Anyone hear if the 2012 American Deluxe Strat will have any changes like the American Standard just got? I'd like to wait for them to make an American Deluxe with different pickups. I like the asymmetrical neck on the Deluxe.... If they only put this neck on the American Standard.

There are rumors circulating across the Internet saying the USA Deluxes will soon bear those Super 55 Split-Coils as an upgrade from the N3s.

Cool...I'm hoping they change the pickups.

What is the fifference between the N3s and the Fender Noiseless. For all of my Fender knowledge, I pretty unfamilier with their Noiseless pickups.

I would love to try those Super 55's.

Over the years Fender developed their own noiseless pickups starting with the Noiseless series in 1998.

They're two type of Noiseless pickups, vintage and hot. The Vintage Noiseless uses AlNiCo V magnets and the Hot Noiseless, which were developed in conjunction with Jeff Beck in mind, ceramic. OEM found on the USA Deluxes from 1998 to 2003 and on certain USA Artist signature and Mexican-made models since 2001.

Then came the Samarian Cobalt series, designed by Bill Lawrence and introduced in 2004.

As the name implies, these stacked humbuckers employed miniaturized samarian cobalt magnets. Bill claimed his pickups having a more articulate response. Used on the USA Deluxes and certain CS models from 2004 to 2009. OEM found on the Hot-Rodded American Vintage '57 Strat.

Finally, we have the N3s, introduced in 2010. The N3s employ three different types of AlNiCo specially tailored for each Stratocaster and Telecaster pickup position: AlNiCo V for the power and warmth of the Stratocaster N3 bridge pickup and the signature snap and spank of both Telecaster pickups; AlNiCo II for the sweetness and sparkle of the Stratocaster N3 middle pickup; AlNiCO III for the fullness of the Stratocaster N3 neck pickup without undue magnetic string pull.

My best friend has a set of the S. Cobalts and really liked them. He tells me that they are the hated of the noiseless pickups. I played the guitar that has them and I was not that impressed. Having said that, I prefer stuff like Gold Lace Sensors, CS '54s, Tex-Mex and Texas Spcs. Thanks for the reply.

_________________
1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

personally, I love the N3's in my 2011 Am Dlx. I have to admit though, I hadn't had any experierence with Fender's other Noiseless pickups.

One of the things that has always turned me off about strats is the hum of traditional single coils. I would sooner have EMG's than a traditional single coil but the N3's are WAY better sounding than any EMG single coil I've ever heard.

The DG20 pickup set, for example...

yes... the DG20 set included.

They sound great, I had them installed in an old Japanese Squire about 10 years ago... but I'd rather have my N3's anyday.

Did the EXG and SPC having similarities with the TBX and MDX? The SPC has 6dB of gain boost while the MDX 25dB (originally it was a 12dB boost circuit).

I haven't tried the TBX/MDB setup so I can't give an accurate comparison.

I would assume it's similar but hotter since it has so much more gain.

Clapton used the TBX/MDB system to approximate the tones of his old Gibsons. It apparently was part of his requirements back when he decided to go with Fender exclusively.

I remember the DG20's were hotter than passive pickups. rolling off the volume you could get some very nice cleans but it definately was not a traditional strat tone.

Dave chose the EMGs because the stock 57/62 pickups had a strong tendency to buzz.