MIM Stratocaster w/Hot Noiseless Pickups

sugapablo · **Posted:** Thu May 21, 2009 9:38 am

For those looking for a budget Strat that sounds awesome...I put some Fender Hot Noiseless pickups on my 2007 MIM (Alder body, maple neck) and it sounds INCREDIBLE. Better than the American Standard IMHO.

And here's the numbers: (from Musician's Friend pricing)
MIA Standard: $1,274.99 - $1,419.99

MIM Standard: $549.99 - $599.99
Hot Noiseless Pickups: $149.99 (I actually got mine cheaper locally, on sale.)
Total (low priced MIM + PUPs): $699.98

That's like almost half-price (depending on the finish you want, which is the price variance on the Strats).

I regularly attend a local jam night and see lots of guitars come though. Lots of MIAs. This sounds better. (Again, IMHO.)

So if you can stand many cats lookin' down their nose at you for having a MIM (oh yeah, it happens!), and you're on a budget, this is a first class option.

</preach>

fhopkins · **Posted:** Thu May 21, 2009 9:43 am

Nice looking guitar!

sugapablo · **Posted:** Thu May 21, 2009 9:55 am

fhopkins wrote:

Nice looking guitar!

Gracias (MIM, get it? I know...bad!)

Since the Hot Noiseless pickups don't come in white, the guy at the shop suggested I buy some matching (what is it called, aged-white?) knobs, tremolo tip, and switch tip. It was $24. Totally worth it.

She's my first electric and I keep her as pristine as I can. (First love, ya know?) I have a Les Paul too, which I love, but, no matter what guitars I may get in the future, this one holds a special place, which is why I'm so glad the upgrade worked out so well.

tyronne · **Joined:** Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:52 pm **Posts:** 2005

sugapablo wrote:

For those looking for a budget Strat that sounds awesome...I put some Fender Hot Noiseless pickups on my 2007 MIM (Alder body, maple neck) and it sounds INCREDIBLE. Better than the American Standard IMHO.

And here's the numbers: (from Musician's Friend pricing)
MIA Standard: $1,274.99 - $1,419.99

MIM Standard: $549.99 - $599.99
Hot Noiseless Pickups: $149.99 (I actually got mine cheaper locally, on sale.)
Total (low priced MIM + PUPs): $699.98

That's like almost half-price (depending on the finish you want, which is the price variance on the Strats).

I regularly attend a local jam night and see lots of guitars come though. Lots of MIAs. This sounds better. (Again, IMHO.)

So if you can stand many cats lookin' down their nose at you for having a MIM (oh yeah, it happens!), and you're on a budget, this is a first class option.

</preach>

Looks sweet! Keeping the knobs the same color as the PUPS was a smart move...I have a 2009 MIM but black with white PG and knobs.
I was thinking of putting in the Vintage Noiseless PUPS myself when I save a few bucks. Did you do any special wiring with the new PUPS or just do a one-for-one swap out?

-T

sugapablo · **Posted:** Thu May 21, 2009 3:19 pm

tyronne wrote:

Looks sweet! Keeping the knobs the same color as the PUPS was a smart move...I have a 2009 MIM but black with white PG and knobs.
I was thinking of putting in the Vintage Noiseless PUPS myself when I save a few bucks. Did you do any special wiring with the new PUPS or just do a one-for-one swap out?

-T

I suppose it was just a one-for-one swap out. I had the shop do it.

Martian · **Posted:** Thu May 21, 2009 5:04 pm

VERY Jeff Beck looking and now, sounding too!

Lots of luck and enjoy!!

DeadAhead · **Posted:** Thu May 21, 2009 9:46 pm

Very nice Strat. I've got an MIA Strat but I don't look down my nose at anyone's guitar as long as it sounds like a guitar. And I am %100 sure that Stratocaster sounds sweet, especially with those Hot Noiseless pups. Nice color combos too.

Russ

sugapablo · **Posted:** Fri May 22, 2009 5:21 am

DeadAhead wrote:

Very nice Strat. I've got an MIA Strat but I don't look down my nose at anyone's guitar as long as it sounds like a guitar. And I am %100 sure that Stratocaster sounds sweet, especially with those Hot Noiseless pups. Nice color combos too.

Russ

Hah. I never meant to imply ALL MIA owners look down their noses at MIMs, but it does happen a lot.

I'd explain my budget amp solution, but even more people aren't ready to accept THAT! LOL

straycat113 · **Posted:** Sat May 23, 2009 4:29 am

I dont care what someone is playing I care about the playing period.I have seen guys outside train stations playing no name guitars that I stood and watched for an hour and I have seen guys with a 3 grand PRS that I watched for 10 minuetes.

ManUtd777 · **Posted:** Tue May 26, 2009 1:31 pm

WOW, looks almost exactly like mine. Mine has the Satin neck, so you can actually see the Maple wood grains on the Frets. (That's what made me fall in LoVE with it). Got this guitar for $399, since it was last years model, before the price increase. I bought a loaded Vintage nioseless pickguard off a Am. Deluxe Strat (according to seller). It came with a silver tortoise finish, all pots and knobs, 5 way switch, and the S-1 switching system. Got the whole loaded pickguard for $130 free shipping!!! :shock:

I was also shocked. Got my tech to put it in (only $10), and he told me it sounds better than the $1K dollar guitars. (I also agreed)

So my guitar ended up costing, only $530!!! Damn happy too.

twosbrs · **Joined:** Sun Mar 01, 2009 8:02 pm **Posts:** 70

.....absolutely a beautiful axe! The color combo is fantastic. Play it with pride and don't let any of us MIA owners look down our noses! Enjoy!

prolog · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2009 6:13 am

Pickups really make the guitar. I put a set of "boutique" (hate the word, but the pickups were hand-wound by a guy who runs a one-man shop) pickups on my cheap Strat copy, and it sounds better than an Am Std. It still looks cheaper, but in terms of sound and playability, it's light-years better.

I want to buy a "real" Strat one day, but I'm pretty sure I'll just get a Squier or MIM and get another set of his pickups.

sugapablo · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2009 6:30 am

In the realm of cooking, real chefs know that their trade is based on those who had to make do with less. If you have a prime cut of beef, it's easy to prepare and very little thinking (creativity) is required.

On the other hand, those who had to make do with the scraps, had to come up with novel and creative ways to make it palatable. Rancid cuts were caked with spices. Surplus was preserved with salt, smoke, etc. Tough cuts were marinated. Combinations of ingredients were used to make small portions stretch for more people.

Cats like me, who are on a budget, have to be creative. My MIM solution has worked out very well. My amp solution is on its way from UPS today.

I found a solid state amp where the clean channel is wonderful. The drive channels are...well....solid state. If you are only going to play clean, a tube amp is not only unnecessary, but in many ways, bad. Solid state is better for everything in terms of reliability, it's just that the efficiency of the switch creates "harsh clipping" instead of the nice "tube warmness".

But, since I can't afford a Vibro King, '57 Twin, or even a Pro Tube Twin, I got my solid state with nice clean channel (and built in tuner and DSP effects board which is so-so, but the only effect I really use is my CryBaby) and purchased a nice tube overdrive pedal (from Blackstar).

Equal to the Fender amps I mentioned above? Nope. But the for the money I'm paying? You can't believe just how good it CAN sound.

Now for a little more cash, if I get my Keeley Compressor and ISP Decimator (noise gate), my MIM Strat and solid state rig will sound light years better than many of the cats I see come through my haunt with $10,000 set-ups (many of whom just seem to have NO idea how to get anything out of their rigs other than volume).

Ok, I'm done preaching now.

btwade · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2009 11:45 am

I'm very intrested in these pickups!! But you said that you can only get them with aged white covers. Can't you just buy white covers?

sugapablo · **Posted:** Wed May 27, 2009 11:49 am

btwade wrote:

I'm very intrested in these pickups!! But you said that you can only get them with aged white covers. Can't you just buy white covers?

Sure can. Cheaply too. It's just that when most cats buy some Fender Noiseless pickups, they want to have the noiseless "logo" on each cover.

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