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Post subject: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:10 am
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I recently purchased a set of 3 Fender Vintage Noiseless Stratocaster pickups. The box says Made in Mexico. Are these Alnico 2 or 5? (Fender website indicates Alnico 2, but are these Made in USA ones?)

What pots, capacitor and resistor are recommended for the wiring installation?

Any advice or comments or experience with this set on your Strat would be appreciated. Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 9:48 am
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Check the part number on your pickup package box; I bet it's the same as the Fender Vintage Noiseless™ Strat pickups page (=0992115000). That set is used in some pricier MIM Strats, like the Deluxe Players Strat or the Clapton model.

If you want a "normal" Strat wiring, try the American Deluxe Wiring Diagram - it's got a different set of noiselesses, but should work just fine. Of course, those 1meg pots are not for everybody's taste - but you can replace them with 500k (or even 250k) if that's what you want. The higher the chimier :wink:

If you want to go more experimental, the CP (added DPDT switch) and Clapton (the battery operated mid boost circuit) diagrams are in the product pages, under the "support" tab.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 11:42 am
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Thanks jmattis. Yes, that's the part number for the boxed pickup set I have. I'm looking at CTS pots 250k, I don't want that ice-pick sound so 1meg pots are out of the ballpark for me. Do you know if these p/u's are alnico or ceramic, as they are made in Mexico? The Fender website says the Vintage Noiseless are Alnico 2, but I have read elsewhere they are Alnico 5. Yes, I see from the wiring diagram for the American Deluxe Stratocaster you referenced where the caps and resistor get soldered, and their values. Actually I have a 1999 Am Dlx made in USA, the Noiseless pickups are great on this baby, ash body, teal green transparent.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 12:04 pm
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I checked with Fender Customer Service on these pickups, and they confirmed they are Alnico 2 magnets. Also, they are made in USA and packaged in Mexico. They also sent me the wiring diagram with caps and resistor values and location.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 12:04 pm
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On the AlNiCo part: I don't choose pickups by specs, I concentrate on sound.
Trust the horse's mouth (= Fender site specs), if the number matters.

The diagram I posted is, I believe, the same as in your 1999 (guitar model 010-1000-748 for rosewood or 010-1002-748 for maple); so that should have the 1meg pots if it's original - do you hear "ice picks" there..?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 12:26 pm
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Thanks again Jmattic. Nope, no ice-picky sounds from the 1999 Deluxe, it's an ash body and rosewood fretboard. Made in USA. Great pickups, love the sound. I will remove the pickguard at next string change and check the wiring and pots etc.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:15 pm
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I thought 1 meg pots were the norm for Fender's Vintage Noiseless but could be wrong.

Have them in a Tele and it sounds great.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 2:44 pm
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The wiring diagram shows 1 meg pots but I've read some players say they sound too brittle and spikey. Don't know.....


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 4:36 pm
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blakestyger wrote:
The wiring diagram shows 1 meg pots but I've read some players say they sound too brittle and spikey. Don't know.....


I've read that they sound too muddy with 250k pots. A few years back there was alot of talk about the Vintage Noiseless on the Forum. Those that didn't change their pots didn't like them. One poster didn't like the 1 meg pots Fender recommended and said 750k gave him the perfect tone. Mine sounds great with whatever pots Fender set them up with.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:33 pm
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If they're too bright and 250's are too warm how about some 500's?

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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 7:39 pm
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The Noiseless bridge pickup on the American Deluxe Strat was the hotter dual-coil ceramic type used on the Jeff Beck signature models.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:28 am
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I expect that they are Alnico 2 because they were originally intended for use in an active circuit for the Clapton guitar.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:07 am
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ZZDoc wrote:
I expect that they are Alnico 2 because they were originally intended for use in an active circuit for the Clapton guitar.


Thanks ZZ Doc, yes, I checked with Fender Customer Service and was informed they are Alnico 2, made in USA, packaged in Mexico.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:39 am
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ZZDoc wrote:
I expect that they are Alnico 2 because they were originally intended for use in an active circuit for the Clapton guitar.


...while the Hot Noiseless pickups are Ceramic because they were originally designed for Jeff Beck.


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Both the VNs and HNs were a standard feature on the American Deluxe series almost 2 years before the two Yardbird gunslingers began using them! :twisted:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 6:55 am
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A few years ago I wired up a set with 250k pots and indeed it was way too dark for my taste. Switched to 500k and was definitely more satisfied. Didn't try the 1 meg's provided due to the reviews of people claiming the tone was unpleasant.


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