'54's and '69's comparison

[Wordsmith]

tonally, whats the difference between fender custom '54 and '69 pickups? for some reason i expect the '54's to be cleaner, is this at all true in anyones experience?

James

 

[Bhodie]

I have both sets, along with some Fralin vintage hots, and the Seymour Duncan California 50's.. (SSL-1 matched set)

The 54's have more definition to my ears, the CS '69's are more "chimy".. I was telling a friend today they were too "laid back" and "hippyish" (and I was one).

The SSL-1's are a great deal for the money and are almost indistinguishable from the Fralin Vintage Hots.. very sparkly, clear, spanky on the bridge..

The weirdest thing is that the pickups in my Custom Shop 69.. are so different from the CS '69's you buy in the pack.. I guess AY actually winds the ones in the custom shop strats to old specs, and has a team that winds the packaged '69's that she inspects and signs.. Either way, they are much closer to the '54's in performance.

My favorite setup in my "rough and ready" (I live in MN, so when you go out and it is 11 degrees out, you do not take your number 1 or number 2 with lacquer finishes outside) is a CS 54 in the neck and middle and a Seymour Duncan Phat Cat in the bridge.. that really rocks.. Every third string change or so, I exchange that with either the Fralins or the SD SSL-1's..

 

[Mark Davis]

The 54's sound a little thinner on the top end than the 69's. The 69's have that grand piano string sound on the wound strings the 54's dont have that same sound on the wounds.

 

[Bhodie]

The 54's sound a little thinner on the top end than the 69's. The 69's have that grand piano string sound on the wound strings the 54's dont have that same sound on the wounds.

What he said...

 

[tazzboy]

I like the Custom Shop 69 I think they are great pickups. I haven't played the Custom Shop 54 I have only heard sound clips on acmeguitarworks.com web site.