I Put Custom Shop Pickups In My Mexican Strat (AND OH MY!)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.ค. 2023
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The moment I allowed myself to just enjoy whatever guitar I'm playing and stop worrying about the brand, the country of origin, etc, was when I truly started to pay attention to my playing. That change of focus has allowed me to improve and have way more fun playing guitar.
very good point dude
I grew up playing an heirloom vintage tele, recently bought a squier contemporary strat while the tele is being passed around through family members. and just recently after I finally feel like i'm improving and learning and having fun, not worrying about what people think of my guitar has been great!!
I left a comment and didn't name you specifically but agreed with you as a "Previous comment ". Hahah 😊. Spot on.
The only caveat is that I personally can still tell when I’m holding a guitar that isn’t good in quality. A quality instrument is a good time, and if I feel the instrument and it feels cheap, it takes away from the experience.
As a drummer, I've seen way to many guitar players pickup and play guitars and talk about how great the guitar plays, put it back because they don't think it's a cool guitar, and then talk about how they should have bought that guitar for years after. Making cool music is what makes the guitar cool, not the other way around!
2:51 My man probably failed 99.9% of high school chemistry too cuz he thought it was biology 😂😁
exactly hahaha
Dude, there is just something so chill about the way you do videos. Keep it coming!
I concur.
Yeah he comes across super relatable.
i keep saying i need another guitar but really i need another amp
Actually, you need another cab or speaker
Both could be true
You should just get another guitar just in case!😂😂😂
Nah just 5 more pedals
Just become a trust fund baby in another life bro than you can have anything you want.
I love my Mexican strat. My dad got it for me when I was 12 (now 31), and he tried every strat in the store, including some American ones and settled on that one. It’s honestly a very good guitar. Now that I’m older, I’ve wanted a new strat but couldn’t sell it, (sentimental value), and can’t bring myself to buy another strat when there are other guitars out there I want that I don’t already have- so I hot rodded it. Bone nut, lollar 64 pickups, American jack, amazing locking tuners, kept my saddles, but new bridge. Sounds and plays amazing
Yes but did the sound of the guitar dramatically change after the pickup swap. Is spending 200 to 300 bucks really worth it? Just wondering?
@carlosalves4444 It's worth it ONLY IF you HATE the current tone but love everything else about the instrument. If that is the case, then it's 1000000000% worth it.
A problem with Mexican Strats is quality control. Your Dad by comparing each Strat in the store found the pick of the litter.
@@carlosalves4444 I would say that even though I really liked the sound of my MIM pickups, its more so because I was SO used to them. they were stratty. but higher output than what I would ideally like. I got the lollar 64 in neck and middle and the special S in the bridge and I really like those a lot more. It was worth it for me, and also saved me from spending 1500-2000 on a new strat haha. Locking tuners was the biggest upgrade imo though. saves so much time. CHeck out the Irish Tour Bare Knuckle pickups too. but cant go wrong with Lollars
@@DovidM very true / heard some quality control issues on the new AVii guitars. which is a shame, because those are all 2k plus. Really was eyeing the jazzmaster or the thinline tele
It sounded warmer in the midrange with the newer pickups and the clarity was better. Upgrading the quality of pots also helps as well
I went through this journey long ago. To the point where I have built my own guitars, amps and wound my own pickups and still do. I love watching your journey. You are so positive and new to everything. It reminds me to stay curious and open most of all excited. Which can remain hard after 30 years of playing. So thank for your videos. I really appreciate you.
It's great to have a friend like Shawn. My local shop tried to charge me $200 for a pickup swap once... I think the new pickups sound better, especially the clean tones!
You should learn to do it yourself. It is super easy and important if you mod gear a lot.
Love your videos krenar!
@@francescozottola5496 thanks buddy! 🙌🏼
Yes, that’s the word I was looking for, “clean”. At first I thought it was a sharper sound, but clean is more accurate. I know next to nothing about the technical side of music. Thanks for helping me refine my vocabulary.
Full time guitar tech/manager/teacher at a very successful mom and pop music store here.
In a medium size city in the plains states, we charge $80/hour which means if you bring me a strat and I have to change all three pickups and see it up with new strings, I’ll charge you about $120 out the door for strings, labor, and tax if you bring me the pickups.
Now if it’s a semi hollow guitar, I’ll roll my eyes, talk behind your back, and charge you $240.
😂
The Cunife sound like they have some more output. Definitely more articulate than the stock pickups. Great video as always!
Because they do have more output. Humbucker-level output.
@@maraviyoso8473 Humbucker - level output from a single coil? MMMMmmmmm I don't think so. I have those pickups. There is no way they have that kind of out put. Now my G&L Telecaster ASAT does. But still not as much as my Seymour Duncan George Lynch Screemin Demon pickup does.
My number one guitar is my first squier strat I’ve done a tone of fret work to it and it’s just as smooth as my prs, I added locking tuners, a real fender bridge, and lastly a completely new pick guard with all new electrical parts and custom shop Texas special pickup. I have to say there is something special about putting hours into making a guitar exactly what you want and the tone 🤤
I got a 1997 squire affinity strat back in the day as a gift from my father. The electronics finally conked out recently and i decided to put in a pre-wired fender noiseless guard. Definitely an improvement. Major difference in sound mainly do to the noiseless pickups being humbuckers and not actual single coils. Two stacked coils around single pole pieces.
For a subtle (or drastic) difference you can use an EQ pedal and get more different tones you could ever imagine with just one guitar.
EQ pedal made my amp come to life…. Can’t play without it anymore!! So true!!!
Every guitar i have and have had I changed the pickups. Always a fun experiment, not always huge changes. Easy to put older pickups back in if they aren’t an improvement. Great channel.
I love the clean sound with stock pick-ups, and the distortion, the highs with new pick-ups were cool but then burned out on me with lows. I think the dude did superb work and he sounded really good playing, I hate to say, I still like the stock, for now. Wow, your channel really grew, I'm proud of you, my friend!
Agree… stock pups sounded warmer better overall
7:59 Well said! I agree completely with this! I recently replaced the Tex-Mex pickups in my MIM Fender Strat with Fat 50’s and IMMEDIATELY said to myself, “this is the Strat sound I’ve been chasing for years.” 100% satisfied with that pickup swap, more so than others.
Made a T-style guitar kit a few years ago, and it was truly a rewarding experience- picking out all the parts, having no idea what I was doing, learning how it all goes together, setting it up, and then playing it for the first time...and it worked? Priceless. It is my favorite guitar, and I will never part with it.
I built my first strat (played dozens of real ones over 25 years) last summer and I went with Lollar Sixty Four pickups and they're incredible. I also swapped out my stock american standard tele guts and put all lollar in there too. I love every lollar pickup I've heard. Highly recommend.
I just got a pair of the Lollar Vintage Telecaster pickups and put them in yesterday, the difference was absolutely astounding at the first chord!
They’re the only pair of Lollar pickups Ive played, and Ive only had them for a day, but I am definitely loving it so far!
Lollar and novak are my go to pick up guys
They both sounded good, couldn’t really tell them apart.
Me neither
In person hearing does not come close to TH-cam sound reproduction. Yea I didn’t hear difference too 😅
I couldn’t tell the difference either listening on my iPad, if I were there, probably. I did a swap on my first guitar because I had no idea what the stock pickups were, so I put Dimarzio PAFs in it. Sounded great, but it was also a mental thing because I read that those were good. Soldering skills are a great thing to have. It’s not hard and comes in very handy, and you never forget how to do it once you learn what to do properly.
The replacement pick ups sound more articulate to me crisper when clean
that's kinda the point no? pickups make almost no difference, unless you go from single coils to humbuckers for example. but between sc to sc or humbucker to humbucker there's almost no difference
Changing your pickups to some of your own preference is like putting aftermarket wheels on your car. It becomes “yours” and personalized. I love your new pickups, but most importantly is that you do. Love your humble approach to your great vids, sir!
The best pickup change I've made is taking the humbuckers in my 2016 PRS S2, and putting in Seymour Duncan P-Rails. I love these pups! Much more character, and being able to have HB, P90, and single coil sounds in one guitar is great!
Just did this with my PRS …. Best decision I made
I think I started with pickup swaps. Now I have a whole workshop and probably 20 guitars. Watch that slippery slope!
I had been putting my guitar into the shop to get pickups changed. I recently got EMG DG20 actives, but I'm not keen on them, and am going to buy a soldering iron tomorrow and put my old ones back in (the EMGs were a solderless installation). Any advice for someone who's never soldered before, and is going to have to learn as they go along?
@@raoulduke344 1) get a decent iron, because cheap ones make it harder. Hakko FX888D is decent. 2) Practice on something other than your new pickups :)
I'd add to do so in a well ventilated area, maybe with a small fan blowing on a low setting to get the fumes away from your face because it'll make you light-headed and your eyes will water. It's really not a difficult as you might imagine, but I agree: practice trying to get a clean connection, then practice trying to clean one up in case you mess up.
The way I see it, modding and partscasters are about two things: 1) learning and 2) fun. It seems like both happened here. It may or may not be the best way to get a great instrument (in my experience it's hit or miss), but it's a joy to play an instrument that's uniquely yours.
I just finished building my partcaster tele ... I used a maple fender neck and went with pearly gates single size humbucker in the bridge. It's all black hardware with a metal black pickguard. I absolutely love it! I design and build custom guitar pedals and have an EE degree, so soldering is definitely a skill I already have. Your friends answer about taking a long time to learn to solder well was spot on lol 😆
I really enjoyed your video, well done! I noticed a small difference as well, but what I got out of the video more than anything was how good the Mexican strat pickups can sound 👍
Great video Mike! To my ears the pickups sounded better clean, but almost identical with drive on. The other thing which is often overlooked, but wasn’t mentioned in the video was if you put a new set of strings on. Being a player that changes them every three months or before a gig, that for me always delights in the improvement of tone and sound!
My thoughts exactly, difference sounded just like the new string effect! Hard to tell on TH-cam
Its weird the things people hear. The new pickups definitely sounded louder and brighter clean (most common effect of pup upgrades). They sounded dramatically clearer and better distorted as well.
I love partscasters. I've modded guitars for years. When it comes to pickups, the only times I've really noticed a significant difference is when I replaced the stock humbuckers in my Epiphone LP Special with a pair of P90 type humbucker drop ins. I replaced the stock ceramic single coils in my Donner Tele style with a pair of Alnico V generic PUs off Amazon. It's subtle but I do like the difference.
Great video. I have changed pickups in my Ibanez. I put a Jackson humbucker in the neck, a stacked Dimarzio in the middle and a Seymour Dunken hot rails in the bridge. That makes all of the pickups hum canceling. The guitar sounds amazing. I bought the guitar back in 1984 and changed everything over the years. Even the neck, which was switched with another Ibanez neck because I wanted a maple one and I had a rosewood. I would never change anything now it’s one of the best guitars I’ve ever played.
Pickup height makes a big difference. It's hard to compare without also doing that adjustment on both pickups. That said I'm sure there are some differences between the pickups but it's subtle and a matter of personal preference.
Also you have to add in the electronic difference. What is the resistance? And subtract from the new shiny feeling.
even when adding copper shield, though takes away some noise on a single coil, but also takes away some of the tone's grit.
I have an Epiphone Standard Les Paul (2014 model) that always had great feeling, but the sound just wasn't were I wanted it. For me, the stock pickups didn't have the clarity I wanted. So, I re-gutted the guitar with new wiring/pots and swapped the stock pickups with a set of $100 Gatekeeper pickups from Porter. If people don't see the headstock, they think I'm playing a Gibson due to the tone. The guitar is so much clearer and feels more responsive as well. Most of my guitars have some form of pickup change that got me the desired x (LP/Strat/Tele/etc.) sound and firm believe of the changes.
The second video I’ve watched of yours. I hit that subscribe button 😅 keep ‘em coming! Thanks for the great content!😊
I've been playing guitar for 30 years, well not everyday for that long, but a guitar has been in my life for that long and I found that a sound can be created, and the feel is between you and the guitar, but when you get that harmony of the perfect feedback between the strings, the notes, the sound and the response from the amp, it brings out the best in you, BUT only when you're up for it. I've had days where I could chuck it in the bin, and others where I've played out my skin for no reason.
It's NOT just different EQ tones on getting new pickups for yourself - they can also change the tightness/looseness of the "feel".
"Tight" feel is really good for 'chugging' sounds. "Loose" (or 'airy') feels real smooth and jazzy/bluesy (flutey).
The point is, you can get pickups that FEEL different as well as SOUND different.
Amen. We play with more than our ears.
I took at peek at a few comments before hearing the pickup comparison, and I saw people saying the CuNiFe pickups sounded fuller and got rid of some of the treble. My first though was "they must be louder". When listening, there was a noticeable jump in volume. So I hit record in Audacity and recorded the audio feed from your video. If you lower the level by 3-4 decibels, they sound pretty much the same. Louder pickups will hit the preamp harder and we generally like that. Driving the amp harder will start to roll off some of the top end and make the guitar sound thicker. The pickups were indistinguishable in the distorted comparison. CuNiFe pickups sound like pickups to me, just another product to sell. 🤷
So basically, you could achieve a very similar result with a booster pedal? Sounds about right :)
Mike, thank you for making content that I can relate to. You're awesome! Subscribed.
also the feel of the response of the guitar's sound is a thing that listeners can't relate to, which you kind of mentioned real quick. cool vid man
While most pickups will have slight sonic differences, I think the bigger differences are in the feel of the guitar after a pickup swap. Some pickups can make the guitar feel more immediate because of tighter low end, some can make them feel more spanky, because of changes to the top end. Differences in tone are usually pretty subtle. But those new pickups definitely sounded more detailed.
I did not hear a difference at all in the pickups, maybe a tiny boost in volume, but that's it
One of the challenges with pickup swap videos is folks usually put new strings on after which arguably has a bigger impact on any perceived differences through a recording
@@stug5041 Yes, there is that as well. If there is any difference in tone, it is always the new strings.
Made a partscaster tele. It’s ~60% Fender parts.
It’s got Fender vintage noiseless pickups(500K EVH Pots and I think .022uF cap), a freeway 6 position switch, Gotoh Bridge, Fender Locking Tuners, Fender Nut, Allparts Fender Licensed 7.25” Nitro neck, some random yellow Alder body from Stratosphereparts, a neck shin (Important), and a Fender black American Tele Pickguard.
That thing sings. I bought the parts over an 8 month (or so) period, ended costing around $800 and a lot of work. I figured custom shop would be around $3k and I got good enough quality from the build I’m fine with the defects I know it has. Had a buddy do the soldering, my Dad and I did all the drilling ourselves. A drill press was required to widen the holes for the tuners in the neck. Everything else was hand drilled. The connecting hole from bridge to neck pickup hole was by far the worst part.
If you have no experience with a drill I would say it’s an extremely difficult task, but if you’re marginally capable and use center punches it isn’t too bad (patience is key). Get a pre-drilled body if possible 😂
Awesome vid and congrats on the new set. They make a HUGE difference in your tone. I personally rock a set of Lambertone Blondies in my tele and absolutely love em. :)
Great video, as always! I put a dimebucker bridge pick up in my Kramer pacer. Much more clarity and now that guitar rocks!⭐️
I got an older MIM strat, that I put Texas Special pickups in the neck and middle and a dimarzio single coil size humbucker in the bridge that has its own off/on mini toggle switch so all three pickups could be on or the just the neck and bridge pickups could be on without the middle pu. Sounds amazing a lot of tonal variations to be had with it.
sorry i commented before watching the end. i had 9 custom built guitars /vintage Gibsons. when i retired i had to pick one to keep. i kept the least expensive one to last me the rest of my playing life. it's a shell pink 1960 Telecaster clone with 50's apointments with very early Lindy Fralin pickups (unmarked) a Warmoth compound 10-16 in rosewood board neck and early 60's pots and wiring. also some cheap Gotoh tuners and it works wonderfully!
Yes. New pickups sound “cleaner” or “less muffled.” That’s the best I got. Great video, as always.
I have an old Vantage T style. I bought an American Fender single coil to replace the bridge pickup. I removed the neck pickup and selector switch to make it like an Esquire. I broke the neutral connection installing it, so there was a terrible buzz. Eventually I figured it all out. I’m very happy with the new pick up. A luthier adjusted the neck, intonation, and the frets. It’s a different instrument now which has renewed my interest in it. I’m glad I did I did it.
Your Strat sounds more present with the upgraded pick ups. Good choice Mike.
The new pickups are brighter and much more clear and chimey. Worth every penny.
Yep, have switched out pickups and only once have I really noticed a significant difference! I switched out the pickups in my Squier Tele for some custom hand wound pickups, I thought, primarily for the look as the neck pickup is open. They are hotter pickups than stock but, what really blew me away was the tone was so "vintage" Tele with a mix of "vintage" Les Paul! I fitted a 4 way switch for that out of phase tone, TUSQ nut and my goodness! My $100 2nd hand Squier Tele is now my go to, almost, guitar. It has put my MIM Strat into storage and, mostly, my Les Paul is tucked away in the corner of the room. Sure, my $100 Squier Tele has now $400 +/- of my hard earned cash invested in it but I absolutely love it!
Oh young grasshopper. You are a work in progress. Enjoy the ride and share the experiences!. Some will be good some may be bad. But it’s all part of growing as a musician. And you will learn! Enjoy
I would like to tell you I have been playing off and on since 1973. Your self assessment of your skills is refreshing. There are things I am good at, but many more that I am not. God loves honesty and never do anything to change God's opinion of you. Keep on path, your doing very well .
Great video and the humility is greatly appreciated. I do think the Cunife's sound fuller, but surprisingly not that much better. But you did it and you learned something. For some people its about the tinkering and enjoying the ride because they're tinkerers. Others just like to make the best of what they got. In both cases its just people enjoying the hobby in the way that is most fun for them. I hope you had fun. I had fun watching. Cheers!
I put it all side by side in Audacity and adjusted levels to make them equal.
The clean recording has lower level with the stock pick-ups but more clarity. The CuNiFe pick-ups have a coloured sound, which I expect vintage fans to prefer for the sake of being vintage and expensive.
The distorted sound is softened by the CuNiFe pick-ups, maybe because the amp is driven more but probably simply because the pick-ups are duller.
The stock pick-ups are objectively broader in frequency spectrum. People who like the nostalgic feeling of old sounding things will prefer the expensive, duller ones.
NOTE: whenever people talk about a "full" sound, they actually mean a truncated one with less high frequencies.
NOTE 2: to most people, louder is better.
Yes! I do this with squire guitars so the difference is more noticeable. I’m a firm believer that a classic vibe with good pickups punches well above its weight.
yep, not only did I swap out the pickups, I routed the back of the guitar and put copper pipes into the body (to change the resonance) and sealed it back with wood filler and and repainted it. It is a total parts caster. The body came from the UK, the neck came from America and I ordered the pickups and tuners from Denmark (I live in Ireland). I had no idea what I was doing, the intonation, and alignment are probably off, but it is a project that I want to understand and learn more about. I think it is good just to dive in, learn by doing, rather than just learning the theory.
I put 57/62 Fender pickups in my MIM Strat. It’s the best sounding and playing Fender I have. Tone difference was massive as it had hot noiseless pickups. They sounded great in a different way. They’re going in a new MIM with a custom neck. Can’t wait. Really like your channel.
Fuller and sharper clarity. I thought. Like you videos ! Good job!
Yes, similar experience; I swapped the Wilkinsons in my Vintage V6s for custom wounds, a vintage voiced and a JM scooped set. Oh boy, the difference is putting a smile on my face every time I grab them.
Definitely a tone difference, with an increased mid and bottom end creating a smooth fuller sound. Good pickup choice! I’m working on a parts T Style myself.
I like the way the new pickups sound versus stock. Cheers!
I got a Squier Affinity Strat and swapped in some DiMarzio pickups (Chopper in n + m, Super Distortion in b), and the difference was like night and day. I also put in a coil split and a neck on function in the guitar, so that's a neat feature too.
I put together main stage Strat from a 60s style Mexican Fender body and neck. I have vintage style 60s pickups (low output). The biggest upgrade was Callaham parts on the bridge, that really improves the acoustic sound.
These are all things I have done in the past but I learnt how to roll fretboard edges too. I have several nitro finished guitars and several polyester and the difference is minimal. If you put the work it you can get your perfect guitar at a lower price.
Changing out pickups on a Strat is super easy, and in my experience makes a HUGE difference to the sound. I've put Kinman pups in the last couple of Strats I've had. GREAT sound!
The big grin at the end of the distorted part of the demo said it all. BTW - like your voice and speaking style.
I’ve gone through tons of strat pickups over the past 30 years.
My top 3 are
Lace golds (not hot golds)
Bare knuckle Irish tours
And 60’s vintera set which were cheap and surprisingly good.
I currently have the lace golds which are quiet and take gain really well but because they are true single coils still they don’t sound like other stacked types.
But it’s all down to choice and there’s so many pickup sets out there it’s a buyers market.
My guitar is a 1987 USA std I purchased in 1987 when I was 17 it’s still my number 1.
Thanks for the videos 🎸
New sub here :) My first Jackson was pretty low end, about 600 bucks back in the day, I had my local shop switch out the stocks for EMG 81's ("Needed" what the likes of Slayer and Metallica used) and I was blown away...from then on, I have done this many, many times (I own 24 guitars now) and many have non stock pickups. That said, I will say the difference in pickup sound (for me) can largely be made up for with your amp, kind of makes me regret the thousands of dollars I have spent chasing "that" sound and all the while a really good amp was the answer...had I only known that when I was younger... Anyway, thank you for the great vid, looking forward to exploring more of your content!
I put Von Scow velvet telecaster pickups in a 72 baha custom shop Tele reissue and every time I plug it in I am sooo happy! Country of origin has nothing to do with it. I have had waaaay more expensive guitars that did not even begin to come close to this thing. It almost plays itself. Love it.
I went through a serious guitar modding phase a couple decades ago. Built a SSS hard tail Strat with a Deluxe neck, noiseless pups, coil taps using all new Fender components. Did another HSS hardtail (was really into hardtails for a bit). Bottom line, both guitars are awesome and will be with me forever, but at the end of the day, I still sound like me. These days, I mostly just kinda collect cool guitars. The odd thing is, in bands I"m mostly a bass player, but only have a couple of those. In the last year or so, starting to take guitar more seriously and learning to actually play the darn things better. Great channel Mike, I appreciate you!
I'm a bass player who switched to guitar (USA strat 1992, brand new never used, $400 gift for spouse that was never used). I did a lot of mods to my jazz bass and it did improve the tone, and by that I mean it was "warmer" and slightly louder with boosted mids. It wasn't glaringly obvious. The loudness could simply have been due to a higher pickup position. So I think I hear the same thing with your PU mod. To me it does sound warmer and perhaps its the mids and some roll off of the highs that you can hear in the original PUs. Anyhoo, great channel and thanks.
I have a 2008 American Deluxe V Neck strat that had stock SCN noiseless pickups and an S1 switch. I was never really happy with the tone, because those pickups lack the strat sound. But they are completely hum free.
So I went with Fat 50s pickups. Took the S1 completely out and replaced with 500 k volume and master tone. The second tone knob I replaced with a KingTone switch.
Very happy. The Kingtone switch really gives your strat a lot of different tones. The 500k volume and tone give you a very broad range as well. I’m pretty happy. I would recommend a Kingtone switch for anyone who likes a little tonal variety with their strat.
I'm buidling a partscaster and now I kinda want these pickups. I loved that overdrive sound.
My favorite replacement single coil pickups are Lace Holy Grails. They are nearly noiseless, and sound amazing. Nice job with your MIM.
There is some subtle change, like the new ones are more lower midrangy in a pleasant way with slightly less crunchy in the top
end to my ear, that makes it sound more warm. I got my squire cv 50 pbas and I’ve changed pick-up and tone pots, and I totally agree that it chenges the feel a lot. Like I’ve invested some time in research and did some work with this particular instrument and now it means much more to me. I know there are great basses out there, but this one is unique, this one is mine.
Mike, your smile after the cunife solo said it all .... thanks for the vid!
I changed the pickups in my 2002 20th Anniversary Squier HSS Strat to Seymour Duncan Blues pickups and boy did it improve the sound and feel. I also added locking tuners a new graphite nut and a new 2 point bridge. I love this guitar. I play it more than my 2007 Fender American Deluxe with standard noiseless pickups.
Hit the nail on the head. I usually end up putting new pickups in every guitar I buy eventually, just to hone it a little closer to perfect. Maximum feels!
Like the cunife clean sound better, overdriven I couldnt pick one from another. My return to playing, bass, after about 25 or so years away, was a Squire classic vibe Jazz. After about a year I upgraded to Fender Custom 60s pickups and Emerson pots. The tech who did the swap was much impressed with the new versus old and so was/am I. Love the fact we can take these beautiful works of art and customize the hell out of them pretty much however we want to suit our taste or whim. Keep up the solid work friend, you are getting good info out to the masses.
It's cool that you got a working set. I've had 2 sets come into the shop I work at and both were dead on arrival and had to be sent back to Fender, and I know other techs at other shops have had similar issues.
I hear a subtle difference. Like you said, the better pick ups sound a bit more full. I replaced the stock pick ups in my Mexican Strat with vintage Stratocaster pick ups, and there was a huge difference.
The thing about the Player Strat pickups is that they are already the Alnico V pickups. Possibly the best single coil pickups for a strat-y sound. They're not as loud as some other pickups; they are not noiseless; but they are just the best Strat pickups of all time, and they haven't improved on them. If you're not getting the Strat sound you want from these pickups, it's not the guitar, it's the pedals and the amp. These CUNIFE pickups sound good, but you don't need them if you have a Player Strat.
I have a Mexican HSS strat. I put a semor Duncan little 59 hybrid humbucker in the bridge with a coil split in the tone knob. Sounds great. Always fun to modify your guitar. 🎸🎼🔊
This is basically what I do. Some old guy sent me a box of parts once. I've been messing with that Boxford Boxford bit now. Some of my most unique and cool sounds came and went with that box of old stuff. My favorite Seton staggered single coils is now in my favorite junk SE Squier stratocaster which is a fender in hiding.
Dude!!! Who needs a guitar with this beautifull voice?
The Cunife pickups ae much brighter and really sound great. I always change pickups among other parts on all my guitars. Good job 👍
Hey Mike the new pickups definitely had a thicker fuller sound, great video dude.
Biggest pickup swap change I’ve had was going from 2-conductor wire humbuckers to 4-conductor wire, and adding the jimmy page mod to my Les Paul partscaster. The versatility of coil splitting, series/parallel, and in/out of phase options opened up a wealth of options.
I’m my Strat, I went from stock Mexican pickups to Custom Shop ‘69 (too low output for what I play), and then to Texas Specials, which are perfect for me. That said, the stock Mexican pickups were still pretty amazing in retrospect.
I’ve always found that you can notice subtle differences in clean tones, but once you kick in the distortion most pickups of the same type have little discernable difference.
True. Also, effects pedals and amps can mask some of the limitations of a stock pickup.
I'm a middle-aged guy that has been playing for decades. My opinion has changed over the years. The old adage, if you gave EVH a junk guitar, it would sound great and like EVH's tone. That is somewhat true. Pedals, strings, and amps are all pieces that help the tone. However, some cheap pickups sound dull. Most people change out the cheap pickups immediately (I did). I bought a Squier 70's Vintage Modified Strat a few years ago. The pickups are Duncan-Designed with ceramic magnets. Back in the day, that pickup was soon to become a refrigerator magnet. This Indonesian-built guitar sounds great (or I bought a lucky one) and is one that I don't want to change. The wisdom is to play the guitar that "speaks" to your tone. Some players love the Mexi pickups more than the American Standard pickups. Trust your soul and practice more.
Just found your Channel and it's great content, new sub and thanks for the great video.
I’ve swapped pickups numerous times over the last 35 years. Yes… I’ve built parts-caster guitars. A couple Super-Strats in the 80’s. The new pickup’s that you just put in have a stronger mid-range response. The stock pickups are a little more scooped. Keep doing your thing Mike. 👍
PU upgrades can be of great value. My experience is that it is more a feeling thing, more dynamic response or that you can hear each note better when you play more complex voicings. Play "I Can See For Miles" by The Who and you'll hear that. And I noticed the improvements not at once but more over time. E.g. I replaced the Epiphone Probuckers in my Les Paul Standard with Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers. It's amazing! My old MIM Fender Classic Player 50s Strat has now Fender Fat 50s PUs in it (You can buy a complete loaded pickuard) and I like it even more now than I used to anyway. Thanks for sharing your experience!
You can also adjust your pickup height. Don't be afraid to adjust your amp to dial up the tone you want, either. Also, use the tone knobs and pickup selector switch. Strats are very versatile.
Cool video Mike! You could probably say I have a Partscaster :) I have a Player Series Srat like you. But over time I had my guitar service guy: Put in Yosemite USA pickups (same pickups that come stock on American Performer Strat); install treble-bleed circuit; install Fender locking tuners; smoothen out the fret edges; replace white pickguard with mint green pickguard; and install bone nut. It's basically the same specs as an American Strat now. Ha.
I had a recent adventure learning about changing and adjusting pickups. I have a homebuilt strat, body from one place, neck from another, etc.. Got it used cause it plays great, and I used it to practice guitar maintenance. But, I didn't like the bridge pickup. I pretty much never used it. I figured I could add metal to the guitar's range, so I got a hot rails because Iron Maiden. Once that was in, I realized it had way hotter output than the remaining original pickups. So I had to replace them with higher output singles, of course. It's even better now, and I learned a lot about guitar circuits, pickups, pickup height, metering plugins, and my tonal preferences along the way.
It me.
You've totally dialed in my thinking on bass building (I'm a bassist, not a guitarist).
For me, the best bang for buck in Fender basses would be a Mexican Standard Jazz body & maple-fingerboard neck.
Fender hi-mass bridge if you can't afford a Badass
Gotoh or Schaller tuners
Pickups are highly subjective but you're absolutely right that high-end "pro" pickups are the easiest way to improve the tone of a modest instrument. It's worth trying out a few different ones if you have a good shop that will let you try out or return them (you don't need to solder them in for testing, just wire them up with wire nuts).
Purists may dish on me but I really like the P(neck)/J(bridge) setup, it's super versatile & provides for a lot of tone combinations, especially if you have a humbucker or split-coil bridge J pickup so you have 4 coils to play with.
You can also change the value of the capacitor in the tone knob to dial in how "dark" you want it to sound.
One thing I like doing in passive instruments that drives players nuts is adding a tiny impedance transformer (i.e. microphone parts) & giving the bass a balanced 1/4" jack (or even XLR :)
The balanced low-impedance signal loses far less high frequency tone in the cable, especially long cables e.g. on stage.
Of course the trade-off is that you need to be aware of it & carry the right cables but you should be carrying extra cables & a DI with you anyway right?
With my headphones on I could hear a difference. I guess I would describe the aftermarket pickups as having a little more presence in the lower register. But it's certainly not anything I think I would notice unless I was told to listen for a difference. Love the playing and love the videos!
I have a Mexican Strat. Took it to a Guitar specialist. He fixed the tuning and trem system. But he had a go at the pick ups and rebuilt them. So now I have a set of hot standard pickups. So new or rewired pickups do help to make the guitar sound better. So yours do sound better now than before.
I bought a used tele style parts caster that I used for years. One day I finally upgraded the pickups with a Seymore Duncan hotrail in the bridge position and a Fender Gold Lace Sensor in the neck position. I obviously noticed a difference.
I’ve totally done a partscaster. I have a 2008 MIM Strat that I totally gutted. New locking tuners, new bone nut (previously plastic), then a full on electronic change. Stock pickups for Jeff beck gen 1 hot noiseless, upgraded CTS volume pot, TBX tone control as main tone, then the second tone became the control for a 25 decibel mid range Clapton boost, and if that weren’t enough I also added the gilmour mod. Also changed out the front and back pickgaurds. Heck it’s probably easier to name what’s still actually stock on that guitar (just the neck, body, and bridge)I still love that Strat!!!
Bro🔥🔥🔥
Thank for this review!
Side by side, there is a slight difference. But in the mix, no ear would ever be able to hear it. Great vid, thanks for all your effort!
I noticed more clarity overall.
More open and woody sounding.The note separation is very nice.
I'm a guitar tech and was a roadie as well so I have soldered lots of pick ups.
I have tried most every brand of pick up you can think of and still have some custom pick ups from companies no longer in business thats how long I have been doing it.
For a strat I have found Lindy Fralin makes excellent strat single coil pick ups.
The 10% over wound blues special is one great pick up of theirs.
I have a 94 Mexican strat with the stock pick ups and I wouldn't change them for anything because they sound great but its been a perfect strat since I got it.
Its actually the first strat I liked so much I kept it.
I have had vintage strats as well and not all of them sounded good so there are some real dogs out there.
The new pickups sounded s little clearer and fuller sound. I have heavily modified my Reissued Strat, including changing the pickup several times.
The nice thing about the pickups and electronics for a Strat being mounted on the pickguard is that you can have multiple pickguards with different pickups, pots, etc. mounted in each one, and easily swap them out in one piece "if" you install a couple of "Quick Connector" on them. Once you've done that, no more soldering is involved when swapping the pickguards and hearing what the new pickups sound like.
Very subtle difference to my ears. I have custom shop pickups in my MIM Strat and the magic spot is in position 2 sharing the neck and middle pickups.