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Fender American Zone pickups

#2
I am curious of the same thing. The fit is awkward it looks like they took a J pickup and put it on a diet of Crisco. I haven't taken them out and looked but I wonder if you can use the same outer pickup case and find a pickup that will fit inside. I am also thinking of putting either a Glockenklang pre or a Nordstrand pre in it, but I can't decide which way to go, anyone got experience with either of these?
 
#3
I now have experience with both. The route on the zone is unique to those pickups and I could not find replacements that fit. I did however talk to Fender and managed a set from them. At the time they had one neck and a few bridge pickups remaining.

I replaced the preamp with a Nordstrand 3b5a and it works incredibly well. It uses 18v just like the stock preamp. Only install issue was the Nordstrand uses full size pots so I had to enlarge the mini pot holes for the EQ pots.

One pickups and preamp we're replace I have a winner that will be my main base for a while. Hope this helps you.
 
#4
I now have experience with both. The route on the zone is unique to those pickups and I could not find replacements that fit. I did however talk to Fender and managed a set from them. At the time they had one neck and a few bridge pickups remaining.

I replaced the preamp with a Nordstrand 3b5a and it works incredibly well. It uses 18v just like the stock preamp. Only install issue was the Nordstrand uses full size pots so I had to enlarge the mini pot holes for the EQ pots.

One pickups and preamp we're replace I have a winner that will be my main base for a while. Hope this helps you.
 

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