Fender Fat 50's PUPs
- Thread starter sweet_lou
- Start date
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
Lou -
Those are supposed to be some of the best pups for vintage tone with a little extra low end you can get. I believe GJ uses them in his strats. I have the Custom Shop 54's, and I believe the tone is similar, but again, with more beef in the Fat 50's.
You can expect really sweet blues tones from the middle and neck, and nice quack in the notch positions. SRV tones ala Lenny and Texas Flood should be no problem. The bridge pos is usually the week spot, but the 50's are supposed to be better. Vintage tone for sure....which I think is right down your alley. I think they'll rock in your guitar.
Lou -
Those are supposed to be some of the best pups for vintage tone with a little extra low end you can get. I believe GJ uses them in his strats. I have the Custom Shop 54's, and I believe the tone is similar, but again, with more beef in the Fat 50's.
You can expect really sweet blues tones from the middle and neck, and nice quack in the notch positions. SRV tones ala Lenny and Texas Flood should be no problem. The bridge pos is usually the week spot, but the 50's are supposed to be better. Vintage tone for sure....which I think is right down your alley. I think they'll rock in your guitar.
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
Forget the Dimarzio. Take the CC out of your son's LP, give him the JB or take my DD Distortion for him. Put the CC in the bridge with the Fat 50's in the neck and mid and I promise you you won't leave your apartment for a week....even for something like my avitar.
Forget the Dimarzio. Take the CC out of your son's LP, give him the JB or take my DD Distortion for him. Put the CC in the bridge with the Fat 50's in the neck and mid and I promise you you won't leave your apartment for a week....even for something like my avitar.
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
I've got the Fat 50's in my '75 strat...they're quite good, actually. I've found them to be excellent for clean and some semi-overdirven work. They certainly have personality as the bass is pretty prominent in the overall tone. The bridge pickup is, without a doubt, the weak end of the setup. I have considered maybe getting an Antiquity II bridge or a twangbanger for the bridge of the strat, but I'm concerned about the humcanceling bridge/middle combo, phase issues, etc.
The fat 50's destroy my original '75 and '76 pickups in terms of fullness of tone. The fat 50's bridge is still too brittle for me though.
Farkus
I've got the Fat 50's in my '75 strat...they're quite good, actually. I've found them to be excellent for clean and some semi-overdirven work. They certainly have personality as the bass is pretty prominent in the overall tone. The bridge pickup is, without a doubt, the weak end of the setup. I have considered maybe getting an Antiquity II bridge or a twangbanger for the bridge of the strat, but I'm concerned about the humcanceling bridge/middle combo, phase issues, etc.
The fat 50's destroy my original '75 and '76 pickups in terms of fullness of tone. The fat 50's bridge is still too brittle for me though.
Farkus
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
The only thing to be aware of is that Duncans have reverse polarity from Fenders.
Does anyone know if Dimarzio's are wound the same as Duncans or reverse? If it's reverse from Duncans, I'm sure the DiMarzio would jive nicely. Out of any single coil pickups, the Fat 50's sit the best next to a humbucker, which is why Fender always uses them in conjunction with their humbuckers in the Showmaster guitars.
I'm very hesitant to sell this set, since they really do sound great. I'm just looking to experiment with some others, plus I had 1 set too many of the Fat 50's.
The only thing to be aware of is that Duncans have reverse polarity from Fenders.
Does anyone know if Dimarzio's are wound the same as Duncans or reverse? If it's reverse from Duncans, I'm sure the DiMarzio would jive nicely. Out of any single coil pickups, the Fat 50's sit the best next to a humbucker, which is why Fender always uses them in conjunction with their humbuckers in the Showmaster guitars.
I'm very hesitant to sell this set, since they really do sound great. I'm just looking to experiment with some others, plus I had 1 set too many of the Fat 50's.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
Another thing....if you're looking for the Stevie Ray sound, forget the Texas Specials, go straight to the Fat 50's. SRV LIVES in the Fat 50's neck pickup.
Another thing....if you're looking for the Stevie Ray sound, forget the Texas Specials, go straight to the Fat 50's. SRV LIVES in the Fat 50's neck pickup.
Buckeyedog
New member
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
GJ, I've put the Fat 50's in my SRV axe, but the shop still has it to do some fretwork (choking out on the high e-string). So I haven't got a chance to play them yet. As far as the brittle bridge, I'm not sure how it will work yet, but I got a blender pot from Lew and also am using "tone 2" as a master tone for all pickups so not only can I tone the bridge down, I can mix in a little neck pickup too. Hopefully that will take away some of that brittleness. I'll report back in a few days.
GJ, I've put the Fat 50's in my SRV axe, but the shop still has it to do some fretwork (choking out on the high e-string). So I haven't got a chance to play them yet. As far as the brittle bridge, I'm not sure how it will work yet, but I got a blender pot from Lew and also am using "tone 2" as a master tone for all pickups so not only can I tone the bridge down, I can mix in a little neck pickup too. Hopefully that will take away some of that brittleness. I'll report back in a few days.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
The brige pickup isn't really that brittle, although on my strat, I kept the bridge's tone backed off to 8. The whole set is pretty balanced. The Fat 50's neck pickup is pure joy, tho. It has that nice grindy Texas growl that gives me shivers plugged into a blackface or Matchless.
The brige pickup isn't really that brittle, although on my strat, I kept the bridge's tone backed off to 8. The whole set is pretty balanced. The Fat 50's neck pickup is pure joy, tho. It has that nice grindy Texas growl that gives me shivers plugged into a blackface or Matchless.
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
Lou...The Fat 50's middle and neck are really great,but I don't care for the Fat 50 bridge,as I feel it's still thin and too toppy...I'm currently using the Fat 50 middle and neck with a Fralin SP 43 Hot bridge single coil that Lew sold me...If you try to mate the Fat 50s with a bridge Duncan,you will(in fact)run into phase problems..I did..The fix was to have Scott at Duncan make my bridge Duncan SSL6 have "S" magnet polarity..The phase problems were from magnet polarity issues and not electrical phase problems...I then moved the Fat 50 middle to the neck and the neck Fat 50 to the middle and this gave me hum cancelling again in both the 2nd and 4th positions...I've since replaced the SSL6 with the Fralin pickup though and it's worlds better for my styles....I need the bridge pickup to have balls and not thin tinny crap but still have some top in it's presentation...That's where I'm at..The Twangbanger is very cool in the bridge spot also..
John
Lou...The Fat 50's middle and neck are really great,but I don't care for the Fat 50 bridge,as I feel it's still thin and too toppy...I'm currently using the Fat 50 middle and neck with a Fralin SP 43 Hot bridge single coil that Lew sold me...If you try to mate the Fat 50s with a bridge Duncan,you will(in fact)run into phase problems..I did..The fix was to have Scott at Duncan make my bridge Duncan SSL6 have "S" magnet polarity..The phase problems were from magnet polarity issues and not electrical phase problems...I then moved the Fat 50 middle to the neck and the neck Fat 50 to the middle and this gave me hum cancelling again in both the 2nd and 4th positions...I've since replaced the SSL6 with the Fralin pickup though and it's worlds better for my styles....I need the bridge pickup to have balls and not thin tinny crap but still have some top in it's presentation...That's where I'm at..The Twangbanger is very cool in the bridge spot also..
John
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
Lou...Here's a picture of my Highway 1 Saphire Blue Alder body strat...
Twangbanger in the bridge
Surfer neck and middle
Fralin Blender Pot
80s 12" radius American Standard maple neck
50s style headstock logo..
White Pearl S/S/S Pickguard...
Love this guitar!
Lou...Here's a picture of my Highway 1 Saphire Blue Alder body strat...
Twangbanger in the bridge
Surfer neck and middle
Fralin Blender Pot
80s 12" radius American Standard maple neck
50s style headstock logo..
White Pearl S/S/S Pickguard...
Love this guitar!
Jeffrec
New member
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
I've had Fat '50's in my '95 Am Stndrd Strat for years and love them. The bridge can be a tad bright, but I just roll off the tone on that pup a bit. Aside from using SD Custom Antiquity's & Texas Hots (which I plan to do in the future), the Fender F-'50's are great. I liked them much better than the Texas Specials or Noiseless.
Jeff
I've had Fat '50's in my '95 Am Stndrd Strat for years and love them. The bridge can be a tad bright, but I just roll off the tone on that pup a bit. Aside from using SD Custom Antiquity's & Texas Hots (which I plan to do in the future), the Fender F-'50's are great. I liked them much better than the Texas Specials or Noiseless.
Jeff
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
Jeff...We have alot in common buddy...I dislike the Texas Specials and the original early Noiseless pickups also...Can't comment on the newer cobalt Noiseless though?
John
Jeffrec said:
Jeff...We have alot in common buddy...I dislike the Texas Specials and the original early Noiseless pickups also...Can't comment on the newer cobalt Noiseless though?
John
Jeffrec
New member
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
I imagine the new Noiseless (current Jeff Beck Strat has them I think) are pretty nice. Recently saw Jeff play here in New York and he sounded great (although I bet you could give him a broomstick with a wire attached to it and he would be awesome :laugh2: ). I've heard that the Texas specials are nice if you lower them down to the pickguard, but they still don't do it for me. I read an interview with Chris Duarte who said he tried them and having known SRV personally, said he would not have liked them.
Jeff
STRATDELUXER97 said:
I imagine the new Noiseless (current Jeff Beck Strat has them I think) are pretty nice. Recently saw Jeff play here in New York and he sounded great (although I bet you could give him a broomstick with a wire attached to it and he would be awesome :laugh2: ). I've heard that the Texas specials are nice if you lower them down to the pickguard, but they still don't do it for me. I read an interview with Chris Duarte who said he tried them and having known SRV personally, said he would not have liked them.
Jeff
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
Jeff....I tryed the Texas Specials and I messed with lowering the heights etc..They just are harsh and too middy for my tastes...Alot of guys like them,They didn't work for me...The Fat 50s or even the SSL5 and 6s are more SRV sounding to me even though SRV used stock pickups...It was his big strings,lower tunings,and SRV playing that was so fat....
John
Jeff....I tryed the Texas Specials and I messed with lowering the heights etc..They just are harsh and too middy for my tastes...Alot of guys like them,They didn't work for me...The Fat 50s or even the SSL5 and 6s are more SRV sounding to me even though SRV used stock pickups...It was his big strings,lower tunings,and SRV playing that was so fat....
John
Jeffrec
New member
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
John,
I agree. Along with the tuning, string guage, effects etc..., he was an amp fanatic and used to link all kinds of amps together for his sound. My guess is that the Fat '50's, Custom Antiqs, and SSL 5 & 6's are all within the same ballpark that Stevie's original pups were in, with the Antiqs being the closest.
I had a set of SSL-5's at one time (in a different Strat), but I think I like the Fat '50's better. It could have been the difference in guitars though. My current one sounds great even acoustically. The old one (a 1973) was mediocre sounding.
Jeff
STRATDELUXER97 said:
John,
I agree. Along with the tuning, string guage, effects etc..., he was an amp fanatic and used to link all kinds of amps together for his sound. My guess is that the Fat '50's, Custom Antiqs, and SSL 5 & 6's are all within the same ballpark that Stevie's original pups were in, with the Antiqs being the closest.
I had a set of SSL-5's at one time (in a different Strat), but I think I like the Fat '50's better. It could have been the difference in guitars though. My current one sounds great even acoustically. The old one (a 1973) was mediocre sounding.
Jeff
Buckeyedog
New member
Re: Fender Fat 50's PUPs
I'm there with you guys. I just put the fat 50's in myself and picked up my strat from the shop (fretwork) today at lunch. I can't wait to try them out. I didn't care for the texas specials either. Question.....do you guys lower these any or just use kind of standard height??
Thanks.
I'm there with you guys. I just put the fat 50's in myself and picked up my strat from the shop (fretwork) today at lunch. I can't wait to try them out. I didn't care for the texas specials either. Question.....do you guys lower these any or just use kind of standard height??
Thanks.
