Last Update: 2024.07.04 – Bruce Baker Gombrelli

Pickup Identification Overview
Identifying Fender pickups ranges from an easy to a difficult job at times. These pages are a labor of love for sure! I focus on the newer Fender pickups for now. NOTE: This information is subject to change and I’m updating it all the time as I run into new or conflicting information all the time, so more pickups are getting added and the editorial comments are getting updated constantly. And of course, they keep making new models!

FIGURING OUT PICKUPS

A great place to start is here: Fender Pickup Check List Fender typically has no “set” look for their pickups and often no number scheme or another unique identifier written on the pickup itself, usually the number of the pickup represents some or all the SKU when it does exist, but not always are all the numbers written or even written on them at all. The best way to identify them is often by looks and measurements combined. That said, some pickups, like the noiseless ones, are very easy to identify other can be dog gone hard.  Bottoms, Wires and such make it a complete detective project at times because Fender would use whatever pickups they had on guitars in some cases so an MIM could show up with higher end pickups, or test runs, etc.

Big Picture Info

  • Don’t be fooled – The “Number” on the back of the pickup is usually a middle number in the actually part number or part of the part number, and this may change over time for the same model of pickup.  Sometimes it’s rock solid so examine with caution.
  • The number that is “molded” into the plastic is a BOBBIN NUMBER and is used over and over in different pickups. That just the plastic part number and is worthless for identifying pickups.
  • The resistance values are approx. and can vary up to 10% in some cases or even more. The DCR are a guideline, not an absolute but in some cases they are very close.
  • Pay attention to the stock wires used.
  • Pay attention to the staggering on the poles.
  • DCR is only PART of the sonic equation!!
INDUCTANCE Inductance varies by the frequency used to measure the inductance and the technique used.  The recommendation is to use 120Hz and make sure you measure using SERIES mode. This will get you values very close to what Fender publishes and the difference at that point should be the actual pickup. Q VALUES The Q Value (the width of the frequency notch) changes by measurement frequency and since the Q on pickups is quite wide, expect a 0.3 ish value and use 120Hz the same as you use for inductance measurements. GAUSS I don’t have a lot of Gauss readings but see my Magnetic Pole info page.  Note that most Guass meters measure in Telsa, just multiply by 10 to get Gauss.
Links to Pages for Different Fender Pickups

 

Fender Packaged Pickups

NOTE: This page was compiled by Bruce Baker Gombrelli. If you repost the information on the web or in a wiki please give him credit for the work!

Contents hide
1 Texas Specials
2 CUSTOM SHOP 54 (And Limited Edition 54)
3 PURE VINTAGE 61
4 Pure Vintage 65
5 VINTAGE 56
6 Fender 59 Pickup
7 FAT 50s
8 FAT 60s
9 Original 57/62
10 SUPER 55
11 Fender 60-63 Custom Shop Hand Wound
12 Custom 69
13 AMERICAN VINTAGE HOT ROD 62

Texas Specials

Last updated: 2024.02.17

  Texas Special Pickups are very popular and it’s understandable. It’s interesting that the Neck and Mid are ALMOST the same curve but different resonant frequencies. The Bridge has a much higher Inductance and much stronger bass response. I like that and can see why it’s popular and done that way.  Good Job Fender.

Normally I don’t comment on price but these tend to command a higher price due to the marketing perception. They do seem to have more or less hit a “Sonic Sweet Spot” in peoples ears and in their minds.  They are good pickups but there are plenty of great pickups out there. 54’s for example sound fabulous. However, if you have multiple Strats these should be in one of them.

In my personal opinion, part of the appeal is the bass response of the BRIDGE pickup is much HIGHER than the middle or neck, and the neck has a slightly higher treble response.  This is a good combination and is probably why this set it so well received. You can create this affect by individually selecting pickups with those curves.

Specs and Notes

  • Middle Pickups RWRP
  • Alnico 5 
  • Enamel Wire
  • Cloth connection wire black and white except bridge
  • No Bevel
  • Staggered
  • Yellow wire on middle pickup
  • Red Dot Bridge, No Dot Middle, Blue Dot Neck 
  • Most often come with custom shop stickers but not always, never marked with a number

Strats

  • Fender Deluxe Lone Star
  • American Special
  • Artist Models: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, Mark Knopfler

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: 5 out of 5

  • Output: 4 out of 5
  • Fender Ratings:  (bass/middle/neck)
    • Neck (4, 6, 8)
    • Middle (4, 6, 7)
    • Bridge (8,6, 7) <— Notice the high bass response on the bridge
  • Neck: DCR: 6.2K Induct: 2.4h – 4/6/8
  • Middle: DCR 6.5K Induct 2.6h – 4/6/7
  • Bridge: DCR 6.7K Induct 3.6h – 8/6/7 (Much more bottom on this pickup)
  • Note: Measurements are approximant
  • Sonically. distinctive Bass, Clear Highs and Midrange chirp, bass is not strong.
  • Overwound

Other: The back of the pickups always have a custom shop sticker unless it was removed. Identifying: The back has No Dot, Blue Dot and Red Dot on the A Pole. 

Note that this picture is upside down and out of order. The V part faces the bridge, the dots are on the “A” pole. The order should be Red Dot, Not Dot, Blue Dot (Neck)

This picture has the correct orientation and order.

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CUSTOM SHOP 54 (And Limited Edition 54)

Updated: 2024.02.17

I have worked with these, and they are good pickups! Definitely “vintage” sounding and the ESSENCE of a Stratocaster pickup. These are one of my personal favorites and will generate amazing SRV/Hendrix and similar tones.

Note that there appears to be a “Limited Edition” floating around with slightly different specs and different output EQ * See Below

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: SOLID 5 out of 5

Notes and Specs

  • The Bridge is slightly hotter. 
  • NO Bevel
  • Staggered with strong B Stagger (typical of 50’s and some 60s pickups).
  • E and A poles have the same height.
  • Cover is usually white
  • Black and White – Cloth Wire.
  • Red Dot on Bridge on B Pole
  • Lower Output but with that  quintessential sound of a hot strat.

DC resistance:

  • Bridge: 6.5k, 2.75H (advertised), Measured #1 – 6.5k, 2.78H – Measured #2 – Bridge 6.4K, 2.7H  ** NICE HIGH BRIDGE **
  • Middle: 5.9k, 2.4H (advertised), Measured #1 – 6.1k, 2.4H – Measured #2 – (Middle 6.5K, 2.4H ???)
  • Neck: 5.9k, 2.4H  (advertised), Measured #1 – 6.2K, 2.37H – Measured #2 – Neck 6.2K, 2.5H
  • The distribution of EQ on this is completely different then the limited edition version
  • Neck & Middle: Bass 6, Mid 4, Treble 3
  • Power Output is 2 out of 5
  • Note: I can’t figure out why these guys sound to Strat Like when their EQ seems so bass heavy. I’ll follow up on this.

LIMITED EDITION VERSION

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: 4.5 out of 5

I don’t quite like this as much as the custom shop original version. All pickups have the same values, it’s good, but I miss the bass response of the bridge pickup.

  • Advertised: All Pickups 5.8K – All pickups 2.6H – Output Lower 2 out of 5 – Bass/Mid in middle and a slightly higher top end.
  • Power Output is 2 out of 5
  • Bass/Mid/Treble – 5, 5 and 6 (relatively flat)

These get confusing, because I’ve seen “Custom Shop 54” packages and “Limited Edition” 54 – I’ve seen different stats for them but it looks like they are pretty consistent on the Inductance values of around 2.4. The Bridge pickups appear a bit higher at 2.7H consistently for the custom shop 54 (which I like better)

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PURE VINTAGE 61

Update: 2024.03.24

Release in 2024 – Fender Pure Vintage ’61 Stratocaster pickups. These are the same pickups found in the American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster. 

  • Alnico 5
  • Formvar-coated Wire
  • Staggered (and bevelled) pole pieces
  • Period correct cloth wire
  • Wax Potted

“Throaty Strat Sound”

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Pure Vintage 65

Decent Pickups. These are sold after market and not included in any stock Stratocaster I know of CURRENTLY. Not as bright as some but with decent sparkle. The bass and mids are a bit flatter in response. They do show up on some custom shops and I think they are or have been in the Mod Shop at one point.

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: 4 out of 5  

Info Last Updated: 2024.03.18

  • DCR: 5.9K to 6K – 2.6H Inductance
  • Enamel Wire (darker)
  • No RWRP pickup, they are all the same.
  • Staggered
  • Top are NOT Beveled
  • Cloth Wire
  • Gray Bottom (always)
  • Higher Output with more bottom less treble but still have more treble overall.
  • Available: Still available 2022
  • Part Number: 0992237000
  • No numbering on bottom that I know of.
  • Real Measurements: They all can be put in any position because in theory they are the same
    • Measurement 1: 5.9K – 2.75 H
    • Set 2: 6.09K, 6.16K, 6.18K (inductance not measured)
    • Set 3: 5.89K, 5.89K, 5.98K

Favored position: They sound great in the neck pickup

Stratbucker arrangements: They take series arrangements really well

Pedals: The bridge pickup LOVES a pedal boost

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VINTAGE 56

  I’ve never used these pickups or have been able to get my hands on them so I can’t comment on their sound and output. However, Due to the reading and Alnico 3 I would not expect them to be high output and probably sound in line with the 54 and 59 pickups.  I “Think” this might have come out with the AV I (to confirm)

Gombrelli Guitars Says: I dunno, I don’t have a set.

  • ANICO 3
  • FORMVAR wire
  • 5.8K, 2.6 H – All pickups the same –
  • No Bevel
  • Staggered
  • No reverse wound middle
  • No Identifying mark except the 56 on the bottom
  • Part Number: 099-2235-000

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Fender 59 Pickup

These aren’t to bad. I’ve got a set of them in of one of my private stock Strats. They have a minor downside, like a lot of the 50’s pickups there is no RWRP pickup.  Sometimes Fender releases “vintage” version of things like this that have a RWRP middle (like Vintera) but this isn’t one of those. These really aren’t “Hard Rock” pickups IHMO.

Updated 2023.07.07

All the same values for all pickups and the measurement are very consistent! 

  • Measured: 5.85K – 2.4H (2 sets are pretty close to this)
  • Published: 5.9K – 2.6H
  • Stronger Bass response, somewhat scooped, not quite the “classic” quack expected from this generation but still very Strat like and a pleasant curve, easy to get good tone out out of.
  • I noticed these are very consistent from pickup to pickup but the inductance wasn’t quite dead on compared to the published value.
  • The ones I’ve seen have 59 written on them in a silver marker (just like the 56’s).
  • Staggered with no bevel
  • Typically come in Vintage white
  • Bottoms are black paper
  • Wires are classic cloth black and white
  • Not really a hard rock pickup, use 65’s instead

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FAT 50s

Updated: 202407604

These were released on the American Standard for a few years starting in 2012’s.  They are decent pickups with a somewhat flat in response except the middle pickup is a bit scouped. They use staggered Alnico 5  pickups for Formivar wire. They have an enhanced bass response at the price of a of the top end clarity. The mid range is clean.

Some players appreciate these, especially if you do off line EQ (via pedals, etc).  This can feel a little less poppy and bright due to the lower resonance peak but that can be made up for down the line..

Smoother than most and unusual curves. Middle is RWRP and has a frequency response different than either of the other two which is very interesting.

Strat Model:

  • American Standard SSS
  • American Standard HSS (with a Diamond Back Humbucker)
  • Special Edition Strats both MIM and American later on.

Gombrelli Guitars Says: 4.4 out of 5

  • Formivar magnet wire
  • Reverse-wound middle pickup
  • Staggered hand-beveled pole pieces for balanced output
  • Alnico 5 magnets for enhanced dynamics
  • Period-correct cloth wire and fiber bobbin
  • Bridge has a RED Dot, Neck often has a BLUE dot
  • Custom shop sticker unless released in the US Standard then no sticker will be on it. Same pickup.
  • DC Resistance Neck: 6.26K, Middle: 6.34K, Bridge: 6.43K
  • Inductance: Neck: 2.49 Henries, Middle: 2.5 Henries, Bridge: 2.63 Henries
  • NOTE: The measurements on these seems pretty close most of the time but like all Fenders, they can vary with the batch. The inductance is an important part of the measurement.
  • The Middle Pickup is more scouped than the other 2 so it’s not any any pickup, any position type of setup.

In General: Sonically this have a bit lower resonant peak then, say Texas Specials, so expect them to have less highs and more upper mid punch. Good for rock stuff and pedals.

__________________________________________________

FAT 60s

I don’t know a lot about these because I’ve never owned or tested a set. However, every pickup is exactly the same so you wouldn’t get a lot of variation between positions other than the location and how that affects the sound. The middle is RWRP.  The DCR is higher as the inductance so these would be slightly less bright than, say Fat 50’s or Vintage 59’s.

Added: 2023.07.07

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: Dunno, looks interesting, can’t wait to get one at a reasonable price.

  • DCR (All the same): 6.7K
  • INDUCTANCE (All the same) 2.8K
  • Higher DCR and somewhat low Inductance means they will be warm but not too warm
  • Heavier bass response and not “classically punchy”
  • Rock oriented specs
  • ALNICO 2 
  • Beveled and staggered.
  • Formvar Wire
  • RWRP Middle Pickup (for noise cancel in position 2 and 4)
  • Wires are BLACK AND WHITE Cloth (Middle is YELLOW and BLACK)
  • No identifying marks on the bottom other than a custom shop sticker (if they have one)
  • Don’t trust NON BEVELED ones out there claiming to be Fat 60’s but are likely FAT 50s
  • Can be pricey like Texas Specials
  • MPN: 0992265000

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Original 57/62

Last Update: 2023.07.07

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: 4 out of 5 – One trick ponies

These are based on the 63 Stratocaster. All pickups are exactly the same so there is no positional preference. 

One comment I read, said it sits between a 69 and a Fat 50. Interesting.

  • All Pickups the same DCR: 5.6K
  • Bass 4, Mid 4, Treble 5
  • All Pickups same Inductance 3.0H
  • NO RWRP pickup, they are all the same
  • Alnico 5 similar to a 1963 Stratocaster.
  • Distinctively Vintage
  • Higher Output
  • Black and White cloth wire
  • Staggered Beveled poles
  • Hot thinner and punchy
  • Bottoms are black with NO distinctive markers unless marked later
  • Measurements (inductances are a mean of 120Hz and 1Khz measurements
    • Set 1:  (very consistent!)
      • Bridge: 5.94K — 2.22H — 9.7Khz Peak — 101pf
      • Middle: 5.96K — 2.23H –10.4Khz Peak — 85pf
      • Neck: 5.96k — 2.23H — 9.93Khz Peak — 96pf

From Fender: 

  • Formvar magnet wire for bright, glassy tone
  • Staggered hand-beveled pole pieces for balanced output
  • Alnico 5 magnets for more focus and dynamics
  • Cloth wiring and fiber bobbin
  • Aged white pickup covers

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SUPER 55

Technically these fall under the “Noiseless” bucket

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: No clue but not particularly popular but now back in the used market for higher prices with no demand 😉

SPLIT COIL HUMBUCKER – The design that never completely took off

These have been done by other manufacturers. They’ve never been terribly popular and they have “ebbed and flowed” on price on the used market. WAY crazy high output leads me to believe the resonant frequency is much lower so they would not be a bright pickup at all.

– DC Resistance:
— Neck: 12.6K-13.9K
— Middle: 12.6K-13.9K
— Bridge: 13.3K-14.7K
– Magnets: AlNiCo 5

Symmetrically staggered pole pieces, alnico 5 magnets and 42 gauge Formvar wire.  Wound with two separate linear coils. Noiseless.

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Fender 60-63 Custom Shop Hand Wound

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: Unknown

Not to much detail here except I found some spec. There are a LOT of pickups based on the 63 Strat but they do tend to vary wildly. I don’t have any inductance readings because I haven’t been able to get a set.

I only put them here because they are in the “60s” era. Watch out because these can be very overpriced!

SPECS

  • ALNICO 5
  • FORMVAR wires
  • Cloth Wires
  • Middle Reverse Wound
  • Dated 
  • Signed
  • H/W OR HW (MM, ME, etc) -the last two are by builder, the first part means hand wound)
  • Hand Wound 
  • The CS H/W 60-63 are (N, M, B):
    6.20K 6.35K 6.47K Formvar, Alnico 5, Vintage Stagger
  • Expect to get a certificate

SPECS FOUND

  • Bobbin Material: Fiber
    Color: White
    Country Of Origin: US
    Cover Color: Aged White
    DC Resistance: Neck Pickup: 6.20K. Middle: 6.45K. Bridge: 6.47K
    Dimensions: 1.50×5.00×5.00 IN
    Lead Wire: Cloth-covered
    Magnet Type: Alnico 5
    Magnet Wire: Formvar-coated
    Model #: 0992330000
    Model Name: Custom Shop Hand-Wound ’60/’63 Strat® Pickup Set
    Pole Pieces: Staggered unbeveled
    Series: Pickups and Preamps
    Tone: Vintage
    Weight: 0.40 LB

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Custom 69

Gombrelli Guitars USA Says: 4 out of 5 – You’ll love em or hate em

Part number(s):  0992114000

These are probably one of the lowest output pickups they have. However, if you are a pedal player, that won’t bother you at all, they are very articulate, especially because of the higher resonance peak.

  • Power: 1 out of 5
  • Inductance: 2.2H (very low)
  • DCR: 5.8K (All the same)
  • No RWRP pickup (no humbucking in position 2 and 4)
  • Freq Profile: Scooped  (Bass = 5, Mid = 4, Treble = 5) – Balanced with good clarity
  • Alnico 5
  • Staggered
  • No Bevel
  • Typically white covers
  • Bottoms are gray (I’ve seen black bottom claiming to be 69 but I question if they were actually custom 69)
  • These are very good pickups with very low output but for pedals, that’s JUST fine so they are pedal friendly. 

 

AMERICAN VINTAGE HOT ROD 62

(2007-2012)  – Added 2023.06.25

I was able to get a set of 2008 vintage so I have pictures and readings on these. I haven’t wired them up yet but I bet they sound good. Nice specs. These came out on AV I the “60s” version of that release.

  • Beveled
  • Flat Bottoms in Black
  • Note: 62 is not written on the bottom, I did that so I could keep track of them better.
  • No sticker
  • CLOTH wire  
  • Middle pickup is RWRP
  • Middle has yellow and black, the neck and bridge are white and black (black is gnd)
  • Not sold retail
  • DCR: Neck 5.9K, Mid 6K, Bridge 5.9K
  • IND: Neck 2.7H, Mid 2.8H, Bridge 2.7H
  • CAP: Neck 150pf, Mid 112pf, Bridge 150pf

Comments: It appears like the neck and bridge are essentially the same pickup (see stats) so there is no preference. The MIDDLE pickup being RWRP was wound at a different time is a *VERY* slightly higher in some values and lower in PF so it’s frequency response is going to be a bit different than the neck and bridge which, other than location changing the sound, should be completely swappable. Nice low inductance means there’s a nice higher peak going on there.

 

 

 

 

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