OT Any opinions on the new Fender Samerium Cobalt pickups?

[MattAnonymous]

These are stacked single coil pickups that are now being offered in Strats and were codesigned by bill lawrence.  Fender claims that they are noise-free, but they've lied before.  Anyone try these or have an opinion?

[aron]

Maybe they are like his 280S pickups. BTW: if you are looking a "vintage" sounding noise free pickups, just try the Bill Lawrence 280S. They are very low priced; somewhere around $40 each.

Very good and I didn't believe they sounded vintage until I played a 59 and 60 Strat and noticed that hmmmmm the Lawrence do sound similar.

Of course it's not _exactly_ the same as real singles, but they are noise-free and very good.

[bwanasonic]

The new Fender pickups certainly look different in construction from Bill's 280s. Haven't heard anything about how they sound. I have 280's in my Strat and like them alot. Curious about the new Fender pickups as well. Bill seemed pretty excited about working with Fender when I talked to him right before the move.

Kerry M

[javacody]

There are a couple of posts about them at Bills Forum (fib.nocaster.com).

[Manolo Dudes]

I tried them briefly. They were in a new Fender American Deluxe Strat (HSS).

They sounded better to me than the old Fender Vintage Noiseless that my own Am. Deluxe strat (SSS) had but not better than the kinmans it has now  :wink:

[aron]

I like the Kinman's but on my guitars they do not sound Vintage to me. They have a full bodied attack and I equate them to "new" sounding pickups.

The 280s has a softer attack and to my ears closer to the 59 and 60 Strats I have played.