my last strat was stolen just recently which was a 94 strat plus which i bought second hand with DG EMG-20's in it which i ripped out and put Custom Shop 69's in it... and they are still in it wherever it is

but i have quickly bought a replacement strat for myself... a 2000 Standard which is still stock, but the pickup's sound a hell of a lot less "hot" than what the Custom Shop 69's did. these stock pickups really need to be pushed...

exactly would be the diff between the new stock pickups, the custom shop 69's and real ones from 69?

I don't have any experience with authentic '69 pups, but I really like the CS '69s. That said, I recently picked up a 2006 HSS MIM Standard at a pawn shop for CHEAP and I really like the stock pups in it with the exception of the humbucker. I replaced that with a standard single coil I had kicking around and the guitar sounds awesome! I tend to play more with clean to slightly driven tones and under those conditions, I'm real happy with the stock pups...

Night and day.

There is almost nothing they have in common, the best suggestion I can give you is to get another set of the 1969's and install them.

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hmmmz well based on what i like and how i play i've been suggested to find some pickups out of a 1962 USA reissue, because they are apparently inbetween the 69's and the stock of today for the "hotness"... BUT apparently the 57/62 custom shop's are different to these and i've been warned against them...

i find the 69's a little too hot and toppy for my liking yet these stock pickup's need to be pushed TOO far for my liking so to me they are too weak. not overly but too weak for me.

any other suggestions?

+1 And if you can find a set of Abby wound CS69's, you'll really like 'em!

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