Kinman AVn Woodstock Plus

Three single coil authentic vintage noiseless strat style passive vertical humbucking pickups in 'K9' alternate switching easy installation no solder harness.. =whew=

Installed in Fender/Warmoth '62 style swamp ash stratocaster totally replacing all 3 Fender Texas Special pickups I had in there previously.

I loved the hot tone of the Texas Specials but was tired of the hum and noise I was having to deal with in various venues.. I've changed a lot of pickups in my 30+ years of playing and was looking for a 'noisless' pickup..

I was not ready for what I was about to experience!

The result of the installation was I was blown away!! Pure strat TONE!! The sound was ALL stratocaster, no noise or hum to interfere with pure
bell like tones..that were there before but had been muddied and hidden behind the noise..
The Woodstock Pluses are designed to be hotter than the other flavors of Kinmans.. To say I'm pleased is an understatement!!
The solderless installation was a total breeze and a pleasure to do! ..I had 'em in with a change of strings in under 40mins..(w/new pickguard)

I'm only giving these a ten 'cos I can't go to twenty!!!
The pickups installation was so easy and now I have 9 positions I can choose from! plus a variable mix of the neck pickup in any position..
I can easily pull tele style tones and P90s tone out of it with a push of the button..(the tone controls now become one master for all tone and one mix-series/parallel knob for neck mix and p/s switching..
All leaving the appearance totally stock..
I am totally happy with this purchase and I'll never use anything else!

***HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!**

Kinman Woodstock Plus pickups and K9 Harness. These were designed to match the best strat pickups of the Woodstock (60's) era, with a beefier bridge pickup for rock players. They are passive (extremely) noiseless pickups.

I installed these pickups into an Eric Johnson Strat that I put together from the Stratosphere. I had seen many good reviews about Kinman and had known of the brand since my early playing days. I was going to buy the MKII's but decided I wanted something a bit rockier.

At first I was totally un-happy. The pups were weedy, thin and brittle and didn't compare well to the stock pups in my US standard Strat. I spent ages trying to adjust them but to no avail. I started looking at different brands to put in and thought I'd email Kinmans and tell them of my issue. I emailed them the details of my issue and Chris Kinman responded immediatly (he was quite unhappy that one of his customers wasn't enjoying the experience). We tried a couple of things and Chris finally suggested I send my whole guitar to their factory to investigate my problem! As I only live an hour away from them I drove my guitar down and the guys at the factory pulled it apart. After replacing a faulty volume pot, the guitar was plugged into the factory amp and my jaw dropped. I thought they should sound good but I didn't expect them to sound THAT good. I drove home and plugged the guitar into my Rivera Venus 3 and was blown away. They are the best single coil pickups I've ever heard. Full stop. I play anything from clean blues to hard rock and these pups do it all and do it all quietly. They ARE powerful though, and will overdrive your amp easily. To get pure clean tone I have to pick softly. I honestly don't think I could ever buy a different brand of pickup now. Now only are they awesome, but Kinman offered me outstanding customer service that you rarely see these days.

I would definatly replace these if stolen. My only issue would be what other Kinman pickup to try. I've been playing for 19 years and currently (looking only at comparable guitars) own a US Strat and a US tele alongside the EJ. I'm selling them both as I now only play the EJ. the K9 harness alows you to get Tele like tones.

These pups are expensive though. But I guess if you want the best you pay for them. Chris details why they are so expensive on his website (basically, if you buy 3 pups, you're actually getting 6) and it's all to do with how he can make them noiseless while still using alnico magnets, and not the ceramic or SC based pups. While these pups are cheaper, they are totally different tonally.

Single Coil Passive

Installed in a Guitar Parts '62 Strat Kit Guitar

All positions with 9 way switching option

No previous pickups installed

Output Level - High

Amp Used - Marshall JCM2000 TSL 100 Combo

Tone - Very Stratty with total silence, a perfect fit for a Marshall Amps. I can't decide with postion I prefer, they all sound great. The Bridge Pickup sounds very "Bad Company" the Middle & Neck sound very Classic Strat.

Music Styles - 60's, 70's & 80's Rock

If Stolen I would definately buy them again. I'm now saving up for some AVn Blues for my '82 Ibanez Blazer

10. Kinman AVn Woodstock Plus set with controls and wiring harness. These are vintage sounding pickups that are DEAD quiet.

10. All three pickups and Kinmans controls were dropped into a mid-eighties Japanese strat with a rosewood board.

10. I took a chance on purchasing these from Chris Kinman in Australia, since I never actually heard a guitar with a set of them installed. I called a few of his dealers and got some glowing over-the-phone reports however. That along with the various excellent writeups I read convinced me that it was a good chance to take. The installation was very easy and I got everything installed and the guitar back to playing condition in about an hour. The original Japanese pickups were okay for what they are--a little thin sounding but they definately produced that strat 'quack'. When I played the Kinman's for the first time I had one of those 'oh my God' experiences. The tone is rich and sweet and made this Japanese model sound like a really good early 70's strat made be Leo himself. I was blown away--end of story (sort of). Clean sounds are as good as it gets, and in overdrive they break nicely and have a crunch that sits in the mix perfectly. The greatest thing about these pickups aside from the tone is that they really ARE dead quiet. This is one of those "take a chance" decisions I actually got right! Everything came well packed and the instructions were easy to read and understand. My guitar playing friends are already lusting after my strat--but they can't have it.

If you are looking at replacing the pickups in your strat, don't hesitate to give strong consideration to the ones that Chris Kinman makes. They are a little more expensive than what you can get from Lindy Fralin, Nordstrand, or just about anybody else, but they are well worth the price. If someone stole this guitar, I'd buy another one and replace the stock pickups with Kinman's in a New York minute!

Single coil, passive pickups for Strats

'73 Fender Stratocaster. The guitar is now on its 4th generation of pickups - originals - Di Marzio SDS1's (hot but noisy) - Lindy Fralins (great tone but still noisy) and now the Kinman's.

I installed the 9 way swithing system (totally intuitive) which provide the definitive range of Strat sounds - smoky blues to raspy (Sweet Home Alabama's) out-of-phase sounds to straight ahead rock. I haven't been able to gig this guitar for years and years using Les Pauls to get a quiet life (i.e. no hum). After 10 years with the LP's I saw myself as a Gibson player but these p/ups have re-awakened my love for my Strat. So many more tone options - if a little less focused than the LP's with heavy overdriven chords. I play through a Mesa Road King Combo - straight in with no effects and the combination of the Strat's new found tonal variations with the amps 4 channels gives me more options than I know what to do with.

The Kinman's have brought the Stratback to life - it was relegated to home practice if I didn't want to dirty up the Les Pauls. The guitar looks a mess (never was a good handyman) but is it a coincidence that the first time it was gigged I played to an audience that was literally screaming every time I soloed? Well actually it was a coincidence but in my humble option NO Strat should be allowed to leave home without a set of these puppies - ever. The search is over Strat players. By the way - if you have any kind of question, real people from Kinman's talk or email to you and if they make a commitment, they keep it.

Humbucking single coil replacements, passive.

I installed these pickups in a Godin LGX III, all 3 positions. Stock pickups were Seymour Duncan Duckbuckers. Also in this guitar is an LR Baggs piezo pickup setup. I changed the original because of the lack of "sweetness" from the Duckbuckers

The output of these pickups is slightly hotter than vintage, they drive my Mesa Stilleto well. Also included with the pickups is a capacitor/resistor circuit to install across the volume knob to allow you to back off the volume, cleaning up the distortion while retaining the highs. The tone of these puppies is Dave Gilmour sweet. I wasn't expecting greatness, this guitar is set up like a Les Paul with Strat pickups. I bought is because of the quality of the construction, and the piezo, but until I put the Kinmans in, this was definitely my second guitar. I play in two very different situations, one a church orchestra playing contemporary worship songs and also a club band playing rock music designed to get girls up and dancing. This covers a lot of classic rock, punk, alternative, one hit wonders, blues and originals. Maybe a little country flavor from time to time. The only time I feel the need to set this guitar down is for the heaviest tunes, where I go for my homade EVH style Warmoth with the Seymour Duncan JB/59 combo. I also have a 50th anniversary strat with their Samarium Cobalt pickups. As much as I love that guitar, I have to say the Kinmans are sweeter. Very balanced sound with angelic midrange. No sign of shrillness, nothing nasal. This guitar hangs on me more often than the rest.

If these pickups were destroyed, I would order two sets to have one for a backup. As a matter of fact, I wish Godin would team up with Kinman to offer this pickup configuration again!

Single coil noiseless pickups with all the options - Parchment, gold poles and screws and the K-9 switching system.

I put these in an Eric Johnson body with a custom shop neck strat. They replaced a set of Fender SCN's.

So much better than the Fender SCN's. It's a night and day difference. So much more bite and clarity and awesome "strat-y" tone. The SCN's sounded ok, but were pretty sterile sounding.

These pickups definately let me do my best Hendrix impersonation, but also sound great playing other styles. I'm also loving the new cool tone options provided by the K-9 system.

I've been playing for 20 years and have tried all kinds of pickups. These are really sweet. Well worth the extra money. I won't be buying any more pickups for this guitar, that's for sure.

Single coil, passive. For the specs, check out the Kinman site.

Guitar: Installed in a Fender Japan 1968 re-issue (Think Hendrix Woodstock)

Replacing: These are replacing the Fender Texas Specials that the guitar came with.

Reason: I just thought I'd like to have the hottest strat tone around. I think I made a mistake with that thought. These pickups are a bit wild. EVERYTHING you do is transferred to the amp. Every mistake, scrape, scratch, pick... everything. It's a bit wild for my playing, but I think it'll be fun learning how to control it. But despite all of this? It's still noiseless...

I play blues, prog rock, rock and even metal. I use this with anything I can get my hands on. It doesn't matter. Regardless of what I plug this into, the settings are always the same: Everything set to the middle, and no reverb on the amp. But the tone on the guitar is now so sweet, I don't have to add lots of distortion to make a point. Half gain on my AMT Tube Platinum pedal, and the tone projects itself very clearly, over and above everything else in the band. It's got everything: warmth, brightness, clean, nasty, full, you name it, it's got it.

I'm very happy with this set of pickups. I've already ordered the Avn Blues set to be installed in another guitar to give me some versatility. I think I've found the one option in this market that I'm totally satisfied with.

But if these were stolen? I might not buy another set. Because Chris Kinman never rests. He's always improving his products. You'll never know what he'll have out at the time these pickups are lost. Might have a better one coming, so I just might go for something else. But switch pickup companies for single coils? nah....

As for the price, they are a bit more expensive than whats out there, but when you hit the one note? you'll forget everything about the prices. it's well worth the dollar...

Single coils, set of AVn-62, AVn-69, Hx-85 with the K9 replacing the Lace gold pickups.

Fender Stratocaster Plus Deluxe, USA 1996, Celebration 1946-1996 50 years of excellence, replacing the Lace gold pickups. Lace pickup are neutral, very nice sounding but far from a Stratocaster sound. They have nice bass on the neck and very transparent clear sound with no hum or hiss. I wanted something with more character and much closer to a real good stratocaster sound also no hum or hiss. I found those in the Kinman kit. I had previously a very good old Strat but I could not stand the noise of those pickups even with their fantastic sounds I sold the thing ! ...

I just received and installed a set of AVn-62(neck), AVn-69, Hx-85(bridge) with the K9 replacing the Lace gold pickups. Installing it was very pleasant and easy.

First the sound is absolutely gorgeous, incredible. It's going into a split to two amps Mesa Boogie and Acoustic Image with Raezer Stealth 12ER. I have also a Gibson ES175, a Howard Roberts and a SG. My strat sounded cheap against those tree fantastic guitars. I kept the strat because of its perfect ease and action but now, this is a real impressive instrument with character, drive, nuances and finesse. Also, with the HX85, I get fantastic overdrive, crunch and whatever I want from it.

You will find from those pickups, a noticeable clearness witch is not empty or to neutral. The slight distortion and overdrive obtain pushing those pickups is characteristic of what you want to obtain from your instrument when comparing to know quality recordings from past renowned artists.

Naturally if you compare to Humbucker warness in an Gibson ES175, the neck pickup will not deliver such hollow sounds but it will surely give you a lot more brilliance, clarity and high definition and that's what you await from this type of pickups. Turning the tone pot to the dark side, you would find impressive the extreme range and finesse of that mellow sound.

Finally the K9 is also a big achievement particularly in the sound resulting from all three pickups together (hollow, dark and clear all mixed im a new sound) or the neck and bridge pickups together (effective telecaster sound).

Been playing pro free jazz, fusion, classical, since 35 years. Graduated in guitar and composition, master Univ. Montreal, head of electroacoustic research in Canada for a few years. The work of Mr. Kinman is impressive, achievement in perfect Stratocaster character, depth and coloration with no undesirable sounds. For a Strat purist, from what I remember from my old very good Strat, you may find a bit lacking direct brut rugged tone (except for the HX85) but it does not add up from what you gain overall...


I love it; Mr. Kinman is a true artist and sound master.

Outstanding! A+++

they are definitely noiseless and passive

installed in a worn out and heavily beat up early 80's strat with a warmoth neck. installed in all 3 pos. replacing texas specials . going to kinmans for tone and noise.

well boys and girls i really don't know where to start, other than saying i've got 4 decades of playin these things and now that i'm really gettin close to the end of great time and experience and i run into the perfect pickup [go figure].i installed these guys and did a couple bar jobs and blew the doors out. in all my years of i've never had so many complements on my playing. these things absolutly take my playing and tone to a new dimension. i've got my pedal board loaded with -starting, boss comp. digitech hendrix exp. pedal ,boss ds1 boss ce2, boss dd5 delay and boss tuner.i get a great tone with bypassing all these guys and just using the tone and volumn knobs. i'm playing all this through a Rivera Quiana head into a homemade 2 x 12 cab loaded with eminence tex heat. and my style of noise goes to blues, rock [heavy on the srv]country, jazz [duuh]old, new and really just about anything that people listen and dance to. but , here's really the rub ,i can take this set up now to new extreams, with the neck pick up and the ds1 and hendrix pedal i can produce some of the same tones that chris duarte gets on his last album .man chris kinman should be knighted , his web sight and products are superior. i've been playin with electronics for a long time and the detail and quality that chris and john and crew put in these pickups are flawless.

yes if ever my strat with these pups in it ever left my possession i would be one sad clown and i'd be on the phone for a replacement pronto. i can't begin to say how many different pups i've been through, but this is it folks, stop and order, nuff said and thanks for listening.

Pickup features: Single Coil noiseless
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: l/h Tokai Goldstar Sound Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II set
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Everyone ought to! Dave Gilmour, possibly Jimi in heaven?
You musical style(s): Blues Rock
Reason for pickup change: Intrigued by the reviews and Chris Kinman's site

Perceived output level: highish output but not over hot, drives my amp beautifully
Tone: Very complex, may seem too toppy at first, but extremely well balanced and clear
Sonic evaluation: These pickups are stunningly good! I use the strat into a 1968 Fender Princeton Reverb, or a 1965 AC30 top boost. The effects are designed to create good tone and nothing else. These are a Nobels Preamp pedal into a Hughes and Kettner Tube Factor and then a secret weapon: the Boss Noise Gate, which adds a fantastic dynamic and blooming attack to the note as well as being a great noise gate. This simple chain provides all the blues rocker needs for a fabulous sound, from clean to screaming sustain. The valves in the amps are selected for late breakup to stay as clean as possible.
And along came Kinman . . . .
These pickups are all he claims and more. They are Stratty, clear, bell-like, powerful, dynamic, complex, and the Hx85 in the bridge is in my opinion FAR better than humbucking fat strats or TBX boosted Clapton strats or whatever. all positions sound great.
Being a bit neurotic I of course worried that I had got the wrong set and that perhaps I should have got the Blues set or the Traditional Mk II. I listened to the mp3 clips on the site and they all sounded great but I have found that I can get very close approximations of the aged tone Blues set and the non-aged Trad set by using tone controls on the guitar and the voicing control on the Tube Factor.
The Woodstocks have extra cutting power and are of course sublime for Hendrix impersonations. I am delighted.
I strongly recommend the 7 position mod shown on Chris's site: the bridge with a bit (or a lot) of neck sounds superb and is unavailable on a standard strat. You also get a tone control operating on all 3 pickups with this wiring. I am going to fit AVn49 Broadcaster Kinmans to my Tele this week and I will also wire it in a similar way so I can blend in the neck pickup in position 1. I will lose the tone control but I intend to wire in a dummy tone circuit consisting of a 270K resistor and 0.22uf capacitor. The blend control will be a no-load pot as I have on this strat.
Anyone thinking of purchasing these pickups should not hesitate. They are vey quiet as well, and since I shielded the guitar with copper foil they are now incredible: almost silent.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Brilliant for modern blues, blues rock, hendrix influenced stuff, and plenty more. The only position this pickup is unsuitable for is 'unemployed'

Comments: I think these are quite reasonably priced. If I had the cash I'd buy em again in a second.
Workmanship is also first class as others have pointed out.

Pickup features: Noiseless Single Coil Set.
Impedence or other specs: ???

Model of guitar or bass: 2001 Lefty Fender Stratocaster w/ Quilt-Maple Top/Back
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: USA Stock Standard
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: ???
You musical style(s): Blues/Rock/Pop/Hard Rock/Punk
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a more aggressive and ''Bigger'' sound out of my strat. Also something that would cut through the mix in a band situation. These did the trick. And ofcourse the fact that they are completely noiseless is a huge benefit, being in a band using lots of gain.

Perceived output level: I assumed these pickups would still have the familiar twang of strat pickups but also carry a much more attacking sound and hold up much better with alot of gain dialed in. I certainly wasn't dissapointed as these pickups did everything i hoped they would and much more. They really do cut through the mix much,much better in a band situation.
Tone: The tone is somewhat very similiar to the strat pickups i had in the guitar beforehand but the thing that really sets them apart from the stock pickups is the much more balanced and aggressive tone they put out. The best thing about Woodstock Plus set is that you don't lose the 'strat sound' yet gain so much more. Even under the heaviest distorted the tone shines through perfectly and harmonics are beautifully clean. Before i fitted these i used to mainly use the Bridge and Neck pickups on my strat and abandon all the other positions simply coz they all sucked and sounded very muddy and useless. The Kinmans however are able to produce great prominant tones in all positions. Being in a Pop/Rock band where our songs roam across many styles. I have found really nice tones for blues,hard rock,country,punk and even acoustic sounds by using all of the postions, each with there own unique sound and character. 2 more very great things about the Kinmans is that they are completely noiseless in all positions and you don't need to be an expert to dial in a great tone..all you need is a set of these and a descent amp and it's easy to start finding great tones for whatever style your looking for.
Sonic evaluation: Currently my set-up is quite extensive but also works really well with these pickups. I run my strat (with the Kinmans) into an effects chain - Boss CS-3 compressor/sustainer, Ibanez TS808 reissue tubescreamer, Boss CH-1 Super chorus, Boss DD-6 digital Delay and finally into my Marshall JCM2000 TSL601 combo... With my old stock pickups, this slightly extensive chain would only enhance that damn hum but with these pickups they are noiseless to begin with so really there is no noise that can be enhanced through the chain...when it comes to sound and tone itself..it works great either with the amp set at crystal clear clean or with the gain maxed out the kinmans still cut through with an incredible clean and responsive sound that i've never got from any other guitar with disortion at high levels. When the amp is on clean and with a good dose of chorus,using the bridge pickups i have found some really amazing almost 12-string like sounds. Very cool!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: In my band we play original material but it varys through many styles...Generally whether playing in the band or at home i will play anything from Blues,Folk,Hard rock, Punk, Country. These pickups would suit any of these styles..probably others but that's for someone else to test out...The only style i think they cannot handle is real metal..They just sound way too bright and chirpy for metal. Even with stacks of gain, They don't really produce the right sound for a good metal tone. For Hard rock though, these work great. Just roll off the treble and bring up the mids and bass some more.

Comments: If lost or stolen then i'd get the same order with my next guitar without a doubt..I've found the perfect guitar and pickup combination!. I've been playing for almost 3 years now. I done alot of researching into all the strat replacement pickups out there and although i can't afford to buy and try everything available..i used harmony central and other places to ask questions about different setups and systems like the EMG SA set, Fender Texas Specials..but the kinmans got mentioned on a music forum and i read the reviews on harmony central and decided to buy them..i have high expectations of the stuff i buy but these were surprisingly better then i hoped. I'll give the set a 9 purely because nothings perfect and it's kind of the way it should be.

Pickup features: Hum canceling passive single coils
Impedence or other specs: have a look in kinman's website

Model of guitar or bass: (Usa) American Vintage 1962 reissue strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: David gilmour apparently has a normal set of Avn woodstock's
You musical style(s): rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: stock sound was ok, but after two years just became uninspiring. Icepick, poor overdrive at high volume and noise were annoying aswell.

Perceived output level: Hot compared to 62reissue pickups.
Tone: balanced, NO icepick at high volume,played clean or dirty- bloody superb.
Sonic evaluation: At the moment using a USA 62reissue strat straight into a Marshall avt100 (can't afford a valve amp yet).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play blues and old rock music- SRV, Clapton, Hendrix, ACDC, these pickups really suit everything for me.

Comments: I ordered these with the no-soldering kit purely to avoid the rediculous ?30 to ?50 fitting bill at any good music store over in england. To be honest, you don't need a degree in electrical engineering to install this kit. Smashing bit of design, couldn't be easier just make sure you follow the instructions you get emailed EXACTLY to avoid any nasty things happening. Took me about 25 minutes, but i wasn't rushing so it may be quicker for you. Having installed the pickups i pluged into my amp and listened for signs of life. Then i was impressed- the huge buzzing i heard with my stock set was completely gone. These things are definitely noiseless. Once i started strumming i never wanted to go near my old pickups again! These pickups sound exactly like the website samples, full, great tone on all settings, just listen to any hendrix record, and you pretty much get a noiseless, fatter and richer version of what you hear. The bridge pickup is particularily my favorite compared to my stock bridge (which was thin and weedy). The only easy way of describing what it does is- sweet overdrive. These pickups sing and even though i wouldn't say that my amp is the best sounding hybrid amp (which it isn't) it sounds pretty damn good now. The pickups work with the amp, and whatever you change on the amp has a very noticable effect on the guitar sound and whichever way i adjust the amp, it sounds great, whereas with my old set i had to work for a long time to find a sweet spot on the amp settings. I found that adjusting the pickups to the maximum heights to the strings (around 2mm) gave the best sound, and when you hit the strings you know that something special is happening with these pickups. The volume pot works like it should, providing workable sounds, aswell as the tone controll, all the way down it sounds similar to an open wah- and in between gives great sounds too, unlike my old tone controll which went from slightly muddy to muddy. the neck blend is an interesting addition, providing two more pickup combinations, again nothing bad to say about it. As for ordering and price, once ordered on the internet it took just 5 days to get to me- dogs bollocks effeciency, and as for price- it came to ?224, which may seem expensive BUT- in england you get a set of kinmans (not necessarily up to date models) for ?200 ALONE. Add the ripoff fitting fee (and the uncomfortable wait as you know someone is fiddling with your pride and joy)and the replacement of parts, and you come to a hell of a lot more than the ?224 i paid online (and thats including shipping costs), so to me ordering online is a bloody good deal.These pickups are staying put for good, if you think of buying these, listen to the website sounds- what you hear is what you are gonna get. Don't be put off necessarily by the "hot" bridge on this set- you can get a subtle sound out of the hx-85 aswell as a superb rock and overdriven blues sound. If you can afford it get the no-solder kit purely for the quality parts and (unless you are good with a soldering iron)avoiding the cost of installation at a music store also order online to get the most up to date pickups and a great deal. Next strat i get will be fitted with another set of kinman pickups- maby AVn Blues Pu's to get a different sound, but as for these i am totally satisfied with them, i am glad after only playing for three years that i have found MY sound and don't need to look elsewhere. Thankyou Chris for a bloody fantastic set of pickups!

Pickup features: Single coil passive complete set
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender 1995 Strat plus Deluxe
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Fender Lace Sensors Blue. red, gold
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Mr Gilmour
You musical style(s): All
Reason for pickup change: Standard Strats with standard pickups sound like noisy thin crap

Perceived output level: Hotter than Lace sensors but not much
Tone: Balanced
Sonic evaluation: I play Strat plus deluxe into Mesa Boogie Triaxis, Mesa 2:90 power amp , Lexicon, into Marshall 1960A. These pickups are perfect.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Anything except Jazz

Comments: I played gibsons and Ibanez for 30 years. If I could have had these pickups , I would have played a Strat 29 years ago.These are the best in the world. You will not fail, and Mr Kinman is a gracious gentleman. I had an unusual order..I wanted to get rid of the Vol pot from its normal spot and and Chris rang me to make sure my vision matched the order and then offered me a push tone pot mod for free after hearing what I was trying to do!Order with the wiring harness if you can..Pro level stuff. ZERO Noise. PURE Strat tone but richer.

Pickup features: single coil passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Strat crafted in Japan
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: standard
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues/ rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted more punch and attack (hendrix)and these pickups did the trick!

Perceived output level: i don't care for output level as theres a volume control on the amplifier . The thing here is the responce you get on your playing. Then; it seems that you have much higher output
Tone: balanced when adjusted the pickups after Chris's advice on hos website
Sonic evaluation: Japan strat through an Alesis Microverb 4 with stereo output to a Marshall Valvestat 40V and a Peavey Deuce

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good responce from all pickups. I've adjusted the midle pickup somewhat back to balance the sound for posistion 2 and 4. I think I should start using the bridge now as I've allways used tjust the neck pickup.

Comments: I would buy a new set if these was destroyed.

Pickup features: Hum cancelling single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1996 MIM Standard fender Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: N.A.
Artists using this pickup: Not sure
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Funk, Pop, Hardcore, EVERYTHING
Reason for pickup change: The noise was killing me, Stock sounded a lil' thin in the bridge, overall tone leaves a lot to be desired.

Perceived output level: Slightly Higher than the Stock Pups
Tone: Wonderful tone, Clear and strong, aggressive, sreiously twangy.
Sonic evaluation: 1996 standard Mexico Strat to >> a Dunlop 535q wah >> Tech 21 XXL >> Marshall Valvestate VS 30.
One of my friend came over 5 mins after i had the Pups in. Switched it on, commented that it's really quiet, hum-less... ITS TOTALLY CRAZY!! I love the silence! They're really a set of sensitive Pups, the output's great, overall loudness of individual strings is well distributed.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Mostly Rock, Blues, Pop, Hardcore and alternative... I've only had it for a day, but im really satisfied.

Comments: I'll definitely buy it again, i'm spoilt.
Played for bout 6 years, stopped for 6 years, juz started playing again a month ago. Thought i'd buy some Pup upgrades to motivate myself and enjoy the sonic perfection in noiseless Pickup technology. I've not really played that long and own a lot of gear. I only have this strat o' mine. Thing is I'm not chasing the perfect tone. The kinman woodstock Pups more than satisfy my ears already. Wat do ya know, It really make a strat sound more like a strat. Yeah, pretty crazy huh? Thought so too, but i'm convinced, will recommend it to anyone who will only buy EMG, Dimarzio and SD. These Pups kick their asses... at least to my ears.
I dun really like to rate stuff, but I'll suggest u grab a set of it. IT ROCKS!!

Pickup features: Single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1998 Fender US Standard Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Standard Fender Delta Tone
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: Wanted the best because my Strat deserved them

Perceived output level: Much hotter and clearer than stock pickups replaced.
Tone: Well balanced and clear.
Sonic evaluation: My Strat is a bog standard 1998 US Standard. No other upgrades apart from these pickups. I must have been through 15 other strats looking for "the one" and for me, this is it. I use the guitar through a Peavey Classic 50 212 and also a Fender Stage 160 as a practice/back up amp. Pedals are kept to a minimum - a Zoom Power Drive and also a new Digitech Bad Monkey. Other guitars include a no name Tele with DiMarzio Twang Kings installed and a Epiphone Lucille also with DiMarzio's installed.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play a mix of blues, rock, and whatever else grabs me. No metal though - I'll leave that for the young 'uns.

Comments: OK, I am making comments here that only pertain to me and tonal taste. I am a total Strat lover and my peronal guitar heroes/heroines are Strat players - Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher (and don't I miss him), Bonnie Raitt, etc. I gave up playing when I got married and didn't play again for over 25 years. I used to play an SG but when I took it up again, I chose a Strat. Went through a boatload (including a 'bitsa' hardtail fitted with Kinman AVN Blues pickups which I foolishly sold) before I got this one and was/am totally happy with it. Although more than happy with the original Delta Tone pickups in my Strat, I knew there were better tones to be had. I have owned strats with Texas Specials, Tex Mex, and Lace Sensors but was never satisfied with the sound. After much soul searching (read mental torment) and indecision over Kinmans versus Fender Noiseless and Hot Noiseless, I chose the Kinmans for a number of reasons. I had previous experience with Kinmans and knew how good they are. Although far more expensive than Fender pickups, I didn't have the opportunity to hear the Fender pickups I was interested in so couldn't make a comparison. I decided to make the plunge and ordered a set of Woodstock Plus (I wanted the hotter bridge pickup)and also specified the 100% No Solder kit as I wanted to install the pickups myself with a minimum of fuss and also wanted the blend control. So much for the background on my purchasing the pickups. My rating is simple - these are the pickups my Strat deserve. Crystal clear and punchy, deadly silent, and respond brilliantly to overdrive and distortion. My search for Strat tonal perfection is over. My Strat was already 'the one' in feel, and these pickups have given it that much extra to make it 'the one' in total. I had never really 'bonded' with a guitar before but I will never sell this one. I will take this one to my grave. I can think of no negatives about these pickups, only positives. I can never understand people complaining about price - if they don't like the price then don't buy the product. You pay people for their expertise and time, and Chris Kinman is no different. I don't know Chris and have never spoken to the man. He may be a good bloke or an egotistical turd for all I know or care. All I know is that his products are brilliant and have given me what I was looking for - how do you put a price on that? In summary, as we all know, buying pickups is a minefield. In the end it will come down to a narrowing of the field using factors like hearing the product first hand usually in ANOTHER guitar, not YOUR's, and also reading these reviews. The reviews are meant to be subjective and personal - for me, these pickups are the best. If I have one criticism it is this - these pickups are so good, I am seriously considering buying a 'beater' strat just to try a set of Chris's other pickups like the Traditional set. So if you are like me and tormenting yourself over which pickups to buy for your Number 1, take the plunge and buy a set of these pickups, then kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

Pickup features: Single coil, passive
Impedence or other specs: Bridge-9.6K Middle-7.5K Neck-7.5K

Model of guitar or bass: Fender American Standard Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock American Series and Vintage Noiseless Hot
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Visit Kinman.com and review
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock and areas in between
Reason for pickup change: Looking for a classic Fender sound with no noise.

Perceived output level: These pups have more output than the stock ones. About the same as Fender "Vintage Noiseless" but less than the VN "Hot".
Tone: Great balanced tone. If you want classic Strat, these are it.
Sonic evaluation: I use mostly a rack system with Mesa/Boogie, Bogner, and Egnattor pre-amps and Mesa/Boogie 90/90 power amp. Also use Fender Twin, Marshall, and M/B LoneStar combos. The rack has the usual effects available and I use a Boss GT-6 with the combos. The Fender sounds great thru any of this gear. Crisp chime or warm driven.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These pickups are a good match for my style.

Comments: I?m 56 and have been playing for 42 of those years. I?ve seen and played some of the old original great Strats when they were ?new?. I have a number of Fender, PRS, Anderson, and Gibson guitars. If something happened to these pups I would replace them. I ordered two more sets for two other Strats. I think they are the "Strat sound" and no noise. I installed the Woodstock Plus?s and turned a good Strat into a great Strat. Yesterday I took it to show a friend, good player and head guitar guru at Guitar Center in Fountain Valley, CA, USA. He had never heard of Kinman and wanted me to bring it in for him to hear when I got it setup. We played it thru a Mesa/Boogie LoneStar and the usual Saturday afternoon want-a-bees and others stopped to take note of what they were hearing. From Texas twang to warm driven blues and others in between. I gave the website address to my friend at GC and a few others there and told them to check it out. I?m a bit OC about my guitars and amps and can appreciate Chris Kinman?s quest for the write sound. Your hard work and skills have been rewarded. I'm a strong believer in you get what you pay for so don't let the cost for these pups scare you away.
Don Koplien
Huntington Beach, CA, USA

Pickup features: Single Coil passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Stratocaster Elite
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Elite pickups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: See kinman web site, lots!
You musical style(s): Fusion, Rock, Blues, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Lack of Tone and NOISE!!!!

Perceived output level: Hi output lots of gain
Tone: Little Wing to Red House!
Sonic evaluation: Roland Bolt 60 Solid State/Tube combo.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Suitable for all styles.

Comments: After much research and scouring through forums and reviews I decided to replace my stock Fender Stratocaster Elite active pickups with a set of Kinman Woodstock Plus. I love the Elite neck and this is a very well made instrument, but the noise and buzzing was driving me nuts! The active pickups had great punch and range but would never deliver the hollow quacky tones of a real Strat! They sounded sterile even though I believe they were alnico magnets in the pups. Somewhere in the circuitry and tangled mess of wires and battery driven pre-amp it lost the tone!! The difference the Kinman's make is incredible! Finally, I have the Strat tones to go with the guitar I've always loved to play, and it looks fantastic too. One of a kind that's for sure!

The decision was made more complex as in order to get the new pickups I needed to get a new custom made pickguard to fit the Elite. This is because the Elite has much bigger pickups than normal and 3 push buttons for pickup selection. The pickguard was made by W.D Music Products and they did an excellent job!!, somehow managing to make and ship it between hurricanes Charlie, Frances and Ivan!! (I would recommend them to anyone who is after a new pickguard.) The Woodstocks were fitted at Chris's factory along with the new 5 way switch and pots, so all I had to do was drop the lot into the swimming pool body route and connect to the existing output jack.
The tones I can get out of the Elite now far surpass anything I dreamed of. The bridge has all the punch when I want it, but can also sound sweet and chimey. The 2 and 4 positions have the hollow quack I was searching for and the neck and middle are perfect for my blues and rhythm tones. All 5 positions give you a multitude of usable tones, without any of the harshness that was there before.
The real test came when I plugged into my computer, NO NOISE!!! completely silent!! and I'm sitting directly in front of the monitor!! What a relief!, I knew then that all the mucking around with new pickguard etc was all worth it!! Now I can really start to work on my music, instead of having to put up with all the frustrations of noisy buzzing humming pickups.
Can't wait to try this baby out live!
Just go get some!! NUF SED

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Robin Ranger
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Fender Reissues
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: IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! READ ME!
I have a long story here. If you are interested in learning about just how great of a commitment Chris Kinman has to satisfying his customers, please go read my review of the AVn Blues submitted on 8/17/04. I first bought the AVn Blues and they did not fit my style, so Chris offered to let me try a set of Woodstocks at no risk. Boy, am I glad I did!
These pups are great. Punch, dynamics, output. You name it, this pup has it. Stone silent, quieter than a humbucker. The bridge pickup has not a hint of "icepick" and is the most fat beautiful bridge pickup sound I have ever heard. Before fitting these pups, I never used my bridge pup because of the shrillness of the treble response. Not a problem any longer.
I also notice a significant increase in sustain because of Chris' weak magnets. The guitar sings for days. Also, the thing about less string crash on the frets is true. You will not get as much fret crash going on with these pickups.
The AVN Plus are definitely higher output than the Fender pups I replaced. This took some getting used to. At first, I perceived that there was not quite as much dynamic range as I was used to, but after experimentation I concluded that it was really an issue of pickup output. With these pickups, you will actually USE that volume knob. And, I highly recommend Chris' high frequency bypass mod. He included parts to do this simple mod that preserves the high frequencies when you roll off the volume.
I did have to change the volume pot in my guitar. The stock pot was 220K. When I replaced it with a true 250K pot, the sparkle increased substantially.
These pups have enough power to drive a good medium gain tube amp into wonderful creaminess. These pickups sound fine clean - nice and chimey and quacky - like a strat should sound. But, when played distorted they really shine. Much more power while still retaining that essential Strat tone.
A note on where to buy... Do yourself a favor and buy directly from Chris' website. That way you know you are getting current production goods, which I know from experience are substantially improved over earlier designs. And, though I cannot speak for Chris, I KNOW that if you are not happy with your purchase, Chris will do whatever is necessary to satisfy you. Finally, having sampled both the AVn Blues set and the Woodstocks, I just cannot imagine that Chris cannot satisfy any Strat requirement out there.
PLEASE DO SOME RESEARCH AND BE SURE YOU ORDER THE CORRECT SET OF KINMANS. THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER! Chris' website has some outstanding clips on it that let you really hear the character of the pups. Not like DiMarzio, whose clips have Joe Satriani playing through $50K of effects processing equipment.
In closing, these pickups are outstanding. Hendrix in a box! Chime, chunck, quack, growl, output - everything. You will not be sorry you invested in the best. Plus, Chris is the kind of man that deserves your business.
I get fanatical about advocating products I believe in, and I am happy to say that I am now a Kinman evangelist. I have probably the only Robin Ranger on the planet with Kinmans installed and am ever so happy that Chris took the initiative to get me set straight. I am a true believer. Take the plunge. Spend the bux. You won't be sorry.
If I can be of any further help to you in making your decision regarding pickup purchases, please email me at ksmith AT ogsinc DOT com.

Pickup features: Single Coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Robin Ranger
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Fender Reissues
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues in the Hendrix style
Reason for pickup change: Noise

Perceived output level: Bridge is very hot, others are medium to high output
Tone: balanced, chimey, thundering punch
Sonic evaluation: Amps: Fender 5E3 clone, Marshall Bluesbreaker clone, Plexi clone (I build my own)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Outstanding Blues tones. Really shines when distorted

Comments: IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! READ ME!
I have a long story here. If you are interested in learning about just how great of a commitment Chris Kinman has to satisfying his customers, please go read my review of the AVn Blues submitted on 8/17/04. I first bought the AVn Blues and they did not fit my style, so Chris offered to let me try a set of Woodstocks at no risk. Boy, am I glad I did!
These pups are outstanding. Punch, dynamics, output. You name it, this pup has it. Stone silent, quieter than a humbucker. The bridge pickup has not a hint of "icepick" and is the most fat beautiful bridge pickup sound you have ever heard. Before fitting these pups, I never used my bridge pup because of the shrillness of the treble response. Not a problem any longer.
I also notice a significant increase in sustain because of Chris' weak magnets. The guitar sings for days. Also, the thing about less string crash on the frets is true. You will not get as much fret crash going on with these pickups.
The AVN Plus are definitely higher output than the Fender pups I replaced. This took some getting used to. At first, I perceived that there was not quite as much dynamic range as I was used to, but after experimentation I concluded that it was really an issue of pickup output, especially the bridge. After making some minor adjustments in my amp settings and my technique, I found that these pups surpassed the Fenders in dynamic response. It took me about a week to totally adjust to the pickups, but now that I have, they are far more versatile than the Fenders.
With these pickups, you will actually USE that volume knob. With the volume dimed, you can crunch all day long. Roll back about 1/3 and you can easily manipulate overdrive level with your touch and picking attack alone. And, I highly recommend Chris' high frequency bypass mod. He included parts to do this simple mod that preserves the high frequencies when you roll off the volume.
I did have to change the volume pot in my guitar. The stock pot was 220K. When I replaced it with a true 250K pot, the sparkle increased substantially. Make sure you check yours, because the value of this pot does affect high frequency performance.
These pups have enough power to drive a good medium gain tube amp into wonderful creaminess. These pickups sound fine clean - nice and chimey and quacky - like a strat should sound. But, when played distorted they really shine. Much more power while still retaining that essential Strat tone.
A note on where to buy... Do yourself a favor and buy directly from Chris' website. That way you know you are getting current production goods, which I know from experience are substantially improved over earlier designs. When I bought my first Kinman set, the dealer sent me some old stock pickups that were of an older, less refined design. When you get your pups, make sure that the bobbin shields are black in color, not silvery. I had the silver ones first, and Chris tells me that the black ones are superior. Though I cannot speak for Chris Kinman, I KNOW that if you are not happy with your purchase, Chris will do whatever is necessary to satisfy you. Finally, having sampled both the AVn Blues set and the Woodstocks, I just cannot imagine that Chris cannot satisfy any Strat tone requirement out there.
PLEASE DO SOME RESEARCH AND BE SURE YOU ORDER THE CORRECT SET OF KINMANS. THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER! MAKE SURE YOU ORDER THE CORRECT SET FOR YOUR TASTES! If you want punchy chime, go with the woodstocks. If you want very fat, thick tone with relatively less dynamic range, go with the Avn Blues set. Chris' website has some outstanding clips on it that let you really hear the character of the pups. Not like DiMarzio, whose clips have Joe Satriani playing through $50K of effects processing equipment.
In closing, these pickups are near perfect for me. Chime, chunk, quack, growl, output - everything. You will not be sorry you inve

Pickup features: Single Coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Deluxe Fender Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: orginal stock pickups
Other pickups on guitar: all kinman woodstock plus set
Artists using this pickup: The Vines
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Grunge, Classic Rock, Punk...everything!
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups were loud and noisy like a german panzer tank, and just werent veru good, too much buzz and just thin sounding at times

Perceived output level: these are hot pick ups. loud and hot...i like em that way
Tone: lots of tight low end, but the bridge pick ups has a fatter tone and so do the other 2 pick ups, which is greta for that low end thump like hendrix or fat sounding for Stevie Ray Vaughan and enough power for punk and hard rock
Sonic evaluation: well the other guitar player in my band has a jackson with two humbuckers and a marshall amp, and this stratocaster with the Kinman woodstocks in it can keep up with the sound and power of his jackson. I really love these pick ups and the REALLY cool thing is, is that they just keep getting better and better over time...its liek fine wine...it just keeps getting better and better the longer you have them in. They sound great, perfect for what I do. I have another fender stratocaster with a set of Gold Fender Lace Sensors which sound amazing, but there not as hot as the kinmans and they are great for blues and rock as well. But when i want somthing louder and more aggresive i break out the other stratocaster with the kinmans and the walls start shakin. and did i mention they are COMPLETELY NOISELESS no more buzzing or anything, they are noiseless AND they got the output to match. what more could you want. buy these pick ups today!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play rock and everything, buy the whole woodstock set, there great as a set

Comments: if they were destroyed or stolen, yes I would purchase another set from Chris Kinman again.
Iv been playing for 5 years, I play at a blues bar once a week and I have played in a few bands round town on the circuit. I wanted somthing diffrent instead of getting the same replcement pick ups everyone else has, so I got the kinmans, and I have been stopped in the bar after a set by peopel asking me how I got that sound and tone and what type of pick ups i used. The kinmans are the real deal.

Pickup features: Set of 3 single coil pickups for Strat, Bridge extra hot for hb like bit
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 40th Ann. Am. Std. Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock - Also tried FVNs and EMG DG20s
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: Dunno
You musical style(s): Rock, Metal, Blues
Reason for pickup change: Hum, Noise, Output

Perceived output level: Hot
Tone: Deliciouos. Sparkly, Lots of headroom, big bottom, fat mid punch
Sonic evaluation: Am Std Strat w/kinman woodstock plus' into Dunlop 535q wah-->Big Muff Pi NYC-->Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe-->EH Memory Man Deluxe-->Mesa Boogie Road King Head and 2x12 Recto Cab
I have to give Mr. Kinman two thumbs up and acknowledge that although the "over the top" confidence and marketing is a bit much, the product backs it up. I really like them. They sound really "huge" in a very good way. They are bright and boomy with major punch in the mids, and they are dead quiet. My strat has the "swimming pool" cutout and I didn't go through any of the noise-proofing stuff like foil, conductive paint, etc. I just plugged in the new pups and the noise was gone.
What's really fantastic is that I can play metal in the bridge with this thing. Is it like a hot humbucker in the bridge of a Les Paul? Of course not! But it is a completely workable hot bridge pickup that rocks. I can definitely crunch with my Mesa amp. I also find myself jamming with the middle pickup and it also sounds great. To me, it's an enjoyable tonal alternative to the neck. I like it!
I didn't do the "tele" wiring trick, because I didn't have a 500K pot available, but I will try that in the future.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, Metal, Blues

Comments: Tone is subjective, black magic, whatever! I simply cannot imagine being disappointed by these pickups. They really sound great. My Strat is just the nicest guitar to play. I also have a new Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul, which is an incredible guitar, but the comfortable feel of my Strat combined with the Kinman pickups make the Strat my current guitar of choice.
Great job Chris!!! Thanks a lot!!!
I knock off one point becuase they are really expensive, and value is part of the rating. They are a 10+ for quality and sound!!!

Pickup features: Single Coil Noiseless
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1997 Clapton Sign Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gold Lace Sensors
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: Not Sure
You musical style(s): Blues, Vintage Rock
Reason for pickup change: i was looking for something a little more organic than the GLS's. although i was happy with the clarity they produced, they lacked a little richness.

Perceived output level: approximately the same as the Gold Lace Sensors
Tone: Less treble, more mid's and approximatey same amount of bass.
Sonic evaluation: I play through a Mesa Mk 3 or a Marshell 50 Watt DSL (the DSL is great Value for a class act amp). At home i play through a Fender Blues Junior more often than not. with The Clapton Strat i dont tend to use effects because of the active mid boost and TBX control.
I found pros and cons to the Woodstocks; on clean settings i've lost a little presence but as the mid-boost is taken up the individual notes definately sustain longer albiet less of a smooth sustain, more gritty, so think SRV as opposed to Clapton/Gilmour (apparently woodstocks are meant to be a bit hotter than the vintage 54's and i presume less clarity and more grit/sustain). I own a Les Paul and have Owned PRS McCarty's but if you're looking for long fat sustain the combination of a Clapton with these PUPs with the mid-boost wins hands down.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/Rock. Neck or Bridge positions mainly.

Comments: Personaly I wouldnt replace them if stolen, i'd go for either Kinman 54's or Fralins, even though they're not noiseless (if they're good enough for Scott Henderson, nuff said!) i've been playing 23 years and my main guitars along with the Clapton sgn are a Blade 'Texas 62' fitted with Fralins vintage hot the best 'Strat' i've ever owned/played, a Gibson LP standard with 'out of phase' mid position a la Peter Green/ Snowy White and a G & L Comanche that i just cant get on with. Unfortunately compared to Fralins or Fenders own passive PUPs the noiseless are a little dead and lack clarity and character, albiet great sustain, and the whole reason i swapped them in the first place was to get some organic nature injected into the guitar and it didnt work. moral of the story is if you want noisess you will have to loose out on a little tone. The Woodstokes are however more versitile than the GLS pups, so unless you're in a Clapton tribute band they are an improvement in that depatment and the bridge sounds like a hot les Paul when you add a little mid which is great.

Pickup features: Single coil - passive. Noiseless.
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: SRV Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Blue Velvets
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Lots - Rock/Country/R&B/Pop
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a bigger sound.

Perceived output level: Hotter than standard strat.
Tone: Very balanced. Not too shrill - not too bottomy.
Sonic evaluation: Played though a Fender Prosonic.
These pickups sound *big*. They still sound very *stratlike* though. They are very lively sounding pickups - they sound GREAT ! My amp has come alive ! It makes my last set of pickups sound small (and I always got complimented on my sound with them).
Think Jimi/SRV - full on tone !
NB. I got my tone controls wired so that I can blend in the neck pickup with the bridge.
All pickups sound fuller than standard strat.
Bridge - great rock sound - not too shrill. I have traditionally not used the bridge only setting much due to shrill/thin/noisy issues. I am using this one now ! Blending the neck picjup into it is heaven. Full neck + full bridge = FANTASTIC Tele tone !
Neck position is what I have always been after - think SRV thickness and attack without shrillness. Neck/Middle is also pure SRV type tone - think "Cold Shot"
Bridge/Middle - fuller/rounder than usual strat sound - you don't quite get that hollow "quack" type sound but I like the sound I am getting better anyway.
The middle pickup on its own even sounds great.
Basically this thing rocks without going into bland territory. It sounds like a great big strat.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup is heaven for blues/rock/country/pop. If all you play is dance then these might be too big for you - I do use them for Top 40 myself.

Comments: I would get another set for sure. In fact I am getting a new guitar in the near future and a set of these are going straight on. Actually - I might put a set of the straight Woodstocks on just for some variety.