Fender CuNiFe Wide Range Humbucker Neck – Did I receive the bridge version?

[tonfarbe]

Just when I was ready to install the newly received Fender CuNiFe Neck pickup in my Squier CV 70s Thinline, I noticed the letter B written on its back.
I was expecting to find a N for Neck and not a B for Bridge.

But then I measured the resistance which is 10.64k. This is in the range of the neck Humbucker (10.1k – 10.7k).
According to Fender, the CuNiFe Bridge has a resistance of 11.2k – 11.8k.

So what do you guys think I have here?
A CuNiFe Neck pickup that has accidentaly been marked with a B in the packaging process?
Or a Bridge humbucker that has been put inside the packaging of a Neck pickup?

 

[Wound_Up]

Just when I was ready to install the newly received Fender CuNiFe Neck pickup in my Squier CV 70s Thinline, I noticed the letter B written on its back.
I was expecting to find a N for Neck and not a B for Bridge.

View attachment 979180

But then I measured the resistance which is 10.64k. This is in the range of the neck Humbucker (10.1k – 10.7k).
According to Fender, the CuNiFe Bridge has a resistance of 11.2k – 11.8k.

View attachment 979181

So what do you guys think I have here?
A CuNiFe Neck pickup that has accidentaly been marked with a B in the packaging process?
Or a Bridge humbucker that has been put inside the packaging of a Neck pickup?

Who says it was an accident? That, B wasn't accidentally written on there. It was written with purpose. Look at it.

My money says you're wrong to assume it should have a 'N' for neck or 'B' for bridge. And that's they somehow screwed up. The simplest answer is it isn't to signify neck or bridge and it's totally unrelated to that. You're just making an incorrect assumption.

It could stand for literally ANYTHING.

 

[tonfarbe]

Because I have found pictures with BR or NK written on the back like here: https://www.chicagomusicexchange.co...de-range-humbucker-neck-pickup-chrome-1041617

Or here: https://www.tdpri.com/threads/new-fender-cunife-wide-range-humbuckers.1049062/post-10118304

Or at thoman.de

 

[Si G X]

It measures as neck specs (and unless there is some other difference between the neck and bridge?) then it's a neck. It doesn't matter what's written on it.

 

[tonfarbe]

I just learned that winding direction and magnet polarity are identical between the bridge and neck WRHB.
So time to heat the soldering iron...

 

[Si G X]

Maybe it was wound to be a bridge but final measuring meant it got moved to the neck pile.

"This is in the range of the neck Humbucker (10.1k – 10.7k)"

That range is bigger than the difference between the neck (10.7k) and Bridge (11.2k) so I think it's safe to say there isn't much difference between the neck and bridge and that might only be decided in the pairing process. If you are just using one I don't think it really matters.

 

[Boreas]

FWIW, my vintage 74 Thinline PUs measure 10.88 Neck, 10.96 Bridge. I wouldn't sweat it.

What are you using in the bridge position??

 

[Ebidis]

You have a pickup that specs out to what it should. Once you put it in your guitar, you won't see what's written on the bottom, and you can just play the guitar and enjoy the sound.

 

[tonfarbe]

You have a pickup that specs out to what it should. Once you put it in your guitar, you won't see what's written on the bottom, and you can just play the guitar and enjoy the sound.

I wanted to test the Neck PU first before replacing both WRHB style Pickups in my CV 70s Thinline.
And before I learned that both, winding direction and magnet polarity are identical, I was concerned about ending up with 2 CuNiFe bridge pickups in this guitar.
Now I know that the only difference is the DC resistance.

So I wasn’t picky about what’s written on the back but concerned about future (in case I order the CuNiFe bridge later) phasing/polarity issues.

 

[emzc]

It's not a B, this heart means it was made with love...

 

[uriah1]

My thinline reissue I think are about the same neck and bridgel.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Just install, play it for a bit & post the results. If you like it, great. If not, just take it out.

 

[Boreas]

Since both will be very close anyway, the actual position where you place it will likely make more of a difference in tone than the resistance values. Pickup height has a great deal to do with it as well.

You could also drop a line to Fender and actually get a real answer.