fitted some 69s today on my mim strat, id thought id hear a big differance but there is not that much differance,its just less muddy in positions 2,4,5 i do like em.i dont think them mim stock pickups where that bad after all when i play a bit more i might notice more of a differance....only time will tell

What kind of amp are you playing through?

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Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

im playing throught a marshall 30 watt dfx and a digitech rp350,they are a lot better than the stock,theres moor power in them as well and the sound feels cleaner,ive got a nice guitar now[/list]

I heard custom 69's are low output pickups which makes them sound smoother when doing clean chords, don't know for sure though but I would like to try a set sometime h e he

Hey there, I'm not sure what your tastes are, but I have them on my classic player 60s strat and I like them. If you were playing through a tube amp you would probably see more of a difference. They're not so much lower output, but the have a scooped midrange that makes them sound kinda hendrixy and cool. Kinda thuddy and thick on the neck, which I really like, lotsa quack on the in betweens, the middle is pretty good, but I'd prefer a texas special I think, and the bridge is pretty good as well.

I just put some Fender FAT 50S in my 1995 50th Annaversary strat and I LOVE them, By the way does any body know what the stock pups were on the 1995 50th ann model?

i love playing hendrix and stone roses and oasis but i dont think that the 69s are that good with nirvana whitch i also like playing

Yes, I have always thought that the MIM std pickups are good pickups. I think because they are ceramic and not Alnico, people seem to have a bit of a bias against them. That being said, putting Tex Mex pups in mine was quite a drastic change, and I am never ripping those babies out.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

They're just stock AmStd pickups-the only thing special about it is the decal, as well as the design change that year on the headstock and contours to a more traditional look and feel--I have one and like it a lot, and the pups are just fine--still, I have an urge to switch them for something a hair thumpier-What do you like about the Fats? I've thought about 69s and Seymour Duncan SSL-1's, but am inclined to leave well enough alone--also, mine is a RW and I wouldn't mind trading for a maple version of the same.

The Fat 50s seem to sound like the old tone....Like the sound you could here in a old Pool Bar down in Chicago.......Now I had the 69 pups in another strat and they sound great but give you more the SRV, Joe Banamasa sound.......
I have the middle and the neck pups that come off the 50th Ann strat and I also have a Duncan little 59 12 pole that I want to trade for some other pups.....

stats,

I have a CP 60 with the 69 pups and it sounds great. I liked the tone well enough that I selected it over an AM Std.

I suggest looking at the CP 60 specs and see what is different on your guitar. The bridge/block is probably the obvious thing. After that, maybe the strings...I'm not sure what they put on the MIM Std.

The CP 60 was specified by one of the custom shop guys and I assume he did certain things for a reason. I suspect that the pup and bridge upgrades went hand in hand to acheive the desired effect.

I know more $$....Where does it stop?

Good luck.

This demo from the Custom Shop's Mike Eldred gives you a good idea of the contrast between the '69s and a higher-output pickup...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP6GIsT7bNA

...he's playing the HBS-1 Classic. I've got a soft spot for that guitar.

Everything that BigJay said is absolutely true.

When I switched from the stock 57/62's (which are awesome pickups) I still noticed a huge difference.

Thing is that these pickups were really designed to work best with tube amps so until you are able play through one I wouldn't expect anything you do to your guitar to make a gigantic difference.

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Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

ive been playing them now for 3 days and i think my ears are getting atune to them,they do sound very straty n vintage im getting to love them.it like when i got my first electric about 1 year ago an epiphone sg i got used to playing it,then i wanted a strat(i just love strats theres something about them)a mexican i got and when i switched over i thought there not much difference,but how wrong was i and i love it now it plays nice and it sounds vintage with the 69s i put on,it artic white with maple fret board and a lefty,i got rid of the sg, it didnt get a look in with the new strat.i might an american strat one day

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