80s Fender Japan Vintage JV Strat 57 62 RI Pickups VS GFSPremium Alnico Strat Set

Atmarama · 08-18-2010, 01:51 AM

Guys, I'm torn between these two sets to upgrade my Squier Affinity - but leaning towards the japanese fenders, but have heard good things about the GFS stuff - Please won't yall confirm my inclination - plus the japos are cheaper...

richieryan · 08-18-2010, 09:32 AM

Are there any vids on youtube that compare the tones? I always look for clips like that if I can find 'em. I love my GFS vintage Alnico set, but I've not heard the Japo's. Gotta link for them?

AllroyPA · 08-18-2010, 09:54 AM

Tell us the style of music you are going for please.

Atmarama · 08-18-2010, 12:13 PM

I suppose I'm looking for a classic vintage tone... Whatever that is

Something versatile too...

Atmarama · 08-18-2010, 12:25 PM

Are the ***(japanese) fender pups sweet is the basic question I suppose...

Atmarama · 08-18-2010, 12:43 PM

Well pulled the trigger on the Japan pups - $40... I read on the squier history thread that (hearsay has it) these pickups were the same as the ones they were putting in the MIA's at the time... Does anyone have some extra info on this?

rockape · 08-18-2010, 03:59 PM

Not hearsay, but fact!

Export Squier JV Stratocasters only though! These were indeed the same pickups as used in the early MIA Fender Reissues.
Domestic 'Fender' Strats also had Fullerton pickups.

Japanese domestic Squier JV Stratocasters were fitted with Japanese made pickups
Ceramic SQ-3's for the later budget domestic Squier JV Strats, and alnico SQ-4 and SQ-5's for the higher end domestic Squier JV Strats.

Both the USA and Japanese pickups are (IMO) fantastic sounding units!

Here is a video of a guy playing a domestic JV Strat (with those Japanese SQ pickups).

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmK9Jbp8lwQ

And the export version:

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffBctVX4hfs

Of course you have to take into account the other elements of the guitars (body wood etc....the domestic is almost certainly made from alder, and the export could be either alder, sen or basswood), and the players themselves, this also has a large affect on the overall sound.

rockape · 08-18-2010, 04:20 PM

Also, here are two sound clips of the USA pickups.

This is the neck / middle pickup on a 1983 export JV Strat (these are the Fullerton black bobbin / staggered pole units):

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...songID=8201280

And these are the very early (JV) Fullerton grey bobbin pickups with flat / level poles on a May 1982 export Strat....neck pickup:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...songID=8201271

Amp was a Fender Twin.

Atmarama · 08-19-2010, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockape

Not hearsay, but fact!

Export Squier JV Stratocasters only though! These were indeed the same pickups as used in the early MIA Fender Reissues.
Domestic 'Fender' Strats also had Fullerton pickups.

Japanese domestic Squier JV Stratocasters were fitted with Japanese made pickups
Ceramic SQ-3's for the later budget domestic Squier JV Strats, and alnico SQ-4 and SQ-5's for the higher end domestic Squier JV Strats.

Both the USA and Japanese pickups are (IMO) fantastic sounding units!

Here is a video of a guy playing a domestic JV Strat (with those Japanese SQ pickups).

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmK9Jbp8lwQ

And the export version:

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffBctVX4hfs

Of course you have to take into account the other elements of the guitars (body wood etc....the domestic is almost certainly made from alder, and the export could be either alder, sen or basswood), and the players themselves, this also has a large affect on the overall sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockape

Also, here are two sound clips of the USA pickups.

This is the neck / middle pickup on a 1983 export JV Strat (these are the Fullerton black bobbin / staggered pole units):

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...songID=8201280

And these are the very early (JV) Fullerton grey bobbin pickups with flat / level poles on a May 1982 export Strat....neck pickup:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...songID=8201271

Amp was a Fender Twin.

Awesome info! Thanks! So which of the pups you have described would "80s Fender Japan Vintage JV Strat 57 62 RI Pickups" be????

AllroyPA · 08-19-2010, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atmarama

Awesome info! Thanks! So which of the pups you have described would "80s Fender Japan Vintage JV Strat 57 62 RI Pickups" be????

You'd really have to show the pictures to identify which ones.

Atmarama · 08-19-2010, 01:05 PM

Ye of course... Sorry man

See the japanese pups...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

rockape · 08-19-2010, 01:37 PM

These are possibly from a JV Strat ('A' and 'E' series models have them too), but if so, one of the later budget SST-30 models. These are cheaper ceramic pickups, and not the same as those in the higher end 'YouTube' JV guitars above.
That's not to say that they won't sound good of course, but they are of a cheaper contruction, and are not quite as sweet sounding as JV alnico's....IMO.

Atmarama · 08-19-2010, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockape

These are possibly from a JV Strat ('A' and 'E' series models have them too), but if so, one of the later budget SST-30 models. These are cheaper ceramic pickups, and not the same as those in the higher end 'YouTube' JV guitars above.
That's not to say that they won't sound good of course, but they are of a cheaper contruction, and are not quite as sweet sounding as JV alnico's....IMO.

So they're an upgrade on the stock Affinity ceramics though? The affinity pups actually don't sound that bad, but a little thin at times... And $40 for these is a good price?

Thanks!

rockape · 08-19-2010, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atmarama

So they're an upgrade on the stock Affinity ceramics though? The affinity pups actually don't sound that bad, but a little thin at times... And $40 for these is a good price?

Thanks!

I played a nice Japanese 'E' series Strat last week (same pickups), and it sounded really good, but I couldn't tell you if it would have sounded any better than an affinity Strat...sorry!

Is $40 a good price?...Mmmm, difficult one for a UK resident like me to answer (might be better answered by someone in the US).
All I can tell you is that sets of JV alnico's usually go for a LOT more than that.

musicalmartin · 08-19-2010, 02:03 PM

I had an 82 JV strat and it had a sticker with" US made pickups" on it great pickups but are yours the US versions or demestic .The JV's are great guitars and worth a fair amount of money now .

AllroyPA · 08-19-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atmarama

So they're an upgrade on the stock Affinity ceramics though? The affinity pups actually don't sound that bad, but a little thin at times... And $40 for these is a good price? Thanks!

I have acouple sets of thise in a couple different guitars and yes they will sound better than your Affinity stock pickups. Granted they are in good working order.