I am almost certain I want to get a set of CS 69's for my SSS Standard Strat. I believe that most any quality pickup will be an improvement over the ceramic pickups the guitar came with but I am wanting a "true strat sound", bluesy, a touch of overdrive from the amp, quack, bell like cleans.

From the sound files I have been listening to the CS 69's appear to fit my needs. I am not too interested in stacked singles or noiseless of any type. For whatever reason my rig now does not have a lot of hum in it. I can't hear it at all when I am playing, and if I hear anything when I am not, I just move the selector to position 2 or 4 untill I am ready to play.

I am looking for some expert (that is why I am come here with all you experts ) on these pups from users. As you know, pups are a hard thing to settle on pre purchase because you really don't know what you have until you have them.....so any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I am being recommended a new DiMarzio 250K pot...do I need or would I want to change the standard pots out for something else? If yes, what are those recommendations.?

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2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

If a "true strat sound, bluesy, a touch of overdrive from the amp, quack, bell like cleans" is your poison, I'd recommend the 57/62 set or the Fat '50s over the '69s (I own all three sets in various guitars). The '69s don't seem to overdrive as smoothly or as quickly as the 57/62s and the Fat '50s deliver a more realistic blues tone IMO. The '69s seem a skosh cleaner and articulate but don't really shine until used with a stompbox or two.

As for the DiMarzio pots, that's hype......any quality 250kΩ pot will work with single coils just fine.

HTH

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

I wanted "true strat sound, bluesy, a touch of overdrive from the amp, quack, bell like cleans" but the Deluxe came with the N3, so I went with the Fralin Blues Specials and I have been extremely happy! I don't know what it is but the combination of ash/maple and these Fralins has giving me the best Strat tones I ever heard.

Plus I got the blender which I didn't think I'd ever use, same as the S1 on the Deluxe, but once in a while I blend the bridge and neck pups and it's such a sweet tone, very similar to a Tele or 335 middle position.

If you want to "hear" those pickups, try youtube. There is no real way to know. I would buy a used set from ebay just so you don't spend too much money. As for pots, I suggest CTS. Best pots there are.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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The CS69 sounds a little bit thinner if you prefer a bluesy tone, try the fender Texas Specials...

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If I Like It...
I Just Do It...

It is funny how everybody has different experience with the CS69. I have them in my MIM standard and love them. I would however completely differently describe what I hear for them than lads in the previous posts.

Mu suggestion (this is how I decided on them) is to listen to various sound clips to get you in the approx. ball park of what you prefer as far as tone. Get the set that you think you like and install them in your guitar. This new set of pickups will either blow you away or it will disappoint. Every guitar + rig will sound differently to different ears.

So i guess we can help you navigate to the ball park tone after that is up to you to experiment (trust me I have a bunch of spare pickup sets )

BTW: CS69 when sold as a separate set are not RW/RP so there is no 60hz hum cancellation in the position 2 and 4 and their height has to be set differently to balance out due to the magnet pole stagger.

Good luck