Possible to identify Fender custom shop pickups from photos.

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Is it possible to identify Fender CS Stratocaster pickups without the original packaging. 

I recently bought two loaded pickguards which I am looking to sell on but not too sure which version of the Cs pickups they are.


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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    Take DC resistance readings of the individual pickups. (Make certain that the pots are turned up to maximum pickup selector switch is not engaging two pickups together.)

    Compare your meter readings to published stats for Fender CS and Pure Vintage pickups. 

    Allow some tolerance margin for manufacturing variation and the fact that the pickups are soldered into a circuit.

    In July 2021 weather, the heat could also have a small bearing in the readings that you get.

    Inspect the ends of the rod magnet polepieces. Some variants have flat ends to the rod. Some have that end bevelled off slightly on a bench grinder and, then, polished to tidy up any burrs and marks.

    Depending on the vintage era being replicated, the length of the rod magnets provides a clue. The colour of the vulcanised fibreboard plates is also significant. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    You can measure the resistance of the pickups accurately as long as you make sure the selector is *not* set to the pickup you're measuring - otherwise the volume pot value affects the reading.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • musicalstashmusicalstash Frets: 53
    edited July 2021
    Thanks, just took a reading from the pickups and come up as

    Neck 6.09k 
    Middle 6.28k 
    Bridge 6.63k 



    Non bevelled pole pieces which are staggered so from a  look online I guessing they are texas specials? 

    Don't know if fact but have just read online that texas pickups have a red / blue dot on the underside of the pole pieces of the neck and bridge position. 



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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    edited July 2021
    Fender published DCR stats are 6.2, 6.5, 6.7k.
    Be seeing you.
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  • ICBM said:
    You can measure the resistance of the pickups accurately as long as you make sure the selector is *not* set to the pickup you're measuring - otherwise the volume pot value affects the reading.
    Is this even when you read from the solder points on the back of pickup? 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71951
    musicalstash said:

    Is this even when you read from the solder points on the back of pickup? 
    It's *only* when you read from the pickup directly (or its connection on the switch). If you're measuring from outside the guitar, or if it's a guitar with dedicated volume controls for each pickup so you can't use the switch to separate them, then you have to use maths to compensate for the pot resistance.

    The formula is: 1/total resistance = 1/pickup resistance + 1/pot resistance

    So if you want to rearrange it to derive the pickup resistance from the measurement, pickup resistance = 1/(1/measured resistance - 1/pot resistance).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:
    musicalstash said:

    Is this even when you read from the solder points on the back of pickup? 
    It's *only* when you read from the pickup directly (or its connection on the switch). If you're measuring from outside the guitar, or if it's a guitar with dedicated volume controls for each pickup so you can't use the switch to separate them, then you have to use maths to compensate for the pot resistance.

    The formula is: 1/total resistance = 1/pickup resistance + 1/pot resistance

    So if you want to rearrange it to derive the pickup resistance from the measurement, pickup resistance = 1/(1/measured resistance - 1/pot resistance).
    Thanks, I took the readings from the pickup so should be OK.

    Pretty sure they are texas from the readings. 

    Thanks again
    S
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