I'm curious to those who have played both, what are your opinions? Which is "Strattyest"? Which sound more like humbuckers with the midboost cranked? Thanks.

I don't like either model but I will say this: The Vintage Noiseless sound closer to a Strat pickup whereas the Lace Sensors sound more like humbuckers with the midboost cranked.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.

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You dig?

Vintage Noiseless pickups are stacked humbuckers. Lace Sensors utilize a completely different design.

Eric was not happy with the Lace pickups and TBX tone control. Fender sent him a set of Vintage Noiseless pickups for a try. He liked 'em a lot and requested having his personal guitars fitted with VNs and a regular tone pot in place of the TBX. But he also agreed to have the TBX circuit on the regular production and Team Built versions of his signature model.

Although the Vintage Noiseless pickups were a standard equipment on EC's main axes since March 2000, his signature model wasn't updated until 2001.

I think the Lace Sensors have a great stratty tone...and yet you can crank the boost and get a fairly good humbucking tone too! I like the Lace Sensors better than the Noiseless, but who am I to argue with "God". The Noiseless sound a bit flat to me...but that could be my hearing too

FWIW

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

Thanks, all for your thoughts. I have an EC Strat with VN which is by far my favorite guitar I've ever owned but I'm really interested lately in picking up an early '90s model with Lace Sensors. I've never heard Clapton have bad tone per se, but I'm partial to his 1989-1999 tones most so I think Lace is where I'm headed.

I think gold lace sensors have a great strat tone- they sound with less midrange than my deluxe with SCN pickups- however, I have no experience with vintage noiseless. Personally though, I do prefer them.

I think the pickups martian may be referring to are red lace sensors.. they do sound like progressive/hot humbuckers, then again, they are meant to

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Nope, I'm referring to the Golds. When they are humped up with midrange via the so called, "Clapton Boost Circuit" or some other means, they definitely exhibit more 'muscle' than the VNs are capable of. FWIW, IMO, all the Reds do is puke midrange naturally.

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Sweet! That's what I was hoping to hear.

Ahh yes, true! forgot about that midrange boost curcuit. I dont know why that is on there to be honest, the gold laces sound good on their own without it.. The only time a cuircuit like that has impressed me is the EMG Gilmour setup..

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frankly I like em both but the real factor is the guitar itself. EC strats are so freakin awesome. I love mine easily the best guitar I've ever played.