Compiled by Bruce Gombrelli
Hey all, I got tired of information disappearing on the Fender Website pages so I gathered data about their commonly released pickups from them, added more info about out of date ones, and newer ones, then reformatted it all for readability and added notes.
I also added comments. This is valid as of 12/2020 (added Fat 60s), 3/2021 (added Yosemite)
Also keep in mind that the “ratings” are not a judge of the final “tone” you’ll hear from this pickups but it’s a handy reference of comparison of spec between them.
Power is on a scale from 1/5 – 5 being the highest.
Bass/Middle/Tone is on a scale of 1/10 with 10 being the highest. I bolded values above 5 (mid point).
Older Fender Pickups: There is no such data like power for earlier pickups and pickups like American Standard, etc, this info is only available for pickups they sold independently recently.
Not all the pickups below are available new.
Fender pickup comments
Pickup Name | Power | Position | Bass | Middle | Treble |
Custom 69 | 1 | Neck | 5 | 4 | 5 |
Middle | 5 | 4 | 5 | ||
Bridge | 5 | 4 | 5 | ||
Custom 54 | 2 | Neck | 6 | 4 | 3 |
Middle | 6 | 4 | 3 | ||
(Bass output is lower?) | Bridge | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
Eric Johnson | 2 | Neck | 7 | 6 | 8 |
(Large Anico poles) | Middle | 7 | 6 | 8 | |
Bridge | 6 | 6 | 7 | ||
Fat 50s | 2 | Neck | 6 | 4 | 3 |
Middle | 6 | 4 | 3 | ||
(Bass Heavy, not Straty) | Neck | 6 | 4 | 3 | |
Vintage 59 | 2 | Neck | 6 | 4 | 5 |
Middle | 6 | 4 | 5 | ||
(Very Balanced) | Bridge | 6 | 4 | 5 | |
Vintage 65 | 2 | Neck | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Middle | 5 | 5 | 6 | ||
(underrated) | Bridge | 5 | 5 | 6 | |
Gen 4 Noiseless | 3 | Neck | 6 | 6 | 5 |
Middle | 6 | 5 | 5 | ||
(Good sound, not bright) | Bridge | 5 | 6 | 5 | |
Tex Mex | 3 | Neck | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Middle | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||
(low cost standard used to be on AM strats even) | Bridge | 5 | 5 | 7 | |
Vintage Noiseless | 3 | Neck | 5 | 3 | 6 |
Middle | 5 | 3 | 6 | ||
(Very scouped) | Bridge | 4 | 3 | 5 | |
Texas Specials | 4 | Neck | 4 | 6 | 8 |
“Custom Shop” | Middle | 4 | 6 | 7 | |
(brightest ever!) | Bridge | 8 | 6 | 7 | |
57/62 | 1 | Neck | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Vintage Output – Formvar – 5.6K | Middle | 4 | 4 | 5 | |
3 Henries – Fender Single Coil PickupsFender Single Coil PickupsAlnico 5 | Bridge | 4 | 4 | 5 | |
Hot Noiseless | 5 | Neck | 5 | 6 | 5 |
Middle | 5 | 6 | 5 | ||
(Better than vintage noiseless) | Bridge | 5 | 6 | 5 | |
Deluxe Drive | 4 | Neck | 6 | 4 | 4 |
(High Output!) | Middle | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
(Rocker Pickups think late 70s) | Bridge | 6 | 4 | 6 | |
Fat 60s | 3 | Neck | 6 | 5 | 5 |
(reverse wound middle) | Middle | 6 | 5 | 5 | |
(Anico 2 – Bevelled, formvar wire) | Bridge | 6 | 5 | 5 | |
Yosemite | 3 | Neck | 6 | 5 | 7 |
(7.8K,8.5K, 8.9K) | Middle | 6 | 5 | 6 | |
(Alnico 2 and Alnico 4) | Bridge | 6 | 5 | 5 |