Help I'm losing my mind over pickups

[birv2]

I have two Strats: both in my sig. I've had the Affinity Squier for about 4 years and recently was able to buy a "real" strat, a Jimmie Vaughan. The former owner had installed CS Fat 50's in the JV.

I've played the JV almost exclusively since I bought it. Naturally, it cost a lot more, and it's a "real" strat. Last week, I grabbed the Squier and took it to the jam and had a horrible realization -- I liked the sound of those pickups more than the JV. The guitar just sounded better to my ears. Of course, Custom Shop pickups are better than Mighty Mite Tex Mex pickups. But to my ears, the sounds coming out of the Squier hit me just right: more sustain, more grit, etc. I like the JV, but those pickups are so clean, and most pedals I use don't really get me where I want to get.

So, in a fit of madness, I took both guitars to my guy and instructed him to swap the pickups. I won't get them back for a few days, and in the meantime, I'm wondering if I'll end up with TWO guitars that don't sound quite right. I suppose I could also end up with two guitars that sound better. It's the not knowing that's worrying me.

Plan B -- I sell the fat 50's and get a hotter set of pickups for the JV. Any suggestions? I'm looking hard at the GFS offerings.

I play blues through a Pro Jr (not much headroom). What I'm coming to realize is that the tone I hear in my head is influenced a lot by the guitar tones I heard when I was growing up in the 60's. So singing sustain, overdrive, etc., all sound "right" to me. I appreciate the "woody" tones of the 50's, but they don't do it for me. And by the way, does anyone else think we sound like wine tasters when we describe pickups?

I'll update in a few days....

Bob

[Spudman***]

Pickups and tones are always a conundrum it seems.

Just when I think I'm going to be happy after a swap I find out what I was really after was what I had all along and all the swapping didn't get me anywhere except to the realization that I need to record every guitar before I get mod happy.

I hope your deal works out for you. I've just learned to leave things alone for quite a while and work with what I have. At least that way if I'm never happy I haven't gone through a whole bunch of extra work or money which only adds to the dissatisfaction.

[mrmudcat]

PM me about the cs fat 50's if you decide to sell..I am interested.Also have a few gfs sets of single coils and fenders with ceramic mags.
(swap?)A fuzz works wonders to dirty up clean singles.Lastly a set of fender texmex can be cheap.( cheapest set they have) Or a little more $ the texas specials have that gritshit

[birv2]

I hear ya, Spud. I worked with the fat 50's for a good while, with all kinds of pedals. Partly, I think it just takes time to hear what "your" sound is. I like and admire all kinds of guitarists. Even just talking about blues, I like a real wide range of tones: Hound Dog Taylor, Luther Allison, Buddy Guy, Walter Trout, Joe Bonamassa, Jimmie Vaughan, SRV, Rusty Zinn, Magic Sam, Magic Slim.... There's everything from old vintage clean to LP/Marshall Zeppy tones in there. But the question is -- what is "my" sound? As much as I admire the clean tones of the 50's, I don't think that's my sound. Like I said, I gravitate to smooth, midrange, sustain. It's just taken me a lot of experimenting to arrive at this realization.

mrmudcat -- if I decide to get rid of the 50's, I'll definitely PM you. I'd much rather see that they go to a good home than go through the ebay hassle.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

[birv2]

Got both guitars back today. I took my amp over to my guitar guy's house so I could play them and hear how they sounded on my amp.

I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief. The JV sounded amazing with the Tex-Mex pickups, which really shouldn't be a surprise since that's what they come with stock. However, these were Mighty Mite pickups, not Fender, so I wasn't sure how it would work out. They definitely overdrive the amp, and the PJ sure doesn't have much clean headroom. But that's OK. I'm loving the sustain and smooth OD.

The fat 50's in the Squier... not sure yet. They definitely sound not as clean as they did in the JV, but still have that vintage tone. I'm going to have to play with them for a while to see what I think (hang in there, mudcat).

Anyway, my sanity is restored and I can sleep at night. Tomorrow night I'll try the JV at the jam to see how it sounds live.

Bob