Fender Fat 50's Strat Pickups,your opinion / experience.

KevS · September 2023

I have these in a New Fender FSR Strat I done a trade in for..
Sonic Blue,Roast Maple Neck/Fingerboard..
I'm not really bothered either way about the Roast Maple/Roast Chicken Flavour Neck..
They sound a bit lacking lows/all highs/mid scooped and seem very low output compared to my other Strat single coils..
They work well enough when boosting my level with a compressor,but do seem lower output than usual..
They lack life and that little bit sizzle..
I know most traditional Strat Pickups are not high output etc,,just in case someone responds with that answer.
I have plenty of experience with The Strats,I went to school with Noah...
I'm not really a fan of high output Strat Pickups,,I find those murky and muddy..
I like the pre Fat 50s Delta Tone Staggered ones that were in the American Series / Standard Strats before they changed to the Fat 50's..The Fat 50s seem very different,like radically so..

I am wondering if I am doing something wrong,I don't want the pole pieces pulling on the strings from being too close..
Am I dialing them in wrong...I have them at the recommended space from the strings..

I do get pretty fussy about pickups,which doesn't make my life any easier..lol..
I don't think I have saw a bad review for Fat 50's though...

theatreanchor · September 2023

I’ll just recommend the Lollar Blonde Set and leave it at that. I’ve had myriad Strat pups, but nothing has ever matched them.

1Strat2many · September 2023

I have CS Fat 50s in 2 Strats, a Jap Hank Marvin Strat, and a 2015 CS ‘56. I usually gig these with either a mid70s Deluxe Reverb, a Carr Rambler or a ‘74 Vibrolux and they sound great whichever I use. I run the amps clean (ish) as a pedal platform with no problems using clean or driven sounds. I haven’t noticed any frequency inbalance with mine. As for favourites, it would be a close call between these and the stock AVRI ones in my ‘17 rosewood ‘59 reissue.

KevS · September 2023

1Strat2many said:

I have CS Fat 50s in 2 Strats, a Jap Hank Marvin Strat, and a 2015 CS ‘56. I usually gig these with either a mid70s Deluxe Reverb, a Carr Rambler or a ‘74 Vibrolux and they sound great whichever I use. I run the amps clean (ish) as a pedal platform with no problems using clean or driven sounds. I haven’t noticed any frequency inbalance with mine. As for favourites, it would be a close call between these and the stock AVRI ones in my ‘17 rosewood ‘59 reissue.

Thank you..

,I'm looking to get the best out of these,not buy other sets.

I have dared to take them a bit closer,much tweaking,about an hours worth,I know,a bit obsessive and extreme..
I'm just getting to know them..
Things are sounding better..Not as tilted up at the treble side as my other Strats..
If anything I had to tame the treble side a touch..
This may change next time I plug in and decide there is not enough treble..lol..I'm definitely very near though..

Does your bridge pickup sound a bit thin when clean still.?.I know it can do on a lot of sets.
Especially more authentic vintage style ones I would imagine...
If this gets a better inbetween sound,I can handle not using the bridge pickup..
I have another Strat that the bridge pickup if strong enough on..
How is your inbetween sound ,between Bridge and middle.. ?
Insert your favourite term here......... lol.. Plunky,quacky,honky,hollow,Sun dried and smoky..

Boromedic · September 2023

I'll be honest, my fat 50s set are handwired, and I'm far from a snake oil believing fan of hype but I think they're great. Really stratty, alive and super well balanced. I think it does make a difference, honestly. The middle pickup on mine is also non RWRP which makes a difference on the Inbetween sound.

1Strat2many · September 2023

The bridge pick up on mine sounds fine, perhaps not quite as ballsy as a good tele. One thing i do if using the bodge pick up is to roll a bit of top off to taste (mine are wired so that you can do this. Adding a little clean boost to this produces a good sound. The in- between sounds sound typically vintage with all the Knopfleresque characteristics. I don’t pay strict attention to recommended pick up heights as everyone has different pick ups, picking strengths, technique, etc. I just tweak till it sounds good all round to me. Hope this helps

paulmapp8306 · September 2023

theatreanchor said:

I’ll just recommend the Lollar Blonde Set and leave it at that. I’ve had myriad Strat pups, but nothing has ever matched them.

I put a dirty blond set in my strat - just never looked back (and Ive had all sorts from Fender, Bare Knuckle, SD and Dimazzio - and some custom hand wound ones too over the years).

Same as the blond set but with an overwound bridge PU.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Fender Fat 50's Strat Pickups,your opinion / experience.

Comments

My head said brake, but my heart cried never.