Just installed some Fender Custom Shop '54 pickups

  • Thread starter Thread starter blackba
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blackba

blackba

Well-known member
I just swapped out the Fender SCN pickups in my maple neck strat for some Custom Shop'54 pickups. If these don't work out I will get the Suhr Fletch Landau standard set. The Suhr's are $100 more than the Fender CS '54's.

The SCN's I had in there were a bit too modern for me and could be thick and muddy on the neck and middle. The Bridge was not a very good match for the other two. In the reviews I read in HC, a few people mentioned using these with 500k pots. So I am going to try them in my other strat that has the super switch wiring and an Anderson H2+ humbucker in the bridge.

Anyway to the Custom Shop '54's. I think they sound great, they are thin compared to the SCN's and hum some. But they sound really good in most positions. The bridge alone position is the only one I am not sold on, it sounds too thin, particularly compared to the SCN bridge. The others are great though, the neck has a nice full sound. The 2 and 4 positions do a great quack. Even position 3 in the middle is nice, I may use this instead of the bridge only. They are vintage sounding and I did give up some versatility compared to the SCN's, but I really think my strat now sounds like the recordings of strats I have heard.

I almost got the Fender Fat 50's, but decided to spring for these. I forget who was loving the FAT 50's, but I am curious if you are still digging them.....
 
Got to play more with the strat. I am loving the neck and middle pickups, still not really digging the bridge, but position 4 does sound really good. I think the neck and middle are going in my Fat strat and I am going to get a Suhr Fletch Landau Standard set....
 
cool. I like the fat 50's, but i recently just went to the 69' Custom Shop set because the output on them is lower than the 50's. The neck position is amazing sounding and have a "woody" sound to them. I totally agree on you're take on the SCN pickups too.

Ant
 
The Fat 50's are by far my favorite Fender pups, but I have yet to hear the 54's. Though I love the Fat 50's, I slightly prefer the BG Vintage 60's I'm using now. They have a bit more clarity and sound more of what I think a "real" strat should sound like. Definately check them out if the 54's don't work out for you.
 
blackba":3h9tsv18 said:
I just swapped out the Fender SCN pickups in my maple neck strat for some Custom Shop'54 pickups
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You know, I honestly think that the Fender CS pickups, are the best ones that they make for their Strats or Teles --- they just "drip" nice vintage tone.
 
troublehead":3ve3d3f0 said:
The Fat 50's are by far my favorite Fender pups, but I have yet to hear the 54's. Though I love the Fat 50's, I slightly prefer the BG Vintage 60's I'm using now. They have a bit more clarity and sound more of what I think a "real" strat should sound like. Definately check them out if the 54's don't work out for you.
Click to expand...

Those BG Vintage 60's are very reasonably priced for the set. Did you go with the RWRP for the middle?
 
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