Real ’54s
Authentic 50's Strat® Tone
$99 – $297
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.
Are you looking for a Hum Cancelling Strat pickup that actually sounds like a Strat? Check out the Vintage Output of our Split Blade Strat Pickups
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 |
More Information:
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: All of our coil directions are depicted from Ground (Black Wire, or Start Wire) to Hot (White Wire, or Finish Wire).
Real ’54s Dimensions:
Real ’54s FAQ's
General FAQs
Here are quick answers to common questions we get:
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What Ohm Readings does your Real ’54s have?
Navigate to our Tech Specs Tab for complete Ohm Readings and more useful information.
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Will this pickup fit my instrument?
Check our "Sizing" tab for the size of the pickup. No Sizing tab? Check under the product image gallery for dimensions.
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Is your Lead Time of 2-3 Weeks accurate?
It really depends on the shop capacity at the moment, and the size of your order. Feel free to give us a call for an accurate lead time. We always try to underpromise and overdeliver.
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What pickup height do you recommend setting your Real ’54ss to?
Our recommended Pickup Height is 1/8" (3.175mm) on the Bass Side and 1/16"( 1.5875mm) on the Treble Side. Measure by holding the corresponding side down at its highest fret and measure from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.
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
46 Genuine Reviews for Real ’54s
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Great job getting the original sound but having a slightly boosted bridge pickup. S
till wish you could draw out that special 3 way switch wiring for bridge & middle, middle, neck & middle. I don’t think conventional 3 way switches can do this. -
Lindy & co., received my custom range Real ’54 pickups today, immediately soldered them into my personal strat and could not be happier! After major heart surgery two weeks ago the doctor said to treat myself to something sweet. I think he meant chocolate cake, but I chose a set of Fralin Real ’54s! Chime like a bell and quack like a duck: pure stratocaster sweetness! Thanks again, cheers from Kansas! Richard L.
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Love these pickups! I was lucky enough to play a 1954 Stratocaster last year and have been searching for a similar tone. Played many Stratocasters in between and once my guitar came back with these it was the closest I got to that actual 54 tone! Keep up the great work!
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The Real 54s are one of the finest PU´s I´ve ever had in one of my Strats ! They are wondeful, they geive me all I want ,when I play silent with a soft attack they sound so sweet. And they also give it to me the hard way, Sound ,Sound ,Sound. “Funtastic”- playin my Strat with that sound ! Thank you LIndy !
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These are my personal favorite Stratocaster pickups. I have bought 4 sets over the years for personal guitars, and recommend them for custom builds for clients who want perfect Strat tone. Worth singling out, the Real 54 neck pickup gives a big fat and clean tone that epitomizes the unmistakable classic Strat tone – the way that Leo meant.
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Just as described on the website, the Real 54’s deliver all the detail, air and quack as expected without being harsh.
These pickups are very even sounding from low to high E. Sound wonderful clean or driven and positions 2 & 4 have that quack we all love.
For anyone looking for old school Strat tones this is a great place to begin (and likely end) your search.
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I used two Real 54’s to make a custom Hohner Madcat/Prince/Telecaster inspired guitar, and I had no idea what it was going to sound like. I wanted bright, percussive pickups for rhythm and funk playing, and that’s exactly what I got. I am beyond pleased that I went with Fralin for the pickups.
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I just installed the pre wired pickguard with the 54 Pups. INCREDIBLE! Got the tone I’ve been searching for! Thanks Lindy. Excellent work!
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I decided to make a time-travel Strat, with an 80’s Texas Special in the Bridge, a ’65 in the middle, and your Real ’54 in the neck for some genre-busting variety. I realize this is unusual but it’s given me a lot of sonic choices…this ’54 is pure old school Strat…quacky and honky but clear and true…I’m diggin’ it.
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I’ve used your vintage hot strat pickups for decades. Both those and the Real 54s are outstanding. The main difference to my aging ears is that the Real 54 bridge pickup is more balanced across the frequency range than the vintage hot or any other strat pickup I’ve played. As such, it sounds more like what I would expect from a 50s era strat even though I’ve never had the opportunity to play a true vintage strat.
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Absolutely incredible. Clear as a bell, articulate, great range and easily the quietest single coils I’ve ever used. For anyone looking for the Jerry Garcia 71-74 Alligator and Wolf tone, these pickups and a Spud ‘72 buffer from Waldotronics will get you just about there (just add some clean Fender tube with a JBL K-120). Best money I’ve spent on anything for an electric guitar. Thank you!
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Very nice pickup with authentic sound.
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This is the 4th set of Fralin pickups I have bought. It was in fact a loaded pickguard with “real ’54’s”, I have 2 other guitars with “vintage hots” , and a custom made Trevor Binford short-scale bass with a Fralin P -bass PU.
I was surprised how different the ’54s are, they are Fat, articulate, and loud. Not so “scooped” as the vintage hots, and less sparkle / shimmer.
Very happy, the quality is undeniable – Fralins are the best available without doubt. -
Lindy Frailin…. Thank you for the authentic pickups you put on my 57 Strat 40 years ago…. love them. I spent the last 10 years as a road tech. Did not get to lay much. Now I am not touring anymore and have rekindled my love affair with the Strat.We spoke years ago and I was blown away on the genuine love for doing a job well done. Thank you again. Ignacio Aizcorbe
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Bought the Real 54’s probably the better part of 20 years ago, so the honeymoon is long over. It’s hard for me to describe just how magical these pickups sound in my favorite Strat. When I pick this one up after noodling on the others it’s as if I’m suddenly having an intimate conversation with no clunky misunderstandings or lack of clarity. The 2 and 4 positions provide such vowel-like articulation it’s as if there’s another component at work here beyond the visible list of ingredients. It’s probably one of those “sum of all parts”, but I’ll enthusiastically call the Real 54’s my favorite Strat pickup by a light year.
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The Real 54’s are far superior to the Fender vintage pickups I had in my strat.
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Customer added no additional comments
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I just got a 25 year old Mex Strat back from my tech who installed these for me, along with changing out the pots and capacitors. It’s a new guitar! Open, with wonderful overtones, brilliant in a tube amp with a bit of reverb. Sounds like a vintage Strat without the vintage price tag. Five stars!
These are my third set of Fralins. I have his Jazzmasters in my ’65 reissue and his single coil in my ’51 Precision Bass reissue. You cannot go wrong with Fralin single coils in my opinion!
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Super Clean
I built a 7/8 1 piece Cherry Stratocaster with a 24″ scale and I wanted pickups that would sound clean and bright to compensate for the lack of sting that a shorter scale tends to have. These pickups did just that. This is the 3rd guitar build that I have put Fralin’s in and I have another in progress with the “Sun Buckers” already purchased and awaiting installation upon completion. Obviously, I am pleased with Lindy Fralin’s pickups and I highly recommend them to anyone interested in high-quality sound from their electric guitar.
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This is a living thing!
I’ve installed dozens of Stratocaster pickups, and although I can get long sustain and compression, there are pickups with poor stereoscopic effect or opposite characteristics, but they are all trade-offs. There was nothing that deviated from.
The only exception was lindyfralin.
Once again, it’s like a living thing!
I bought a baseball bat-like thick neck and real54 from lindyfralin.
???????
???????????I am japanese.
Also in Japan
There are many technicians who have the sensibility to feel a particular sound wonderful.But
How to embody the sound that you feel is
The most difficultI would like to express my deepest respect for lindyfralin’s constant efforts!
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