Fender Custom Shop '69

Passive Single Coil

My favorite guitar was stolen on a gig a few years ago. I picked up a Texas Special for half price (this is when they were being discontinued and fender was unloading them on every distributor) just so I could have a strat to play. Texas Special Pups are okay... to me they had too much .... artificial presence... and were just too hot for my liking. I replaced all three pups with the 69's and this temp guitar has become my #1.

I have to give credit to the guy who installed them, I'm sure he had a little to do with why I'm so pleased. The output is a little less than the TS's. I'm finding though that the less the output, the more potential for personality and dynamic..... so this is a plus. Very balanced response all the way around. I can really dig into thoses lower notes on the sixth string without it getting muddy, even with higher gain. I play a number of boutique pedals into a BadCat Black Cat. Once I got into the BadCat, I really started to hear what all my gear really sounded like. These pups were a great decision. Only hangups is that they're noisy. As all SC's rightfully are, but these seem to be a little noisier than most. AND, you don't get hum cancelling in 2'nd and 4'th positions. Great Tone!,,, but no hum cancel.

I wanted to get a set of these before Abigail whats-her-name retired. I've already had to replace my favorite guitar once, I hope I don't have to do it again... although I would promptly make sure I had another set of these on the way if I did. In fact, I'm considering ordering another set just to have around.... just in case. I've playing for 15 years, and been playing strats for 10 of those. Aside from this guitar, I've been considering getting an Eric Johnson. I've only played one once but remember being very impressed with it. Between the two, I imagine all my Strat dreams can come true.

Passive Single Coil

My favorite guitar was stolen on a gig a few years ago. I picked up a Texas Special for half price (this is when they were being discontinued and fender was unloading them on every distributor) just so I could have a strat to play. Texas Special Pups are okay... to me they had too much .... artificial presence... and were just too hot for my liking. I replaced all three pups with the 69's and this temp guitar has become my #1.

I have to give credit to the guy who installed them, I'm sure he had a little to do with why I'm so pleased. The output is a little less than the TS's. I'm finding though that the less the output, the more potential for personality and dynamic..... so this is a plus. Very balanced response all the way around. I can really dig into thoses lower notes on the sixth string without it getting muddy, even with higher gain. I play a number of boutique pedals into a BadCat Black Cat. Once I got into the BadCat, I really started to hear what all my gear really sounded like. These pups were a great decision. Only hangups is that they're noisy. As all SC's rightfully are, but these seem to be a little noisier than most. AND, you don't get hum cancelling in 2'nd and 4'th positions. Great Tone!,,, but no hum cancel.

I wanted to get a set of these before Abigail whats-her-name retired. I've already had to replace my favorite guitar once, I hope I don't have to do it again... although I would promptly make sure I had another set of these on the way if I did. In fact, I'm considering ordering another set just to have around.... just in case. I've playing for 15 years, and been playing strats for 10 of those. Aside from this guitar, I've been considering getting an Eric Johnson. I've only played one once but remember being very impressed with it. Between the two, I imagine all my Strat dreams can come true.

Pickup features: Single Coil Passive
Impedence or other specs: 5.5K

Model of guitar or bass: USACG Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: New Construction
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: None that I know of
You musical style(s): All
Reason for pickup change: New guitar build.

Perceived output level: Percieved output is slightly higher than the stock pups in my US reissue.
Tone: Very balanced with a nice woody tone. Sounds great clean AND distorted.
Sonic evaluation: I've played them through non-mastervolume Marshalls, Tweed Deluxe, Deluxe Reverb, etc.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, blues.

Comments: These pickups are a great value for Strat pickups. They actually SOUND like Strat pickups from the 60's. Think Hendrix, Trower, Gilmour, etc.

Pickup features: Passive single coil.
Impedence or other specs: ????????????

Model of guitar or bass: Home made Strats.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Just put them in home made Strats.
Other pickups on guitar: Just my 69's!
Artists using this pickup: ????????????
You musical style(s): Neo-Classical/Metal,Metal,Hard Rock,Blues,Classic Rock,Fusion.
Reason for pickup change: I wanted an exact Jimi Hendrix/Robin Trower tone that had great highs and booming bass/nice mids.

Perceived output level: Great sounding Strat replacement pick ups. Has more punch than the Texas Specials with more bass boom.
Tone: Clear,powerful,boomy and bright.
Sonic evaluation: Strat to S.D.Pickup Booster,VHT Valvulator,Digitech RP-12,Hush pedal,Digitech RP-1,DBX 563X,VHT Valvulator,J.Dunlop Vol-Booster,to rack(1)ETA Power Conditioner,BBE 462,Hush 2CX,2 DOD 31 band EQ's ,Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro 1124,Hush 2CX,BBE 462 to rack (2)Monster Cable power conditioner,Hush/Rocktron Super C,BBE 362 and split the signal to the front and effects loop of my Carvin X-100 B.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great in clean and has more punch in distortion mode than the Texas Specials.

Comments: I've been playing 26 years.I love these pickups. My bridge pick up was defective but I replaced with a dimarzio FS-1....boohoohoo

Pickup features: Passive Single Coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Mexican Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Original PIckups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Blues, Funk
Reason for pickup change: Old Pickups were to "poppy", no sustain, just not that great. Wanted a real strat tone.

Perceived output level: Hotter output than stock pickups. Not as much as my P-90 retrofits in my SG.
Tone: Real nice bass, tons of highs.
Sonic evaluation: Playing it through a Sound City 50 Plus with a 6x10 cabinet. Ibanez Ts9 tube screamer. I mean I put them in, and now this guitar sounds like a real stratocaster. The guitar came alive. Its now a different machine. I have never heard any of the other custom shop pickups, but these suit my tastes. Lots of low end, middle a plenty, and treble to kill. With my Epiphone sg that I put kent armstrong retrofit p-90's (see other review), I had bass on 5, middle full and treble full. I had to bring the treble down a little for the strat and put the bass up a little. I love this guitar sounds now. I reccomend them. Each selection has a very different and useful tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play hard rock, blues style music, these babies are a perfect match.

Comments: If they were stolen, I would probably try the custom shop 54's. Just because it would be an excuse to try them, not because I dont like these. I still want to get a higher level strat, but for a 75$ guitar,(bought off of friend) it will do for a while.

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass:
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level:
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: This is an update to my Custom Shop '69 review submitted below at: 20:37, 11/5/2004
These pickups have sweetened with use. I added a kinman style tone bleed circuit and a Fralin style bassplate under the bridge pup.
I run my amps at full volume with the strat's volume knob at 5 to 7.5. The tone bleed circuit reduces any tone loss caused by the volume pot's positioning (lower volume used to mean a loss of tone - not any more).
The bassplate made a subtle improvement to the bridge pup's bottom end. I would say it's bassier, but perhaps it is more accurate to say that the bassplate took some of the edge off of the bridge pickup. It's smoother sounding now. If you try this mod, set the 5-way to bridge position and pick the strings right over the bridge pickup. Then lay down the meanest lick you know.
I've tried all sorts of strings. For these pups, I think I've settled on fender's 150's nickel wound 10's. Short break in period, and sound so warm when they peak. Big change from my Boomers 12's.
One other suggestion would be to take a good look at your cables before you install these pickups. Try out a set of George L's for your guitar (.225) and pedals (.155). Very low cap value on these cables. So much so, that I stopped using a tubescreamer once I installed the George L's. I've also tried these pups with a Planet Waves cable. Very nice. I may settle on the Planet Waves cable on the guitar and run George L's everywhere else ---> very transparent sound!
I've raised my rating of these pickups from 8 to 9. They seem to be getting better sounding with use, and of course a little tweaking. Richer, sweeter tones. I am very satisfied with these pickups. The best vintage sound of any and all 'new' fender pickups.
Someone was kind enough to post some samples of these pups: (if you plan to playback repeatedly, please download soudclips to your computer to save on bandwidth):
69Neck: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/mp3/cs54/cs54_wing_5.mp3
69Neck/Mid: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/mp3/cs69/cs69_wing_4.mp3
69Mid/Bridg: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/mp3/cs69/cs69_wing_2.mp3
Compare to '54's:
54Neck: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/mp3/cs54/cs54_wing_5.mp3
54Neck/Mid: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/mp3/cs54/cs54_wing_4.mp3
54Mid/Bridg: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/mp3/cs54/cs54_wing_2.mp3
Great pick-ups. I am _very_ close to what I feel is a perfect sounding strat. These pups are at the heart of the sound.

Pickup features: 3 passive single coils
Impedence or other specs: don't know

Model of guitar or bass: Hendrix Tribute lefty body/ reissue '69 lefty neck
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: I had the CS'54's in this guitar
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): blues/ country/rock
Reason for pickup change: I wanted to complete the '69 vibe! The CS'54s are in another guitar with '54 neck and body and sound great too!

Perceived output level: seem to have more output than the CS'54, not as much as Texas Specials, but that's fine.
Tone: I was pleasantly surprised. The CS'54s are really good, and i liked them, so i hoped i was not degrading the sound of this guitar. I certainly was not. The sound is crisp, clean, articulate and lively. I find nothing negative about these pups. I changed the .1mF that i had with the CS'54 for a .022mF, which some reviewer suggested, and i find that sound brightened up nicely, it was a bit dark. It has a really glassy sound now, which is what i was shooting for. I also always modify the tone control to operate the bridge, which i find to be a must. In this case, with the caps installed, the tone control is really responsive and has greater range.
Sonic evaluation: I use it with a Deluxe Reverb or a Blues Junior. I prefer the Deluxe, but the Junior is fun too! The Deluxe and the '69s make for a great combo! I also plug into a PODxt, and i have been very satisfied with the recorded sound i get!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pick up is suitable for all positions. I like them all! There seems to be a greater distinction in sound between the different positions compared to other pups.

Comments: If lost (how the heck would you do that, without losing the whole guitar?) i would find them again. i really enjoy their vibe and sound. Initialled by Abigail herself too! what a treat! I have gone through alot of pick ups in my time, probably more than most people, and i find the Custom Shop '69 to be of superior quality and tone. I am closer to THAT sound now than ever before! The CS'54s are no slouch though! I love their sound too, in the '54 reissue, but i think i would give the nod to the '69 overall.

Pickup features: Passive single coil
Impedence or other specs: range between 5.65 to 5.75, 2 Ohenries

Model of guitar or bass: '54 Reissue
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): blues and blues based rock
Reason for pickup change: The never ending tone quest. What other reason is there?

Perceived output level: Not as much output as I expected, but about equal with the custom '54's, but could be slightly less.
Tone: Very different from the custom '54's. More bass in the neck and neck/mid positions. Bridge pickup is more useful now that I have added tone control to it (an ultra simple mod). The 5 positions now offer very different sounds. Lots of variety.
Sonic evaluation: Fender Strat '54 Reissue (GHS Boomers, 12's)--->MXR Dynacomp (script logo), Maxon OD808 (reissue), Ibanez TS808, MXR Distortion Plus (script logo), Maxon AD80 delay, MXR 6 band EQ, MXR Noise Gate (script logo)---> 1959 and 1960 Tweed Fender Princetons (one wet).
Like I mentioned above, all 5 positions now sound very distinctive and offer a WIDE variety of tones. With my pedal / amps, I find endless combinations that sound pleasing. I can really hear what's going on with my hands. It may sound far out, but by really hearing what's going on with my left hand, I somehow feel more fluid, more relaxed and it comes through in the sound, which of course makes me feel even more relaxed, and so on. The day I had these pickups installed, I stayed up the whole night playing. Very inspiring.
There is no RWRP on the middle pickup, which means there is no hum cancelling in positions 2 and 4. The good news is that this also means you get the genuine strat "quack" which you cannot get with hum cancelling RWRP pups. Sheild your guitar and any noise will be tolerable. Check guitarnuts.com for instructions, but you don't have to go as crazy as that site suggests. Just sheild the cavities and the pickguard and make sure they connect. The difference will be very noticeable and worth the effort/expense. Call a local guitar shop to do it for you if you really want to make it easy.
I used a .022uf tone cap, which is a much lower value than would have been used in 1969, but I find the higher value caps (.047uf to .1uf) to be too dark sounding with these pickups. I really like to use the tone knobs and the .022uf gives me lots of range. As noted above, I modded my 5 way to allow tone control on the bridge pickup. My god why doesn't fender do this to all strats? Bell tones from heaven.
Abigail's initials and date on the grey bottoms gives these pickups a real vintage vibe. I am searching for a late 60's reissue to move these pickups into. I will restore my '54 to stock once I do find a donor. I just loaded a new pickguard with the '69s and swapped it in for the original, which had the solder broken at the input jack before I purchased it, so don't think I'm some kind of butcher, I just couldn't wait to try these pups.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I like Hendrix type tones, Mike Mcready (of Pearl Jam) and just about any blues based rock. This set of pups can cover that ground nicely.

Comments: I'm still exploring the tonal possibilities of these pickups. So far, I like them. Whether you like these pickups will depend largely on what you're looking for. If you like overdriven tubes (which smell so good when they're hot) then you may want to try these out. They offer a wide variety of tones and are touch sensitive. You hear (and feel) each note. Tube rattling lows, clear mid tone and crisp highs. They can cut their way through on solos or blend smoothly on rythm. They also work well with a variety of pedals. I own 8 guitars at the moment and these pickups offer more variety than any I've ever used. Buy them, try them.

Pickup features: Passive Single Coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 65 Reissue Stratocaster Hardtail
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Standard Fnder Single Coils
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Jimi Hendriks
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock
Reason for pickup change: Improve tonal response of the guitar

Perceived output level: Medium output
Tone: Glassy, very clear highs and lows
Sonic evaluation: I use these pickups with a 65 Twin Reverb and a 135 Watt Showman Head and matching Fender cabinet and the sound is just awesome. Makes my guitar really sound like a Fender even at high levels unlike the current crop of standard fender pickups which are not quite like the vintage ones.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Excellent match for delta and chicago blues playing.

Comments: If I lost these pickups, I'd buy another set in an instant. These are the ultimate vintage Fender sound quite unlike the Fat 50's, 57/62's or the Custom 54's. This make a Fender sound like a Fender. Fitting them onto copy cats or others may not give you the same level of satisfaction.

Pickup features: S/C's
Impedence or other specs: 5.5k

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Jimi Hendrix Woodstock Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Fender Special Reverse staggered American Vintage Reissue pups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, Sessions
Reason for pickup change: Got these real cheap.

Perceived output level: Medium/low output
Tone: More middle and slightly more poke than vintage strat pickups, but less clangy and dominating than Texas Specials
Sonic evaluation: Using Vintage Marshall 1/2 stack, and blackface bassman with 4x10. All I could want in a strat pickup. Sounds like a strat should, only more..........clearer, more shimmering, but still more poise and balance. All positions sound great. Abigail Ybarra did an awesome job! My strat sounded great before (it's a nice one) - it ALWAYS recieved complements about it's tone, but now it sounds so much better

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: All styles of music. When heights are set right (nice and low) very even transition from position to position.

Comments: I had a great guitar with a great sound before, but now.......this is the sound of a strat that I always dreamed of - and they were so cheap I couldn't beleie it. They hadn't even been used.
I've never played any old strats, as I'm not too old and can't afford one, but do I play for a living and have a good ear.
If you can find a set.... buy them.