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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Pickup swap and a very dark Strat

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rlwrlw Frets: 4314
in Making & Modding
Just collected my Strat from my local tech after he has fitted a brand new Fender loaded pickguard - vintage noiseless pickups - and it is as dark as a very very dark thing, well balanced but dark.   The bottom E and A strings are overwhelmingly loud and sustain forever - as much as any of my LPs - and the top E and B strings - while adequately loud by any measure - sit a long way back in sound terms.

He fitted a new 250k S1 switch so I have the extra pickup options at the same time, while using the original superswitch.

While I'm not a fan of very bright Strats, this is now a bit far in the other direction and I wonder if anyone might have any thoughts.


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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 13312
    Fender Noiseless pickups never sound the same as vintage-correct single coils. They tend to lack high frequency "chime" and some low frequency content. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • rlwrlw Frets: 4314
    I've had them before in Strat and they weren't this subdued, but I know what you mean.  Low frequency content is there 150%....
    Save a cow.  Eat a vegetarian.
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  • soma1975soma1975 Frets: 6304
    I had the same thing with noiseless pickups. 

    Good with gain for a smooth tone but no real cut. 
    My Trade Feedback Thread is here. 

    Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7202
    I'd change out the pots for 500k 
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  • rlwrlw Frets: 4314
    Winny_Pooh said:
    I'd change out the pots for 500k 
    I was wondering about that.
    Save a cow.  Eat a vegetarian.
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  • nacnudnainacnudnai Frets: 154
    Everytime I have tried anything with Fender's noiseless pickups, I have been thoroughly disappointed. They just don't sound anything like a strat.

    Dimarzio are leagues ahead with the Area pickups. I did actually like the Paul Gilbert Injectors much more than I thought I would. Never tried Kinman, but Dimarzio's design is very "similar" to Kinman's (what a coincidence, Dimarzio...), so I imagine they are in the same league.

    In the meantime, you could play with pickup heights/slant - but I'd personally consider switching to something else.
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  • rlwrlw Frets: 4314
    I like the noiseless pickups and, as I say, I have had them before and I know what they sound like, which is why I fitted them.

    It's just that these sound so much darker than others I've tried and I was wondering what, if anything other than them, might be the cause.
    Save a cow.  Eat a vegetarian.
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7202
    edited September 2023
    rlw said:
    I like the noiseless pickups and, as I say, I have had them before and I know what they sound like, which is why I fitted them.

    It's just that these sound so much darker than others I've tried and I was wondering what, if anything other than them, might be the cause.
    Could be a wiring issue somewhere or wrong value tone pots. I've heard about S1 switches being temperamental, is it essential? Could a different tech check it out while trying new pots? 
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  • richman6100richman6100 Frets: 290
    @rlw ; Although I've not tried them, from what I've read, the Vintage noiseless models are the darkest (most mid-pronounced) of the Fender noiseless pickups. Have you tried the Vintage pickups before, or one of their other noiseless models? Could it be that you've had brighter noiseless pickups in the past?

    I too like noiseless single coils and I have them in all my SC guitars except one. I've settled on Kinmans as I do find them quite a step up from Fender's offerings and they do a range of models that are quite different from one another. They do sound like Strat pickups though and fine ones at that. 

    I recently switched one of my Strats from Fender gen 4 noiseless to a set of Kinmans while converting it from HSS to SSS. If you don't mind an HSS configuration, you're welcome to borrow my gen 4 Fender noiseless set to see how they compare to your Fender Vintage noiseless pickups.
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