1990's MIJ Strat pickups - Opinions?

Discussion in 'Just Pickups' started by gmm52, Dec 14, 2019.

  1. gmm52

    gmm52 Tele-Meister

    Sep 23, 2016
    Southern Ontario
    I am looking at a set of Strat pickups purportedly from a 1990 MIJ Stratocaster ST54 and priced right at around $80. They're staggered alnico wound on weird plastic bobbins. I know the default position is American made with vulcanized rubber flatwork, but to be honest, I've heard some terrific Indonesian Squire pickups that had no right to sound as good as they do.

    In any event, any opinions on MIJ ST54 Strat pickups?
  2. Dacious

    Dacious Poster Extraordinaire

    Mar 16, 2003
    Mild. They do the glassy Strat thing, but they tend to be anodyne. I had a 68 reissue. They're not bad pickups, just a bit bland. They weren't microphonic, but didn't like overdrive much.
  3. Ringo

    Ringo Poster Extraordinaire Silver Supporter

    Mar 16, 2003
    Memphis TN
    I owned a couple MIJ Strats some years ago, one was a 60s RI style with alnico pickups that to me sounded real good.
    The other was a 50s style , those pickups had single bar magnets and they also were great sounding.
    Hard to say without actually hearing them.

    My buddy has a mid 80s MIJ standard Strat with the single bar magnet pickups, it's a great sounding guitar!
