Fender Pups

Thanks to the UK recession we're not making a lot of commission at work right now and a colleague has started scavenging around Ebay trying to buy up genuine Fender parts cheaply. His intention is to build a Strat (he doesn't play but he likes making things) in the hope that he can sell it on and get a bit of profit for beer-money. He has come across some Fender 'Noiseless' pick-ups and knowing I had a Strat once (thirty years ago!!!) he asked me what they were. When I had a strat I didn't even know you could have different pick-ups but then I was a kid and probably just bought the cheapest strat in the shop.
Anyway so that I don't look like a complete numpty can anyone explain to me the difference between noiseless and standard pick-ups (Apart from the huge price hike) - I mean I assume the noiseless pick-ups still make a noise right? :p

Also he has come across them as 'vintage' and 'hot' versions and another ebayer was selling some that had been made for an SRV Signature model (would these be similar to the 'hot' noiseless pick-ups). Not knowing who the eventual owner of this Frankenstein might be (and therefore what style it will be played in) I guess it's not going to be possible to say what would be best but what are the essential characteristics of the 'Vintage' and 'hot' varieties?

Finally would he be better off getting Seymour Duncans rather than the Fender noiseless (The Fenders are about £160 per set).

Well the Fender noiseless singles are pretty good, but SD would be better for sound and probably a better selling feature.

Hot pickups are basically overwound singles. They get closer to a P-90 sound this way.

I'll assume vintage they mean a regular single coil.

I see you refer to Pounds, and therefore I assume you are from Th Uk! Great...dont even consider SD pickups or Fender Pickups...Bare Knuckle Strat sets are the only way to go...they are about 150quid a set (roughly...I have only ever priced Tele pick ups and Humbuckers) but you'll be amazed...they are all hand wound and sound amazing...I will never use another pickup again (unless it is stock in the guitar and I havent yet got around to changing the stock pups to Bare Knuckles...they're that good!!!)

I would suggest that your friend reads the topics about shielding for a start on : http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/index.php

and use whatever pickups of reasonable quality he can buy at the best price & then shield them as per the info on the above site.

You can always pay more...LOL but what you get might not be any better !

Beer money eh? :rolleyes: