How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?

[Electric]

Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?

It's about the construction of these vintage like pickups. There are 2 super thin leads running around the baseplate, which are very vulnerable to being damaged. This can happen to any pickup of this type of construction no matter what brand. If you see just how thin this wire is, you could very well imagine that just one bump during packaging will sever the connection.
Other than these 2 cases of DOA, I've never had a pickup die on me.

Were both sets of pickups Strat-style single coils? I wonder if Jazzmaster pickups are equally vulnerable to what you're talking about, considering that I can't see those leads on them...

 

[uOpt]

Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?

I've had a couple of DOA pickups........both Antiquity singlecoils actually. Nothing visibly to say why they weren't working either in packaging or the pickup itself

I'm not sure I can parse that.

 

[El Supremo]

Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?

Were both sets of pickups Strat-style single coils? I wonder if Jazzmaster pickups are equally vulnerable to what you're talking about, considering that I can't see those leads on them...

Yes. Both were single coil strat pickups. I have no experience with Jazzmaster pickups, but I know the Dimarzio Heavy Blues II had a different, more solid construction (also hum cancelling btw).

 

[dotsdad]

Re: How likely is it for pickups to be dead on arrival?

I too have gotten a DOA Fender 69. The coil was too fat and the cover rubbing against the coil broke the wire.