Would have been better without the music track in the middle. Then our audio memory of the Fender pickups would still be fresh in the "ears" when you start playing the Kinmans.
One thing I've noticed over the years with TH-cam gear demos: The negative comments and down votes usually come from people that have posted few (or zero) videos. Doing a true A/B comparison video is a lot of work and takes time. Give it a try sometime, and then post it on TH-cam. Then after getting a few hundred views, report back and let us know if it was worth the effort. He's up to almost 100k views, 434 up votes and 112 comments; without having done all that extra work. That is called success in the creator world!
Nice one :) I put a Kinman Set in my MM Silhouette (Woodstock Plus) some years ago together with their wiring. Same positive "effect". No noise, less "bite" - very fine for me. I played some time with the PU height to find "my" balance. Way cool i have to say!
Thanks for the review, I liked it. I've had AVN69's or the Woodstock Set or the now named Hendrix Set from Kinman and have been very satisfied with the quality and sound. Everyone has different tastes and it is better that we all don't sound the same. The Great players have all created their own distinctive tone and these pickups will help some players find the right tone for them, others will hate deviating from Fender in any way. I will also add here that the Kinman staff offer the best pre-sale and after sale service of any manufacturer. If you want to swap out pickups, these are top range and are unlikely to disappoint. Again very good demo, thanks.
I have the Kinman Blues Set in one of my Strats, and am really pleased with them…They are dead quiet, and are a great choice if you are bothered by single coil hum…There is, of course, some thought that you can't make a true single coil pup noiseless, but Kinman seems to have come up with the best example of truly noiseless single coils…I was so torn between the Woostock set and the Blues set but both are great….
Hi There! Nice demo! I checked this out because I already own some Kinman 54 Impersonators, which are impressive. You obviously have the skills to make both pickup sets sound very good. I hate comments from know-it-alls who seem to enjoy punishing the presenter of the video. The reverb sounds great, but it might help the comparison by reducing it a bit. Also your pick attack is just fine! The only improvement in the editing, I could imagine, is to show back-to-back clips that compare identical pickup selector positions between the two brands. Thanks for the show!
Thanks for the review. Reverb was fine. Easy to hear through it. A test I use for pickups is to play the guitar unplugged and hear the tone of the guitar itself. If it's a good bit of wood, plug it in to a clean amp and see if you can amplify that sound. My 86 avri strat has exceptional guitar tone. I could never get close to amplifying that sound with the original pickups. The kinmans bring out the tone of my 86 avri beautifully. I love some fender guitars and basses. Don't think much of their pickups. And I think some people have gotten use to the sound of bad pickups(Not reproducing the natural guitar tones). Lola and Kinman would be a better comparison.
Great demo. I got the impression when listen to different demos of Kinman pickups that they have a little softer sound but might lack a little bit sustain and the sharp typical strat sound and attack...or maybe it's just my ears. I have a 2006 Strat with original pickups and considering change them, but I'm not sure if it is worth it...I don't know how good my originals are compare with others :)
The Fender's seem to be more strident and slightly louder with the Kinman's being slightly softer and also more nuanced .Personally I liked them both .The Fender's are perhaps preferable in the bridge position ( capturing more a Tele Tone) whereas the Kinman's excel more closer to the neck .
Hi, What a great demo and feeling you made here, congrats...I love it ! i look for the fatest , bassy , round warm pickups for my strat ! Which model would you recommend me , sounding straty but very fat with enhance bass ? Thanks a lot for you answer, best regards from France
I really appreciate your video because I am looking at a signature Strat on ebay where someone replaced 3 Texas Specials with the Kinman Woodstock Plus P/ups. (Why would anyone do that to a signature guitar I wondered) When I look at reviews such as yours I am always grateful when effects are not present and that all settings are maintained. Frankly, in your presentation I prefer the Fender Noiseless P/ups overall because of their bite. I agree with you about the middle p/up on its own BUT when you combine the middle with the neck p/ups I far prefer the Fender's sound. The Kinmans are too refined for my ears. I just like the raw cutting sound of the Fenders. I know it may sound funny but the Kinmans to me have too much tone. However I can see myself buying the Woodstock set and replacing pickups in say another Strat with non descript type p/ups that way I'd have both sounds within arms reach. Your demo was extremely good, and above all very helpful to me. Thank you. Also I enjoyed your playing.
hi, Your guitar with an amps and also with your new pickups has amazing sound, I would like to know, is it Fender classic player 50s strat or 60s ? Thanks.
Back and forth- neck pickup at 1:11 compared to neck pickup at 4:00- I think the Fender is much brighter and more open sounding and that really surprised me. Didn't think I would have liked the Fender at all- but it won on that quick test to my ears.
The Kinmans sound muffled..there seems to be a volume difference as they aren't as loud. Are all settings (amp and guitar) the same ? sorry, but I'd stick with the Fenders from what I hear ..they have more spank too.
sir i am compressor lover can u make a video with compressor before amp i am curious if the kinman pick ups still noiseless ? sorry bad english :D greetings from philippines
Thanks for making this! I like the Kinman better, they sound like a legit guitar hero would use. I much prefer character in the lower end to something with a lot of highs. I have one of these pus meant for the bridge but it was installed in the neck position of a Highway 1 I bought used. Looking for the best place to put it in my strats at the moment.
Compre unos hot noiseles usados corrobore son originales y hacen igual de ruidos que los demás, pero me podrían decir si puede ser problema del los micrófonos o han conectado mal algo?
The tone control was set differently between the two segments, also, it would have been good if you'd edited the video to A/B the pickup comparisons in real time, rather than at different ends of the video - just a thought! I preferred the Fender pickups BTW.
They come really-close (and sound fairly stratty) but it's still not a True Single Coil. There's something about the top end presence or air that's missing? I have the Lollar Blonde's and I am on cloud-9. Nice demo and presentation.
I think you could tell a little better about how each set was or was not performing if you would back off the reverb on the amp to 1 or 2 at most. Just my .02...
In my opinion being a true Fender Strat lover, the hot noiseless pickups have the true Fender Strat sound! The Kinman sound dull and lifeless! I am planning to put these in my Strat. Thanks for confirming that I made a good choice!
Hi ComprehensiveGuitar1 If you like the hot noiseless pickups, great, but true Fender Sound, what's that? As in the original 1954 Strat, late 1950's Strat, 1963 Strat, 1970s (3 bolt neck era) Strat, or the ugh, 1980s Strat? Don Mare Lace Pickups (1987 to 1996)? These are all different. Different magnet material (and larger magnets on the earliest models), different winding underwinds/overwinds and eventually automatic machine winds. Between them, both Fender and Gibson spawned the boutique replacement pick-up winder industry when cost cutting by their Corporate accountants who rule the companies compounded over time brought both companies to a low point, and people started looking for vintage pups and parts. The options such as noiseless (the first generation were called toneless, what is it 4th generation now?), Vintage, Texas Hot, ect., by Fender is in response to this market which already supplied said. Ever check out Kinman's website? He offers for strat, noiseless and humless: (progresively louder AVn-56 Vintage AVn-62 Mk-I Vintage AVn-62 Mk-III Vintage AVn-59 Strong Vintage SCn Strong Vintage AVn-69 Strong Vintage The Scoop Vintage Impersonator 56 loud Vintage Impersonator 54 very loud Vintage Impersonator Fat (circa '59) very loud Vintage He has other non-strat sounds (P-90) in single coils. The AVn-69 Woodstocks sound so good, a few professional guitar players, jokingly tried to steal the guitar.
@J Wigh Overpriced is a matter of opinion. Of course if you are a "too poor to afford a pot to piss in" guitarist crying in his beer over price with buyer's regret, there's Guitar Fetish Pickups which you can buy a set for less than a single strat pick up from the any of the below "hand winders" (hand guided machine wound) or Kinman. Frankly the Duncan Designed Pups are better than GFS Guitar Pickups if you have to count pennies. Ever see, hear of or bother to price check the following, Kleins, Dave Stephens aka Stephens Designs, Seymour Duncan Antiquity Strat pups Novak Pickups, Don Mare, Lindy Fralins, or Rio Grande Strat Pickups? (I have purchase from 1/2+ from the above and I would buy from them again or the other half without a moment's hesitation.) These are all comparably the same price range as Kinman. Expensive maybe the Jim Wagner Pickups Strat set which they discontinued. these took too much time to wind vs. Humbuckers which are their man business. The Strat set which was $500+ USD and he couldn't keep these in stock), have I heard these, and couldn't convince him to build one, missed a set on eBay which sold more than the MSRP. Anything that works for you and you like is a bargain, but if you hate the pickup, even the Alnico (wrong alnico by the way) pups from GFS at $21 each is expensive. My guitar with the Kinman's have been lent out to friends who on the spot offered to buy the guitar-name the price (they beg, borrow, or steal the money), jokingly attempted to mock steal the guitar, or thanked me for the "the birthday present." I have Callaham bridge instead of Fender's dollar driven version that doesn't match the original which plays through vacuum tube amp I built (point to point wiring). However, I am more keyboardist. The Kinmans went into a guitar that was going to be used in venues with Fluorescent lights with ballast transformers hum), bad wiring ground loops, etc., for a relative. Compared side by side to Fenders Noiseless ("Toneless") zero hum pickups, no contest. Want to improve your Kinman's sound, buy a better tube amp (hand hired not the PCB crap from Fender) and replace the speaker(s) or buy better speakers. Sure Kinman lays it on with a trowel, I can name some other handwinders that do the same. It's called marketing, "Pixie Dust," "Voodoo", don't fall for, but get used to it. And if you don't like the Kinman PUPS, by all means get rid of them and find something you do like or can live with. That's a subjective choice, another individual won't like the pups you choose, because their brain's auditory processing is different from yours. In that context they may think your pups brand is a "BSing" charlatan, and that you have a tin ear. Also a subjective opinion. However just because you don't like Kinmans, doesn't mean everyone shares your "final opinion and judgement." People vote with their dollars, and Kinman has been in business for 17 plus years. Maybe because these "voters" don't agree with you. eBay isn't flooded with used Kinmans being dumped for another set because they "suck." Good luck in your tonal quest.
You made both sets sound amazing. I heard more balanced and warmth with the Kinman, fender cut quite well, though lacked a bit of warmth/mids. I preferred the Kinman as to bring up the presence would help with more cut if desired
I'd take the Hot Noiseless over the Kinmans and pocket the change. Seriously, I don't know if you turned your amp settings differently but to me the Fender pickups sounded better.
Yes it was differently....cause i have the woodstocks and the blues set from kinman just like the hot noiseless(had)....and i can tell you the spankiness,strattiness and clarity of these pickups is something else.The thing with those though is that they are VERY height sensitive...half a turn on the screw makes a big difference so you ll have to spend sometime adjusting them to find the sweet spot..after that its bliss....i have put them in squiers actual strats or my handmade strats...they sound excellent each time.If i wanted something more economic..i would go with dimarzio areas and then hot noiseless....in that order.
Both are great gear. With an overdrive it will be another interesting comparison. By the way, what song and band starts playing at 2:42 ? Loved it, but couldn't find the lyrics on Google.
Fender Hot Noiseless sound much better in this video, they have the sparkle and snap character of the stratocaster. The Kinman sound muffled and compressed, liveless in comparison. The volume on Kinman is lower also, so you should have adjusted the volume to be the same between both so it's a fair comparison.
Inherently the problem with boutique pickups is you dont get to test them out with your own gear and they are generally 150% the price of the set of Fenders they are emulating. For that reason alone you will never see a set of Bardens, Kinmans, Allens or Fralins in any of my guitars. Especially when there are other boutique outfits that keep the costs down. Having played in a band with a dude who was using Kinmans I can say I much prefer my Bill Lawrence pickups. Not only do they sound better, they have a greater dynamic range and cost half what any of the newer boutique guys are charging. Not too mention Bill Lawrence basically invented all the newer styles of pickups.
The woodstock pickup in the neck position just don't work (neither does the fender noiseless). The sound is kind of half way to a humbucker; nothing like the glassy clean tones of a normal single coil pickup...
exact same settings on the guitar and amp, same pickup adjustments, and same things played for one set and the the other set one after another on the video (patch it together) is the only way to hear the real differences. It's 2 sets of pickups and they are different.... not 'better or worse'.... that is a mistake.
I thought you pulled a pretty good sound from the fender pickups, but the Kinman are richer. More complex and dynamic, they also change the way you play, it’s as though you don’t feel the need to work as hard.
Kinman's are King! Chris makes the best sounding pickups IMO. His noiseless P90-Buckers for PRS, Gibson, etc. style guitars are killer and the P90 traditional sized pickups Nasty 90 & Nasty 90 Heavy are to die for if you are a fan of the P90 vibe but without that obnoxious 60 cycle hum that gave the Seth Lover P90 design a bad reputation. Remember, all of Kinman's pickups are noiseless but retain and even add to the tone characteristics of the original designs. If you are serious about your tone you simply must give Kinman pickups a spin,... you won'y be disappointed.
sorry to say, but I like the Fender hot noiseless better as well. They have the Fender charachter but adding a mid-punch that may suit perfect for blues, rock and even harder styles. Of course, for light music the Kinmanns may fit better as they sound more bell-like, but I am more on the other side...
Depends on what is the "Fender character". If you think it is SRV tone, than ok. Kinmans are much more close to Hendrix tone which is "Fender character" to many. For me, "Fender character" is Gilmour tone, which is something entirely else...
Dude, you should turn OFF the reverb ......let the folks listen to the difference, I noticed your tone control in a diff position also?........you are a good player, looks like you enjoy your playing......try this though...Use a thin pick........watch the difference......it sounds more smoother not so much chicken cluck when you pick strings.......most players use a pick that is too hard.....and complain the guitar sounds too bright........try it and see, the sound difference is amazing.....with a thinner pick, and easy to play......Let me know what you think?...the Kinman pick ups sound ok..but......A set of Dimarzio area pick ups sound the best in a strat if you want that old blues sound.....example Dimarzio area 58 in the neck,,,,,area 61 in the middle,, and area 67 in the bridge........change pots to 500k, and use a russian oil+ paper capacitor(.022mf) on tone pot....or 2 capacitors (one on each tone pot)if you change the wiring so the bottom tone controls the bridge..........it all adds up to one heck of a sounding strat.........cheers from Sydney Australia....BTW I play a Les Paul with Vintage Bill Lawrence pick ups(twin blade humbuckers)...it amazes every one the sound it plays....also have a telecaster.......plus others..............look at Bill Lawrence pick ups, they are the ants pants......great TONE....noiseless...and cheaper than upmarket named brands...............I have tried the following in all guitars..Dimarzio, single and humbuckers....Seymour Duncan.....single and humbuckers, EMG both active and passive.......but these Bill Lawrence pups are just great for playing satisfaction and tone and volume....They are also louder than any other ones ....as in full volume test, but they are so mild and sweet on clean..........been playing for 50 years here.......I modify, tune adjust,hotrod guitars for a hobby.........ok once again ,thnx for the demo....and great picking.......try a thin pick .......cheers
Keaton Kipker ; OK - what he is trying to explain is almost impossible to explain! But it is definitely real. I just put Kinmans on my Strat and it is something immediately noticeable but obviously it’s not the strings being pulled down by the magnets. But the guitar feels quite different and ‘easier’ to play. My guess is the Kinmans have a less dynamic output level, ie; the fender pups give a sharper transient edge to each note - and you can hear that in the demo - the Kinmans sound smoother. So it’s much like when you play through a compressor - the dynamics are smoothed out and that makes your playing sound more consistent. The other thing I noticed is a significant improvement in sustain which could be the weaker magnets or again it could be the output dynamics of the Kinmans.
Mike Austin go raise a pickup up really close to the strings, you’ll definetely hear what it does to it. I did it by accident way before I ever heard of ‘string pull’
@@jubjub905 Of course, it changes the tone, but that has nothing to do with "string pull." It's a question of physics. You need a *much* stronger magnet - hundreds of times stronger - to actually pull the strings down.
Would have been better without the music track in the middle. Then our audio memory of the Fender pickups would still be fresh in the "ears" when you start playing the Kinmans.
Amen. It also would have been better with the reverb off.
@@bobaldo2339 just skip middle part and downvote for reverb
One thing I've noticed over the years with TH-cam gear demos: The negative comments and down votes usually come from people that have posted few (or zero) videos. Doing a true A/B comparison video is a lot of work and takes time. Give it a try sometime, and then post it on TH-cam. Then after getting a few hundred views, report back and let us know if it was worth the effort. He's up to almost 100k views, 434 up votes and 112 comments; without having done all that extra work. That is called success in the creator world!
Nice one :)
I put a Kinman Set in my MM Silhouette (Woodstock Plus) some years ago together with their wiring.
Same positive "effect". No noise, less "bite" - very fine for me.
I played some time with the PU height to find "my" balance.
Way cool i have to say!
best review on youtube some,really cool vibes coming from that neck pup, great work
....
Thanks for the review, I liked it. I've had AVN69's or the Woodstock Set or the now named Hendrix Set from Kinman and have been very satisfied with the quality and sound.
Everyone has different tastes and it is better that we all don't sound the same. The Great players have all created their own distinctive tone and these pickups will help some players find the right tone for them, others will hate deviating from Fender in any way.
I will also add here that the Kinman staff offer the best pre-sale and after sale service of any manufacturer. If you want to swap out pickups, these are top range and are unlikely to disappoint.
Again very good demo, thanks.
Beutiful playing, the pickups really do the difference!
deeeee laaawwwd. that neck/middle combo with the kinmans is f'n amazin'.
The Kinmans sound great to me. Nice playing Ben
That was awesome! You play well! I wish I had heard them distorted or angry. Great comparison though!
I have the Kinman Blues Set in one of my Strats, and am really pleased with them…They are dead quiet, and are a great choice if you are bothered by single coil hum…There is, of course, some thought that you can't make a true single coil pup noiseless, but Kinman seems to have come up with the best example of truly noiseless single coils…I was so torn between the Woostock set and the Blues set but both are great….
i like the Sound from the Kinman Woodstock Pickups very clean and open Neck Pickup ist also my Favorite cheers😎
Hi There! Nice demo! I checked this out because I already own some Kinman 54 Impersonators, which are impressive. You obviously have the skills to make both pickup sets sound very good. I hate comments from know-it-alls who seem to enjoy punishing the presenter of the video. The reverb sounds great, but it might help the comparison by reducing it a bit. Also your pick attack is just fine! The only improvement in the editing, I could imagine, is to show back-to-back clips that compare identical pickup selector positions between the two brands.
Thanks for the show!
Thanks for the review. Reverb was fine. Easy to hear through it. A test I use for pickups is to play the guitar unplugged and hear the tone of the guitar itself. If it's a good bit of wood, plug it in to a clean amp and see if you can amplify that sound. My 86 avri strat has exceptional guitar tone. I could never get close to amplifying that sound with the original pickups. The kinmans bring out the tone of my 86 avri beautifully. I love some fender guitars and basses. Don't think much of their pickups. And I think some people have gotten use to the sound of bad pickups(Not reproducing the natural guitar tones). Lola and Kinman would be a better comparison.
Great demo. I got the impression when listen to different demos of Kinman pickups that they have a little softer sound but might lack a little bit sustain and the sharp typical strat sound and attack...or maybe it's just my ears. I have a 2006 Strat with original pickups and considering change them, but I'm not sure if it is worth it...I don't know how good my originals are compare with others :)
The Fender's seem to be more strident and slightly louder with the Kinman's being slightly softer and also more nuanced .Personally I liked them both .The Fender's are perhaps preferable in the bridge position ( capturing more a Tele Tone) whereas the Kinman's excel more closer to the neck .
Hi, What a great demo and feeling you made here, congrats...I love it ! i look for the fatest , bassy , round warm pickups for my strat ! Which model would you recommend me , sounding straty but very fat with enhance bass ? Thanks a lot for you answer, best regards from France
Thanks people. Sorry about the reverb, just playing the way I like. Also, just using the pick I like poppa bear.
+elephantyard1 But for the sake of comparing the PUs,would have been real nice to include some playing without the reverb.
I really appreciate your video because I am looking at a signature Strat on ebay where someone replaced 3 Texas Specials with the Kinman Woodstock Plus P/ups. (Why would anyone do that to a signature guitar I wondered) When I look at reviews such as yours I am always grateful when effects are not present and that all settings are maintained. Frankly, in your presentation I prefer the Fender Noiseless P/ups overall because of their bite. I agree with you about the middle p/up on its own BUT when you combine the middle with the neck p/ups I far prefer the Fender's sound. The Kinmans are too refined for my ears. I just like the raw cutting sound of the Fenders. I know it may sound funny but the Kinmans to me have too much tone. However I can see myself buying the Woodstock set and replacing pickups in say another Strat with non descript type p/ups that way I'd have both sounds within arms reach. Your demo was extremely good, and above all very helpful to me. Thank you. Also I enjoyed your playing.
hi, Your guitar with an amps and also with your new pickups has amazing sound, I would like to know, is it Fender classic player 50s strat or 60s ? Thanks.
I'm trying to learn that tickle my strings technique :)
Very interesting. Had to subscribe.
I thought both sets sounded good, but the Kinmans sounded woody for lack of a better word to me.. Very cool ...
Back and forth- neck pickup at 1:11 compared to neck pickup at 4:00- I think the Fender is much brighter and more open sounding and that really surprised me. Didn't think I would have liked the Fender at all- but it won on that quick test to my ears.
With which set are you playing at the end of the video? Thanks
Nice. great pick ups
The Kinmans sound muffled..there seems to be a volume difference as they aren't as loud. Are all settings (amp and guitar) the same ? sorry, but I'd stick with the Fenders from what I hear ..they have more spank too.
PCollen YT at all in your biased mind. Kinman has more top end and that can measured.
PCollen YT
Indeed, Fender has more twang.
the tone pot is not at max...
Also felt fender sounding more pleasant, more definition and punch.
damn huge improvement
sir i am compressor lover can u make a video with compressor before amp i am curious if the kinman pick ups still noiseless ? sorry bad english :D greetings from philippines
Thanks for making this! I like the Kinman better, they sound like a legit guitar hero would use. I much prefer character in the lower end to something with a lot of highs. I have one of these pus meant for the bridge but it was installed in the neck position of a Highway 1 I bought used. Looking for the best place to put it in my strats at the moment.
Nice playing. I can hear the difference and prefer the HN pickups.
Hi, did you keep stock 250k pots or did you switch to 500k? Which value is recomended ?
Hola buenísimo me encantó! Me están por llegar unos hot noiseles voy quitar los tex mex... ¿será que será una mejora notoria?
Compre unos hot noiseles usados corrobore son originales y hacen igual de ruidos que los demás, pero me podrían decir si puede ser problema del los micrófonos o han conectado mal algo?
The tone control was set differently between the two segments, also, it would have been good if you'd edited the video to A/B the pickup comparisons in real time, rather than at different ends of the video - just a thought! I preferred the Fender pickups BTW.
Is there a difference in noise level between the two? Really, really nice feel in your playing btw, quite original the way you do flourishes
Great video! Fender Hot Noiseless it is!!
Where can i buy these kinman pickups?
some great looking mojo on that strat. Did you do it yourself ? Nice demo also.
They come really-close (and sound fairly stratty) but it's still not a True Single Coil. There's something about the top end presence or air that's missing? I have the Lollar Blonde's and I am on cloud-9. Nice demo and presentation.
I think you could tell a little better about how each set was or was not performing if you would back off the reverb on the amp to 1 or 2 at most. Just my .02...
Also the Woodstocks are VERY sensitive to pickup height adjustments, massive changes can be had with literally half turns on the screws.
what a freaking player this guy is... holy crap...
In my opinion being a true Fender Strat lover, the hot noiseless pickups have the true Fender Strat sound! The Kinman sound dull and lifeless! I am planning to put these in my Strat. Thanks for confirming that I made a good choice!
Hi ComprehensiveGuitar1 If you like the hot noiseless pickups, great, but true Fender Sound, what's that? As in the original 1954 Strat, late 1950's Strat, 1963 Strat, 1970s (3 bolt neck era) Strat, or the ugh, 1980s Strat? Don Mare Lace Pickups (1987 to 1996)? These are all different. Different magnet material (and larger magnets on the earliest models), different winding underwinds/overwinds and eventually automatic machine winds. Between them, both Fender and Gibson spawned the boutique replacement pick-up winder industry when cost cutting by their Corporate accountants who rule the companies compounded over time brought both companies to a low point, and people started looking for vintage pups and parts. The options such as noiseless (the first generation were called toneless, what is it 4th generation now?), Vintage, Texas Hot, ect., by Fender is in response to this market which already supplied said. Ever check out Kinman's website? He offers for strat, noiseless and humless: (progresively louder
AVn-56 Vintage
AVn-62 Mk-I Vintage
AVn-62 Mk-III Vintage
AVn-59 Strong Vintage
SCn Strong Vintage
AVn-69 Strong Vintage
The Scoop Vintage
Impersonator 56 loud Vintage
Impersonator 54 very loud Vintage
Impersonator Fat (circa '59) very loud Vintage
He has other non-strat sounds (P-90) in single coils.
The AVn-69 Woodstocks sound so good, a few professional guitar players, jokingly tried to steal the guitar.
@J Wigh Overpriced is a matter of opinion. Of course if you are a "too poor to afford a pot to piss in" guitarist crying in his beer over price with buyer's regret, there's Guitar Fetish Pickups which you can buy a set for less than a single strat pick up from the any of the below "hand winders" (hand guided machine wound) or Kinman. Frankly the Duncan Designed Pups are better than GFS Guitar Pickups if you have to count pennies.
Ever see, hear of or bother to price check the following, Kleins, Dave Stephens aka Stephens Designs, Seymour Duncan Antiquity Strat pups Novak Pickups, Don Mare, Lindy Fralins, or Rio Grande Strat Pickups? (I have purchase from 1/2+ from the above and I would buy from them again or the other half without a moment's hesitation.)
These are all comparably the same price range as Kinman.
Expensive maybe the Jim Wagner Pickups Strat set which they discontinued. these took too much time to wind vs. Humbuckers which are their man business. The Strat set which was $500+ USD and he couldn't keep these in stock), have I heard these, and couldn't convince him to build one, missed a set on eBay which sold more than the MSRP. Anything that works for you and you like is a bargain, but if you hate the pickup, even the Alnico (wrong alnico by the way) pups from GFS at $21 each is expensive.
My guitar with the Kinman's have been lent out to friends who on the spot offered to buy the guitar-name the price (they beg, borrow, or steal the money), jokingly attempted to mock steal the guitar, or thanked me for the "the birthday present." I have Callaham bridge instead of Fender's dollar driven version that doesn't match the original which plays through vacuum tube amp I built (point to point wiring). However, I am more keyboardist.
The Kinmans went into a guitar that was going to be used in venues with Fluorescent lights with ballast transformers hum), bad wiring ground loops, etc., for a relative. Compared side by side to Fenders Noiseless ("Toneless") zero hum pickups, no contest.
Want to improve your Kinman's sound, buy a better tube amp (hand hired not the PCB crap from Fender) and replace the speaker(s) or buy better speakers. Sure Kinman lays it on with a trowel, I can name some other handwinders that do the same. It's called marketing, "Pixie Dust," "Voodoo", don't fall for, but get used to it.
And if you don't like the Kinman PUPS, by all means get rid of them and find something you do like or can live with.
That's a subjective choice, another individual won't like the pups you choose, because their brain's auditory processing is different from yours. In that context they may think your pups brand is a "BSing" charlatan, and that you have a tin ear. Also a subjective opinion. However just because you don't like Kinmans, doesn't mean everyone shares your "final opinion and judgement." People vote with their dollars, and Kinman has been in business for 17 plus years. Maybe because these "voters" don't agree with you. eBay isn't flooded with used Kinmans being dumped for another set because they "suck." Good luck in your tonal quest.
You made both sets sound amazing. I heard more balanced and warmth with the Kinman, fender cut quite well, though lacked a bit of warmth/mids. I preferred the Kinman as to bring up the presence would help with more cut if desired
I thought hot noiseless have creme covers ???
Check out zexcoil pickups if u get a chance I ended choosing those over the kinmans they sound great
hope you reply, how you liking these kinmans i want to get some also but i want the fat 50s
I love them. made some height adjustments and they are rockin' now.
that guitar is extremely pretty
Good choice with the Kinman. The Kinmans sound so much better.
Kinman all the way! I am having custom strat built and i might go with the Psychedelic Seymour Strat Pickups.
I'd take the Hot Noiseless over the Kinmans and pocket the change. Seriously, I don't know if you turned your amp settings differently but to me the Fender pickups sounded better.
Yes it was differently....cause i have the woodstocks and the blues set from kinman just like the hot noiseless(had)....and i can tell you the spankiness,strattiness and clarity of these pickups is something else.The thing with those though is that they are VERY height sensitive...half a turn on the screw makes a big difference so you ll have to spend sometime adjusting them to find the sweet spot..after that its bliss....i have put them in squiers actual strats or my handmade strats...they sound excellent each time.If i wanted something more economic..i would go with dimarzio areas and then hot noiseless....in that order.
HN sounded best in middle position. Overall, I think I would go Kinman, but both are great.
Both are great gear. With an overdrive it will be another interesting comparison.
By the way, what song and band starts playing at 2:42 ? Loved it, but couldn't find the lyrics on Google.
Well I prefer the firsts pickups..I think are Fender Hot noiseless
Fender Hot Noiseless sound much better in this video, they have the sparkle and snap character of the stratocaster. The Kinman sound muffled and compressed, liveless in comparison. The volume on Kinman is lower also, so you should have adjusted the volume to be the same between both so it's a fair comparison.
Inherently the problem with boutique pickups is you dont get to test them out with your own gear and they are generally 150% the price of the set of Fenders they are emulating. For that reason alone you will never see a set of Bardens, Kinmans, Allens or Fralins in any of my guitars. Especially when there are other boutique outfits that keep the costs down. Having played in a band with a dude who was using Kinmans I can say I much prefer my Bill Lawrence pickups. Not only do they sound better, they have a greater dynamic range and cost half what any of the newer boutique guys are charging. Not too mention Bill Lawrence basically invented all the newer styles of pickups.
The woodstock pickup in the neck position just don't work (neither does the fender noiseless). The sound is kind of half way to a humbucker; nothing like the glassy clean tones of a normal single coil pickup...
exact same settings on the guitar and amp, same pickup adjustments, and same things played for one set and the the other set one after another on the video (patch it together) is the only way to hear the real differences. It's 2 sets of pickups and they are different.... not 'better or worse'.... that is a mistake.
I thought you pulled a pretty good sound from the fender pickups, but the Kinman are richer. More complex and dynamic, they also change the way you play, it’s as though you don’t feel the need to work as hard.
kinman Woodstocks are the greatest noiseless strat pups I've ever used.
Are you John Mayer ?
Kinman's are King! Chris makes the best sounding pickups IMO. His noiseless P90-Buckers for PRS, Gibson, etc. style guitars are killer and the P90 traditional sized pickups Nasty 90 & Nasty 90 Heavy are to die for if you are a fan of the P90 vibe but without that obnoxious 60 cycle hum that gave the Seth Lover P90 design a bad reputation. Remember, all of Kinman's pickups are noiseless but retain and even add to the tone characteristics of the original designs. If you are serious about your tone you simply must give Kinman pickups a spin,... you won'y be disappointed.
Watch out! These magnets can pull your brains out of your nose! They are so strong! Take care!
sorry to say, but I like the Fender hot noiseless better as well. They have the Fender charachter but adding a mid-punch that may suit perfect for blues, rock and even harder styles. Of course, for light music the Kinmanns may fit better as they sound more bell-like, but I am more on the other side...
what I thought also
Depends on what is the "Fender character". If you think it is SRV tone, than ok. Kinmans are much more close to Hendrix tone which is "Fender character" to many. For me, "Fender character" is Gilmour tone, which is something entirely else...
top pickups
i'd like hot noiseless fender more. my opinion of course
Its fun to experiment but after listening to this , I'd put the Fenders back in and be happy .
The Lonely Rocker can't decide. Because it's very subjective.
You have to do soldering?
yeah its electrical, you have to solder them in.
I know. I was just being a knucklehead. :^)
Unless you buy the K9 (there are others) harness as well, then there is no soldering.
I really recommend the harness - it's changed the way I play.
I like the Hot Noiseless better.
Couldn't make a decision tbh.. 😁
Fender pickups definitely clearer, sharper, more lively. Kinmans sound dull. Just my ears though. I's stick with the Fenders over the kinmans.
i like the fender noiseless better. OMZ
the original pups has more bite, I like 'em better
Not enuff reverb for my taste
I like Fender. More natural, less fat.
This comparison is not correct without the hot noisless pickups being heard.
Dude, you should turn OFF the reverb ......let the folks listen to the difference, I noticed your tone control in a diff position also?........you are a good player, looks like you enjoy your playing......try this though...Use a thin pick........watch the difference......it sounds more smoother not so much chicken cluck when you pick strings.......most players use a pick that is too hard.....and complain the guitar sounds too bright........try it and see, the sound difference is amazing.....with a thinner pick, and easy to play......Let me know what you think?...the Kinman pick ups sound ok..but......A set of Dimarzio area pick ups sound the best in a strat if you want that old blues sound.....example Dimarzio area 58 in the neck,,,,,area 61 in the middle,, and area 67 in the bridge........change pots to 500k, and use a russian oil+ paper capacitor(.022mf) on tone pot....or 2 capacitors (one on each tone pot)if you change the wiring so the bottom tone controls the bridge..........it all adds up to one heck of a sounding strat.........cheers from Sydney Australia....BTW I play a Les Paul with Vintage Bill Lawrence pick ups(twin blade humbuckers)...it amazes every one the sound it plays....also have a telecaster.......plus others..............look at Bill Lawrence pick ups, they are the ants pants......great TONE....noiseless...and cheaper than upmarket named brands...............I have tried the following in all guitars..Dimarzio, single and humbuckers....Seymour Duncan.....single and humbuckers, EMG both active and passive.......but these Bill Lawrence pups are just great for playing satisfaction and tone and volume....They are also louder than any other ones ....as in full volume test, but they are so mild and sweet on clean..........been playing for 50 years here.......I modify, tune adjust,hotrod guitars for a hobby.........ok once again ,thnx for the demo....and great picking.......try a thin pick .......cheers
The fender pickups made it harder to play because they pulled your strings down, eh?
Buddy.... Snake. Oil.
Keaton Kipker ; OK - what he is trying to explain is almost impossible to explain! But it is definitely real.
I just put Kinmans on my Strat and it is something immediately noticeable but obviously it’s not the strings being pulled down by the magnets. But the guitar feels quite different and ‘easier’ to play.
My guess is the Kinmans have a less dynamic output level, ie; the fender pups give a sharper transient edge to each note - and you can hear that in the demo - the Kinmans sound smoother.
So it’s much like when you play through a compressor - the dynamics are smoothed out and that makes your playing sound more consistent.
The other thing I noticed is a significant improvement in sustain which could be the weaker magnets or again it could be the output dynamics of the Kinmans.
WillsEasyGuitar pretty much demolishes the "string pull" theory. He may have shut down his channel due to trolling idiots...
Mike Austin go raise a pickup up really close to the strings, you’ll definetely hear what it does to it. I did it by accident way before I ever heard of ‘string pull’
@@jubjub905 Of course, it changes the tone, but that has nothing to do with "string pull." It's a question of physics. You need a *much* stronger magnet - hundreds of times stronger - to actually pull the strings down.
Mike Austin I never said anything about tone.
Fender wins
The Fenders sounded better
Pretty sure the fenders sound better to you because they were louder. At unity the sound difference is negligible
plink plink .....
Reveeeeeeeeeerb
Its seems the latest generations of guitars players want to step on the feet of the bass player.
Nope sticking with the fender pick ups
If Fender amps are so good why does everyone put a mic up to the front of them
kinman is dead....
Nice. great pick ups