scottffitch
New member
I write this post this morning with hesitation--as I'm well aware of the ire that the majority of us tone nuts have for not only noiseless pickups in general, but specifically the higher end Fender sets (SCN, Hot Noiseless and N3).. But recently, I've changed my ...tone--so to speak--about my opinion toward the Fender N3 noiseless set.
A little background..
I build my guitars. Sometimes, I modify production guitars, and I keep what I like for myself. I prefer vintage spec strats and teles and tend to lean more towards rosewood boards over maple. I prefer a nitro finish not because I can hear the difference, but because I like the feel, and cosmetic changes it gives over the years of wear and age that naturally occur through playing. I have always been a traditionalist when it comes to pickups --my favorite set is still three SD SSL-1 in an old rosewood board strat. I'm an amateur musician, and play mostly rock, blues and classic rock similar music. I very rarely have a need to play completely clean (that's important to note given my impressions of the N3 set..).
Now that that's out of the way, I'll say this: I love the Fender N3 set.
Since their release some years ago, I've read about how lifeless they sound; how they're not really good at anything specific, and how generally unresponsive they are.
I don't get that.
I was browsing a musicians buying/selling site (ala ebay..but strictly for musical instruments and accessories..) and came across a pre-wired pickguard (brand new) loaded with N3 pickups at a particularly reasonable price, so I jumped on them.
I installed them in an Eric Johnson strat body from 2006 with a Warmoth fatback maple neck with rosewood fretboard (quartersawn, compound radius, SS frets). They sound great. The lows are boomy but tight, the highs are airy, and the mids aren't too prominent as I've heard in many sets of modern single coils. The unique choice for alnico II, III and V magnets makes for a truly balanced sound that I really dig. Particularly the middle pickup...
Generally speaking, in my other strats with other sets of pups, the middle pickup is more or less the redheaded stepchild of all three pickups.. It's clearly always there, but I would rarely use it on it's own. This is not so with the N3s. There's a decidedly full and warmer tone coming from this set in the middle position. I suppose it's because they chose to use the alnico II rods for the middle pup that adds to its mellow and fuller nature. I love it. It's still got the nasal middle pickup distinctive tone, but it's so much warmer, and fuller than my other sets.
The neck pickup (alnico III) is also full and boomy, almost watery in tone. Very nice milky wet, smooth sound. The lows aren't overpowering though, still tight and very responsive. I can tell though this pickup out of the three in the set could be a deal breaker for most strat guys who prefer non-noiseless pups..it's almost too full. Borderline PAF humbucker fullness is what you get when you go completely clean. I'm okay with it though, as I rarely go all clean, and if I do, I can always switch to another strat if I need that thinner, airy neck tone.
The bridge pickup (alnico V) is all classic strat. Somewhat overwound but still spanky and snarling. I'll admit, like the neck pickup it's thicker than you'd expect from a Fender bridge--BUT--at it's worst I'd say it thickens up to just short of a P-90--again, what I dig and what I want from my bridge.
Harmonically speaking, I find the N3 set to be perfectly articulate. I don't notice any drop off in harmonics, or overtones being picked up between the N3s and SSL-1s. Between the two, I'd say the biggest difference is the N3s are beefier, and hotter wound (but I still wouldn't say the N3 set is "modern output")
Did I mention these are noiseless? No hum whatsoever. Obviously, this SHOULD go without saying, but I've played guitars with noiseless pups where there is still an audible hum, or distinctive noise coming from the guitar--but the N3 set earns it's noiseless badge with no issues (my house isn't particularly friendly to amps and guitars as it pertains to grounding either--it was built in the '60s with aluminum wiring, so I'm used to noisy pups and guitars).
Obviously these pickups aren't for everyone. I realize that. But I think they get a less than popular reputation because of most people's expectations when they purchase them, or a guitar with them installed. You will NOT achieve vintage tones. You will NOT sound like guys who play vintage strats. Although it's very easy to achieve the classic strat quack in positions two and four, you will not hear the traditional ultra-bright thin tone when played clean. If you understand what you're getting when you venture into a set of noiseless pickups, and what you're losing when you leave traditional pups behind, I think you'll find this set to be outstanding.
Now, I realize I'm about seven years too late in writing a review for these pickups--Fender has recently released a fourth revision of their "top of the line" noiseless pups for strat--but I wrote this for a specific purpose. I was always curious about the N3s.. They intrigued me from the beginning.. But I never pulled the trigger on them for one big reason: reviews written mostly by folks who expected vintage single coil accurate tone, and dynamics who were let down by how they perceived the tone to be "lifeless" or "dull." And as I said, if you expect these to sound like David Gilmour, you're going to be let down. I want people to know that these are excellent pickups, and absolutely serve a purpose if you want to eliminate 60 cycle hum, and beef up your sound while still maintaining the characteristics you love about your strat and Fender tones in general.
(If you still want to sound like David Gilmour, or Hank Marvin but want to eliminate hum, my suggestion would be check out the DiMarzio Area set, or any set from Kinman--they have that brittle/ultra dynamic sound down)
I think Fender is going to discontinue them, so if you're interested, check out the various sites like reverb.com for prewired pickguards or a used sets. I can't recommend them enough.
-Scott
A little background..
I build my guitars. Sometimes, I modify production guitars, and I keep what I like for myself. I prefer vintage spec strats and teles and tend to lean more towards rosewood boards over maple. I prefer a nitro finish not because I can hear the difference, but because I like the feel, and cosmetic changes it gives over the years of wear and age that naturally occur through playing. I have always been a traditionalist when it comes to pickups --my favorite set is still three SD SSL-1 in an old rosewood board strat. I'm an amateur musician, and play mostly rock, blues and classic rock similar music. I very rarely have a need to play completely clean (that's important to note given my impressions of the N3 set..).
Now that that's out of the way, I'll say this: I love the Fender N3 set.
Since their release some years ago, I've read about how lifeless they sound; how they're not really good at anything specific, and how generally unresponsive they are.
I don't get that.
I was browsing a musicians buying/selling site (ala ebay..but strictly for musical instruments and accessories..) and came across a pre-wired pickguard (brand new) loaded with N3 pickups at a particularly reasonable price, so I jumped on them.
I installed them in an Eric Johnson strat body from 2006 with a Warmoth fatback maple neck with rosewood fretboard (quartersawn, compound radius, SS frets). They sound great. The lows are boomy but tight, the highs are airy, and the mids aren't too prominent as I've heard in many sets of modern single coils. The unique choice for alnico II, III and V magnets makes for a truly balanced sound that I really dig. Particularly the middle pickup...
Generally speaking, in my other strats with other sets of pups, the middle pickup is more or less the redheaded stepchild of all three pickups.. It's clearly always there, but I would rarely use it on it's own. This is not so with the N3s. There's a decidedly full and warmer tone coming from this set in the middle position. I suppose it's because they chose to use the alnico II rods for the middle pup that adds to its mellow and fuller nature. I love it. It's still got the nasal middle pickup distinctive tone, but it's so much warmer, and fuller than my other sets.
The neck pickup (alnico III) is also full and boomy, almost watery in tone. Very nice milky wet, smooth sound. The lows aren't overpowering though, still tight and very responsive. I can tell though this pickup out of the three in the set could be a deal breaker for most strat guys who prefer non-noiseless pups..it's almost too full. Borderline PAF humbucker fullness is what you get when you go completely clean. I'm okay with it though, as I rarely go all clean, and if I do, I can always switch to another strat if I need that thinner, airy neck tone.
The bridge pickup (alnico V) is all classic strat. Somewhat overwound but still spanky and snarling. I'll admit, like the neck pickup it's thicker than you'd expect from a Fender bridge--BUT--at it's worst I'd say it thickens up to just short of a P-90--again, what I dig and what I want from my bridge.
Harmonically speaking, I find the N3 set to be perfectly articulate. I don't notice any drop off in harmonics, or overtones being picked up between the N3s and SSL-1s. Between the two, I'd say the biggest difference is the N3s are beefier, and hotter wound (but I still wouldn't say the N3 set is "modern output")
Did I mention these are noiseless? No hum whatsoever. Obviously, this SHOULD go without saying, but I've played guitars with noiseless pups where there is still an audible hum, or distinctive noise coming from the guitar--but the N3 set earns it's noiseless badge with no issues (my house isn't particularly friendly to amps and guitars as it pertains to grounding either--it was built in the '60s with aluminum wiring, so I'm used to noisy pups and guitars).
Obviously these pickups aren't for everyone. I realize that. But I think they get a less than popular reputation because of most people's expectations when they purchase them, or a guitar with them installed. You will NOT achieve vintage tones. You will NOT sound like guys who play vintage strats. Although it's very easy to achieve the classic strat quack in positions two and four, you will not hear the traditional ultra-bright thin tone when played clean. If you understand what you're getting when you venture into a set of noiseless pickups, and what you're losing when you leave traditional pups behind, I think you'll find this set to be outstanding.
Now, I realize I'm about seven years too late in writing a review for these pickups--Fender has recently released a fourth revision of their "top of the line" noiseless pups for strat--but I wrote this for a specific purpose. I was always curious about the N3s.. They intrigued me from the beginning.. But I never pulled the trigger on them for one big reason: reviews written mostly by folks who expected vintage single coil accurate tone, and dynamics who were let down by how they perceived the tone to be "lifeless" or "dull." And as I said, if you expect these to sound like David Gilmour, you're going to be let down. I want people to know that these are excellent pickups, and absolutely serve a purpose if you want to eliminate 60 cycle hum, and beef up your sound while still maintaining the characteristics you love about your strat and Fender tones in general.
(If you still want to sound like David Gilmour, or Hank Marvin but want to eliminate hum, my suggestion would be check out the DiMarzio Area set, or any set from Kinman--they have that brittle/ultra dynamic sound down)
I think Fender is going to discontinue them, so if you're interested, check out the various sites like reverb.com for prewired pickguards or a used sets. I can't recommend them enough.
-Scott
