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Post by ozboomer on Mar 16, 2010 4:38:25 GMT -5
I recently bought myself what I understand to be some pickups that came from a MIJ Stratocaster, viz: As the photos show, they're sort-of low-ish in their raw resistance readings... and the middle pup seems to possibly have the reverse winding thing going on (with the yellow wire)... but Heck! they're heavy! I've only handled the original pups from my Squier Bullet and some cheapo replacements and none of them were this heavy. What does it mean, that they're heavy? The magnets are pretty strong and they seem to be a sort-of conventional design... and I'm guessing the pickups will work Ok, 'coz I can do the ol' screwdriver test on them and I hear a good *click* when I tap the poles. Given the measured resistances, I'm guessing the 5.4k would be placed at the bridge position, the "yellow wire" 5.2k would go in the middle (for the "hum cancelling" thing) and the other 5.2k would go in at the neck position. They also have a "regular" pole stagger; the string 1 and 6 poles are "low", string 2 and 5 poles are "medium height" and strings 3 and 4 are both the highest of all the poles -- I guess that might make for an interesting sound(!) Actually, what sort of sound might I expect from these pickups? Do they appear to be MIJ Strat pickups to you? ...or we can't really tell!? Any other suggestions for what I should do about checking them out, short of installing them in a guitar? Ta... John |
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Post by JohnH on Mar 16, 2010 6:02:21 GMT -5
Another small factor:
How is the length of each pickup? Do they fit into your PG and is the bridge pup a bit longer, due to wider string spacing at that end, plus the non-parallel placement of the bridge pup?
John
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Post by sumgai on Mar 16, 2010 11:58:51 GMT -5
ozzy,
To be honest, I've never before seen MiJ pups with additional magnets underneath the bobbin. I have, however, seen pickups like you picture above, I even have a set laying around somewhere, and I took them out of an MiI (Made in Indochina) Squier Strat.
Now that presupposes that you're referring to an actual Strat, and not a Squier Strat. I guess it's possible that a really cheap MiJ Strat or Squier Strat might have these pups, but I'd bet that the Japanese imported them from somewhere further South and East...
Something else that it's always good to remember...
The actual resistance measurements are only a very rough guide to how much output a given pickup might have. Note the emphasis, please. Note further that "how much output" is not the same as "tone" - very big difference there! What a pickup sounds like in actual use can be entirely surprising when compared to a simple resistance measurement, and there's no way we can quantify how a pickup will actually sound when it's just sitting in a box on a shelf - one just has to try it out in real life, to see if one likes the tone of a given pickup.
Sad, but there it is, for what it's worth.
HTH
sumgai
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Post by lpf3 on Mar 16, 2010 18:16:28 GMT -5
Oz- I agree with SG on their origin- I have an Affinity Squier Strat (China) with pups just like that, same DC resistance too. Also the stock neck pup on my Squier 51 (Indonesia) had those same metal bars on the bottom. I'm not sure if they're magnets or just steel bars, tho- I assumed their function was the same as those high output baseplates like the ones Callaham sells.  You're right about the yellow wired one being RW/RP for the middle. They (as in mine) are definitely Strat-ish, but a bit BRIGHT bright.  My first impression was that it was as glassy bright as one of those undersaddle thingies like import Ovations have in them. As always, YMMV- try 'em & see how you like 'em.  -lpf3 |
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Post by ozboomer on Mar 17, 2010 21:09:37 GMT -5
How is the length of each pickup? Do they fit into your PG and is the bridge pup a bit longer, due to wider string spacing... It's actually kind of curious... The 3 pups are all the same, except for the wire colours. The pitch/overall width of the pole pieces are all the same (so I understand they may not be in the perfect place under the strings). The only thing different is the length of the pickup covers. They measure at something less than 70mm, according to my antique vernier callipers. These covers, therefore, will very *tightly* squeeze into the original pickguard from the Squier Bullet. The currently installed pickguard has pickup covers that are something over 70mm in length, so these 'new' pups should fit Ok into the existing pickguard... *fingers crossed* seen pickups like you picture above, I even have a set laying around somewhere, and I took them out of an MiI (Made in Indochina) Squier Strat. Well, I'm not surprised to hear that, really. I bought 'em off a local via eBay and there was NOT a real lot of interest in the auction, so I got 'em for A$20... So, not too much damage if they turn out to be duds. What a pickup sounds like actual use can be entirely surprising when compared to a simple resistance measurement, and there's no way we can quantify how a pickup will actually sound when it's just sitting in a box on a shelf - one just has to try it out in real life, to see if one likes the tone of a given pickup. Ya... and I understand that's one of the tricky things with pickups, that you never really know how the things will sound until you install them (which can 'cost' a lot, in terms of time, effort, frustration, as well as the actual $$$)... and that gets to be a mighty expensive 'experiment' when you frequently pop pickups in and out... I agree with SG on their origin- I have an Affinity Squier Strat (China) with pups just like that, same DC resistance too. I'm doing all my experimenting with a Squier Bullet but the 'main' guitar I use (that I've never been game to open-up(!)) is the same make, model and country of origin as yours... but I think the pups measure a bit higher ohms (using ChrisK's 'through the jack' measurement method - which I can't find right now). Well, that sounds promising... given that with all my experimenting, it seems it's almost always easier to "mellow-down" a pup with a tone control than it is to "brighten" it, at least, when using passive electronics. In any event, these pups will go into the next SPlender-derived experiment, which is still in my design shop ...but I'll post all the details here, as usual, in a month or two when I have it working (positive thinking!). Thanks for your thoughts, folks.. John |
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Post by ozboomer on Jun 25, 2010 19:00:10 GMT -5
I'm now at the stage of using these pickups... but I've had a "brain fade" of some sort... Should the yellow wire on the middle pickup be wired as "hot" (which is what I expect should be the case, following the colour convention) or should the yellow wire be wired as "ground" (following the "position" convention - the wire exiting from "that side" of the pickup is correct for the winding direction), remembering this pickup is RW/RP? If it helps, here's a partial wiring layout: It's mid-morning but my brain is already (still?) addled... |
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Post by JohnH on Jun 25, 2010 22:46:29 GMT -5
my guess would be that your first diagram is right - yellow to hot. It would make some sense, if all coils were made the same, then the RWRP M pup had its magnet reversed, and so it also has the position of the hot lead reversed. In the referesnce section is my descriotion of the pull-off test for checking these type of things: guitarnuts2.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=reference&action=display&thread=4938 |
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Post by newey on Jun 26, 2010 0:12:58 GMT -5
Standard Fender wire colors are white and black for the neck and bridge, and yellow/black for the RWRP middle, with the yellow as the hot, all the grounds are black.
I'm guessing these are the std colors.
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Post by sumgai on Jun 26, 2010 23:22:03 GMT -5
Actually, at least in the Standard Deluxe Series (Tele, Strat, both Basses, etc.) Black is the hot (switched) and the colored wires are grounded.
It's too bad that some governing body doesn't arise, and force all guitar-builders to follow a standardized color code, come hell or highwater. It'd sure make life easier for the rest of us poor schmucks.
sumgai
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claydots
Rookie Solder Flinger
Posts: 4
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Post by claydots on Jul 22, 2011 7:43:47 GMT -5
Hello... First post and I'd like to say I have seen that exact pickups in MIJ/CIJ (not Squier) guitars. At first I thought junk (electronics are always bad in those but the bodies and necks are awesome) but it turned out to be the dime sized alpha pots and junk wiring.
They are not the greatest PUP but they do work. If I buy a Japanese Strat the first thing that happens is a PUP and pot swap. Usually Duncan SSL-1's, CTS pots, Orange Drop cap and cloth wire.
Once they are dialed in I actually prefer them to an MIA Strat. They are OK PUP's but my personal preference are Duncans or Fender Fat 50's.
A big "AMEN" to color standardization....
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Post by newey on Jul 22, 2011 12:10:03 GMT -5
claydots-
Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!
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Post by sumgai on Jul 23, 2011 2:07:08 GMT -5
claydots- Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2! newey, you' ve should've said "Welcome to a fellow Ohioan!" And cd, I'll also say.... Hi, and  to the NutzHouse! As one AARP member to another, don't let the young rascals mess with yer head! sumgai |
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My first impression was that it was as glassy bright as one of those undersaddle thingies like import Ovations have in them. 
