Upgrade pups for cheap strat copy?

Hello people!!
Other than Mighty Mite, anyone have any recommendations for inexpensive pickups to upgrade a cheap Chinese-made strat copy. Seriously, DON'T show me a pack of matches.
I'm looking to spend under $50 for a set. And yes, I've considered used Fender MIM pickups also.
Any advice would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!
:?: :shock: Steve

While I can't recommend a make, I'd suggest trying to find some used ones that were either returned or exchanged, or that a friend no longer needs. Maybe somebody at the Just Pickups Forum can help.

Swapping pickups is fun, but the outcome is unpredictable and sometimes disappointing. Almost everything in the guitar, including the wood and the type of metal in the bridge, makes a difference in tone so if there's a problem with them, no pickup will sound right.

In a perfect world, I'd suggest saving the money and buying a complete guitar that sounds the way you like, but that's not always possible.

Make sure the pickups will fit in your guitar, though. Not all copies are equally exact. Your routing may vary.

GFS....incredible stuff IMHO.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/

If you want a set of standard MIM strat pups (the ceramic ones) let me know. I've just bought one and I've orderred a set of new pickups. When they get here the stock pups will be available real cheap (ie, just something to cover the P&P).

I've had good luck with single coil GFS pickups.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/singlecoil.html

I just installed this set in a homebrew hardtail Strat, which was less than $50 a set:

http://store.guitarfetish.com/stvialstpise.html

They're nice clear vintage type pickups.

Even the GFS Strat sets that are over $50 (with higher grade materials) are still very reasonable.

Pete

Thanks for the advice people!!
I just bought a used set of Fender American Standard pickups on e-bay for $35.
Steve

Does anyone know if Am Std pickups are RW/RP for the middle pickup? When did Fender begin to make them that way?

Thanks - VW