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Post subject: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:54 pm
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I have a 2010 Am Standard (maple neck) with CS Texas Specials installed. I have the old love/hate relationship going on with the Texas Specials. Great for some types of music and not so great with other stuff. I recently bought a used 2001 American Standard (also with maple neck) with factory pickups still installed. The strat with the factory pups sounds just as good as the TS strat and also seems to sound great on everything we play. I mean...these factory pups have just as good a tone as the Custom Shop TS. Maybe even better.
Now having said this I also have a 2011 Am Standard that still has it's factory pups. The factory pickups in the 2001 strat sound way better to me than the factory pups in the 2011 strat. The 2001 strat sounds as if it has Custom Shop pickups. I absolutely love the tone and versatility of the guitar. Just an observation I thought I would share.
I'm wondering why the two Strats with factory pups sound so different....one being much better than the other. All 3 of the guitars are set-up properly also.

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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:24 pm
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I'm currently down to my one and only - a '93 American Standard Strat with stock American Standard pick ups. A few years ago, I also had a MIA Lone Star Strat that featured Texas Specials along with the Duncan Pearly Gates Plus. I consider the Texas Specials to be in the same vein as the Fat 50's and here is my experience. At the factory recommended height, I hated the Texas Specials. I honestly wonder why a company like Fender would put these horrid devices into anything that bore their name.

The '93 Strat pick ups are the same as the ones used until they switched the out the the Fat 50's with allowances made for changes in specs and the use of the "modern" stagger when they were re-branded as the American Series. To me, they essentially capture the clear crisp sound you'd expect to hear from a typical Strat. The Texas Specials were just a mess of midrange.

Ah....but then I lowered the height of the Texas Specials and they really came alive. The had the presence you'd expect from a good Strat with a little added girth. The American Standard pups sounded bland by comparison, but not in a bad way. They still sound good, but the Specials had some spiciness happening that I wasn't getting with the Standards. Now I've tried a new 2013 Strat with the Fat 50's and they sounded good to me. But then again, it may depend on how they have the guitar set up (on the one I tried, the middle pup was set lower than the neck and bridge). I had even considered replacing my stock pups with a set of Fat 50's, but it seems like whenever I get the notion to swap pickups, I find that my guitar somehow sounds better.

Unfortunately, I had a situation come up and had to part ways with one of my guitars which is an impossible decision to make because I really liked both of my Strats; but that's the only reason why I don't have that guitar today.


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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:05 pm
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I haven't tried the Fat 50's yet but I plan to. I'm looking for a pickup that has the texas special tone but doesn't sound like crap with higher gain/distortion. I was told that when pickups are scatterwound it can make them a bit more versatile. Is this true?

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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:16 pm
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bshane84 wrote:
I haven't tried the Fat 50's yet but I plan to. I'm looking for a pickup that has the texas special tone but doesn't sound like crap with higher gain/distortion. I was told that when pickups are scatterwound it can make them a bit more versatile. Is this true?


I don't recall them sounding bad with high distortion settings, but you will loose what I feel are the most appealing aspects of their character. But then again, I would usually use the bridge humbucker at higher gain. Even on my American Standard, I favor the bridge single coil for those types of sounds. I honestly don't know what difference scatter winding would make; I'm skeptical that it would really make that big of a difference, but I'd have to try one for myself before making a conclusive judgement.


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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:48 pm
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I have to agree that that the Texas Spc really have their place. The thing is that when the TS first came out everyone was really into the SRV sound and tone. They do sound great, but best for hellfire blues.

The current pickups in the Am. Std sound pretty good, better than most. I did like the pups freom the '90s, but my favorite pups are the ones that came in my 50th Aniv. Am. Series, the CS '54s and the Van Zandt True Vintage.

I have a clapton with Gold Lace Sensors, which sound great, but a bit too "studio" sounding to me.

Set up is important, so do it right the first time.


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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:08 pm
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I've had a 2007 Am.Std and the pickups sounded horrible in it. Actually the overall guitar was bad. Hated the neck on it. It was rosewood, which I know has nothing to do with why i didnt like the guitar. I've tried everything to warm up to it, different setups, checked the wiring, but one day I've just had it and sold it.
So there must be an issue with these stdards if theres a few of us complaining about it.
I have a old MIC squire that Ive put the texspecs in, and I love the sound. Its true its kinda onesided, cant play metal on it but for me its a must have sound. It has its place, and there it doesnt disappoint.


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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:28 pm
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Each guitar has its own sonic character, regardless of the components used to create it -- thus every Strat's tone is more the result of the sum of its parts rather than one specific feature or detail. This holds true even for seemingly identical instruments with the same pickups, same wiring scheme, same furniture, etc. I've played similar AVRI's from the same production run where one sounded like angels strumming harps while another was a complete sonic slug. There doesn't seem to be a paradigm for quantifying such a tonal paradox......it just *is*.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:44 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Each guitar has its own sonic character, regardless of the components used to create it -- thus every Strat's tone is more the result of the sum of its parts rather than one specific feature or detail. This holds true even for seemingly identical instruments with the same pickups, same wiring scheme, same furniture, etc. I've played similar AVRI's from the same production run where one sounded like angels strumming harps while another was a complete sonic slug. There doesn't seem to be a paradigm for quantifying such a tonal paradox......it just *is*.

Arjay



+1

I try not to get too ethereal or mystic about guitars but yes, every guitar has it's own voice and it's own personality. 'Tis the nature of the beast.

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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:06 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
Each guitar has its own sonic character, regardless of the components used to create it -- thus every Strat's tone is more the result of the sum of its parts rather than one specific feature or detail. This holds true even for seemingly identical instruments with the same pickups, same wiring scheme, same furniture, etc. I've played similar AVRI's from the same production run where one sounded like angels strumming harps while another was a complete sonic slug. There doesn't seem to be a paradigm for quantifying such a tonal paradox......it just *is*.

Arjay


+1


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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:13 am
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I've never followed Fenders specs for pickup height. Style and taste are different for everyone. I always take a pickup where it is flat to the pickguard first and raise it up, a little on each said at a time. I play while I'm doing that, so when I find a spot that sounds good, I keep it there and move on to the next pickup...

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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:19 am
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DetroitBlues wrote:
I've never followed Fenders specs for pickup height. Style and taste are different for everyone. I always take a pickup where it is flat to the pickguard first and raise it up, a little on each said at a time. I play while I'm doing that, so when I find a spot that sounds good, I keep it there and move on to the next pickup...


my best friend will make adjustments on the fly while playing with his band.


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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:25 am
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paris wrote:
DetroitBlues wrote:
I've never followed Fenders specs for pickup height. Style and taste are different for everyone. I always take a pickup where it is flat to the pickguard first and raise it up, a little on each said at a time. I play while I'm doing that, so when I find a spot that sounds good, I keep it there and move on to the next pickup...


my best friend will make adjustments on the fly while playing with his band.


Maybe at rehearsals, but never at a gig. Even then, I'd be ticking off my bandmates.

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Post subject: Re: Surprising observation about Pickups.
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 3:02 pm
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I have an SRV Strat and can play any type of "strat" music with it. Clean soulful, raw and tough, fluid gain, nasely, tremendous attack when needed. Roll back the vol and its back to clean.

I have an Amer Standard too and I do all of the same as stated above with a slightly dif tone and texture.
Neither Strat is a one trick pony. Each guitar will make you play or attack a tune differently for sure. I favor the TS PUPs...set low as they can go, over other Srat PUPs. But I dig the many varieties of Strat Single coil PUPs because they all sound like a........ "Strat"......


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