What It Is - And What Nobody Mentions
These pickups are what they claim to be. They are crystal clear, dead quiet, and sound like a good old Stratocaster. But not a *great* old Stratocaster. Why?
Fender rates the output of these pickups a 3 out of 5. (Their Hot Noiseless pickups are a 5 out of 5, and use ceramic instead of alnico 2 magnets) This "measurement" is fine for a rough idea of the output, but nothing beats an actual comparison. I find them to be on the weak side, more like a 4 out of 10 - which is fine, if that's what you're after. As I said, they're clean, clear, and sound like a Strat.
For comparison, I A/B'd them against a set of standard, Mexican Fender Stratocaster pickups with ceramic magnets, height of both sets the same. I believe the VNs were a bit more transparent sounding, but the Mexican pickups, also clear mind you, were/are a bit "hotter", and sing a little more sweetly for lead solos. I prefer them for lead. The VNs would get the prize for rhythm work, particularly old-school R&B. I intend to try replacing the bridge pickup in the Vintage Noiseless set with something a bit hotter, and re-evaluate where I'm at with the guitar they're in.
Now, the part nobody mentions. You need to like the covers that these come supplied with, because not every Strat cover will work. Not only is the string spacing compensated between the bridge, middle, and neck pickups, but (more importantly) the height of the bobbin, measured from the top of the mounting tab, is short. With the covers that I had intended to use - original vintage Fender Stratocaster spec - not only didn't the poles line up with the covers, but there was a 1/4" gap between the top of the pickup bobbin and the cover (boo!!) , necessitating a change of plans!
All said, these are very nice sounding pickups, but they dropped me off just about walking distance from heaven.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
