This is a seriously endless quest but this info should really help you figure it out. This page in an excellent check list of things about pickups that can help to identify them.
Fender sometimes “relabeled” pickups such as Humbuckers, Same model, different name and different SKU number. To make it more challenging they also released special “one off” pickups by doing things like beefing up the windings in the single coil pickups on HSS Strats.
Challenges: Bottoms are also often unmarked and the “Bobbin” number is mistaken for an actual part number (Fender used LOTS of bobbins that have the same number). The numbers can sometimes seem meaningless. The same pickups were sometimes used on different models of Strats creating different SKU’s and sometimes your guitar might have pickups that ARE not the ones usually released. This happened years back when they ran out of stock of a given pickup.
I found a GREAT original source is to find Fender Catalogs and match them up to the guitar if you know the year and model. If you only have a pickup. Then the following checklist is VERY helpful. But ultimately, if there are no markings and you don’t know the source, you just have to do your research on the web, and that’s where I jumped in. Measurements are VERY important.
Updated: 2023.08.28
FENDER PICKUPS IDENTITY CHECK LIST
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!!
- POLES
- Are they Rounded (Beveled) or are they cut off?.
- Are the flat or staggered (different heights)?
- How are their heights different?
- What do the poles look like on the bottom?
- Wires
- What color are the wires? If you have all 3 pickups, what color scheme do they usually use.
- What type of lead connection wires? Cloth covering, plastic covering, etc.
- What type of wire are the WOUND with? (enamel, formvar, etc)
- Bottom
- What does the bottom look like? Does it have 2 magnets (MIM, some imports)
- Does it have screws in it?
- What does it physically look like? Some pickups like the later noiseless and SCN have very distinctive bottom looks.
- Does it have number any markings on it (note the bobbin number embossed on the plastic won’t help)
- Measurement of DCR (DC resistance)
- This can be helpful, but don’t forget, this measurement seems to vary with some pickups but usually within 8%
- What is the measurements of all 3? Are they typical for what you think they might be?
- What Model and Year Stratocaster did they come on?
- This can be very helpful IF you have that info. You can do a catalog lookup or even a web search if you have that info.
- Was the guitar American or Mexican made? (painted/assembled in Mexico or MIM)
- Other
- Is the middle pickup Reverse wound?
- Are all the pickups the same approx value?
- What model stratocaster did they come from? (If you can get that info)
- Can you see the business side of the pickguard they original came in? (the wiring)
- OTHER MEASUREMENTS
- INDUCTANCE
- If you have a meter this is an EXTREMELY important measurement that is often ignored. Some of the pickups on this site have that value but I’m still working on that.
- CAPACITANCE
- This is another VERY important value that is almost never checked. I’m also in the process of adding to my measurements but will take time to get them all.
- INDUCTANCE