I been looking to upgrade a Strat. It's a mim hss and I want sss I think I just can't decide on which way to go. Texas Specials, Fat 50's, Hot Vintage Noiseless, and CS69's are on the top of the list but I haven't ruled out 57/62's or CS54's The New Split 55's are to pricey. I'm looking for versatile sound not Just SRV, Gilmore, or Clapton. Thus my dilema. There is not a Good Shop close to play all the models. What do you guys like

Hi!
Depends on the guitar you have, if you have a dark sounding guitar(rosewood for instance) you might want some brighter pick ups as the custom shop 54 to brighten it up a little bit. If you have a brighter guitar, go for the 69's, would balance the tone and make it versatile i think.
At least would be my option.

The Guitar is an Alder Body with maple neck.

I'm quite fond of my custom-built ash-bodied maple-fretboard hardtail Strat with its Fat '50 set. If they were the only pickups that Fender ever made, I'd never give the lack of options a second thought.

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 LOVE the N3's in my American Deluxe, but I also like Vintage Noiseless.

SCNs.

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Bill

Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots, hands down. Yes, I know they are not Fender pick-ups.

I just installed some Dimarzio Area 58/67/61 pickups in one of my strats and wired up the pick guard the way I like it. I want to get a rosewood neck for it, but the tone is pretty good with the maple neck..

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In the hands of the right people it can change the world. Not bad for a hunk of ash, a few magnets, and some wire.
Band Site
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I might use quite a few of these choices on different guitars.

However, I do leave most guitars stock.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

i just put a set of scn pickups in my 09 mim strat. easy to do-of course i had to buy a new pickguard. but at least i have that old style strat look now.

btw, guitar center has a set of three on clearance for 89.95.

The best Strat pickups IMHO are the ones that were on the "L" series Strats,they had the bell-like chime and "quack" that people find so desireable in Strats. The clean guitar sounds on Jimi's first album are a prime example of this sweet tone.Songs like "The Wind Cries Mary","May This Be Love" and "Hey Joe" are prime examples of these sweet tones.

The 57/62 pups of today come about the closest to the old "L" series pickups,so if I were going to retorfit pickups on a newer Strat I would most certainly use the 57/62s.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

My favorites are SCN's but that's just me; and I have not tried all of the options you listed.

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'09 Am Deluxe Ash Strat
'09 Mex Standard Strat
'10 Mex Standard Tele
Champ 600
Blues jr.
'65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue

Texas Specials.

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Gary

I am impressed with the Fat 50's. I am starting a new project with my Highway 1. I am putting back to SSS with the Fat 50's. I am starting this December 22nd.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Like most have pointed out:
"Depends on what you got and what plans you got for it"

I put a really clean D'Marzio PAF Pro in the bridge of my HSS.
Now it's as clean as glass, love it
(I'll save the hot one I took out for another partscaster)

I put a set of Vintage Noiseless in a thrift-store Squier.
Huge improvement, just an all-over consistent Strat sound.
So, I'll vote for those based on my limited experience.