I have gotten a bit spoiled with some of Scott's pickups.
I used to have my "go to" pickups that generally sounded better in any guitar, than the generic stock pickups (ala Duncan Custom, etc). But just like drug dealers on the street, you get a taste for the open, note separation......and you are hooked.
I recently bought an old 80's guitar that I had been searching for forever. I did not have a spare Tone Nerd, so I threw an old "tried and true" Duncan in it, and it sounded great.........but I knew it could sound better. I pulled a Sunset Strip from another guitar, and *BAM*.....PERFECTION.