There are two major differences between a great vintage Strat® pickup and an average one: treble response and dynamics. A great pickup is clear and bright, but not thin-sounding. A great one makes the sound jump out of the amp when you pick hard and drop way down when you play softly, and the tone varies when the string is picked at different spots. The best pickup we’ve ever heard like this was from 1958, and that’s what inspired the Area 58™, with two major differences. Our pickup has way less magnet pull, and virtually no hum.