Fender Custom Shop '69 Strat Pickup Set

[Superbeast520]

anyone ever use these...feedback???     If so do you prefer them more than say the Texas Specials???   .....Or do you prefer a different set all together.....and why???

Im not interested in any of the noiseless versions as I've heard varying opinions stating a less than Pure Fender tone to them.....???

also...Do the covers come off easily for changing to different colored covers.....they apparently only come in white.....???    Thanks for any responses.....


.......these all go for 150 bucks so price is the same.......

 http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0992114000  ........Fender Custom Shop 69' Strat pickups


http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0992111000  ........Fender  Custom Shop Texas Specials Strat pickups


http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0992113000  ........Fender Custom Shop Fat '50s Strat pickups

 

[jackthehack]

Having used all three sets:

Fat 50's - Pretty much a stock reproduction of 50's Strat pickups. You could put a set in a vintage Strat and not hear any difference in tone Bridge 6.3K Middle 6.2K Neck 6.0K

Texas Specials - Same as Fat 50's with slight overwind to make them a bit hotter Bridge 6.5-7.1K Middle 6.5K Neck 6.2K

69's - Fender modded the pickups a little around '64-65, these are very similar but have the gray cardboard bottoms and are wound a bit lighter than the other sets, 5.8K on all positions

If you're going to pick between these sets, I'd suggest going with the Fat 50's or Texas Specials. The '69's are OK, but the bridge pickup comes off kinda thin.

If you typically run through a heavy effects chain with distortion/overdrive you're not going to hear much difference in tone between any of the 3 sets, other than as indicated above the more wound the pickup, the louder.

 

[Superbeast520]

Thank you Jack, I was hoping to hear from you as I know you have a ton of experience with Fender...Thanks again. :icon_thumright:

 

[Alfang]

You shouldn't dismiss the noiseless pups til you try them, I love mine, and I have some fralins and other good pups in other axes as well

 

[mullyman]

You shouldn't dismiss the noiseless pups til you try them, I love mine, and I have some fralins and other good pups in other axes as well

Yeah, my Clapton Strat has Lace Sensors and they are all kinds of nasty......in a good way. I have Van Zandt's in my Warmoth and they have absolutely the best sound I've ever heard out of single coils. But, if I had to buy Fender pups I'd probably agree with Jack and I'd probably take the Texas Specials.
MULLY

 

[llmtelecaster]

I own both the Texas Specials and the Custom Shop 69 pickups. I prefer the Texas Specials over the 69's. To me, the Texas Specials have the perfect combination of balance, bite, and clarity and they sound great in all positions. I could never find a "sweet spot" with the 69's. Also, the neck pickup sounds completely washed out, whereas the Texas Special neck pickup has that rich, warm, tone that I love so much. I haven't tried the Fat 50's or any of the other pickups mentioned here, but if your decision comes down to either the 69's or the Texas Specials, go with the Texas Specials. They are better pickups and a better value.

 

[jay4321]

The '69 makes for a great neck & mid pickup. I'm not really a huge fan of it in the bridge though

 

[Rouse]

Since it says they are around $250, I'm going to recommend something different, a set of Lollar Blondes in the neck and bridge and a special in the bridge. They sound like no other, chimey and stratty but still warm, smooth, and full, just an amazing set.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Since it says they are around $250, I'm going to recommend something different, a set of Lollar Blondes in the neck and bridge and a special in the bridge. They sound like no other, chimey and stratty but still warm, smooth, and full, just an amazing set.

Woah, two bridge single coils!!!  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[Rouse]

Since it says they are around $250, I'm going to recommend something different, a set of Lollar Blondes in the neck and bridge and a special in the bridge. They sound like no other, chimey and stratty but still warm, smooth, and full, just an amazing set.

Woah, two bridge single coils!!!  :icon_jokercolor:

whoops, I meant to say Blondes in the neck and middle  :sad1:

 

[RichM]

My two-pennies - I have texas specials in my MIJ 62 and whilst they don't sound particularly vintage they are my favourite SC.  However to re-iterate the point made about not discounting noiseless - the Kinman Woodstocks I have in my Warmoth are sooo close in sound to the Specials - and IMHO slightly better on tone and totally quiet - win win!

If your experience of noiseless PUs are Fender or Dimarzio etc. then I would agree - stay clear - but the Kinmans are something special.

Rich.

 

[llmtelecaster]

I own Strats with the 69's in one and the Texas Specials in the other. Both are great sounding pups, but I prefer the hotter drive of the Texas Specials. I eventually want to have the Texas Specials in both strats.

 

[deepblue]

Best single coil pups I have ever used are Stephensdesign Texas '59 set.
I wanted into the SRV realm, but the Texas Specials from Fender (while nice pickups) left me
wanting more....Now I find it much easier to get into a Stevie groove....Im not saying I can play like him
but I do get into a zone even if only for a moment or two.

 

[ORCRiST]

Nice, I'm using Texas Specials (for the mid, bridge and neck are 'buckers), and the black single-coil covers I got from Warmoth fit just fine.

Jack (anyone), have you tried the Samarium Cobalt noiseless? How do they compare to the sets previously mentioned?

 

[timuwmun]

Having used all three sets:

Fat 50's - Pretty much a stock reproduction of 50's Strat pickups. You could put a set in a vintage Strat and not hear any difference in tone Bridge 6.3K Middle 6.2K Neck 6.0K

Texas Specials - Same as Fat 50's with slight overwind to make them a bit hotter Bridge 6.5-7.1K Middle 6.5K Neck 6.2K

69's - Fender modded the pickups a little around '64-65, these are very similar but have the gray cardboard bottoms and are wound a bit lighter than the other sets, 5.8K on all positions

If you're going to pick between these sets, I'd suggest going with the Fat 50's or Texas Specials. The '69's are OK, but the bridge pickup comes off kinda thin.

If you typically run through a heavy effects chain with distortion/overdrive you're not going to hear much difference in tone between any of the 3 sets, other than as indicated above the more wound the pickup, the louder.

ok 5 years late here, but for sake of others searching for this kind of topic (comparing 69 / Texas specials / fat 50s, etc, which is how I just found this thread now): I have TX specials and 65 (which are near identical to the 69 if not the same, per the build specs) and the fat 50s. I directly compared them swapped around in all position, clean and overdriven, as well as compared the wire and magnet and ohm and inductance specs.

That said, the poster above is off base saying the TX are "same as fat 50s but overwound". But they do not compare at all that way, as the Fat 50s use Formvar wire and the TX use plain enamel wire, so the totally different wire makes the big difference, more than the wind amount difference. The 69 and 65 use plain enamel, so they are the ones the TX are comparable to, the TX being overwound versions of them, so the TX have more mids, less highs and a bit less bass compared to the 65+69. The fat50s, due to wire difference, are not comparable to the others... the formvar wire gives a more sterile bright and wide range scooped mids early strat tones, not the later more forward brash ratty raw bluesy yet smoother highs of the 65 69. the 50s are more buddy holly and surf type strat tones.

 

[fdesalvo]

Hahaha, nice job exhuming this one.  Noting wrong with that.

The TXSps are some highly maligned pickups.  I've heard some stellar recordings of these nailing extremely clean and sparkling SRV tones.  Pickup height is crucial in dialing out any inherent harshness with these.

 

[GilgaFrank]

Jack (anyone), have you tried the Samarium Cobalt noiseless?

I have the Samarium Cobalt pickups in a partscaster and they are stunningly good. Slightly lacking in dynamic range, can sound a bit compressed sometimes but the overall sound of them is breathtakingly good. Really tight bass that never breaks up in a bad way, exquisitely stratty-sounding set of pickups.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Well since this thread was exhumed, and I never commented on it, Here's my 2 cents for Dimarzio's "Area" series single coils. Dimarzio nailed it several years ago with these pickups. They are hum-free, and produce authentic Fender single-coil tone. Period...end of story.

I use the Area 67, Area 61, and I also use the Injector for its hotter output. It works well in the neck position.

Also wanna add that these piskups have AlNiCo-II magnets, so there is minimal string pull.

 

[GilgaFrank]

Thanks for reminding me, I have a DiMarzio Area 67/61/61 set here to install in a Strat when I get time. Maybe I should cancel christmas and stay in the workshop til new year.