The Antiquity Surfers are both brighter and deeper, and IMO, livlier and more like a vintage '62 Strat pickup. The APS-1 is a cool pickup but smoother and not as glassy bright or as big and deep in the bass...it also has more mids and a thicker tone overall. Some people find the APS-1 and 2 to have a more pleasant and comfortable tone, but the alnico 5 Surfer actually has the more vintage accurate tone and the tone I prefer from the neck and middle pickups. I like alnico 2 pickups like the APS-1 or 2 or Antiquity Texas Hot or Twangbanger for the bridge position though...that's where more mids and smoother highs seems appropriate. Lew
Hey Lew, how would you describe the sound of a nashville style tele with a Antquity Surfer in the neck, A Surfer RW/RP in the middle? Also. what would the appropriate bridge pup be (in phase and compatible).
Hey Lew, how would you describe the sound of a nashville style tele with a Antquity Surfer in the neck, A Surfer RW/RP in the middle? Also. what would the appropriate bridge pup be (in phase and compatible).
Hi George, Good to hear from you buddy! I have a Surfer neck pickup in my Tele Custom with a Custom Shop Jerry Donahue as the bridge pickup. I don't recall whether the Surfer is a neck or middle model, but I do remember holding both the RW/RP version and the regular neck version against the polepieces of the Jerry Donahue and going with the one that was attracted magnetically. I may or may not have had to reverse the black and wires to keep it in phase...I don't recall. But when the two pickups are combined they are humcancelling.
Although the previous owner of that guitar cut it for a Strat middle pickup I didn't put one in because I didn't want the magnetic field of a middle pickup affecting the sustain and making it sound like a Strat. But as far as tone goes I'd have to say that the Surfer is my favorite neck pickup in a Tele that I've ever used. But it won't fit in a regular Tele...it has to be one routed for a Strat sized neck pickup.
I have the Surfer RW/RP in the middle position now and I cant describe how good it sounds. Its a good match for the Fender Vintage Noiseless Neck pickup, but I can't help but wonder , considering how much I like the surfer, whether I should put a Antiquity II Surfer (regular wound) in the neck position.
I guess the sound I am after would be a unique tele/strat blend.
Bottom line though. the Surfer kicks some tonal arce!:burnout: