In Need of a Good Stratocaster Neck Pick-Up Replacement...Any Suggestions?

[overdrive]

Here's what we've got to work with...a 2004 MIA Stratocaster with stock Delta Tone pick-ups. I'm OK with the bridge & middle pick-up(s) for the time being.

The neck pick-up has always annoyed me a bit as it seems to have kind of an inherent nasal-like tone whether it is being run straight or through a boosted effect like a fuzz or overdrive.

Neck pick-ups that I have heard & liked include the one on the Eric Johnson Signature Model, the Lindy Fralin Blues Specials & perhaps lastly, the Custom Shop 69s. If simply switching to one of these will do the trick, appreciate your feedback. On the other hand, I am also open to other makes as I am not concerned with the instrument being an alder/maple billboard for accessory-related name-dropping purposes.

Amplifier(s) include a Mini Z, '65 BF Vibroluxe & might as well mention it anyway, a 70s era Pignose 7-100.

Being essentially uneducated on pick-up design, I understand that these stock DT neck pick-ups are rated around 5.9K yet there are other pick-ups within similar ohm boundaries that offer far more definition & transparency. What gives? Does it have something/anything to do with the composition of the magnet material? AlNiCo 5 seems to be a term used pretty loosely these days & I suspect there is more to the tonal picture than an oversimplified marketing description.

[pete n]

You could try this! Instead of replacing.

iMojo Upgrading Your Pickups Video TutorialiMojo Upgrading Your Pickups Video Tutorial

[copperheadroads]

that won't help much unless you looking to change alnico 5 to something like alnico 2 , sounds like your looking for a boutique set those stock US fender pickups have a plastic bobbin which creates a bigger gap between the magnets & the wire & the way they are wound of coarse. i find a fiber bobbin strat pickup way more dynamic

[big_teee]

that won't help much unless you looking to to change alnico 5 to something like alnico 2 , sounds like your looking for a boutique set those stock US fender pickups have a plastic bobbin which creates a bigger gap between the magnets & the wire & the way they are wound of coarse. i find a fiber bobbin strat pickup way more dynamic

I agree. I like a neck pickup Fiber Bobbin 5.8-5.9k DCR A5 Magnets with 42 P.E. Wire.
Terry

[pete n]

I agree fiber bobbins Rule! I was just thinking that since he could tolerate the sound of the plastic bobbins and poly wire on his bridge mid pickup, that changing his pole pieces might be enough for him. Also probably cheaper. It might also be a good starting point for him to learn more about pickup bobbin construction. I believe all of the pickups listed

Neck pick-ups that I have heard & liked include the one on the Eric Johnson Signature Model, the Lindy Fralin Blues Specials & perhaps lastly, the Custom Shop 69s

have fiber bobbins. If it was up to me I would change out the whole set for something with fiber bobbins A5 magnets and 42 formvar or P.E. wire.

[overdrive]

sounds like your looking for a boutique set those stock US fender pickups have a plastic bobbin which creates a bigger gap between the magnets & the wire & the way they are wound of coarse. i find a fiber bobbin strat pickup way more dynamic

Appreciate the feedback. Aside from stock production/cost-effective protocols (aka 'the cheapness factor') it's interesting to learn that bobbin material also plays a major role in the inherent tone of a pickup.

From a generalist's view, I've always thought it was the magnet composition, wire gauge & number of winds that played the predominant 'tone' role(s).

Since a bobbin appears to be simply a support/holder for the magnets, one might be inclined to suspect that a plastic bobbin could be easily machined to parallel the overall dimensions of a traditional fiber bobbin. On the other hand, if stiffness or some other factor(s) enter the picture, perhaps this remains an impossibility to achieve.

[copperheadroads]

I'm sure plastic has been tried in construction of a traditional style bobbin i know it easier to machine than forbon . forbon is expensive compare to the price of plastic. but plastic is a pain when trying to solder your leads . when applying heat with a solder gun those eyelets just love to sink & melt the plastic . when soldering your joint you have to make it quick also when you potting the pickup the plastic gets pretty soft in the hot wax

[big_teee]

I'm sure plastic has been tried in construction of a traditional style bobbin i know it easier to machine than forbon . forbon is expensive compare to the price of plastic. but plastic is a pain when trying to solder your leads . when applying heat with a solder gun those eyelets just love to sink & melt the plastic . when soldering your joint you have to make it quick also when you potting the pickup the plastic gets pretty soft in the hot wax

You may already know the difference but a picture or 2 is worth a bunch of words.
Picture of a fiber bobbin kit.


Picture of a Plastic bobbin without the magnets.

You can see that the wire will be closer to the magnets with the fiber bobbin flatwork.
Even if you put a thin layer of magic tape, like discussed in the taping bobbins post.
Later,
Terry

[madialex]

You may already know the difference but a picture or 2 is worth a bunch of words.
Picture of a fiber bobbin kit.


Picture of a Plastic bobbin without the magnets.

You can see that the wire will be closer to the magnets with the fiber bobbin flatwork.
Even if you put a thin layer of magic tape, like discussed in the taping bobbins post.
Later,
Terry

I am rewinding one of these now and I am here to tell ya. I cant get a good balance on the treble and low end on that plastic sucker!!! And the output seems off too. I can wind a regular forbon bobbin, same mags etc... and bam, great everything!! I hate this thing!!! I have learned a good lesson. Don't wind those plastic things. But you know, I can wind it with 43 poly and it sounds good?? Go figure.....

[David Schwab]

I have learned a good lesson. Don't wind those plastic things. But you know, I can wind it with 43 poly and it sounds good?? Go figure.....

Sometimes you have to adjust your formula. My first bass pickups had the wire wound right on the steel blade. Then I used some commercial bobbins where the wire didn't touch, and they had a wider blade. So I had to change the turn count to get them to sound the same. But that was because the blade was different. Now I make lexan bobbins and the wire doesn't touch the blade, but they sound like the originals. And no more shorts!

So you have to see if the plastic Strat bobbins have the same geometry. I don't think the wire touching the blade/magnets matters all that much anymore, but the geometry of the coil does. I have a bunch of those plastic bobbin Strat pickups that I got from doing replacements. The ones with the steel poles and ceramic magnets surprisingly don't sound half bad. Maybe that design needs that.

So they might not work for "vintage" tones, but might be good for something new.

[madialex]

Thanks David, have not measured them both but I do know I cant get near as much wire on the plastic bobbin as the regular Forbon style. It seems the core is thicker and the space the wire from the magnets is pretty thick. I think I may use the 43 on it and wind it to spec and see what I get, should be brighter just from a smaller core I hope a tad more power too.

[Rick Turner]

Back when I was doing repairs full time at Westwood Music in LA, I always had great success with the matched sets of Seymour's Alnico II pickups with the RWRP middle pickup. They simply sounded sweet and transparent, and you can get them closer to the strings than with Alnico V pickups so the coil turns are in closer proximity. Softer field, closer coils, nice sound. Nobody ever asked to change them out.

[Sweetfinger]

For the OP, the "Delta Tone" refers to the wiring scheme and things other than the actual pickups. Yours are the same ol' pickups that have been regular issue on most of the Am. Strats for a couple decades. I think that you should try whatever fiber bobbin pickup comes along first, be it a Fender '69, Texas Special, Duncan, Fralin, or similar. They'll all have that flavor that comes from the wire being wound right on the magnet versus wound on a plastic molded bobbin. FWIW, I snagged a couple of "Robert Cray" pickups on Ebay and thought the neck was quite good sounding. Apparently it is a variant on the Texas Special.

[RedHouse]

...Sometimes you have to adjust your formula...

Well said, specially with those plastic bobbins Fender is using.

The plastic bobbins with the number 016730 on the bottom work well for non-vintage winds.

The other bobbins you find all the time (mostly from Chinese Squire Strats) which have no number on the bottom and use the larger poles (built like P90's) those are very hard to get a decent rewind out of. I decline the job when customers want me to rewind those bobbins.
(mostly kids, with no money anyway)