----fender powerhouse strat question----

[rguser]

I looked around fender's line up and decided the MIM deluxe line is the best for my budget. The powerhouse model seems interesting because of the active circuit and dummy coil etc. Is that set up compatible with duncan pickups?

fender's spec sheet says the pickups are "powerhouse ultra quiet" pickups.
how good/special are they?

 

[Porto Leone]

Re: ----fender powerhouse strat question----

if you upgrade the pups to any single coils you have to use the proper dummy coil to avoid humming or bad sound symptoms. that is 'cause the dummy has to have the same windings as the three pups to work properly. the other solution would be to put noiseless pups (SDuncan or DiMarzio blades and single-sized 'buckers, Lace Sensors, Kinman, Fender Noiseless, Bill Lawrence etc.) and take off the dummy coil.
the original pickups in the Powerhouse are the same as of the American series strat+the dummy coil. not bad but not great too. the mid boost is a nice future when you learn to use it. just keep on mind it's always active and have effect in the sound and you always need to have a battery in the circuit.
IMHO, if you find a Powerhouse strat with no quality control issues it's a great buy (i'd say the same for the Deluxe Players, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray and the Fat Deluxe MIM).

 

[theodie]

Re: ----fender powerhouse strat question----

if you upgrade the pups to any single coils you have to use the proper dummy coil to avoid humming or bad sound symptoms. that is 'cause the dummy has to have the same windings as the three pups to work properly. the other solution would be to put noiseless pups (SDuncan or DiMarzio blades and single-sized 'buckers, Lace Sensors, Kinman, Fender Noiseless, Bill Lawrence etc.) and take off the dummy coil.
the original pickups in the Powerhouse are the same as of the American series strat+the dummy coil. not bad but not great too. the mid boost is a nice future when you learn to use it. just keep on mind it's always active and have effect in the sound and you always need to have a battery in the circuit.
IMHO, if you find a Powerhouse strat with no quality control issues it's a great buy (i'd say the same for the Deluxe Players, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray and the Fat Deluxe MIM).

Not 100% true. Duncans will be compatible but, it might not give you 100% noise canceling. It will be like a mismatched wound or hybrid bucker in a way as far as the noise canceling. If it were me, I would take out the dummy coil and install whatever you want though. You dont usually have to worry about QC problems with Fender either. That is far more of a Gibson problem.