I just purchased a 1990 Fender Ultra Stratocaster guitar w/four (4) Lace Sensor pickups installed.
Cannot wait to get it next week. I am eager to read about the responses in this thread.

Especially about comparisons between Lace Sensor Pickups, Fender Pole Magnut pickups,
and the newer Fender Noiseless Pickups.

Who has tried all three?
Who likes what?

Thanks. Toppscore

Well I have tried two out of three of these pickups. I have a 1970 Stratocaster with pole pieces. I also own a Strat Ultra(1990) with four pickups, all Lace Sensors. I like each for what they are. The Laces can really work with pedal effects much better than the '69 pickups. They both sound similar in that both have a chimey sound in the second and 4th positions. I really prefer the Ultra for more versatility, especially the Red Dually pickups for its heavier crunch sound over the older pickups. I really like the neck pickup on the 1970 Strat, and its really good for smooth jazz and rock. Neither is really good for older vintage jazz; both are great for the blues. I don't get as much noise on the '70 Strat, but you can hear a definite clarity when using the Ultra.

The Ultra is unique on the 3rd position, in that the bridge and the neck pickups are selected, like a Telecaster in the middle position. Great for rhythm>leads. The Blue in the neck is like a P90 in sound and sounds 'husky', w/ more meat than the older pickups. The Gold in the middle is always paired w/ either the bridge pickup(2nd position) or the neck(4th position). The 1st =Bridge Red dually has a 3 position splitter switch for the upper, both or lower splitting. The lower pickup has a Tele twang, both sound like a super HB sound, and the upper gives the 'chimey' sound all by itself. You can also use the splitter switch on the 3rd & 4th positions, too. This is in Firestorm Red w/ ebony fingerboard (all Ultra's have it); check to see if the neckplate has the word Ultra emblazoned on it, it is a near custom shop model, y'know. I like the 1970 Strat neck better than the modern C neck on the Ultra, because its thicker, more like a U shape.

In contrast the 1970 Strat really sounds thinner, more airy sound. This I believe is due the lower resistance of about 5-6kHz. The Laces have resistances of Blue=12kHz, gold= 5-6khz, and red=14kHz and have a lot more output than the older pickups. They don't allow for heavy pedal use and just sound light for lack of a better word. But I love the fact that Jimi may have used this type of Strat and he seemed to have more than a few versions. Mine is in Olympic white w/ rosewood fingerboard. I pulled the original 3-way switch and replaced it w/ a 5-way. It needed a fret job so I put in medium jumbo in 2010. I really like the 7.25" radius on this neck, without any issues of fretting out. This neck does not have a bullet truss rod making it a little closer to 1970 than late 1971, when this feature appeared. It has the large '70's headstock. The Ultra has a 9.5" radius.

I have two different eras of Strats, and I feel fortunate to have both without paying excessively for either. The Strat Ultra is a better guitar. But the older Strat has its thing too. If you want to hear the new noiseless Fender pickups just listen to recent Jeff Beck or Clapton, on YouTube since 2010. They don't sound all that different to me. I wouldn't obsess about it either. I don't think Lace Sensors are dated, they're just vintage. The look is unmistakeable, but they do emulate those old covers on those Fender Stratocaster Elite pickups from the early '80's, which did not have a good reputation. They sound great, which is all you have to experience.

Howdy! "Are Lace Sensors out of style?"
Nah, the Big Hairy folk are bringing them back!

Andy

The 1st =Bridge Red dually has a 3 position splitter switch for the upper, both or lower splitting. The lower pickup has a Tele twang, both sound like a super HB sound, and the upper gives the 'chimey' sound all by itself.

I've owned guitars with Lace Sensors and I'm not a fan. Color/position combinations I have tried include:

Bridge
Gold, Silver, Blue
Middle
Gold, Blue,
Bridge
Gold, Blue, Silver, Red, Red-dually

They all sounded OK from an overall fundamental and EQ perspective but they all lacked the intangible, hard-to-describe qualites that good pickups have. Transient response, harmonic content, sparkle, chime. The one thing they had in abundance in the neck position was the one thing I hate .... honk. Strats and Teles can both honk in the neck with the wrong pickups and Sensors seemed to accentuate honk rather than eliminate it.
YMMV

***ChromeFace. Please help. For the above guitar, I am thinking of adding one
of the following sets of "Jimi Hendrix Era" special pickups. Worth it? Or, Not Worth It?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290635063593?ss ... 1436.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270983607416?ss ... 1436.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300699239232?ss ... 1436.l2649

The Kinman Woodstock Plus set with the hot bridge pickup and the DiMarzio Area 67 are another nice alternatives - same Jimi "Voodoo" signature sound without the hum!

The pickups Jimi used in his Strats employed reverse-staggered AlNiCo magnets, which were chiefly responsible for his signature "Voodoo" tone. Reverse staggered pickups create a slightly stronger "A" string and a slightly smoother "B" string- subtle yet powerful, making power chords hotter and thicker.

Guitar Fetish (GFS) has such pickup set with reverse AlNiCo's.



Yes you can flip upside down any Strat no matter your hand-playing technique - either being right-handed or southpaw.