Fender CS Pickpups - Which one is Which!

[Seryph7]

Just oppened my box of CS 54" pups and I can't tell which pickup is bridge, middle and neck? Two of them have letters "CS" written on the backside in white crayon. The 3rd has no markings on it.

Specs on the box call out:
Bridge: DC Resistance 6.5k / Inductances 2.75 henries
Middle: DC Resistance 5.9k / Inductances 2.4 henries
Neck: DC Resistance 5.9k / Inductances 2.4 henries

How do I know which is which? I'm jones'n here" Eeeek!:confused:

[Structo]

Does one of them have black and yellow wires?

[Seryph7]

Does one of them have black and yellow wires?

Only White and Black Wires.
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee1/seryph7/100_0888.jpg
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee1/seryph7/100_0889.jpg

[rickc007]

the neck and mid are the same
(yellow wire is only for RW/RP, 54 does "not" have that)

usually hotter bridge has a red dot on some

if you have an ohmeter, that's the best way to check
or swing by Radio Shack, and borrow a meter or something

Really wish Fender would mark their pups

[Seryph7]

the neck and mid are the same
(yellow wire is only for RW/RP, 54 does "not" have that)

usually hotter bridge has a red dot on some

if you have an ohmeter, that's the best way to check
or swing by Radio Shack, and borrow a meter or something

Really wish Fender would mark their pups

Yeah I think the ohmeter is my best bet at this point....Fooooie, I was hopin to get these in today and enjoy. Ah well the sun l' come tomorrow...:bkw

[Bob V]

Fender's web site says for the '54 pickups, the neck and middle are the same (and should measure in the neighborhood of 5.9K ohms), and the different one would be the bridge pickup (at 6.5K). SO if two are the same and one is different, and since there are no colored dots on the undersides of the polepieces, my guess would be that the one with the little white hash mark would be your bridge pickup. You can always wire up the puppies and check the resistance later since I understand you'd be anxious to hear them. Might also check the length of the leads, the bridge pickup could have shorter wires than the other two.

Forgive me if you've been there before, but it's really adviseable to pre-thread the holes in the fiber bobbins before you get involved with the springs or tubes. I actually use a tap to cut the threads but they don't even do it that way at the factory so I'm sure it's overkill. And the pickups probably came with bugle head screws meant for countersunk holes in vintage-type pickguards, ust so you won't be surprised like I was.

[Bob V]

Incidentally, Fender customer service does respond to emails sometimes even the same day, go through the "contact us" system on their site.

[Seryph7]

Fender's web site says for the '54 pickups, the neck and middle are the same (and should measure in the neighborhood of 5.9K ohms), and the different one would be the bridge pickup (at 6.5K). SO if two are the same and one is different, and since there are no colored dots on the undersides of the polepieces, my guess would be that the one with the little white hash mark would be your bridge pickup. You can always wire up the puppies and check the resistance later since I understand you'd be anxious to hear them. Might also check the length of the leads, the bridge pickup could have shorter wires than the other two.

Forgive me if you've been there before, but it's really adviseable to pre-thread the holes in the fiber bobbins before you get involved with the springs or tubes. I actually use a tap to cut the threads but they don't even do it that way at the factory so I'm sure it's overkill. And the pickups probably came with bugle head screws meant for countersunk holes in vintage-type pickguards, ust so you won't be surprised like I was.

Correct and Correct again! Ohmeter identifies the one w the hashmark as the 6.5K bridge pup. You're also correct that I need to tap threads for the adjustment screws. Why oh why dont they do this work at the factory for pete's sake? Ah well when I'm finished it'll be that much sweeter. :D

[Bob V]

I think the factory does so many of them when they assemble the guitars with CS pickups in that tapping the threads is no big deal to them; kind of like my mechanic saying he can tighten the oil drain plug just right without using a torque wrench. Guys like us, it's a different story...

Incidentally, the pickup screws on my Highway One were a little longer and were tapered at the ends - almost like self tapping screws - and they probably would've cut their own threads on the CS pickups (needed to cannibalize the original Hwy One pickguard for the round heads because tortoise pickguards aren't countersunk).

How's it sound?

[Seryph7]

I think the factory does so many of them when they assemble the guitars with CS pickups in that tapping the threads is no big deal to them; kind of like my mechanic saying he can tighten the oil drain plug just right without using a torque wrench. Guys like us, it's a different story...

Incidentally, the pickup screws on my Highway One were a little longer and were tapered at the ends - almost like self tapping screws - and they probably would've cut their own threads on the CS pickups (needed to cannibalize the original Hwy One pickguard for the round heads because tortoise pickguards aren't countersunk).

How's it sound?

Well since my first time tearing my guitar apart...I am going to take my time getting it back together. I'll get back with sound details when its all secure and in 1 piece again. I've heard that these 54's are pretty nice pups. Can't wait to compare em to my 69's (which I love) in my CS strat.