There is some truth in what you are saying but just like the fine tools a master craftsman uses the same is true for a musician.The better the tools we use the finer and easier it is to accomplish what we are striving for..

If you take two players of the same skill who will sound better the one with a moderate instrument or the one with a finely crafted instrument? On the same coin no matter how good the instrument without technique a musician will not sound good..

It al depends on application. If I'm playing acoustic blues or even slide, my moneys on an old Stella, not a Martin small body.

When it comes to Strats, if I'm trying for some glassy Gilmour stuff or even fluid Frusciante, vintage is the way to go.

I get the trashy, punch in the forehead, beer vision country stuff I was looking for out of this 2007 MIM Standard Strat in ways I never could out of that Classic Player's 50 I sold...it just has THAT SOUND...

See I would think the opposite!!!! Beer vision country to me would be a nice Tele anyway not even a strat. But the low cost budget pickups of the MIM strats to me seem more inline with modern sound rock but you also have to place a lot of the sound on what amp you are using.
But you can't compare a well wound matched set of pickups to stock MIM's.
That and each persons taste and what they want to think they have. Its human nature!!!!

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Civillera: It's in the hands and the middle or bridge pup...and the amp.

I can also dial in a great country backup guitar sound...and that's what I was looking for...the Tele as a backup was a bit too much, over the top, the Strat closer to an acoustic...smoother...

BTW, I'm one of those people maybe not many who loves the bridge pickup on a Strat...

As far as words like "budget" and "well rounded" if we're comparing the Alnico V's in the American Standard and the ceramics in the MIM it's kind of like comparing Jim Beam and Jack Daniels...neither one is exactly high end bourbon.

As an aside, one of the biggest myths is that country music esp. in the early fifties was somehow "purer." Country music has always absorbed pop influences such as swing and jazz...and most of the early guitar (electric) on early Johnny Cash was a Jazzmaster not a Tele...

Double!

One is closer to high end bourbon then the other though. Most of you best pickups are made using Alnico V or Alnico III magnets not ceramics.
And a MIM Standard Strat giving an acoustic sound for country. Not to my ears unless there something wrong with my MIM's.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

All I mean is a light rhythm guitar effect on the middle when I sing.

I agree that some of the best pickups are made using Alnico V or III...but it's the design. For years, Fender has had American Standards with pup's high in the meh factor. We;re not talking Fralins here or Dimarzio True Velvets...

Hey, just saying I like them pup's in the MIM. My original post was just that and anyone else that likes them.

Did you mean the Jack Daniels? Give me a break...

leo didn't have a choice of custom pups when he built the strat, he went with what he had on hand and now everyone trys to get that '50's sound. one day guys will try to get the '07 mim strat sound and look for '07 pups. don't believe me.......stick around a few decades.

What sound is that Sterile? There is no character to modern machine made pickups, ones like the next. Hand scatter wound pickups of the past were all different from each other if even in the slightest way. The turns the copper wire, the casting. Some were junk some were HolyGrail but none were sterile generic sounding and just one of a bazilion sounding the same.
Thats why I always say looking for your sound think out of the box when looking for pickups. Or just fall in with the heard of Sheep.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

There's several good reasons even machine mades don't all sound the same: different guitars sound different acoustically/unplugged and AMPS...and different players...different genres...

Do some types sound "sterile" to some ears? Fine. Noiseless frequently get that, but for some people they're also fine.

In the end, it doesn't matter. Guitar playing and guitarists are vastly overrated. Yes, that's my opinion.

Songs matter more and vocals in particular and the way it should be. Why tear each othet up or even ourselves over guitars of any level...farnkly I think people would improve more by focusing on songs (more than gear) and making MUSIC...

I will say this: I think people DO need to think out of the box with their PLAYING and mod that the most.

The Strat is a a guitar, play it like a guitar with less respect even...but with joy...not really trying to be "a Strat player" but simply playing a guitar called a Strat...or not even a Strat or a Tele...or not playing a Strat like a Strat...whatever that means...

I totally agree with you.Sure,I prefer the more expensive alnico vintage style pickups but everytime I try a Mexican Std,I always like the pickups for their nastier tone which is especially great for dirty blues.They sound good playing through a crunchy blues tube amp.If someone becomes famous playing these pickups,a lot of people would start hyping them and copying that tone.

And BTW, setting the pup height somewhat lower gives more than enough sweetness, esp. with a good amp, EQ and yes, how you play. They are hotter, yeah, but not over the top hot with no return...in some way in between 57/62's and 69's...and BTW you can warm them up through a Princeton Reverb or jazzit through a Roland 60 Cube.

Notice how it's no big deal when people swap out the pup's on an American Standard, Highway 1...and BTW, they're fine guitars depending on application...

Yeah, no problem putting Fat 50's into an American Standard, but liking these pup's...I find them responsive.