Fender Texas Specials

Pickup features: single coil set
Impedence or other specs: duh??????

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Mexican Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Bonnie Raitt, Leroy Parnell
You musical style(s): Blues, R&B
Reason for pickup change: wanted some more dynamic pick attack

Perceived output level: warm...not really hot, but dynamic pick attack
Tone: full bodied tone......balanced
Sonic evaluation: Using Super 112, Blues Jr., Pro Jr ect. I first wired the neck and bridge leads backwards on the blade switch. This produced an out of phase nasally whine that I have heard some of the reviewers report as the harsh brittle sound. Once I swapped them it came alive. Really full bodied and responsive. Overdriven it really shines, but clean is so sweet and chimey. Of course this really suits the blues and R&B, but works for rock as well.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play blues and R&B. Slide sounds wonderful with these pickups. Depends on the song where I will set it up, however I do normally keep all controls wide open and turn down at the guitar for quieter parts.

Comments: I made myself a poor man's Roadhouse Strat. Started with a mex-strat added sperzels, two more springs to stabilize the bridge, a pearloid pickguard, and the Texas Specials. It plays and sounds like a dream and looks great too.

Pickup features: Single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Roadhouse Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Lee Roy Parnell, Bonnie Raitt
You musical style(s): Blues, Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: I fell in love with the Roadhouse sound. I was perfect for me.

Perceived output level: Slightly more than standard strats, hotter than american strats
Tone: balanced, mids are emphasized, and balance
Sonic evaluation: I use the roadhouse, to a Crate 60w all tube Blue voodoo. Sometimes i have a tubescreamer or a Boss SD-1 for some overdrives. These pickups sing!!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I love the blues, its suits it very well and also hard and classic rock.

Comments: I have been playing for 6 years, i also own 2 standard strats, 50's reissue telecaster and an epiphone black beauty. I love these pickups clean or overdriven. In my other guitars I look for that classic bell like tone, with lower output. Everyone needs atleast one guitar with balls. Texas specials have huge balls...

Pickup features: passive single coil
Impedence or other specs: Neck (6.2-6.5 S.) Middle (6.5-6.7 N.) Bridge (7.75-8.0 S.) if you don't uderstand this you need to learn about it. otherwise your loosing time on the quest for kick ass tone!

Model of guitar or bass: 2000 American Strat. Deluxe
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Vintage Noiseless
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Anything that sounds good! I really like a tight, focused tube tone.
Reason for pickup change: I don't like the Noiseless sound. This is my perception. I didn't hear the harmonic overtones of the guitar with noiseless, nor was I able to overdrive them like I wanted.

Perceived output level: You need to look at these P.U.s very closely to fully appreciate them. Once you remove the crappy little plastic covers, you see that these little bricks are a fiber bobbin, overrapped with enamel wire, staggared Alnico Mags, heavily dipped in wax. The output is vintage hot, with a midrange voiceing.
Tone: I first wired these with 250K pots and was a little dissappointed, maybe I had the polarity reversed, or the aftermarket pots I used were robbing the tone. I rewired with original fender 1 meg pots. and original caps. that came with Noiseless Vintage originals. What a difference. If you cannot get these to sound good; for any style of music, than there is something wrong. These are not humbuckers; so they aren't as thick but they sound very smooth, tight and focused. Sweet! with upper mid curve. Reminds me of soapbar.
Sonic evaluation: I also own PRS custom 22, with Dragons in it. These Fenders sound different, but the quality is equal to those. The real thing! My Strat has a maple neck and the tone reminds my of a thinner early Eddie Van Halen. Maybe it's the Pots I used? I want to find out more about the Pearly Gates humbucker, if it is similar to these only in Humbucker than I am sure it sounds great. My amp set up is a Tri-axis pre-amp>Simulclass 2-90 amplifier>2 Marshall 4x12x75w cabs.I also have a Digitech 2101 with 2112 upgrade.I think you can make these pickups sound however you want, with amp adjustments, and/or vol. control. But you can overdrive the amp very nicely with these!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: with experamentation I am sure you can use these for anything, except maybe death metel. but in that case you'd probably prefer a humbucker anyways.

Comments: These are Sweet! Tight! Warm! Very nice distortion at any gain level. Sounds like a top of the line Strat should. If Fender ever releases a humbucker made like this, watch out. I mounted mine without plastic covers because I think these look great plain. take a close look! These are BAD little MFers. Fender did a real nice job on these! If your shopping I hope this input helps..

Pickup features: Sinle coil, Passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Squier Strat.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: SRV
You musical style(s): Rock, Metal, Blues
Reason for pickup change: Stock pick-us sucked lost most of their sound and tone

Perceived output level: They are slightly more than Fender std. strat vintage pick-ups
Tone: Pretty well balanced
Sonic evaluation: I use this strat running through a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone, into a Dean Markley K-65.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It works pretty well for metal, but awesome for, vintage rock, 80's rock, blues, ect.

Comments: If they where stolen or lost(how does happen) I would buy then again, but only on a low priced guitar.

Pickup features: Single Coil
Impedence or other specs: whatever

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Mexican Stratocaster
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Neck and Middle
Other pickups on guitar: Standard stock bridge single coil
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted and warmer, higher output

Perceived output level: Very slight improvement over the stock Mexican strat pickups.
Tone: Very brittle and trebly tone
Sonic evaluation: Mexican strat to a Fender Studio Pro 50 amp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Play mostly blues and classic rock style of music. Just not what I expected from this pickup.

Comments: I wouldn't buy this pickup again. Probably go to a single coil humbucker next.

Pickup features: single coil, passive
Impedence or other specs: Dunno

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Strat
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: standard issue strat pickups ,neck and middle positions
Other pickups on guitar: seymour duncan Hot Rails 2 , bridge
Artists using this pickup: Bonnie Rait, and these werent made till after SRV died, so he didnt
You musical style(s): blues, rock, classical
Reason for pickup change: standard strat pickups aren't hot enough. I played a Lone Star Strat with the Texas Specials and fell in love with them.

Perceived output level: I would call these pickups warm, but definately hot compared to the standards
Tone: I think they are well ballanced for the type of music I play
Sonic evaluation: I use a Hot Rod Deluxe played clean with a periodic stomp on a TS9.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED !?

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I only have it in the neck and middle positions, and its great for blues !!!

Comments: I would buy them again if they ever disappeared. I have been playing for 10 years.
OK people, SRV used real vintage 69 pickups. The Texas Specials were made for his signature strat which was built after he died, so he never could have played with these pickups. If you dont believe me, then call your local Fender dealer. I do think these pickups will get you very close to his sound though. If you want that SRV sound, then buy an alder body strat with a rosewood fretboard, put 12 gauge strings on it, put some texas specials on it, play it through a vibroverb, or a 65 twin reverb reissue, and most of all work on his technique! Stevie strummed all his notes, he didnt really pick them. That big thick sound he has comes from playing all the strings, but muting (not palm muting) the ones that aren't freted.
Give it a try.

Pickup features: Single Coil-Passive
Impedence or other specs: not quite sure

Model of guitar or bass: California Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Tex-Mex thingys
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: YES...Stevie Ray DID use these pickups!!!!! see below
You musical style(s): very much BLUES, but also rock like Stones, Aerosmith, etc
Reason for pickup change: Well....i was appreciating the sound of the Tex-Mex pickups
(Check out some of reviews under california strat) especially
as they were stock pickups, but after hearing these puppies on
a Roadhouse strat i decided i had to have them...I'm glad i did

Perceived output level: Quite a bit hotter then the '59 originals
Tone: trebly, but also has SRV's gutsy grind to it
Sonic evaluation: I am using a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, with the single 12 inch speaker,
which by the way is more the enough for the club gigging i do. Out of
my two strats i have a Mexican Sunburst model (alder body) which i love dearly, but i have fallen in love with my Californian Vintage White strat...plus the sound. In the MIM Strat i have two Fast Tracks and a Hot Rails...which lead back to my old days of playing Aerosmith and AC/DC all night long...but i would have to say that i could not be more satisfied then i am with the sound, I am not out to cop-out on SRV's tone (although, if i could i would), but i am quite able to get my own personal sound out of these pickups and my amp....but i would suggest you pick up something like A roadhouse at your local guitar store and plug it into the amp that is closet to yours

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: BLUES!!! The King Brothers :) SRV, Hendrix---the pickup is great for all

Comments: Damn...i can just see some of the people i know ripping pickups out of a guitar to sell them...of course they would probably pull the pickups apart along with the electronics of the guitar...but, if they were wrecked i would have to consider what i was doing wrong, as Fender's shit lasts forever, and then i would consider possible the Seymour Duncan Virtual Vintage pickups...they seem nice
I am very satisfied currently with the pickups, but i AM A GUITARIST, and we often (ha ha...can you say understatement) decide to change all of our gear around....but I would have to say that one that dissapoints me is a slight lack of power in the area of "picking up" quite noises...SRV had Charley Wirz install microphonic pickups on most of his guitars, giving them a really sensitive sound, i wish i could get that
One last note, although I am quite young I have developed an encyclopedia of knowledge of Blues Guitarists, especially Stevie Ray and YES, HE DID USE THESE PICKUPS, right before he died he was using a very very Special Custom Shop model that was the prototype to the SRV signature model, it was made in every detail like his NUMBER 1, but they had Texas Specials innit...for example his stint on the Letterman Show was that strat

Pickup features: single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: std strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Bonnie Rait
You musical style(s): Blues
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: low out put my lace sensors (Silver) are much hotter
Tone: very middy and harsh
Sonic evaluation: Twin and reverbrocket

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues I think they are not installed correctly

Comments: Need info on wiring to check if they are wired correctly

Pickup features: Passive single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Godin LGT
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan JB - bridge, Stock - middle
Artists using this pickup: Everybody but SRV
You musical style(s): Rock, blues, funk, pop
Reason for pickup change: Although the stock pickup sounded very full with lots of bass, it lacks character and the sparkling high-end I normally associate with single-coils.

Perceived output level: Slightly more than most single-coils
Tone: VERY middy, some highs and bass
Sonic evaluation: I use this through a Peavey Classic 50 running through a 2x12" Celestion cab. I've had this pickup for about a year. First, the bad. There seems to be an overemphasis on the mids. It can sound a little brittle sometimes, particulary on the cleaner settings on my amp. I definitely wouldn't recommend this pickup if you play through a solid-state amp. I've tried it through solid-state amps at stores before...very brittle cleans and muddy distorted tones. However, it sounds great with moderate distortion on tube amps. It seems to have this really punchy "grind" that I've never heard with other single-coil pickups. I love how it sounds when playing leads. Definitely fatter than your typical fender strat.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It's a good match for blues and also pretty good for rock. Maybe a little harsh for funk and definitely not enough output for heavy metal (who would use single-coil pickups for metal, anyways??)

Comments: If this where stolen, I would probably consider getting another pickup. Possibly one of the seymour duncan models. I think where this pickup lacks is with it's clean sounds. If you're mainly a jazz or funk player or are looking for clear, bell-like clean tones, this pickup is probably not for you. However, if you're looking for a great punchy overdriven sound, you can't go wrong with this pickup. I would give it a 7 for clean sounds and a 9 for distorted tones.

Pickup features: single coil
Impedence or other specs: don't care.

Model of guitar or bass: 60's reissue strat, jap.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock jap pickups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: definately NOT SRV
You musical style(s): blues,funk
Reason for pickup change: my friend had a deal with some guy who was replacing the texas specials on a roadhouse strat with custom shop 54's.
and the stock pickups weren't good at all, just some no-name useless single coils put there for the looks.
the japanese fender reissues are made to look like the originals, but not sound like them. they come with inferior pickups.

Perceived output level: hotter than stock(overwound, 1000 winds more than standard strat pickups)
Tone: balanced, but slightly trebly
Sonic evaluation: well...after some testing of the pickups for the styles i play ( SRV, blues leads, 2nd and 4th position funk rhythms) i conclude that the texas specials are slightly hotter than the 57/62 pickups on my own '57 RI strat, but the texas special bridge pickup has the same weak, thin sound as my 57/62 pickups. the neck and middle are fine, but nothing great. will do for most blues/rock styles though.
a more verstile combination would be neck and middle texas specials with maybe a duncan lil'59 in the bridge.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: these pickups were developed for the texas blues sound...and they do the job quite ok.

Comments: i have one comment: many other entries in this review stated, 'Artists using this pickup - SRV, etc...'
please, SRV never ever used this pickup in his lifetime. his number one strat had original 1959 pickups. fender only developed the texas specials(and the SRV strat) after his death
well, the other entries are a mixed bag, some great, some bad, but for me...i feel that the texas specials are 'ok' only, with the bridge pickup having the same problem(weak and thin)as some other fender bridge pickups i have tried such as 57/62 american vintage and Fat 50's.
a set of fralins or kinmans would put these to shame.