OT: Pickups and Strats

[AcousticGlue]

Comparing the alnico, tex mex and standard pickups, is it truly needed to update from standard mexican pickups to alnico for 'great' strat sound? Would it be a night and day difference or is it just as good to mix match amp/efx for the sound?

I have purchased the Lone Star and have Mexican for comparison. Thinking if I should update the mexican with alnicos or anything.

Thanks,

[Bruce Callaway]

I have a 1991 mex Strat that I have updated over the years and replaced the pickups with a Kinman (http://www.kinman.com/Default.htm) SCn set. The original pickups were too thin IMHO. The Kinman pickups besides having no noise sound great and there is a range of types to choose from so I definitely recommend them.

I also had the 5 position switch replaced and can also buy a complete prewired and soldered replacement set if you want. FYI, the only original item I have now is the neck which is pretty good. I used to own a great 70s Strat so know how the great ones sound and played. I have tested my revamped Mex Strat against USA strats and there is not much difference now :)

[Tim Miskimon]

It really depends on the sound you want.
I have an older Telly with pickups from a 1968 Telly.
I like the sound but my brother bought a Mexican Telly a few years ago and I thought the stock pickups in that cheap guitar were more vintage sounding than the 40 year old stock American Telly pickups - go figure.
I own a 40th anniversity Strat that sounds great but I've heard some Japanese & Mexican Strats that sound awesome on tape.
I will say that the workmanship & materials in the American models are much better than the imports.

[DominicPerry]

I think the quality of the pickups in most of the Fender Strats these days is poor to very poor. I have a Squier Strat which of course came with very cheap, noisy, horrible pickups, and I replaced them with a set of Kinman pickups, (about $500). I have since played a bunch of new Fender Strats from Mexico, USA and Japan, up to about $2000, and none of them have pickups which compare with the Kinmans. I'm sorry, I can't remember which were better than the others, but I don't regret buying the Squier and upgrading it, I would have to upgrade any of the others I have tried.
Co-incidentally, the neck on the Squier is fantastic too. No snob value though.:(

Dominic