Grateful Dead Music Forum

I ordered this 2007 fender Highway One from Guitarsandeffects.com for a good price. (see pic below) I have played a few of these at my local guitar center and was happy with the way they feel. I knew I would eventually need to upgrade the pickups. My guitar came in yesterday and I hooked it up to my rig. The guitar is exactly what I want.. Nitro finish, 70s headstock, rosewood fretboard. I HATE the pickups. They are not even close to the tone I am looking for. I have been playing it sans the amp today. I have played various reissues (62, 57) and I like the tone. I have also been looking at the Kinman Woodstock II pickups($265). What do you all like for a vintage strat tone? What do you think about the vintage noiseless?

[/img]

got emg's in my '57 reish...i like the vintage noiseless tho too

do you know anywhere that sells pre assembled pickups and guards? How much does it run to have pickups installed?

Are the pickups set up correctly? What amp are you using, what settings and pedals are you using?String gauge?? string height?what capaciter.02? Start there what strat sound are you after Knopler Hendrix,stevie??200 bills for pickups and another 100 bills to install thats what we charge here in upstate NY maybe more or less where you are. Thats alot of cash man to spend on a brand new guitar.

dpmphoto wrote:Are the pickups set up correctly? What amp are you using, what settings and pedals are you using?String gauge?? string height?what capaciter.02? Start there what strat sound are you after Knopler Hendrix,stevie??200 bills for pickups and another 100 bills to install thats what we charge here in upstate NY maybe more or less where you are. Thats alot of cash man to spend on a brand new guitar.

The pickups are factory stock. They are "3 Hot Single-Coil Strat® Pickups with Alnico 3 Magnets and Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity Middle Pickup". Fender® Super Bullets® 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042) factory. I play through a Crate Vintage club 30 and a Fender Blues Jr. N.O.S. I was comparing the tone of my guitar to a friends '57 R.I. with Fender vintage pickups ( smae amps with same tone/volume settings. The 57 sounded much better. I guess I am looking for a vintage tone. If I can find a loaded pick guard I should be able to make the connections to the jack. The rest of the guitar is perfect! the neck is fast, nitro finish. I am O.K. with an upgrade right away. I bought the guitar slightly used (I think it hung on the wall at a shop). It has a few very small dings on the body. I got a great price.

i swear by the fender samarium cobalt noiseless single coils on my strat. theyre capable of anything ive asked of them, and i play some diverse stuff

Man, you guys favor some expensive pups! I have a 1983 '62 vintage re-issue and I swapped out the factory pups for Seymour Duncan vintage staggered strat pups. They go for about 60 bucks.
I don't record around computers or the like so the noiseless feature is not high on my list.
I put 'em in myself, just recreated the original wiring lead by lead and I'm no pro. They sound great.

WSPHead wrote: If I can find a loaded pick guard I should be able to make the connections to the jack. The rest of the guitar is perfect! the neck is fast, nitro finish.

Talk to Bruce at:
http://www.aampselectricguitarstore.com ... guard.html

He did mine and did a wonderful job!

strumminsix wrote:

Are those Golds?

Thanks!

get thicker strings while youre at it

WSPHead wrote:

strumminsix wrote:

Are those Golds?

Thanks!

Lace Sensors: Blue Gold & Purple

Very nice compliments but not exactly what I like now.

What I prefer is that as I go from the neck to the bridge that the tone goes from fat & huge to crisp & tight. These, do that a bit but mostly they just give different tone and feel.