Anyone with experience with 1980s E-series Made in Japan Alnico pickups? How do you use them, how do you like them? Thoughts??

I'm replacing a set of Alnico III Fender pups in one of my project Strats because they are too hot for my tastes. I favor more of a low output / vintage style pick up in my Strats. I got the neck and middle pick ups from an eighties MIJ Strat that I'm thinking of trying out.

I love em. I have mine set down almost even with pickguard.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Chet, I Put the MIJs in my HW1 as planned and plugged in. Took a little time finding the sweetspot as far as pickup height and in the end I have them down quite low like yours. I'm very happy with the tone - nice Stratty bite, great midrange and the highs are nice and bright. I love playing them clean with just a little reverb - awesome musical response to light picking too. These are great pups and I got them for next to nothing!

In 1988, I bought a brand new "72 RI Pink Paisley Strat MIJ from Zapfs Music in Pennsauken NJ. After having the guitar for a while, I decided to replace the stock pickups with a set of EMG - SA active single coils. I removed all of the electronics(pots, switches, jack, pups), and promptly sold them!! You gotta remember, this was 1988, and all I had was a Japanese Strat, not a MIA Strat. In those days, they were not as desireable as they have become today. Besides, the guitar was my main gigging guitar, and the EMGs sound quiet and superb. I never regretted selling the original electronics(for $50 no less) until recently seeing how much the guitar is worth in original condition on the open market. It will never be sold, so that is a moot point, but I wish I had saved those stock units in the case. It would be cool to re-install them to see what it sounds like to me today 22 years later.

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A bunch of guitars, a few amps, some pedals and some other stuff that makes noise.

I always loved those Paisley Strats! A friend of mine from highschool picked up a RI just like yours and like you, he still has it today... Awesome Strat.

Anyway, back in the day, I had a CIJ '72 Tele Custom and regrettably sold it because "it was just a Japanese Strat.." Doh!!