Real ’54s
Authentic 50's Strat® Tone
$105 – $315
Achieve era-authentic ’50s tone with our Real ’54s. This pickup’s output and magnet structure is the same magnet material Fender™ used in their ‘54 Stratocasters! If you’re looking for a glassy, articulate tone, our Real ’54s will certainly provide that for you. Our Real 54’s are brighter and snappier than our Vintage Hot pickups. If you are looking for the most authentic vintage Strat tone you can get, look no further.
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Capture the sound of the '50s.
Want to learn more about our Real '54s? Here's all the information you'll need:
Features
Real ’54s are accurate to the original 50’s specifications of Fender Stratocaster pickups. If you’re looking for an authentic ’54 Strat sound, these pickups are for you. Real ’54s are likeVintage Hots in the way we wind them, but we use AlNiCo III magnets instead of AlNiCo V’s. This gives Real ’54s a brighter, more delicate tone. Also, players can get the pickup close to the strings without the pickup pulling strings out of tune. Furthermore, if you have a dark-sounding guitar, these pickups will provide a nice balance and bring your guitar out of the darkness, instantly.
- Vintage 50’s Fender specifications
- Clean, clear, bright, and glassy, with dynamic mids
- Compensated Bridge output for even volume across all pickups
- USA-made Alnico 3 Magnets for optimal tonal balance and output
- RW/RP Middle Pickup for Hum-Cancelling in positions 2 & 4
- Two magnet staggers available for different fingerboard radiuses
- Hand-wound with our “Sectioning” technique for unique, dynamic tone
- Hand-built fiberboard Bobbins for unrivaled quality control
- Backed by our 10-Year Warranty on manufacturing defects
- 6K Neck and Middle, 6.6K Bridge
Sound
Do you have a dark-sounding guitar, or are you a purist seeking the most authentic ’50s Strat sound on the market? Either way, we have your answer right here. Our Real ’54s feature a glassy top-end clarity reminiscent of the original Fender Strat Pickups. Producing a lot of top-end sparkle, Real ’54s have a lot of clarity, whether you’re playing single notes or chords. From clean to high-gain, you can expect your tone to cut through. This set is also great for you if you use many effects pedals, as the pickup also cuts through.
These pickups offer a transparent tone and won’t color the sound of your guitar too much. We recommend adding a Baseplate to the bridge position for added thickness. Finally, these Vintage Strat Pickups are for you if you’re happy with the tone from your stock pickups. If you’re seeking a sweeter-sounding, less-aggressive, and more dynamic tone than what you already have, check out our Real ’54s – you’ll be happy you did.
It all starts with the love and care we put into our pickups. Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control.
Our Real ’54s consist of local fiberboard and USA-Made Alnico 3 Magnets. We wind each pickup by hand, one at a time. We wind each pickup using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique. Winding the pickups this way gives each pickup a sweet, clear tone. Finally, we wax-pot the pickup to prevent microphonics and preserve the pickup for years to come.
Sound Samples for Real ’54s:
About this Sound Clip:
All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.
Our Real ’54s are loaded in an alder-bodied Strat with a rosewood fingerboard. Sound clips are played by Phil Heesen III.
Tonal Graph For Real ’54s:
The tonal graph below for our Real ’54s features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Attack: Bright & Sharp
Tech Specs:
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Real '54s.
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Neck Ohm Reading: | 6K 1 |
| Middle Ohm Reading: | 6K 1 |
| Bridge Ohm Reading: | 6.6K 1 |
| Neck & Bridge Polarity: | Clockwise Coil Direction, South To Strings |
| Reverse Middle Polarity: | Counter Clockwise Coil Direction, North To Strings |
| Recommended Pot Value: | 250K |
| Magnet: | USA-Made Alnico 3, Hand-Beveled |
| Recommended Cap Value: | 0.02mfd 2 |
Additional Technical Info:
1 Ohm Readings can vary due to a multitude of factors, including ambient temperature, multimeter calibration, different wire batches, and other factors. Due to this, ohm readings are approximate. Learn more about Ohm Readings here.
2 We recommend a 0.02mfd Cap Value on most guitar and bass pickups. The exception is a Magic Cap, which Lindy prefers on the Bridge Pickup of Fender® guitars only. Learn More about Caps Here.
Polarity Information:
Here's how we wind and magnetize our pickups:
Note: We depict all our coil directions from Ground (Black Wire, or Start Wire) to Hot (White Wire, or Finish Wire).
Real ’54s Dimensions:
Our Strat® replacements are standard Stratocaster sizing and spacing. All string spacings are 52mm.
Get It Prewired
Get our Real ’54s prewired into a Prewired Pickguard!:
Featured Reviews
Reviews We Worked Hard For, and Are Proud Of
Customer Reviews
49 Genuine Reviews for Real ’54s
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Awesome sounding pickups, as I have learn to expect from Lindy Fralin. I installed them in my new ’70’s Anniversary 1954 Stratocaster and it immediately made it sound better. I have used Fralin pickups in the past and never regret it.
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Just letting you know I am very happy with the sound of my three guitars which have Lindy Fralin pickups! You guys have great customer service, you especially and make great sounding pickups ??
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I just installed a set of Real 54’s on my ’56 Custom Shop Strat and they are truly badass. I am playing on a 5E3 Deluxe clone and they scream loud and clear. It is wired using a 0.0022 mfd cap on the bridge pickup, a master volume and a blender pot on the neck and bridge pickups that Lindy helped me with. All good stuff. This is my second set of Fralin pickups, the first were on a Partscaster, also badass. I am a very satisfied customer. Thanks Lindy!
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Been looking for a pickup for the middle on my alder/Maple neck strat. Many go for that Hendrix/SRV neck sound…but if you haven’t lingered on the middle pickup much, you might be amazed at the dynamic yet subtle sound that the middle of a strat has to offer, and, the Real ‘54 really hits the ‘sweet spot’! I already have a SD Antiquity ll in the bridge…(alnico ll’s) and these two on together are incredible! I’m a ‘dyed-in-wool’ bridge pickup kind of guy but the ‘in-between’ sound is absolutely enchanting. It’s the Real 54 that made the difference – I know because I have other SD pickups…and have other Fralin’s. Don’t want to knock Seymour Duncan – they make nice stuff too, but, if your looking for clean, transparent authentic sound (I hate to double up on the accolades) Lindy and his crew are the go to guys – especially for a strat pickup. (I also have Strat splint coils, noiseless J-Masters and mini humbucker. Next is a Vintage Hot strat for the neck and P Bass replacement.)
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These are really good! I installed a set of Real ‘54s in my 80s MIJ Strat. I read that lower output means less compression up front, giving you more dynamic range at the instrument & you can always compress with pedals and the amp later. The Real ‘54s sound great with subtle clean playing, as well as maintaining their articulation once I hit the overdrive pedals. I’m really happy with them and will definitely be playing Fralins in the future!
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I was looking for a more authentic sounding Strat pickup then what the modern fender guitars come with.
the 54 defiantly is the sound that I wanted, very bell like and quaky, beautiful sounding pickup! -
Friendly service, quick shipping, and great sounding pickups, thanks!
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I wanted a softer and clearer/articulate sound and these pickups delivered. Lately I’ve been gravitating to a cleaner sound as a player and these help my guitar sound more defined. They can still do dirty in a satisfying way for me but I can imagine they are not the first choice for people searching for high output crunchy pickups.
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Nice sounding PU’s
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