TONERIDER SURFARI PICKUPS / IRONSTONE GOLD PICKUPS

[shadphil]

Hi, Ive changed the heading to are the tonerider surfari pickups any better than the ironstone golds appreciate your views thanks phil

[Stu's Dad]

The Classic Vibe 50s Strat comes fitted with them (it's not advertised and they're stamped Fender, but the specs are identical). I like them so much I'm currently fitting a set to another Strat. The bridge ickup can be a bit too bright but backing off the volume to between 8 and 9 brings out that classic 60s tone of all the early Shadows numbers.

Len

[shadphil]

Thanks Len ive changed the subject heading thanks phil

[Tigerdaisy]

The Classic Vibe 50s Strat comes fitted with them (it's not advertised and they're stamped Fender, but the specs are identical). I like them so much I'm currently fitting a set to another Strat. The bridge ickup can be a bit too bright but backing off the volume to between 8 and 9 brings out that classic 60s tone of all the early Shadows numbers.

Len

How do you know the CV Squier Strat is fitted with Tonerider Surfaris? I've fitted Surfaris to one of my other Strats and also had a CV Squier Strat- if what you say is true then the CV guitar is great value...

[leddo]

When the Squier CV Strats were first launched they were factory fitted with what look to my eyes with Tonerider pickups. I had a 50 and 60 model, opened them up and the pickups loked identical to Toneriders.
But has production of the current CV guitars not been moved from China to Indonesia? If so, I'm not so sure that Toneriders are factory fitted now. But I could be wrong.

[shadphil]

Thanks martin / phil for your comments

[Stu's Dad]

Now that you've changed the question I've got another answer for you. When I first bought the guitar there was a mania for Ironstone Gold. Now I let the dust settle on any new craze before I take any notice, but I was a bit more naive then so I duly bought a set of Ironstone Gold and fitted them in. They were pretty good, but not as good as the originals so I swapped back and I don't regret it. Neither pickup is outrageously expensive, but the Toneriders are twice the price of the Ironstone Gold, and it shows.

i'm thinking of buying one of the very cheap Harley Benton Strat style guitars as a project and I'm already thinking it'll be a suitable home for the Ironstones.

Len

[Stu's Dad]

The Classic Vibe 50s Strat comes fitted with them (it's not advertised and they're stamped Fender, but the specs are identical). I like them so much I'm currently fitting a set to another Strat. The bridge ickup can be a bit too bright but backing off the volume to between 8 and 9 brings out that classic 60s tone of all the early Shadows numbers.

Len

How do you know the CV Squier Strat is fitted with Tonerider Surfaris? I've fitted Surfaris to one of my other Strats and also had a CV Squier Strat- if what you say is true then the CV guitar is great value...

I disputed it the first time somebody said what they were because they are stamped Fender on the bottom, but it was a former member here ( a Dutch bloke called Rob who sadly died earlier this year). He persuaded me to check the specs and they came out identical. I think he also said that the earlier CVs were made in the same factory that made Toneriders.

[leddo]

The original Chinese made Clasiic Vibe Stratocasters had Tonrider pickups factory fitted. The different models, ie the 50s, 60s and Simon Neil Strat, had the different models of Tonerider but they were Tonerider. i think someone asked the Tonerider guys the question and it was all nudge nudge stuff. I think there were legal issues which stopped them from confirming it was their pickups in the guitars.
But the new Classic Vibe guitars are made in Indonesia. I have not tried one of these, or looked inside, so I could not say what pickups are in them. But I have spoken to someone who owns one and he says they are not as good as the original Chinese CV Strats. So make of that what you will.
And as an aside, the Simon Neil Stratocaster was, pound for pound, the best Strat Squier have ever produced. Sadly, they've stopped making them. Even more saddly, I sold mine after getting a silly offer.

[Tigerdaisy]

The original Chinese made Clasiic Vibe Stratocasters had Tonrider pickups factory fitted. The different models, ie the 50s, 60s and Simon Neil Strat, had the different models of Tonerider but they were Tonerider. i think someone asked the Tonerider guys the question and it was all nudge nudge stuff. I think there were legal issues which stopped them from confirming it was their pickups in the guitars.
But the new Classic Vibe guitars are made in Indonesia. I have not tried one of these, or looked inside, so I could not say what pickups are in them. But I have spoken to someone who owns one and he says they are not as good as the original Chinese CV Strats. So make of that what you will.
And as an aside, the Simon Neil Stratocaster was, pound for pound, the best Strat Squier have ever produced. Sadly, they've stopped making them. Even more saddly, I sold mine after getting a silly offer.

Hmm, yes, I very much doubt the CV has Toneriders fitted as they are a moderately more expensive than the spec of a Squier would permit. I recently owned a Squier CV Strat and the pups didn't sound like Surfaris to me having fitted Surfaris to another Strat myself a couple of years or so ago.