CALLING ALL Fender Strat Noiseless Pickup Owners!

[comstox]

Guys I bought a set of 'Vintage' Noiseless Srat pickups! They are in the mail headed this way, but I'm wondering what I should expect from them? OBVIOUSLY they should be... noiseless, but is that all I'll get? DO they sound any better than just plain ole' 'vintage' Strat pickups? They are brand new and already loaded into a Fender Pickguard.
Maybe you guys who have bought them can tell me about your experience with them.
Thanks guys!
Glen

 

[Adieu]

Re: CALLING ALL Fender Strat Noiseless Pickup Owners!

They sound worse imho (albeit quieter, if you have hum issues). That's why whoever yanked the pickguard, and probably went with real true singles like Fender CS or Duncans

Shoulda tried them at a guitar store, many mid-high tier Fenders come with Noiseless series pups

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: CALLING ALL Fender Strat Noiseless Pickup Owners!

Jeff Beck digs them.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: CALLING ALL Fender Strat Noiseless Pickup Owners!

Ok, so from this thread on the Gear Page, here’s what we’ve got:

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/i...s-of-fender-noiseless-pickups-please.1822386/

The timeline was:

Vintage Noiseless - used on 1st generation American Deluxes (1998-2003) and on the Eric Clapton Strat starting in 2001 (and a higher output version of these with ceramic magnets called "Hot Noiseless" have been used on the Jeff Beck Strat since 2001 as well). Designed in-house by Fender.
SCN (Sumerian Cobalt Noiseless) - used on 2nd generation American Deluxes (2004-2009). Designed for Fender by Bill Lawrence, but manufactured by Fender.
N3 - used on 3rd generation American Deluxes (2010-2015). Designed in-house by Fender.
N4 - used on the current American Elites (2016-present). Also designed in-house by Fender.

So these seem to be the first generation of Fender Noiseless, after they moved on from Lace Sensors. They also appear to be the pickups in the Clapton signature, post Lace?

As a Strat fan I do believe nothing can touch a true Strat single coil, but real world means that there is RF, 60Hz hum, bad wiring and a host of other things that can make traditional Strats a bit of a Bear to deal with. When I’m playing at home I love my true singles, but when I play with the band I use Stacks...

Let us know how you like them. I think a lot of people here would prefer Duncan Classic Stack Pluses, but we all have different ears and preferences.

 

[ErikH]

Re: CALLING ALL Fender Strat Noiseless Pickup Owners!

Jeff Beck uses the Hot Noiseless. Eric Claptop uses the Vintage Noiseless.

IMO, they're OK. They are quiet but don't expect true vintage Strat tone. If you are OK with that, you're good.

I used to have a set of the SCN Noiseless pickups that Bill Lawrence designed for Fender. I loved those and they are probably the only single-coils (though they are noiseless) that I got along with.

 

[justFred]

Re: CALLING ALL Fender Strat Noiseless Pickup Owners!

tried them briefly and did not like...they just don't have the punch of the Texas Specials...all depends on how and what you play...

 

[comstox]

Re: CALLING ALL Fender Strat Noiseless Pickup Owners!

Thanks guys! I appreciate your honesty and knowledge. You guys are always VERY helpful!

Here's a bit of an update: I got them in the mail and stamped on the back of each pickup are some model? numbers.
Neck says: 053326
Mid also says: 053326
Bridge says:03336

Fender numbers? - What say ye?