NF3 vs NF53 pickups

[Revelation]

How similar are these two pickups? I know each guitar has different wood a the NF53 has and slightly longer neck with the brass saddles. This video shows they sound different, but it is because of the guitar differences or the pickups? Its a little disappointing that the NF 53 is so much more expensive when it has one less pickup and no whammy bar.

 

[RickP]

How similar are these two pickups? I know each guitar has different wood a the NF53 has and slightly longer neck with the brass saddles. This video shows they sound different, but it is because of the guitar differences or the pickups? Its a little disappointing that the NF 53 is so much more expensive when it has one less pickup and no whammy bar.

Can't help you on prices, they come with a rhyme and reason all their own and I don't pretend to have a clue on it. I saw a $4000+ "vintage spec" Telecaster the other day... $4K! For a Fender Telecaster. We're way beyond the twilight zone.

There are a few threads on the forum already comparing them, but I'd look at it this way: two guitars with full-sized humbuckers don't necessarily sound the same just because of the pickup size. Same thing for single coils. Different model guitars just sound a bit different, despite a few similarities in appearance.

I can say that the original Narrowfield pickups are wonderfully versatile, and can even pull off some decent position 2 and 4 sounds that would surprise you to look up and find it's not single coils making the tones. The 1-3-5 HB positions can be quite full, as well. I use two NF3's as my main band guitars these days, and they've been very effective covering a wide range of styles. Unfortunately, no one has gifted me a NF53 or Myles Kennedy model, so I've no comparison for commentary on the new Narrowfields except to say that many here have tried and liked them quite a bit.

 

[Black Plaid]

How similar are these two pickups? I know each guitar has different wood a the NF53 has and slightly longer neck with the brass saddles. This video shows they sound different, but it is because of the guitar differences or the pickups? Its a little disappointing that the NF 53 is so much more expensive when it has one less pickup and no whammy bar.

Did you know a Squire Strat and a Fender custom shop Strat are also wildly different prices, and they have exactly the same number of pickups, frets, tuners, trem, they are basically identical!

 

[Rider1260]

All I can say is I tried one ( SE NF3 ) and own one ( NF53 ) the SE is a great guitar but is not the same quality of its US made counterpart.
The NF53 is worth the $$$ IMHO.
I also own a Core NF3

 

[Monahan]

"...Its a little disappointing that the NF 53 is so much more expensive when it has one less pickup and no whammy bar."

To some I can see where those two items would be detractors... However, to me no whammy bar and one less pickup are selling points.

Of course everyone is unique with their own needs & desires. Where I currently am, two pickups, fixed bridge, large (front to back) neck and overall light weight are essential. If I'm going to spend precious time with an instrument, it better be one that I bond with and enjoy, despite the price or country of manufacture. This is coming from the perspective of someone who's old enough to know what I want and what I don't-- and believe me, I've spent decades in that learning curve, bought/sold/traded instruments that had I kept-- could have paid off my mortgage.

One of the most wonderful things Capitalism brought to people of the world is choice; and in the guitar world, more often than not it's a choice between two really nice instruments

 

[andy474x]

Hard to say how close the pickups are in exact apples to apples comparison, but I think the NF3 compares very favorably to the NF53 in that video, taking the guitars as a whole. I like my NF3 a whole lot, and that’s not something I can say about all current SE models.

I’ve said it many times before, when it comes to these decisions of core vs SE, or S2, whatever - pick according to the specs of the guitar, and you’ll end up with something you like. That process has gotten a little complicated lately with what’s coming out of SE, but in the case of the NF equipped guitars, it holds up.