Fender Standard Stratocaster (Made in Mexico) - Stock Pickups compared to 920D Custom Texas Vintage

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

Which pickups do you think sound better?

[@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342]

920D duh lol. Stock can take a hike. Rare do stock pickups hold a special place in my heart!

[@michaelaugust9021]

Come ON GUYS!!! Coming from a guy that mixes bands etc. The stock MIM's sound like a blanket is over them. YOU THINK you want that tone till you are in a band setting. You can ALWAYS dial down a little treble, but the TEXAS vintage have WAY more harmonic overtone. Listen when he does the harmonic at the 12th fret. Great choice my friend BIG improvement!

[@eljefeguapobarbon]

AMEN.

[@raceface_m2579]

The 920D definitely cuts and has more chime and complexity in it. But the warmth of the stock pickups are nice too.

[@travishernandez2193]

Your stock pickups sounded amazing for being stock I wouldn’t have changed them personally if I had known the others didn’t sound that much better

[@bluwng]

That is subjective, I think they are way more articulate and I would definitely make the change.

[@jefferyleo76]

@@bluwng 10000%

[@whatarefriends4]

Man I was thinking the same thing

[@willwilliams7491]

Thanks Steven! That's the best A/B comparison I've seen on any of the 920D series. All the technical explanations can't substitute for what you need to hear. I wish someone would compare the Pups and the Tumbleweeds because I'm torn between the Vintage and those. The reason for the Pups is because they have noise cancelling. At any rate, your comparison answered any questions I may have had for the Vintage line. I like the 920D series better than the stock MIMs.

[@romanandthelonghaul]

Should be the standard for demos. Excellent playing.

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

Thanks for that!

[@wongsifu425]

i had one MIM standard like yours year made 2013 . The pickup to me sound superb no complaint the sound whatever .

[@rogerlawson4516]

I like the 920D stuff. They make great stuff and come from here in my home state of Arkansas. I have bought a lot of stuff from 920D. But I would love to have your Strat with the MIM pickups. I sold mine and have been chasing one for years. I have some really nice Strats but they are not my MIM Strat. Both pickups sound great.

[@sasmitha8446]

The Texas Vintage pickups definitely do sound strattier, but man that signal:noise ratio is not good. Thanks for this video mate!

[@msolano00]

Im sure a noise gate will take care of that.

[@andrewstanton2351]

Great video! Been thinking about getting this set for my MIM Strat, published at just the right time!

[@stevenrichison7974]

Great to hear! I'm pleased with the upgrade :)

[@Sean_Plays_Guitar]

I know I am commenting on an old video but: I did this exact swap with an 80 dollar pawn shop Bullet strat and let me tell you…the difference was crazy. I think your MIM was clearly a better setup than mine, but in any case, that pick guard from 920 is crazy good 👍🏻

[@TheWorldAccordingToArf]

Oh my god! Texas Vinage be sweet. Thanks for the info.

[@jimo4106]

The stock MIM's sound good to my ear with nice chime. But the strong-to-string definition and especially the low's on the 920D's are much more pronounced. Plus they just sound more "dirty" but in a good way.

[@andreapasillas5803]

I think I'll get Vintage Texas set for my old American Standard Strat.

[@DJ.1001]

Stock ceramics have a nice low end and drive the pedals nicely but they lack that bell tone chime that makes a strat a strat.

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

I agree!

[@timbattig6713]

I was surprised that the stock pickups sound pretty good in most cases. I definitely hear more definition the the custom ones, but I am not always convinced that it was a better sound to my ears. If I really wanted that sound, I'd probably pick up a Tele ...

[@GearSmackMusic]

You shouldn't be surprised, stock pickups have been knocking it out of the park as of the last five years. Why do you think pro artists like Jeff Beck are sticking with $100 dollar Fender sets instead of "upgrading" to $350 Seymour Duncan sets?

[@AndrewMooreLearningLicks]

Fantastic review and great playing and 👍🏼

[@alanaslanmusic]

Oddly enough, I think the stock pickups have more character than the 920D Custom Texas pickups. Those Texas Vintage p'ups are slightly more clear/more defined mids and highs, but those stock pick ups seem to give more a 'bounce' effect depending on where you pick. If I were in your position I would replace the stock middle pickup with those 920s but that's just me : )

[@ryanlemons7831]

@Alan Aslan I also liked the stock pickups more. I didn’t come here wanting to like the stock pickups so much but dang,, they sounded great to me.

[@justincase7773]

The stock MIM's sound great. The 920D has better clarity and a slightly higher tone, but with the pedals I noticed signal noise was a lot stronger on the 920D. Is the body shielded? I see that the pick guard is, but that's worthless to block signal noise unless the body is shielded and contacting the pick guard shielding. I think i'm going to give them a try on the Strat i'm making now. Would love to know if the body is shielded.

[@larrypanellajazzsaxophone8013]

Been listening to other demo videos as I was thinking about getting a fretless acoustic guitar bass and was troubled by the lack of skill of some folks in their demos - tuning was a biggie, but then playing ability to really demonstrate multiple styles. I like your demo a lot because you played the same figure with the same settings between the two pickup types and the comparison was clear enough for some folks to say, I like that one and not the other. Great demo. BTW, I am not currently going to spend a dime on a fretless acoustic guitar bass until I can hear it and play it in person - the demos were that bad!

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

Thank you for the encouragement, Maestro!

[@AnonYmous-jp8uu]

920D no contest sound much better to me, about to get a loaded guard for my MIM

[@cheapguitardude]

The Texas are more articulate while the stock are a bit muddy.

[@jeshely]

I prefer the new one. The neck was particularly a big improvement.

[@CFBEvaluator]

920D sounds awesome 🔥🔥

[@Spiritbro77]

Remarkably the MIM pickups didn't sound terrible. But the 920 sounded much better. Cleaner and crisper.

[@D-8-Tone2]

Did you not solder the ground the bridge claw?

[@cmmnsenserules4339]

the neck pup was the only I FELT any difference. It was better.

[@gbarth77]

How old were the strings with the stock pups?

[@jimfinley2300]

how bout guitar in 2 tube amp turn up

[@Mayathetherian733]

What year is that MIM strat? Curious if those are the fender player alnico Vs or if that’s an older model. Nice demo and nice playing, btw! Thanks!

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

This is a 2014 :)

[@Mayathetherian733]

@@StevenRichisonGuitar thanks! I found this loaded pickguard on sale and snagged one. Can’t wait to give it a try!

[@RickDanner]

nice video

[@guitarstring5981]

Hi, you have problems with spaicing betwen poles? Thanks

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

I've not had this problem!

[@johnnyguitar-uu3zr]

great 👍👍👍👍🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@homeboyjon4885]

It’s been a while since you made this…which pups are you playing in this guitar now?

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

Hey Jon, I still have the 920D pickups in this guitar, I'm pleased with them.

[@toumas7239]

which series is the mexican strat? I think the stock pu's from the newer player series (alnico 5) are already great.

[@guitarpoetone1]

The made in mex is a lil rounder sound and more nicer tone the Tex special R bright an sharp sounding really close both r good its what u want from yer sound all good 👍

[@buschovski1]

The Texas ones sounded waaay better I thought. Life just jumps out of yhem

[@bluwng]

Texas Vintage

[@mtp04987]

Mim

[@snaphuglue1617]

Mexican pickups are a bit more forgiving.. They seem easier to breakup - as the specials sounds cleaner and makes you work for it.

[@Hebrews11verse1]

I personally found the stock sounded a lot cleaner but that musky, dirty, 20 year old guitar sound is definitely a unique sound that it’s probably aiming for. I feel like I need to smoke a cigarette while listening to it.

[@StevenRichisonGuitar]

Caleb Sweeney smoking can cause serious health problems and I don’t recommend that! ;)

[@victoriusdian1755]

stock soundslike ceramic its still okay

[@robertjackson9326]

I own a Player HSS. The 920Ds are noticeably more noisy; while I don't like Fender "noiseless" pickups, these MIM pickups sound great to me...and without the noise. Won't be buying 920Ds in the foreseeable future.

[@michaelzaiser7366]

Stock sounded better to me....the Texas 920 sounded shrill and harsh. Will be rethinking this mod.

[@daniellopez9582]

It's an old video. But I don't care: thanks for saving me some money. I love the sound of my Mexican Strat, but was tempted to change the pickups. Not anymore.

[@airpros9927]

920D by a mile….

[@neogeoriffic]

What a total waste of $250, they sound exactly the same!