Are Fender Noiseless Pickups Active???

[comstox]

I bought a loaded Fender pickguard with "Vintage Noiseless" pickups and I have never got it to sound right... Too twangy for my taste. Although THAT ISSUE - (too twangy,) bothers me, I just watched a youtube video where a guy is working on an Eric Clapton signature 'Blackie,' and he said, "These noisesless Fender pickups are active."

So here's my question, Are ALL Fender Noiseless pickups supposed to be setup active? (Needing a 9v. battery.) Or just that the Clapton Signature Strat has that extra "Clapton mod" circuit board that does require a battery?

BTW, My Fender Noiseless are one generation older the newest generation.

Thanks in advance,
Glen in New Hampshire

 

[freefrog]

Re: Are Fender Noiseless Pickups Active???

I bought a loaded Fender pickguard with "Vintage Noiseless" pickups and I have never got it to sound right... Too twangy for my taste. Although THAT ISSUE - (too twangy,) bothers me, I just watched a youtube video where a guy is working on an Eric Clapton signature 'Blackie,' and he said, "These noisesless Fender pickups are active."

So here's my question, Are ALL Fender Noiseless pickups supposed to be setup active? (Needing a 9v. battery.) Or just that the Clapton Signature Strat has that extra "Clapton mod" circuit board that does require a battery?

BTW, My Fender Noiseless are one generation older the newest generation.

Thanks in advance,
Glen in New Hampshire

The only "active" thing in Clapton signature Strat's is the preamp and not the pickups.

This mid boost / preamp is not pricey, FWIW.

https://guitarelectronics.com/strat-w-eric-clapton-mid-boost-circuit-tbx-tone-control/

EDIT about the "too twangy" thing: a relative problem with first generations noiseless PU's is the tendency of stacked coils to generate a "dual resonant peak", contributing to an apparently boosted high range. Various stacks with the same architecture than Fender noiseless share this (unnatural) sonic feature and it can be irritating through a wide range or full range amp / cab. The DiMarzio Area series is an example of that, among others.
Fender noiseless 4's have solved this issue: these pickups exhibit a single focused resonant peak, just like regular single coils.
FWIW.

 

[ICTGoober]

Re: Are Fender Noiseless Pickups Active???

Fender Noiseless pickups are not active, but they have the clarity and articulation of an active pickup. No batteries kicks ass IMO.

 

[Golem]

Re: Are Fender Noiseless Pickups Active???

The Clapton circuit is active for the MDX, the actual pickup doesn’t require batteries. So his statement is misleading.


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[comstox]

Re: Are Fender Noiseless Pickups Active???

The Clapton circuit is active for the MDX, the actual pickup doesn’t require batteries. So his statement is misleading.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, that's what I thought too, but wanted clarification. Thanks everyone!