at this point, and they sound truly fantastic for surf music! (I use Rotosound Roto Purples strings, 12-52 with wound G.)
— Ivan
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Surfing_Sam_61
Joined: Jan 15, 2019
Posts: 1515
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Posted on Nov 12 2019 04:37 PM
IvanP wrote:
Like Redfeather, I don't have experience with '54, but I just quickly wanted to second his recommendation for Fender's Pure Vintage '65 pickups. I have those pickups in two of my Strats at this point, and they sound truly fantastic for surf music! (I use Rotosound Roto Purples strings, 12-52 with wound G.)
Those 65's sound interesting
Did you buy the set or loaded pickguard. I'm thinking of replacing the whole everything anyway. its about double the cost with shipping.
Did you ever switch out the whole loaded Pickguard on one of your Strats?
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Nov 12 2019 05:08 PM
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Redfeather
Joined: Jul 30, 2016
Posts: 896
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Posted on Nov 12 2019 05:55 PM
It's more fun to build your own guard/wiring assembly! I made a post about the guitar in which I installed those 65s describing what I did with the wiring. I used the G&L PTB system and used a push/push pot on the high tone to allow the bridge/neck combo, which is a super simple and rewarding mod to make.
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Jester
Joined: Jan 30, 2017
Posts: 17
St.-Petersburg
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Posted on Nov 13 2019 06:07 AM
Again, can not help with 54s, but I really into fat 50s. I had them on one of my strat. It was nice, but later I started to experiment with pickups height, and finally tried trick with pickups actually a bit low.
And then I become into it for real. A lot of clarity and balance. So, I ended up to switch to fat 50s on my second strat (had Van Zandt previously)
Also, the used on Dick Dale signature guitar, if it make any sense,
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Nov 13 2019 07:26 AM
PV 65's are fantastic and well priced. Highly recommend! Sometimes ebay has individuals for sale. My surf strats are set up with PV 65 bridge, Fat 50 middle and a 57/62 in the bridge but I'm sure they could all be PV 65's also.
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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ELZEB
Joined: Aug 30, 2017
Posts: 55
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Posted on Nov 13 2019 12:09 PM
I used the CS 54's for a while and found them ok but a little on the weak side. I much preferred the Fat 50's. Right now I use the Pure Vintage 59 and really like those too.
— https://soundcloud.com/elzeb
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Surfysonic
Joined: Oct 17, 2009
Posts: 530
Walkersville, MD
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Posted on Nov 13 2019 05:05 PM
I have an AV '65 strat and it's great but I prefer the Pure Vintage '59 pickups as they are less harsh to my ears and so I put them in two of my other strats. I find the Pure Vintage '59 pickups somewhat similar to '57/'62 pickups which I like as well.
— The doofus formerly known as Snorre
Surfysonic on YouTube
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Surfing_Sam_61
Joined: Jan 15, 2019
Posts: 1515
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Posted on Nov 13 2019 08:11 PM
Jester wrote:
Again, can not help with 54s, but I really into fat 50s. I had them on one of my strat. It was nice, but later I started to experiment with pickups height, and finally tried trick with pickups actually a bit low.
Also, the used on Dick Dale signature guitar, if it make any sense,
I just found this link for Dick Dales Pickguard on the Beast- it has pictures of the wiring and pickups from a $3500 Street Price USA Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster. The first pictures I ever saw of the wiring. I assume were copied from Beast.
https://www.eddievegas.com/store/details/1950s-Dick-Dale-Signature-Custom-Shop-Pickup-Assembly.php
It was sold but wanted $575.00 
What I found interesting is the Pickups have some form of black fabric type material instead of the plastic ones on them?
I forgot to add - the tone pots were taken out to make the Beast sound brighter,
https://guitarwiring.blogspot.com/2011/03/dick-dale-stratocaster-wiring.html
I found this interesting from link above:
"You can experiment with pot values (250K, 500K, 1M). The higher the value, the brighter the tone."
I have a aged looking Pickguard anyway I never used so thinking of just building a loaded pickguard myself with the above wiring. I hate soldering etc. I could either use my Tex-Mex pickups it came with or just buy the Fat 50's or $$'s etc or whatever.
Last edited: Nov 13, 2019 20:28:34
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edwardsand
Joined: Jun 29, 2018
Posts: 801
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Posted on Nov 13 2019 09:49 PM
Regarding that Dick Dale wiring scheme as presented in those links, you would get the same effect and tone options if you took the standard strat wiring with a 5 way switch and removed the tone pots from the circuit. And you would actually have one more pickup combo option.
From what I've read, DD just used the bridge pickup, which doesn't go through tone pots anyway, so if you are intent on duplicating his strat sound, then you just need to get a pickup with similar specs and a volume pot with the same value, and of course, install the pickup at the reverse angle. Or just crank the 'verb and play loud.
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Nov 13 2019 10:05 PM
edwardsand wrote:
From what I've read, DD just used the bridge pickup
No, not true - he used the middle/neck pickup combination a LOT - that's what that big honking chrome switch on his pickguard was for, to take him straight to that combination. In the '60s he definitely used the middle pickup quite a bit, too, on Taco Wagon, Night Rider, The Victor, etc.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
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The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
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LittleKahunaCraig
Joined: Jan 09, 2008
Posts: 390
Orange County, CA
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Posted on Nov 14 2019 01:37 AM
I had a mexi Strat and installed the PV 65 pickups and it sounded as good as any American standard. I passed the guitar around to the guys in my band and they loved the sound they made. Very vintage and surfy. You won’t be disappointed and you’ll save $...
— Craig Skelly
Little Kahuna
www.littlekahunamusic.com
The Breakaways
The Curl Riders
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Nov 14 2019 04:31 AM
edwardsand wrote:
Regarding that Dick Dale wiring scheme as presented in those links, you would get the same effect and tone options if you took the standard strat wiring with a 5 way switch and removed the tone pots from the circuit. And you would actually have one more pickup combo option.
From what I've read, DD just used the bridge pickup, which doesn't go through tone pots anyway, so if you are intent on duplicating his strat sound, then you just need to get a pickup with similar specs and a volume pot with the same value, and of course, install the pickup at the reverse angle. Or just crank the 'verb and play loud.
All my surf strats utilize one of the tone pots as a blender pot. The master tone pots are all are no-load so the tone pot gets cancelled if needed which for me is always. No-load pots can be purchased or made from the original pots fairly quickly.
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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Jester
Joined: Jan 30, 2017
Posts: 17
St.-Petersburg
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Posted on Nov 14 2019 06:44 AM
Surfing_Sam_61 wrote:
I just found this link for Dick Dales Pickguard on the Beast- it has pictures of the wiring and pickups from a $3500 Street Price USA Custom Shop Fender Stratocaster. The first pictures I ever saw of the wiring. I assume were copied from Beast.
https://www.eddievegas.com/store/details/1950s-Dick-Dale-Signature-Custom-Shop-Pickup-Assembly.php
I just got an information from official site:
http://www.fendercustomshop.com/guitars/stratocaster/dick-dale-signature-stratocaster-rosewood-fingerboard-chartreuse-sparkle/
It says CS fat 50s. Also, One of my fat 50s set is also from CS, and other one just bought separate. Both of them sounds and looks really close to each other.
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edwardsand
Joined: Jun 29, 2018
Posts: 801
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Posted on Nov 14 2019 07:44 AM
Thanks for the insights, Ivan - I stand corrected. I had been skeptical about him using only the bridge pickup, but did read it in a couple of places. I need to go back and listen to those songs again.
IvanP wrote:
edwardsand wrote:
From what I've read, DD just used the bridge pickup
No, not true - he used the middle/neck pickup combination a LOT - that's what that big honking chrome switch on his pickguard was for, to take him straight to that combination. In the '60s he definitely used the middle pickup quite a bit, too, on Taco Wagon, Night Rider, The Victor, etc.
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SixStringSurfer
Joined: Sep 23, 2014
Posts: 1426
Memphis, TN
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Posted on Nov 14 2019 01:38 PM
I might be able to help... My American Strat came with Tex Mex pickups in it, and they were too hot for me. I had some Custom 54 Pickups installed, and absolutely love the vintage sound.
When I first played the guitar with the 54's installed, there was a night and day difference. If you want to hear what they sound like, check out my bands facebook page or website. The guitar that has them is the surf green Strat.
— MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale. New EP Louder Than Life available on bandcamp and website.
Last edited: Nov 14, 2019 13:39:53
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Surfing_Sam_61
Joined: Jan 15, 2019
Posts: 1515
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Posted on Nov 14 2019 03:42 PM
SixStringSurfer wrote:
I might be able to help... My American Strat came with Tex Mex pickups in it, and they were too hot for me. I had some Custom 54 Pickups installed, and absolutely love the vintage sound.
When I first played the guitar with the 54's installed, there was a night and day difference. If you want to hear what they sound like, check out my bands facebook page or website. The guitar that has them is the surf green Strat.
Yeah my Tex-Mex pickups were too hot for my taste as well. just couldn'y get the surf sound so changed out the whole pickguard with a cheap Korean squire type that was much better but can't get the same tone I want to replicate. So will either build a replication of DD's set up as much as possible - The 54's or one of the other pickups every one suggested would work I would think for this application.
That switch mentioned can be replace with a push pull duel function switch on a volume pot as well, that would have a cleaner look. Basically my Strat looks like the Beast in 1979, it looked fairly new then and not as road worn etc. Will have Karate sticker as well.. 
I like my Vegas gold sparkle type body paint, looks better to me than then the signature gold paint, I didn't like the upside down head stock either. So never got that Strat, I wish I could just buy a loaded pickguard, I hate wiring and soldering.
Last edited: Nov 14, 2019 15:47:08
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