I just a set of Antiquity surfers put in my strat. They don't really sound much different than my stock american standard pups sounded. I can detect a slight difference but it's not much of a difference. Is this normal? I don't really see how they could have been installed wrong although I wasn't there when the guy installed them. What sort of tonal differences should I be listening for?
Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
- Thread starter lmill999
- Start date
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
Well, your guitar is still going to sound like a strat, but maybe a bit nicer. I can think of a few possibilities:
The length of time between listens with the old pickups and new was sufficient for any difference to be hard to pick
The guitar is such a good one that any pickups sound pretty good, or such a bad one that no pickups can save it.
You play with a tone/drive level which is masking any difference.
Well, your guitar is still going to sound like a strat, but maybe a bit nicer. I can think of a few possibilities:
The length of time between listens with the old pickups and new was sufficient for any difference to be hard to pick
The guitar is such a good one that any pickups sound pretty good, or such a bad one that no pickups can save it.
You play with a tone/drive level which is masking any difference.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
One of the things I remember from my "hi-fi" days, was that you tend to notice a step down in fidelity more so than a step up. (Assuming a small change.) Your brain has a tendency to "fill in" the missing information on the lower-fi device. If you played the Ant's for some time, then switched back, I'd bet you'd notice a big loss.
One of the things I remember from my "hi-fi" days, was that you tend to notice a step down in fidelity more so than a step up. (Assuming a small change.) Your brain has a tendency to "fill in" the missing information on the lower-fi device. If you played the Ant's for some time, then switched back, I'd bet you'd notice a big loss.
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
No, it had American Standard pups in it.
No, it had American Standard pups in it.
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
I never really thought about the guitar itself being a really good one and not making much of a difference. I thought it sounded pretty good before the pickup swap so maybe I have just have a really nice guitar. I'm alright with that :headbang:
I never really thought about the guitar itself being a really good one and not making much of a difference. I thought it sounded pretty good before the pickup swap so maybe I have just have a really nice guitar. I'm alright with that :headbang:
mamm
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
It plays great too. Are you strat, by any chance, from the mid 90's? That's a VERY good era for AmStd strats.
That's probably it. I have an AmStd strat from 1995 that sounds heavenly - exactly the way I think a strat should sound. It sounds so good that it's the only "unmolested" guitar I have - completely original. All the others have aftermarket pickups and/or hardware.
It plays great too. Are you strat, by any chance, from the mid 90's? That's a VERY good era for AmStd strats.
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
No, it's actually a 2013 Nitro Satin Burst from Musiciansfriend/GC. I didn't really know what to expect when I changed the pups. I just thought it would make more of a difference than it did. I enjoyed the tone of the stock pups but thought I would change them out. I put a set of Duncan's in my LP and it made a huge difference although I hated the stock LP pups. I guess the surfers will stay in the strat for a while. It didn't hurt my tone but it didn't make it much better either.
No, it's actually a 2013 Nitro Satin Burst from Musiciansfriend/GC. I didn't really know what to expect when I changed the pups. I just thought it would make more of a difference than it did. I enjoyed the tone of the stock pups but thought I would change them out. I put a set of Duncan's in my LP and it made a huge difference although I hated the stock LP pups. I guess the surfers will stay in the strat for a while. It didn't hurt my tone but it didn't make it much better either.
DreX
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
The Ant II probably is a little hotter wound and features a slightly weaker magnet than the stock pickups. If you keep them in for a few months and then switch back you might have more of a feeling about one over the other. It's sort of like wine tasting, at first it's all just wine.
The Ant II probably is a little hotter wound and features a slightly weaker magnet than the stock pickups. If you keep them in for a few months and then switch back you might have more of a feeling about one over the other. It's sort of like wine tasting, at first it's all just wine.
mojosman
New member
Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
I would suggest a couple things. One, mess with the heights of each pickup. Measure where they are now, so you can put the back in the event this experiment is a dud. Pickup height makes a difference. Secondly, does SD recommend a specific tone cap value? Maybe a .047 PIO tone cap, or even a .10 would help. Worth a shot considering you can find caps dirt cheap, and they are EZ to install.
I would suggest a couple things. One, mess with the heights of each pickup. Measure where they are now, so you can put the back in the event this experiment is a dud. Pickup height makes a difference. Secondly, does SD recommend a specific tone cap value? Maybe a .047 PIO tone cap, or even a .10 would help. Worth a shot considering you can find caps dirt cheap, and they are EZ to install.
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zenmindbeginner
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
The Antiquities feel different and do sound different, the OP just doesn't realize it.
There is no way that a scatterwound pickup with hand aged magnets/aged period correct materials will sound the same as the stock pickups in an American standard strat.
The Antiquities feel different and do sound different, the OP just doesn't realize it.
There is no way that a scatterwound pickup with hand aged magnets/aged period correct materials will sound the same as the stock pickups in an American standard strat.
jimijames
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
What amp are you playing through? You'll hear more of a difference on nice amps vs. something like a crate or similar
Edit: I realize you have an American strat and a lp so your amp is probably nice as well but nobody had mentioned it so I thought it was worth thinking about.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
What amp are you playing through? You'll hear more of a difference on nice amps vs. something like a crate or similar
Edit: I realize you have an American strat and a lp so your amp is probably nice as well but nobody had mentioned it so I thought it was worth thinking about.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
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Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
I'm playing through a Blues Jr. Not super high end but not a bad amp. I'll have to look into the pots. I didn't measure pickup height with the stock pups but they seem to be set very similarly if not the same height. It's not that I don't hear a difference. I can hear one. It just isn't very dramatic. It sounds a little bit fatter and a little clearer to me. I just thought they would make a big difference. These surfers get so much praise on here.
I'm playing through a Blues Jr. Not super high end but not a bad amp. I'll have to look into the pots. I didn't measure pickup height with the stock pups but they seem to be set very similarly if not the same height. It's not that I don't hear a difference. I can hear one. It just isn't very dramatic. It sounds a little bit fatter and a little clearer to me. I just thought they would make a big difference. These surfers get so much praise on here.
Ryan84
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
On the in between positions (neck+middle, middle+bridge) it should sound very full, sometimes the Fenders can be a little hollow sounding. Do you notice any increase in tone in those positions? I swear the in betweens are possibly the best thing about the Surfer. Can't be the only one.
On the in between positions (neck+middle, middle+bridge) it should sound very full, sometimes the Fenders can be a little hollow sounding. Do you notice any increase in tone in those positions? I swear the in betweens are possibly the best thing about the Surfer. Can't be the only one.
mojosman
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
The last time I did a pickup swap I put D. Allens into a partscaster. He recommended starting very low on pickup height. I brought the guitar in for a set-up and the for the luthier to install the new pups. He did basically what Jason Lollar suggests, and the top of the pickup covers were almost flat with the pickguard on the bass side, and a bit higher on the treble side. This was way lower than the stock Fender pickups were. I was surprised for sure. Pickups, magnets, construction, they are all different. I have heard some good things about the SD surfers, but I never tried them. For single coils I am pretty much sold on D. Allens pickups. I'm about to buy another set.
The last time I did a pickup swap I put D. Allens into a partscaster. He recommended starting very low on pickup height. I brought the guitar in for a set-up and the for the luthier to install the new pups. He did basically what Jason Lollar suggests, and the top of the pickup covers were almost flat with the pickguard on the bass side, and a bit higher on the treble side. This was way lower than the stock Fender pickups were. I was surprised for sure. Pickups, magnets, construction, they are all different. I have heard some good things about the SD surfers, but I never tried them. For single coils I am pretty much sold on D. Allens pickups. I'm about to buy another set.
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
You know what?! I hadn't payed too much attention to positions 2+4. Now that you mention it, it does sound a lot more full to me. I normally just played in the neck position because the in between positions weren't all that great. Positions 2+4 do sound a lot better now.
You know what?! I hadn't payed too much attention to positions 2+4. Now that you mention it, it does sound a lot more full to me. I normally just played in the neck position because the in between positions weren't all that great. Positions 2+4 do sound a lot better now.
Ryan84
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
Nice! I noticed a big difference in 2+4 also. The tone is golden there.
Nice! I noticed a big difference in 2+4 also. The tone is golden there.
DreX
New member
Re: Antiquity In Strat Not Much Different Than Stock?
The differences are subtle, after all, both the Surfers and the stock MIA pickups strive to be the best, most Straty pickup possible. They more or less aim to be the same thing. They are actually physically and electronically different, but you have to know what you're listening for or you might miss it.
The other thing is that aside from just sounding different, they will have different dynamics and respond to your playing differently, but that's a subtle difference also. I asked if you have Fat 50's, the 2012 Fender Am. Standard came loaded with these, and IMO, the Ant II Surfers essentially sound identical to Fat 50's, but have a very different feel. The Fat 50's are louder and compress more than the Ant II's, a more ham fisted play feel.
Fender's pickups are very good, you'll hear a lot of praise for the Ant II's, but also for the Fender CS 69's as well. I just installed Limited Edition '54's and IMO they are more of a pleasure to interact with and listen to than most of the boutique single coils I've toured. We, or at least I, am not in it for dramatic change, it's about variety of feel and tonal color. The more pickups you try out, they more they stand apart, and the more dramatic the difference becomes, but if you want a dramatic difference sooner than that, you'd have to jump over to Cool Rails, or a Little '59 or an SSL-4, something that's not even trying to emulate the best vintage Strat pickups that it can.
The differences are subtle, after all, both the Surfers and the stock MIA pickups strive to be the best, most Straty pickup possible. They more or less aim to be the same thing. They are actually physically and electronically different, but you have to know what you're listening for or you might miss it.
The other thing is that aside from just sounding different, they will have different dynamics and respond to your playing differently, but that's a subtle difference also. I asked if you have Fat 50's, the 2012 Fender Am. Standard came loaded with these, and IMO, the Ant II Surfers essentially sound identical to Fat 50's, but have a very different feel. The Fat 50's are louder and compress more than the Ant II's, a more ham fisted play feel.
Fender's pickups are very good, you'll hear a lot of praise for the Ant II's, but also for the Fender CS 69's as well. I just installed Limited Edition '54's and IMO they are more of a pleasure to interact with and listen to than most of the boutique single coils I've toured. We, or at least I, am not in it for dramatic change, it's about variety of feel and tonal color. The more pickups you try out, they more they stand apart, and the more dramatic the difference becomes, but if you want a dramatic difference sooner than that, you'd have to jump over to Cool Rails, or a Little '59 or an SSL-4, something that's not even trying to emulate the best vintage Strat pickups that it can.
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