Lace Sensor

Don Lace, an expert in magnetics, tried to get Fender interested in his pickup designs during the latter days of CBS ownership, but to no avail. Once the company was purchased by the employees, Bob was contacted and asked to make his presentation. However, his specific pickups were meant for bass guitars and the new Fender Musical Instruments Inc. needed a guitar pickup that delivered the signature spank and sparkle of a vintage single-coil pickup, but without the noise. Bob came through with a viable design that kept the sound Fender was famous for, but without the noise. The Strat Plus of 1987 was the first to get the new pickups. Reaction was split: Some thought this was brilliant, while others felt the pickup didn’t look enough like a Fender, particularly as it had no visible pole pieces. When Eric Clapton started showing up with his signature Strat sporting Lace Sensors, guitarists were forced to admit it seemed the best of both worlds. Jeff Beck’s signature Strat of 1991 also came with Lace Sensors, sealing the deal.