50's vs 60's Strat Pickups - What's The Difference?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Let's learn about and hear the differences between 1950's Stratocaster pickups and 1960's strat pickups by comparing 2 sets from Kloppmann pickups: ST56 vs ST67
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Loved both. If I had to go with one only, it would be the 50’s pups. I love that glassy sound in all the positions clean and I prefer the overdriven/fuzz sound as well. I think the 60’s pups are great but less defined in all cases to my ear. Still awesome though! Thanks RJ!
Can't really tell if I prefer 50's or 60's. But I definitely loved the way you play. Beautiful, emotional and no show off.
I really enjoyed the 50's sound from clean to overdriven.
Absolutely a great demo....Thanks! I have 54's in my Strat and have been thinking about some 60's....i like the brightness of the 50's over the midrange of the 60's!
Bought a '63 Strat for $175 from a guy being evicted from his appartment back in the late '70s. Best, nicest guitar I ever played in my life, and I've played hundreds, including '50s Strats. Tragically, I sold it a few years later.
I miss videos like this. I know some people hate talking, but RJ’s personality is just fun.
Interesting, in this video I prefer the 50's however, I have been to the Kloppman website many times and there I am loving the 62 set...
I can't figure out which one is awesomer 🤔 Cheers RJ! 🤠
Great video! Both sets sound awesome, however the 60s are more my kind of sound with the extra punch in midrange.
I realize this video is a year old, but a couple corrections, since you invited them. Fender only used A3 magnets in their stock Strat pickups in 1954, switching to A5 by 1955. In terms of output, they tended to slowly increase in resistance into the early 60's, until they were commonly in the 6.3 to 6.4 K range. The change to enamel came in 1965 when CBS took over, and during the latter half of the 60's the amount of wire was reduced and resistance went down. The late 60's Strat pickups had some of the lowest resistance readings of either decade.
Great demo. The 50's suit my taste better and I have Rocketfire 60's on my current strat and they always sounded a bit dull to me. Hadn't heard of Kloppmann before so checked out their site. They have great demos on there and they are all very consistent. Definitely in the mix if I make the move. Thanks for posting!
Dude! Now I need both. I love the nuance of the 50's but the mid rock drive of the 60's
Love it! I tend to lean to the 50s pickups, to my ears they sounded a little clearer, the 60s sound hotter but both sound really good regardless.
I have a 50 reissue from fender. Thought I’d always like the 60’s more. I think I’m stay put. Thanks for the video!
Great comparison video. I like the 60s clean, but really enjoyed the clarity of the 50s with some fuzz. Bizzaro World here I come.
50s are the pick for me. The voicing is amazing :)
Wow! I’m kinda shocked how much of a difference there was. I preferred the 50’s on every position. The 60’s sounded muddy and generic to me. The 50’s sounded sweet AF. Awesome playing as always 💪🏼🤘🏼
Hi R.J. Great comparison video. I'll try to describe what my ears picked up on those particular sets of pickups.
The 56's were definitely brighter sounding, which gave them a lot of sparkle and clarity, I guess that's what some people refer to as "twang." They sounded pretty good in the neck and middle positions clean, and could hold their own in a mix like that but the bridge pickup on a clean setting had no low end or mids at all and would get buried in a mix. With the overdrive and the fuzz though, that high end helped that guitar cut through with a lot of definition and clarity in all pickup positions. That's where those pickups shined their brightest IMHO.
The 67's on the other hand, had much more bass and mids, but lacked the highs that would characterize a Stratocaster. I liked the warm low end response with the clean settings, especially with a clean tone.That would definitely sit in a mix more prominently, but without a little more high end to accent the clarity, I would never guess those were Strat pickups. With the overdrive and fuzz tones, those pickups seemed to get a bit muddy.
Which of those two sets would I choose? Neither one. I would look for a pickup that has the high end of the 56's, but with the mids of the 67's also. A bit less in the low end frequency than the 67's and that would help it cut through the mix clean or dirty. That's just my personal preference of course.
Thank you for posting
So cool to see fellow German Kloppmann pickups being featured on here! I have a set of his 50s with a custom humbucker in the bridge in my custom built S-style. He's one of the best Strat-style pickup builders, in my opinion. I'm a fan of dynamic 50s style Strat pickups, as I mostly play my strats clean or barely crunched.
Really nice A/B between the two guitars. I can't say that I have a favourite between the 50s and 60s sets. Both are outstanding pickups with their own character. That said, I have CIJ '72 pseudo-reissue and that '67 set could be a really nice match for making my '72 sound as period-correct as possible. I've been strongly considering the Custom Shop '69 drop in pickguard, but now I'm not so sure. Really liked the Kloppmanns.
impossible to choose ONE ! Need BOTH ! ^^ Thank you for the proof ! :D
50s sounded sweeter and more what I like about the Strat quack. When grit was added, the difference between the two seemed to diminish to my ear. 60s still had a darker tone in all scenarios. Thanks for doing the research and the A/B comparison R. J.
I lean towards ANYTHING RJ is playin' ... Tone and steeze fer days...
If you axe me (?) it's the 50s that win. Great and informative deno! Interesting info about the wire difference!
50's middle-neck pu position is unmatched, it surely pops a lot
Thank you. Amazing. I now know What I prefer.
the difference was night and day but I lean towards the 50s sound
Came for the demo, but had to grab my guitar and learns some of these licks. Great playing.
I like them all. 50s are thinner sounding, more stringy but wonderful if you like the old sound ! 60s are more softer & more midrange . I want two Strats , one with 50s and one with the 60s pick ups and i´m the happiest Stratplayer !
I love 50s in the neck and 60s in the bridge. That’s how I went anyways
Agreed 🙏🏻
Me too
God no..... Wtf
Super subtle, but I do prefer the 60’s style set in this video.
I could hear the differences -- pretty much just like you described. 50's were brighter, 60's had more mids. I thought the 50's position 4 sounded a lot like the 60's position 5 -- fatter and more rounded. The differences were (to me) less noticeable with OD and even less with fuzz.
The thing is, they both sounded fantastic. Put a gun to my head and I'd go with the 50s sound, but I can't really say why other than what you played sounded more like the sound I want to be able to make.
Thanks for this. I already was going to be looking for a strat in the next few months or so, so this was really helpful (though I know how tricky A/B tests can be).
Great video R.J. For the neck i slightly prefer the 60's over 50's, they definitely have that Hendrix thing. But for every other position and combination i prefer the 50's.
The last killer Strat PU's were the last ones Leo Fender designed himself in '64 ...and were only available on the 64-65.He designed them to have a higher output. BIG BUT! He stopped when going hotter killed the Strat chime. Hendrix had a '64 himself. It was the only Strat he kept safe at home and ONLY used to record tracks that needed a killer clean sound.
Love the fact that you included George Harrison in the video, criminally underrated in my opinion.
True, George was a Fine Guitarplayer and Songwriter ! He was standing in the shadow of John & Paul.
I think when it came to the instrumental aspect of the Beatles George was the best. Not only a great writer but easily the best guitarist as well as instrumental to introducing the Sitar into the 60’s western popular music sound.
50s for me! Great playing and A/B comparison.
Wow, I love this comparison. The 50's are the sound for me.
In my head I’ve always thought I like the “60’s” sound but in this case I liked this ST-56s better. Both sound great though, just a little different flavor to each set.
Man that’s exactly how I felt! The 50’s what’s Rockin!!
yeah..50's are great. It seemed like the 60's one are a little more "compressed" but.. honestly they're both sounding great. Personally I use fender pure vintage 59 sets this days on both my main old strats (MIJ 62 reissue and a CIJ 54 reissue). I quit the search for pickups - at least for now... 😆
For me the height of the pickups it's sooo important, and above a certain quality level, the difference in brands are more EQ adjustment on the amp and pickup height than anything else, and no one will even know one brand after another in a blind test.
We must not forget that mostly what we ear from our idols are stock pickups and bad guitar cables.
You sir, will sound awesome on about any gear.
this comparison is great because focus on the main importance about all this stuff 50's vs 60's style, and you just nailed it.
great job. cheers
Congratulations from Brazil Ronquillo!
Excellent review....I loved the 50's ones.
More defined, brighter and richiest sound.. from clean and dirties tones.
Please, make a comparison between fender vintage noiseless X SCN X N3 X 4th generation noiseless pickups from Fender.
That would be an amazing comparison.
Happy Monday RJ! Interesting video as always! I like how 50s pickups sound in this video.
The 50's sounded cleaner to me and a bit brighter. My only question would be, did the pot differences in the two guitars affect some of the tone. Normally in these kinds of tone videos I can never hear the differences in a blind test. I really like your videos and your playing.
I read a fender historian said fender changed from Alnico 3 to Alnico V in '56. And i always prefer 009's on a maple neck too.
I'm in love with the 50's!! WoW
My brain says 60s, but my heart chooses the 50s
Your fingers sound greater than pickups
I like my orig ‘75 strat pickups!
50’s by far the best sound,, more spank & character .
id vote for the 50's sound of pick up!
I like the way the 50's tone blended in the second and fourth positions.The 60's had a spikiness and harshness to them to my ears. Thanks RJ ,great video. Blessings, Rock on.
That's the way a comparison demo should be done. A to B then A1 to B1 then A2 to B2 etc. Sensibly, logically and most important, helpfully. Usually we get A, then A1, then A2, then, after we've forgotten what A sounds like, the demonstrator goes to B, B1 etc.. Stupid and not as useful. Plus, you always want the demonstrator to have serious rhythm and lead chops because experienced players know how to dial in good amp settings and get the most out of whatever gear they are demoing. Thanks, for doing it right R.J. That cleared up some questions I had.
great video. Just what I needed to decide my new pick ups for my not so new strat!
let's go for the 60's
How can you compare pickups on different guitars???
Got Fender Vintera 50s pickups. They're so bright I think I'm preferring a 100k volume pot to tame the ice pick highs.
Great video as usual from the maestro RJ. I preferred the clarity, chimey-ness and glassiness of the 50s. But it's not like theylre worlds apart.
50s definitely better, but fuzz liked the 60s pups.
Comparision should be with the same guitar couse is hard to recognize what difference comes down to just pickups, CS one sounds much clearer/better, blue one is probably kinda dull in comparision , and I doubt is just beacouse of pickups. Pickups are great both sets.
paid a visit to Andreas Kloppmanns Workshop in Bremen, Stuhr in Germany two weeks ago, left my Schecter Nick Johnston there in order to change middle and neck PU to Real 62´s (leave the BKP Holy Diver in the Bridge).... Now I am waiting for the call that my guitar is ready for pickup.....
I have Fender's 57/62 Set in my Strat.. and I love them!
Wow... Thx for this video... I was thinking I'm fan of 60's... But this 50's... Maaaan so great..!
50s for me all day long!
Here's what Kloppmann has to say about the sound and construction: th-cam.com/video/5mEnz6sLsyM/w-d-xo.html
50s are what I prefer to hear.
And it's not because it sounds like any particular artist I've heard either.
Listening through my cell phone I detected a brighter clarity in the 50s pickups.
I currently own a 2015 American delux strat HSS with Shawbucker in the bridge.
It's got all this electronic wizardry, such as a coli split , a button in the middle of the volume know, and series and parallel phase capabilities AND I NEVER PLAY IT. The instrument itself is a quality guitar. But that thing is nothing but muted muddyness . In other words NO MOJO......
I really appreciate the demo RJ,,,,
I'M thinking rather than trying to trade it for a more preferable guitar, I'm most likely better off switching up the electronics and pickups and just make this strat a more practical and pleasing instrument.
Though I'm open to suggestions from anyone who might give this comment a read ....
Again, much thanks for the demo RJ...
I prefer the 50s by a small margin but both sounded great. If you were playing as the soloist in a blues band, the 50s would be the choice. In a rock setting, maybe the 60s. Both were terrific, but RJ could make anything sound good…
Clapton's Blackie had 1960s pickups... ("gray bottoms")
Not many guitars are worth picking the nits of the subtle differences in pickups over time.... But the Strat is definitely worth it.
I am a Texas Special man, so put me down for Team 60s
50's are glassier and clearer, 60's are fatter with a tad more output. I have guitars with both, I tend go use 50's style more, but I love them both.
You know, since Sound is actually a matter of taste, I prefer 50s. and I can say that you played perfect samples fits the tone. Cool, Awesome, Great!!👍👍👍
Great Video mate.. 50s for totally clean.. 60s for the drives... and der for the fuzzes... more balanced eq because of the extra mids... that gives the right bite... anyway i feel blessed that o got a standard mexican.. those cheapo ceramics are killer... for cleans and dirt... sound less straty but i like to live with that.. the fact that they are bit hotter can make them biteeeeee
This is gonna sound weird (I know it sounds weird to me) but when I hear the '50s I'm hearing the strings. When I hear the '60s I'm hearing the fingers. So ''50s I'm listening to the guitar and '60s I'm listening to the player. Is that weird? I found this to be the case in every comparison and because of it, I prefer the '60s. That said, the '50s constitute classic Strat sound and for that I love them; but I'm still picking the '60s.
What made the Stratocaster legends famous wasn't the pickups it was the players. You can buy the most expensive pickups available
but they will not make you sound great. The player makes the equipment...the equipment does not make a player.
I think using a maple board for both misses the point, early 50s Strat tone, to me, is maple board, light swamp ash body, and pickups are hard to get correct, many just sound like an ice pick, the vintage early strats however do not, and have mids that are absolutely lovely , My 54 Strat is no ice pick I assure you. Yet has a midrange latter strats do not have, like say , a rosewood board, Adler body, and much different 60s eq on the pickups, much warmer in tone, less of the 50s mids, they are not any hotter than 50s, Srv,s #1 59, all were around 5.7 ohms, 42 heavy formvar, not a hot pickup, and fat as hell, but it is easy for a winder to make a hot pickup, takes years of experience to get real vintage tone, and feel, anyway these two basic types are vastly different in tone, and it’s not just pickups, the build is completely different. That is using real vintage fender interment’s as a baseline, of these two basic types of Strat tone, early and latter, say 50s and 60s type, I think you need both basic types, and a few years playing both types before it sinks in how they compare and contrast each other, both wonderful tones, that sit in a mix well. Of course anyone can mix body and neck woods and also pickups, as above, I tend to stick to using real fenders as a baseline, in woods and when choosing a pickup set, after 40 years of playing I have learned one thing, high output pickups suck, and lead to buying yet another set that will also miss the mark, key is finding a winder that can get lower output and no ice pick, few get this right. And even fewer get the feel right, again as compared to real vintage interments. Pickup winder who have stood out to me as “best” over the last 40 years? Virgil arlo, no longer winding, Ron Ellis, Tom Holmes, not sure if he is still winding, don mare, and a few others, my favorite custom shop pickups are the 54 set for Strat on a maple board, and the 51 nocaster set on a blackguard style tele, however they are bested by the above winders.
I just remembered another reason why I hate my 2003 USA HSS Strat---yeah, the list of problems is that LONG!!
I liked the 50's. You sounded more persuading and the sound of 50's was more clear which my ear digests better. I would personally prefer the 50's....
I liked the 50's sound the best. But I couldn't help but wonder, what size fret's were on the two guitars. The white looked like jumbos. The blue looked a bit smaller.
I'll throw you a curve. Clapton's blackie had 1973 pickups not 50s. Most of the players from the late 60s early 70s were playing enamel coated.
R.J.ronquillo good demonstration of Kloppmanns strat pickup variations how they refer the Tones to the Amp ,the white strat is with brass saddles the blue not so ya can hear the difference even if it is pluged in or not .i think most Kloppanns are hand wound and ya can expect they are not cheap so they are unique each one like other hand wound pickups and like a Tire has no Speed ,so not one Pickup has a sound the transport that what ya do with the Strings in different manners but in R.j hands i think every Guitar sounds very good😁
The ‘50’s set was far more articulate!
Both sounded great but I think that can be attributed to your masterful playing. Having said that, I prefer the tone of the 50s pickups in every sample. But the real question is, since you were the one playjng, which one gave you more inspiration while playing? Thanks for demo.
Outstanding video!
50s for me. I was pretty amazed at how poor the 60s were by comparison.
Can't really decide but i think i would go with the 60s...probably because i like john frusciante's playing
I like them both. Maybe the 50's pups with a mid-boost switch would do the trick?
Stand alone Ive always liked the 50s but in a mix the added mids of the 60s style makes it a bit easier to find a home for the guitars. ....but tell that to Eric Johnson. So yeah the 50s style sound better...but tell that to Jimi Hendrix.... If anything the slight relic'ing on the white strat might give it a slight tonal edge.
One can "squint" to hear the differences, but the tones are more similar than not. And I found myself so engrossed in your playing that the differences into tone were not only negligible, they didn't matter.
What we really talk about here is harmonics/EQ and how those are perceived with less or more distortion. In the world of playing and recording there are mid range tools or input impedance which can alter the sound enough and get closer to each other. So fear not one guitar owners. It can be done close enough. This is why there are pedal companies to achieve these as well with a single guitar.
Hey,buddy,great video,good job,I have a question,it is 50s or fat 50s pickup? Thank you
Both are fine, your playing is really nice to listen to
*50's neck pickup is awesome but it's bridge is okay ... 60's bridge really bites but it's neck is too twangy for my taste*
Hands down Custom Shop Fat '50s!!! Its Alive!!! No kidding
Dang, I loved those 60s pickups. Just looked up the price. Maybe someday… (sadness)
Both Sound Strat. Nuances, but the overpowering definition is Strat...for good and bad.
Guess im the only one that likes the 60s pu's...sound more fuller to me...but i am mostly deaf from 40 years of rock and roll..lol
Dammit now I gotta have both! Each has it’s own voice that is so distinctive that I can’t choose!!! Definitely can hear the mid range boost on the 60’s compared to the 50’s style. But both sound so good especially played with your awesomeness!!
Genius video! Love it! I guess I'll go with the 60's pickups. Love the bit muddy sound
Great video! I needed this. Thanks RJ!
Cool video RJ! I think the clear answer is we all need at least two strats!! Question - will you be doing a video talking about your first strat following the Plek set up etc?
With the 50s I hear the guitar. With the 60s I hear the pickups. I prefer the less jangly 50s.
After this comparison, the decision is obvious, I need to buy a second guitar! 😂
Most of the comments prefer the 50s...im a 60s guy... its all what a person prefers i guess
I've always preferred 50's style pickups in the 2 and 4 positions and for clean tones, but 60's style pickups in the neck and bridge positions and with dirt or fuzz etc. I've actually used mixed sets at times.
This may sound stupid but i prefer the clean tones of the 60´s and the overdriven tones of the 50´s