The ShadowMusic Web Community

Does anyone have experiences in upgrading a Squier HM Sign. (1991 )
or a Fender CIJ Strat with CS 54 PU from the Fender Customshop ?
On both guitars I have stock PUs. They are sounding very good.
Hans

I have upgraded my FENDER Japan HM Signature Strat model with CS '54s pickups. I stress that it is not the Squier version that you mention, which I believe came with ceramic magnet pickups, not Alnico magnet ones. I have seen many reports, though, that state that even with ceramic magnets, the Squier is still a great sounding guitar.
I am very happy with my CS '54s in my Jap Strat, although I am not sure that it sounds much different from the original Jap pickups. Maybe my ears are not up to detecting subtle diffences in tone.

Tony.

RUSSET wrote:I have upgraded my FENDER Japan HM Signature Strat model with CS '54s pickups. I stress that it is not the Squier version that you mention, which I believe came with ceramic magnet pickups, not Alnico magnet ones. I have seen many reports, though, that state that even with ceramic magnets, the Squier is still a great sounding guitar.
I am very happy with my CS '54s in my Jap Strat, although I am not sure that it sounds much different from the original Jap pickups. Maybe my ears are not up to detecting subtle diffences in tone.

Tony.

My Squier HM Sign. Is fitted with Alnico PU! The sound is great! Maybe there would be no better sound if I change.
I have one Fender CIJ HM ( 2 batches of 500 are made ) fitted with CS 54!
Sound is amazing. My CIJ Strat is fitted with American Vintage PU.
The sound is good but not twangy enough!

My Squier came with these PUs !
Not ceramic ones.

If they sound good I would leave them. I bought CS54s a few years ago and switched back to stock pickups as they didn't improve this particular guitar. The same happened with some 57/62s on another guitar, but on another they sounded amazing. You have to use your ears, rather than look at the name on the box.

I find the 54s sound good in an ash body and 57/62s in an alder body.

I have two Strats, one Japanese fitted with their version of vintage pu's, the other a Custom Shop USA fitted with "noiseless" pu's. Both are good, the Japanese pu's have that "quack" which is hard to find these days as they denote the HBM sound. So, it dpeneds on what make, what model, and, what type of guitar you are fitting these various pu's to.

I was ready to change the Japanese pu's, then, I happened to plug it into my VOX AC 30 CC2, whack up the volume and, BOOOOOM! The quack and special intonations from what can only be described as a fantastic copy of 50's vintage pu's was heard. I wouldn't change them for the world now (unless they packed up that is?)

Strummer