xxxsoundxxx
New member
I wanted to take time to share what I have learned after reading countless posts and not finding a exact answer. I have a 2012 American standard strat /w/ CS fat 50's pickups. The neck and middle are good but the bridge is a little too vintagy and thin. A very good pickup but just didn't work for me. And i usually like weaker pickups. I called SD to get a suggestion after reviewing and not making a decision. It was suggested I try a Texas special. Well I hated the Fender Texas style pickups (19K bridge pickup!!) in my American special tele so going on that, I asked him "how about the surfers?" and am SO GLAD I did for a couple big reasons.
After ordering the pickup I started reading all these threads about Duncan pickups not working with fenders and having to switch wires,pickups,magnets and have potential to the ground being used as hot and causing contact noise. Looking at Duncan winding specs left me more confused if it would work or not. I did not want to switch everything around and wanted hum cancel on 2 & 4 pos. Nervous that I screwed up, I called SD back and talked to a customer service person there and told him I had fat 50's and would the surfer custom be OK for the bridge giving me what I want.
"You lucked out, you chose one of the few pickups we make that would work wiring black to ground and having hum cancel"
He said to call him back and tell him if he is wrong but he wasn't it worked perfect. It has to do with the direction of the wrap, polarity etc. that just so happened to work with the fat 50's.
My strat has now taken a HUGE turn for the better. I was worried about the hotter pickup taking away my twang like my tele but not at all. It's just not surgical anymore!
Absolutely awesome and balances with the neck perfect now instead of (like most vintage strats) being weak and unbalanced. The bridge and middle combo bell tones were good with the old pickup and I was worried of altering/loosing that but it improved what I didn't think could be!!!! Super tone! I was fighting getting the standard or custom but at the last minute decided custom and am so glad I did! It is not too hot at all just perfect!! Tech support saved me experimentation and got me right to a killer strat!!! THANKS!
After ordering the pickup I started reading all these threads about Duncan pickups not working with fenders and having to switch wires,pickups,magnets and have potential to the ground being used as hot and causing contact noise. Looking at Duncan winding specs left me more confused if it would work or not. I did not want to switch everything around and wanted hum cancel on 2 & 4 pos. Nervous that I screwed up, I called SD back and talked to a customer service person there and told him I had fat 50's and would the surfer custom be OK for the bridge giving me what I want.
"You lucked out, you chose one of the few pickups we make that would work wiring black to ground and having hum cancel"
He said to call him back and tell him if he is wrong but he wasn't it worked perfect. It has to do with the direction of the wrap, polarity etc. that just so happened to work with the fat 50's.
My strat has now taken a HUGE turn for the better. I was worried about the hotter pickup taking away my twang like my tele but not at all. It's just not surgical anymore!
Absolutely awesome and balances with the neck perfect now instead of (like most vintage strats) being weak and unbalanced. The bridge and middle combo bell tones were good with the old pickup and I was worried of altering/loosing that but it improved what I didn't think could be!!!! Super tone! I was fighting getting the standard or custom but at the last minute decided custom and am so glad I did! It is not too hot at all just perfect!! Tech support saved me experimentation and got me right to a killer strat!!! THANKS!
