Fender pickup id woes

[markb]

I've just had my strat apart for rewiring. I thought while I was in there I'd be able to find out just what pickups were installed. Boy, was I wrong. The only part number on the pickups is 016730. A bit of research has told me that this is the part number for the bobbins, not the pickup : . A Google search brings up virtually every Fender guitar with alnico pickups using plastic flatware. Oh well, I suppose we'll never know...

[thekiwidisciple]

Take a pic...measure them with a multimeter...that MIGHT shed some light?

[markb]

Got the meter readings, 6.5K bridge, 6.2K middle and 6.0K neck. It seems they're generic A5 staggered pickups like they fit to the MIM Classics. they might have used them in US standards for a while too but I seem to remember those being flat poles. I'm replacing the bridge with a Duncan SSL-6 for a bit more punch without going down the humbucker route.

If anyone is thinking of emailing Fender support with that part number I'd say don't bother.

[ZMAN]

Sorry Mark but what is the Strat's year and model. Also are you thinking that they are not the stock pickups?

[markb]

It's a 1994 Special Edition. This was a Fender Europe series of limited runs in '93, '94 and '95 and there is virtually no information available. The guitar is almost stock US Standard apart from the finish. I'm 90% sure they are the original pickups so given the outputs I'd say they were just US Std pickups apart from the stagger. Anyone got a mid-90's Std? Are your original pickups staggered?

[Gil Janus]

Have you tried to contact Fender - consumerrelations@fender.com - give them the serial number and ask for any info they might have - it can't hurt. :

Gil