Fender CS 54's and 57/62's

[asimmd]

I don't think anyone can say that one set is better than another.

Too many variables to be sure.

The only way to find out is to try them in your own guitar.

Problem is that whichever set you choose,you will always wonder
how the other set would sound.

Not much help,I have had and liked both,and more besides.

Alan

[ecca]

[David Martin]

To Alan Bakewell,
Why have you treated my posting with contempt with your undertones on post 10 and why did'nt you just ignore it if you had no helpful contribution to make?
Tony

Don't worry, Tony... he's a nice guy really... perhaps just suffering a little PMT when he posted...

PMT?























































Pre Minstrel Tension!

With thanks to Tony Arrowsmith...

[tony parnham]

Hi David,
Thanks, I suppose we all get it from time to time, the minstrel too. It just hit a nerve that someone was Policing my choice of topic, but there's an end to it.
I'm sure that probably some new or future members wanting comparisons will be able to use the search facilty and access the archived material as pickups are an important part in guitar playing and maybe glean something out of it, especially from the comments of some quite experinced members who replied, including the Perth contingent.
Regards Tony

[dave robinson]

The problem with advice from experienced members is, that it is often ignored and vast amounts of money are spent to achieve a goal unnecessarily, as it's more of a case that practice and commitment to playing as well as learning how to get the best from ones equipment what is needed , rather than a new guitar, echo machine, amp or even something as simple as a set of pickups.

I had another viewing of the Stratpack DVD a couple of days ago and I can't belive how poor Hank's sound is, so why clamour for the same gear that he favours?

Interestingly,I'm currently using an old varispeed tape Copicat on stage through an AC30, with various Strats, from my overpriced Masterbuilt down to a 'bits of allsorts' that I put together for £150.00. The bottom line being that they all sound great and there isn't a 'correct echo pattern' in sight. I have realised that there's too much crap written and spoken about the 'right' gear, I'm convinced that it's mostly down to talent and commitment

[dave robinson]

Just to add to the previous post of mine, I am as guilty as anybody in joining the rush to try and get the same gear as Hank. Let me say now that it has cost a lot of money in bought and sold gear to get back to where I am now - much the wiser, but largely back to square one, with Stratocaster, Copicat (as well as the superior ESE Echomatic which is great) and Vox AC30. I had the same gear in 1963 and moved on to Dynacord Echo, Sound City 4 x 12 stack, Fender Twin Reverb, Sessionette 75, Mesa Boogie, Acetone, Fender Blues Deville, Alesis Quad GT and Alesis Q2, KCP, an awful Vox AC30 from a bad batch, Pinnacle, back to AC30TBX (adding Roger Alcock's Vintage Unit) as well as collecting the amazing Rod Jenks, Australian built AC30/4 and another Fender Blues Deville 4 x 10. That is only a few of the amps and echo boxes that I have had, but the point I'm making is that I'm back to square one. The only thing different and that has been a major factor, is the EF86 circuit that features in each of my AC30 amplifiers. My biggest cock up ? . . . Choosing to be sucked into the Kinman pickups. We live and learn eh? Anyone else brave enough to own up ?:

[ecca]

Have you thought about Tonerider Classics Tony ?
That's what I ended up with..... before I put mini humbuckers on.

[tony parnham]

To Dave,
With reference to your first couple of lines on your post 25 "The problem with advice from experienced members is, that it is often ignored and vast amounts of money are spent to achieve a goal unnecessarily" If I had a cap that fitted, I'd have to wear it but not quite all of it. For example, there was one rather very very expensive piece of equipment I was on the verge with and I took some advice from a member on here that was given to me in a pub not too long ago close to home and I took it. And in hindsight very glad I did too. They do say it's the journey, not particularly the arrival.

To Ecca,
Actually they had'nt crossed my mind to be honest and have not seen many reveiws here, however I remember quite a few members buying them a couple of years or so ago but afterwards I saw there were some being sold on, thus I hav'nt given them serious thought but stuck to the Fender stuff.
Tony

[roger bayliss]

Tony

If looking at other brands why not Seymour Duncan which HBM used and I believe the SSL-1 have the vintage classic Strat tones reminisent of the CS57/62 types as does Lindy Fralin and Tonerider. Have a listen to the sounds on their sites and it may help you decide.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... php?page=4

http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/stratpickups.html

http://www.fralinpickups.com/stratstyle.asp

I think Tonerider true vintage are well priced and Ecca's did sound good to me before he went onto his mini humbuckers.

In the end it's a matter of personal opinion as tone is very subjective and there are as Alan Bakewell tried to say in good humour many variables including where you play on the neck the woods the strings and Plectrum thickness and how you use a plectrum and the radius and the thumb bouncing off the strings and attack etc.

The 57/62's though were Fenders reverse engineered design from a 63 Strat and I understand that Fender pickups were contantly evolving from late 50's on whith more turns of wire being added and that some were simply hotter by mistake and were the much sort after Texas type for the blues genre which are typified by the now available Texas specials and the like. Its never going to be known exactly how many turns of wire HBMs 343436 had or whether they altered the pole pieces and caused something unique to happen. The thing to look for though is probably something that produces original classic strat bell like clean tones as far as the pickups go and the CS54's are quite good but being slightly lesser in the windings they are not quite as full a sound as the 57/62 if you know what I mean because more windings means more DC resistance and henries and a fuller fatter sounding pickup. The same set of pickups in different guitars may never sound exactly the same either because there are a lot of variables including the height of the PU when installed and the guitar setup and so on. I am very satisfied with my 57 Vintage strat fitted with 57/62's and trying it against my Mex strat fitted with the CS54's which a lot of people at our Hankies club really like the sound of... You may well have to do what we all have done and try several out and see where it gets you.

[alanbakewell]

To David Martin. Thank you for your support, I'll wash it get it back to you by Tuesday.

Tony, contempt is not in my vocabulary. ( Perhaps I should add it and make three "C" words that I know.) I promise you I meant you no offence. I only do that face to face. Ask Ecca.

My weak attempt at humour was to indicate that there are many, many factors in the sound of a guitar not just the pickups. Like many here, I have spent much hard earned cash and time
with various amplifiers / strings, etc. etc. Strangely, I've never changed my pickups. My CS Strat came with Fat 50's and my 50th Anniversary with CS 54's. I have long been satisfied with
both and could see no advantage in change. The one change I made that seemed to make a difference that was apparent was using a wireless system. I bought it during the Wombat Blood
shortage of 2005. ( No I didn't, it was 2004 ). I was told that my sound was better, ( in this person's opinion ), with a lead. The A/B test with wireless / lead is very easy to do and is immediately
obvious. Personally I couldn't tell any great difference and find the wireless system a great advantage if you want to move around a stage.

I've no idea where you are Tony, but you're welcome to come and have a listen for yourself to see what I'm talking about. We have a veritable United Nations of different amplifiers / effects units
and indeed guitar pickups at Hankies. If you can hear the sound you want and pinpoint how to get it, it beats the living daylights out of spending money and finding it's not quite right.

Cheers, Alan.