Antiquity Strat Pickups

[Guitar Toad]

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.

 

[Artie]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

I hope you don't mind if I take a SWAG rather than actually knowing, but it might be because they are scatterwound. This would make them rich in harmonics but might actually decrease the signal output. Thus, they'ld have to be wound a bit hotter to get the same output - ergo, higher DC resistance.

Like I said, just a SWAG.

Artie

 

[Bludave]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

I have the Texas Hots in a 57RI Strat. The guitar is about 20 years old, but with the TH in her...... It sounds awesome. I don't know anything about how they make em' or the DC ratining and all that I know how they sound and if a vintage sound is what you want this is it for me!. I will be installing a set of surfers in a "new Strat" sometime in the future. Gotta get the guitar first. Once I do I should be able to make a comaprison between the two!

 

[MikeRocker]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

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

That's backwards...the Texas Hots are 50's style (Antiquity I) and the Surfers are 60's style (Antiquity II).

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

50's Fender Strat pickups are weaker than the 60's Fender Strat pickups that the Ant Surfers are inspired by. I think most players are not looking for weak Strat pickups wound to under 6K...I doubt that there's much of a market for them. Besides: the Ant Surfers sound AWESOME!

I have some custom wound Lindy Fralin 6K "True Vintage" Strat pickups in one of my Strats. Before hearing the Ant Surfers the Fralins were my favorite Strat pickups. Now I have Ant Surfers in several of my Strats and the Fralin equipped Strat rarely gets played.

I love the clear delicate chime of the 6K Fralins...but the slightly ballsier tone of the Surfers is more satisfying and more fun....and I can still get all the clarity and chime I really need from the Surfers.

Lew

 

[Curly]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

somewhere there is a table with the resistance readings of strat pickups over the years, and they did vary, not to mention the fact that they varied from one to another because they were all hand wound back then

I think of the Antiquities as being made to emulate a somewhat overwound vintage pickup, and my guess is that it has a lot to do with players' tastes nowadays

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Seymour has landed on around 6.4k for most of his Strat pickups...the Texas Hots, Surfers, SSL-1/2 as well as the APS1/2 are right around the 6.4 k mark. I do wish Seymour offered some Strat pickups with less windings...all I can tell you is Custom Shop!!!

The Pickups in my number one Strat are a little weaker and I really like them a lot...in fact I am thinking pretty hard about geting another set wound for my number 2 Strat!

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

I was wondering if Seymour's desire was to make vintage pups, but better than vintage. Hence, the 6+K windings. Since I'll never be able to own a real 54 strat, I thought that I might be able to put one together. Antiquities may be the next best thing. I may already be in '54 land since I do have a set of Texas Hots in right now.

For some reason I want to be able to go back in time and see what the strats sounded like that started all the strat fuss. I'll have to experience it via recordings of Buddy Holly and Buddy Guy.

Thanks guys.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Since I'm asking about vintage correctness, recently I looked at the wiring diagrams for Fender's 50th anniversary and 50's RI strats, and none of them had the so-called 50's wiring. What's up with that?

I'm sure it's already been going on, like with automobile restoration, where some guys will want to build a guitar for the exact specs of a specific year and want everything as it rolled off the production line. Some guys are willing to look past the hot rodding for pure reproduction of the the model they're interested in.

 

[flank]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

wasn't the late 60s the time when strat pickups were wound the weakest? I know those Fender Custom Shop 69' pickups are pretty weak, something like 5.8k. I really enjoyed those pickups, definately had that little extra vibe toward the Hendrix side of strat sound.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

My understanding was that Seymour's intent to make pickups exactly the same way Fender did in the original strats. It seems as though he has reproduced everything perfectly down to true color for the pup covers, but perhaps he's taken some artistic liberty used an improved vintage winding pattern. Is that the way to put it?

 

[flank]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

My understanding was that Seymour's intent to make pickups exactly the same way Fender did in the original strats. It seems as though he has reproduced everything perfectly down to true color for the pup covers, but perhaps he's taken some artistic liberty used an improved vintage winding pattern. Is that the way to put it?

you're probably right. He probably was going for as close to a vintage specification as he could, but wound them to what he thought sounded better. and it seems lots of others seem to agree with him . But i dont think any Fender pickups used Alnico 2 magnets, so the Texas Hots are even a bit different than the old fender pickups. But perhaps the sound of newer Alnico 2 is actually very similar to what an aged alnico 5 magnet from the 50s sounds like nowadays.

 

[Curly]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

I believe you're correct about his intent, except he wanted them aged too, therefore the alnico 2 magnets. I do think the hotter bridge balances better.

regardless, they're just a great set of strat pickups, with the benefit of years of research

few of us will get the chance to play vintage strats at today's prices. I think of the Antiquities as a great set for the ultimate strat tone.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Have any of you guys ever played a real deal '54, '62 or any pre-CBS strat?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Have any of you guys ever played a real deal '54, '62 or any pre-CBS strat?

There are several killer viontage guitars stores here and I used to go hang out in them all the time...it was the only place you could play 50's and 60's Fenders, Gibsons, Gretches, pre war Martins, tweed Fender amps, 60's Marshalls...name it...thay had it and I played it!

 

[Corbic]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Have any of you guys ever played a real deal '54, '62 or any pre-CBS strat?

Lew has a real '63 Strat, another reason why I consider him one of the authorities on Strat pickups, he has a vintage strat to compare it to.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Lew has a real '63 Strat, another reason why I consider him one of the authorities on Strat pickups, he has a vintage strat to compare it to.

Lew has also owned several vintage Strats including a 54 not to mention several 50's Tele's several 50's LP's and a vintage 335...a stack of Tweed amps...Lew has got some killer vintage gear.

 

[Curly]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

Have any of you guys ever played a real deal '54, '62 or any pre-CBS strat?

I had an early 60s sunburst for a couple years back in the 70s. To be honest, it wasn't my favorite guitar, although I wish I'd hung on to it.


you know, for a number of reasons, you can find a new strat today that's about as well made as they ever were. Personally, I'd probably prefer something like the EJ strat - for one thing, I prefer bigger frets and a 9 1/2" or 12" radius.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

I agree with Curly 100%...it has gotten so that new guitars, Custom Shop guitars and even DIY home brew guitars can be evry bit as nice as a Vintage guitar...we live in a great time for killer gear...there are loads of options and most of them are really good!

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Antiquity Strat Pickups

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?

Since, I've got a set of Antiquities in my JV, then I can pretend that I have a vintage sounding strat. That's close enough for me. Cool.