Surfers compared to other boutique pickups

[HoneyBearWombat]

So I have consistently heard great things about the Surfers in a Strat. I was wondering how do they compare with other boutique '60s pickups in recreating that vintage tone? What about compared to the original '62 pickups?

[Lewguitar]

Re: Surfers compared to other boutique pickups

I've compared the Surfers to Lindy Fralin vintage style Strat pickups, Duncan SSL-1 pickups and to the 60 year old pickups in my '63 Strat.

They're very similar.

There was something about the 60 year old pickups and the guitar itself (maybe the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard?) that made the old ones have a little more complexity and texture.

But the Surfers sound so good that when I had to sell my '63 Strat to pay medical bills I didn't really miss it all that much.

The Surfers sound very similar to the Lindy Fralins but I felt that the Surfers had something going on in the midrange that I preferred. More "personality" and more of a toothy texture maybe?

Compared to the Duncan SSL-1, I would say the same thing: more complexity and texture to the Surfers. Although the SSL-1's are excellent.

Truthfully, in a blind test they would all be hard to tell apart from each other.

[Mincer]

Re: Surfers compared to other boutique pickups

I've played a '64 Strat, which was original. The Surfers actually sound that good. Of course I didn't try them in the '64, but it was a modern Strat that sounded as good as the '64 (but was a better playing instrument).

[AlexR]

Re: Surfers compared to other boutique pickups

I've not heard any vintage strat pickups.

Personally I preferred the typical Fender offerings to both of the Antiquity models. In this case it was the Fat 50's I tried against both versions. The Ant's seemed a bit fuller/flatter with just 1 pickup selected, and I couldn't seem to get the notch positions to respond the way I heard in recordings.
The Fat 50's seemed to have a bit more typical singlecoil tone selected alone, but it was in the notch positions that they really shone. As a result, I sold off both Ant sets.

I think I have the Fender 65 set in one of my guitars currently. The other sets I have are from Zhangbucker, as he does a great wind like the Fender sets.

[Lewguitar]

Re: Surfers compared to other boutique pickups

To me, the old Strat pickups in my '63 Strat have a little more "bark" than the Antiquity Surfers.

And the Surfers have more bark than the Fralins and the SSL-1's.

Bark is just a word of course.

Another way of putting it is that the Fralins and the SSL-1's seem a little cleaner, a little more glassy and a little less textured.

The differences are very subtle.

Like I said, I doubt most players could pick out which pickup was which and all four sets sound really, REALLY good.

But I'm sure Eric Johnson could.

Just to say it: the Fender Fat 50's are not vintage style pickups like the Surfers, SSL-1's and Fralins.

The Fat 50's are excellent pickups though.

I can certainly see why someone might prefer them.

I prefer the Surfers.