Antiquity Strat Pickups

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Guitar Toad said:
So, the only reason the seek vintage strats is as a collector and not because they play or sound superior in any way to current editions, save the MIMs?


Now hey.... I'm living proof that MIM Fenders can be transformed into some sweet "pretty much vintage" guitars. Maybe not right off the rack in a music store, but with the help of some period correct pickups, and maybe better hardware in some cases, i bet you can have a Fender that plays, sounds and feels as good as any other vintage guitar out there. I think alot of people hear or think of the term "vintage" and immediately blow off any new instrument as being anything close in comparison. I remember about a month or so back someone said in their thread that they thought todays MIM Reissue 70s Strats are built better than they were in the 70s. I recently bought one of those 70s RI Strats, and i totally agree with them. I was close to buying a '79 that was in a local shop here back when they were still priced around $800-$1,000 and i after playing it i realized how junky it felt to me. This new RI is much much better IMHO.


FenderBender
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

I think if you want something that sounds more like Fender 54's, the SSL-1's are closer than the Surfers.
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

The 3 nicest sets of Strat pickups I've ever played are Bareknuckle Apaches (Alnico III), Duncan Antiquity I's (Alnico II) and the stock pickups that were in a Japanese 60's Re-issue Strat which my local shop has.

The Jap Strat was in the shop at a great price, Id've snapped it up on the spot if I had the money! :( :chairfall :smack:
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Any truth to this review at HC?
"Seymour confided to me that he had an employee that was given the critical task of custom winding these pups for him (Seymour)when he could not be there. Seymour said that he was getting a lot of feedback to this effect, and was very questionable of this particular person, and said "send them to me and I'll take care of you" and gave me his personal business card. "
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Gila_Crisis said:
but in tone what is the difference between antiquity strat custom bridge I and II???

The I (Texas Hot) uses alnico 2 magnets and has more mids and has softer treble and bass and less string pull on the low E when played above the 12th fret...so you can set it closer to the strings.

The II (Surfer) uses alnico 5 magnets and has less mids and a brighter, glassier and deeper tone.

I don't like real 54 Strat pickups, BTW, and I owned a real 54 Strat for a while. To weak, to thin and to bright. Even Eric Johnson replaced the original 54 pickups in his old 54...

Lew
 
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Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Guitar Toad said:
Why doesn't the Antiquity line include a set of strat pickups that are wound under 6K? From what I've seen, most of Fenders custom shop pickups are wound under 6K, as were the pickups that came in the 50's era strats. If one wants to set up a strat that sounds '54 or '62 correct, including the resistence of the windings would one better off to go with Fender pickups? No I'm sure that the Antiquities are right one....

Are the Surfers intended to be '54 style strat pickups? Are the Texas Hots intended to be 60's era strat pickups?

Allegedly, SRV used pickups wound to mid-5K, right?

Just curious.
Thanks.

As mentioned, the Surfers are based on '62 era Strat pickups which are among the strongest and ballsiest.

54 Strat pickups are alnico 3 and much weaker, brighter pickups. I didn't like the original pickups in my '54 Strat and I sold it thirty years ago.

SRV used gigantic strings and played with very high action and a very strong attack on the strings...he had a hard time sounding clean enough! According to Cesar Diaz he liked pickups in the just under 6K range...but not as weak as 5.5K. I don't even know where you'd find a 5.5K Strat vintage pickup...even the original 54's are probably not quite THAT weak...

But SRV was after a clean, clean tone...he also altered the inputs on his blackface Fender and installed larger resistors for a cleaner tone. But most of us don't need that.
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Lewguitar said:
As mentioned, the Surfers are based on '62 era Strat pickups which are among the strongest and ballsiest.

54 Strat pickups are alnico 3 and much weaker, brighter pickups. I didn't like the original pickups in my '54 Strat and I sold it thirty years ago.

SRV used gigantic strings and played with very high action and a very strong attack on the strings...he had a hard time sounding clean enough! According to Cesar Diaz he liked pickups in the just under 6K range...but not as weak as 5.5K. I don't even know where you'd find a 5.5K Strat vintage pickup...even the original 54's are probably not quite THAT weak...

But SRV was after a clean, clean tone...he also altered the inputs on his blackface Fender and installed larger resistors for a cleaner tone. But most of us don't need that.

There is a study of DC resistance of Strat pickups from the 50's-70's done by Seymour himself. I wonder if you could find it on the site somewhere?
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Guitar Toad said:

Yes! Thanks Todd! Although the exact one I'm thinking of goes through the seventies. That is close enough for government work though!

And Lew, even though Eric Johnson replaced his Strat pickups, on his signature guitar the neck and middle pickups (I think) have an a3/a5 magnet configuration, similar to the Duncan 52's!
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

gripweed said:
Yes! Thanks Todd! Although the exact one I'm thinking of goes through the seventies. That is close enough for government work though!

And Lew, even though Eric Johnson replaced his Strat pickups, on his signature guitar the neck and middle pickups (I think) have an a3/a5 magnet configuration, similar to the Duncan 52's!

Interesting. Is the A3 for the treble strings or bass strings?

Lindy makes some Real 54's...the guys at the shop hate 'em! To bright. I didn't love the Nocaster pickups for the same reason...to bright and steely.
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Lewguitar said:
Interesting. Is the A3 for the treble strings or bass strings?

Lindy makes some Real 54's...the guys at the shop hate 'em! To bright. I didn't love the Nocaster pickups for the same reason...to bright and steely.

A3 for the bass strings on the Eric Johnson Strat.

I wonder if the trick with a3 in a single coil is the wind? Those who have experience with the Bare Knuckle Apache pickups (also a3) swear by them!
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

gripweed said:
A3 for the bass strings on the Eric Johnson Strat.

I wonder if the trick with a3 in a single coil is the wind? Those who have experience with the Bare Knuckle Apache pickups (also a3) swear by them!

Who knows? I would have thought if anyone could get a smooth tone without ice pick highs out of an alnico 3 pickup it'd be Lindy. He's even rewound alnico 5 pickups for Eric Johnson. That alnico 3 tone is not for me I guess...to steely...hurts my ears. Not enough mids and not enough warmth.
 
Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

gripweed said:
I wonder if the trick with a3 in a single coil is the wind? Those who have experience with the Bare Knuckle Apache pickups (also a3) swear by them!

I've tried out a set in a 50's Re-issue Strat and they're beautiful sounding pickups.

Bright enough, but not overly so and very chimey sounding to my ears :)
 
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