My new Nocaster pickup: a few questions

So I bought a Nocaster bridge pickup off of Ebay.

Listing says new, and it looks new. If the wire's ever been used it doesn't look it.

Anyway, I understand that current-era Nocaster bridges measure something like 7.7k, while the Cunetto-era pickups measure 9.5k.

Well, I've never measured a pickup, so this is my first time, but mine seemed to measure 9.3-9.4k. So does this mean it's a Cunetto pickup? I've heard to many good things about the Nocasters that I have really been looking forward to installing it. But I'm curious if this is in fact an older one (relatively speaking) whether it would be better to swap it out for a newer one. Also, just making sure that everything looks kosher with it (you experts out there with these can make sure I haven't bought some other pickup!)

Anyway, here are a few pics. THe pic in the 2nd post in this thread shows where I measured the output:

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr297/superbadj/Back-3.jpg

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr297/superbadj/side-1.jpg

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr297/superbadj/top-1.jpg

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr297/superbadj/top-2.jpg

The arrows point to where I put the leads on the multimeter:

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr297/superbadj/Back-2.jpg

This is the meter I'm using:

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr297/superbadj/digitalmultimeter.jpg

I have it set in the center (12-o-clock) position on the dial, and the leads are attached like in the pic (that's a stock pick, not mine).

When I put the leads directly on the wire ends, I got the same measurement.

Cool, if it is 9.4k, it may be one of the early 10k Nocaster Clean models (clean meaning no relic wear applied). Those 10k Nocasters are somewhat rare and often sell for $150 on eBay. If you'd prefer a current 7.3k model, you could sell the 10k on eBay for $150, buy a used Nocaster for $50.00, and pocket $100.00. Of course, I'd try the 10k model first, as some guys absolutely love those. Bill Hullet used a 10k Nocaster on his Two Lane Highway CD, playing the title cut I believe, for a clip to reference.

That is a Nocaster.

Must be the older one and you are measureing correctly.

I JUST got a brand new Nocaster set and my bridge reads 6.95K


More:
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pickups/134350-cs-nocaster-pups-changes.html

So the base on it is correct? It's hard finding a pic of the bottom of the pickup!

Cool. Well that's interesting, then, since the thing was listed as new, and it looks new. I guess maybe it was just sitting around and never used. I got it for around $65 I think, so if it's a Cunetto version then that's a good price.

Now I just have to figure out which tele to put it into. My '72 Custom RI, or my 1985 '62 Custom reissue (MIJ).

Hmmmm....decisions, decisions.

Guess I'll have to have a playoff and replace the weakest one!

from the nature of your post, i gather you aren't confident with your reading.

i'd have someone more experienced measure it for you because, as far as i can tell, that isn't a cunetto era pickup. i've had 6 or 7 of them over the years, and every one of them has been identifiable by the shape of the sticker on the baseplate. yours could be an exception, but the sticker on yours is the new style one.

Well I was just surprised by the reading, that's all. I understand that newer ones are 7.7k or so, and this one consistently reads (whether I measure at the points marked on the image, or using the ends of the leads) 9.4k.

Getting the reading itself is fairly straightforward. The meter is an auto-ranging meter, so I just have to set it to the right measurement setting, and hold the sticks steady until the reading stabilizes. Not too much to screw up there.

It's not so much that I feel the reading is wrong....I wanted to make sure the pickup itself is in fact a NoCaster bridge pickup. So when the reading wasn't right, I wondered.

Well I was just surprised by the reading, that's all. I understand that newer ones are 7.7k or so, and this one consistently reads (whether I measure at the points marked on the image, or using the ends of the leads) 9.4k.

Getting the reading itself is fairly straightforward. The meter is an auto-ranging meter, so I just have to set it to the right measurement setting, and hold the sticks steady until the reading stabilizes. Not too much to screw up there.

It's not so much that I feel the reading is wrong....I wanted to make sure the pickup itself is in fact a NoCaster bridge pickup. So when the reading wasn't right, I wondered.

well, everything looks right. it's definitely one of the two nocasters. they are both AWESOME, so you can't lose. after going through don mares, lollars, etc., i'd take either nocaster over anything from those guys. they are quite similar in sound, with the 10k being slightly more focused on the mids, with less dimension and less bottom end. the newer 7k sounds fuller, and more hi-fi. whatever you've got there, it's gonna be great.:cool:

I have one of the second generation (AlNiCo II vs AlNiCo V) OV (Original Vintage (http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0992119000)) bridge pickups that measured a little more than 8k when I got it, instead of the 7.2k spec. And I have an OV neck pickup that measures around 7.2k instead of the 7.7k spec.

I thought the 8k OV was a little more middy than I wanted, so I had Benny Trevillian (TDPRI member benbo) remove some winds to get it to close to 7k. I like it, but in hindsight I probably should have kept it the way it was and just bought another one. I would be game for trying another one like that now.

And I bought another OV neck that measures around 7.7k. I like it much better than the lower wound one.

The specs on Fender's product page online for the Nocasters (http://www.fender.com/products//search.php?partno=0992109000) are different than those on the box they come in. The Nocasters I have measure about like the box specs, around 7.3k on both. From other accounts I've read here, current production Nocaster pickups have measured close to the box specs. I don't remember reading any accounts of them measuring like the specs online.

If you haven't used a Nocaster bridge before, you might as well try this one out to see if it works well for you. I'm betting you could easily sell it if you don't want it for enough to buy another new one that's the 7.3k spec, because enough folks rave about the earlier spec Nocaster and the demand seems to be high for them.

Well yeah, unless it turned out to be some other pickup and I got ripped off, I am gonna install it. I don't care which type it turns out to be. I only care what it sounds like!

My big question now is which tele to put it in. My MIJ '62 Custom, or the MIM '72 Custom. In the middle of a comparison to see which I think needs it more.

What are the neck pups in the two Tele customs ?

they're the stock pickups.

In the 72 custom RI, the wide range 'bucker. I am installing a 500k pot rather than the 250 it comes with, just to help open it up a bit. But otherwise, it's stock.

The '62 custom is whatever came in the MIJ/1985 models of that guitar. I'm really not sure. It's a good sounding pickup, though.

The bridge pups in each are fairly similar, really. Measuring them using a medium-length cord (measuring at the tip of the output end of the cord), I got readings of about 6.4k for each. When I pull the old pickup, I'll measure it directly for a good comparison (as I know that running it all through the wiring in the guitar is going to change the reading at the end of a cord).

Neither are really bad, but I've just been so curious that I wanted to see what the nocaster sounds like. I think it's going in the '72 Custom, since I only bought the bridge pickup. If it really blows me away, I may buy a full set for the '62 and give 'em a whirl.

I'll post an update (and maybe sound clips) when I get 'er in!

Cool,

I think I would have done the 72 custom RI too as it will be interesting hearing the Nocaster with the humbucker !

At over 9K it should sound pretty awesome.

Can't wait for the sound clips and don't burn your pickin' fingers on the solder job!!