I have one of these, currently has 09's...I've used 10's for 20 years....Is this guitar super thin sounding or am I missing something? I cant find any info on the pickups other than custom shop designed, sound like paper thin junk to me...Are these pickups that sensitive to string guage?

They are of a weaker, non-descript ilk. Just because they were "Custom Shop Designed" doesn't necessarily mean they are of, "Holy Grail" proportions. YMMV.

A more powerful pickup (unscientifically speaking) can contribute more of its inherent tonality into the mix whereas a weaker the pickup will merely 'report' the vibrating strings rather than coloring them. So its not a question of your pickups being that sensitive to string gauge. Rather, they just pass on through whatever is vibrating in a more 'raw' form.

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You dig?

Among the other mods, I set mine up with a trio of DiMarzio Virtual Vintage noiseless pickups.

Punch and growl for days and days and days......

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 think all guitars, especially Fenders, are sensitive to string gauge. And generally, the 50's Strats were thin sounding, bright and twangy! That's part of the appeal of the sound. Of course each guitar is different, and I have ran across a couple guitars that were way too thin and bright. If you can't find a use for the sound you have now, but like the guitar, try some new pickups If I could afford it, I would have Texas Specials in all of my Fenders But I like the heavy mid sound, especially on the clean stuff.

I would start with, what brand and type of strings are you using?

You maybe using bright strings, switching to a darker type of strings may help warm up your guitar.
That and a brass tremolo block can help as well.

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Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

Well I'm trying to warm up to this guitar(pardon the pun)....I'm gonna put my usual Ernie Ball 10's on it first, might just go ahead and keep it and use it for a test bed for mods. I'm thinking maybe a "Clapton" mid boost with some new pickups. Maybe a better bridge block. You guys can chime in if ya want.

I thought the 57/62 pickups are supposed to be first rate. Are they not?

...well, I put 10's on it., adjusted the pickup height....night and day difference....while I was at it I pulled the pickguard, pickups have cloth wire, and seem well built. the trem block is higher quality than I would have guessed. It has: PW-29 stamped on it, whatever that means.

Is it steel or pot metal?

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 have the Classic Player 50s strat, in 2 tone sunburst (bought it new in '07) and I can't say that I think the pickups are too thin sounding. I think they have a very nice strat tone, a little twangy. Sorry I can't be of too much help with your issue, but I just wanted to defend the guitar. A lot of people love it and have posted great reviews online.

I have noticed though, that the guitar is very sensitive to string changes in regards to tone. I have always put 10s on it, and the tone changes very noticeably over the lifetime of the strings. Perhaps because the strings are fresh, they sound a little bright. I don't know if I'd say thin, though.

I have mexi std with the fairly heavy full size block on it and it also has stamped pw-29, however noticed that magnet is not sticking to it, heck still sustains and sounds fine to me.

Another factor could be amplification. If the amp is a bright shrill mid rangey gain amp with no bottom end, the strat will sound thin when using the bridge PU. However if the amp has bottom end i.e., Fender Bassman or other Fender tube amps from the blackface, brown, or tweed era, (i.e., tube rectifier, 6V6 or 6L6 tubes) it should have a full fat Fenderish sound.

I agree very much with TTSC. I play my classic player 50s strat through a '65 Super Reverb reissue. I love the tone I get out of it, very full sounding.