Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

[Gearjoneser]

For years, my favorite strat pickups have been the Antiquity Surfers with Surfer Custom bridge. 9.7K/6.3K/6.3K The calibration and tone is perfect.
$230 includes aging process and nice presentation boxes/bags.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/1102409_08_10_a/

If I were to buy another strat set for a different guitar, my interest is leaning toward the Custom Shop Strat Replacement set in Alnico 5, just because I trust the Duncan Custom Shop, and Seymour calls it his personal favorite strat set. $300, not including aging. 9.5K/7.5K/7.5K......neck and middle seem a tad overwound for vintage spec??
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/stratocaster/sd_for_strat_75_1/

Does anyone here own the Custom Shop Replacement set in A5 or A2? Is it worth $70 more? Does this set sound much different than Surfers or Texas Hots?

 

[DreX]

Re: Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

$300, not including aging. 9.5K/7.5K/7.5K......neck and middle seem a tad overwound for vintage spec??
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/stratocaster/sd_for_strat_75_1/

That's a very dubious looking product, and they re-used the five-two product pick http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/fivetwo_for_str/

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

I have Ant II Surfer pickups but not the CS model you mentioned. The nearest that I have tried to the latter is the Fender Custom Shop Fat Fifties set. In an ash/maple Stratocaster, this Fender set is aggressive but still unmistakably Stratty. The Ant II Surfers aim to mimic a Sixties type pickup. I have only ever tried them in a Sixties style vintage reissue guitar.

I suggest that you try not to get too hung up on the DC resistance meter figures. Pickup to string distance adjustments can negate any imagined output differences. So can magnet "ageing" processes.

The only true test is to install a set of pickups into a suitable host guitar and play through a good valve amplifier.

 

[DreX]

Re: Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

For years, my favorite strat pickups have been the Antiquity Surfers with Surfer Custom bridge. 9.7K/6.3K/6.3K The calibration and tone is perfect.
$230 includes aging process and nice presentation boxes/bags.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/1102409_08_10_a/

If I were to buy another strat set for a different guitar, my interest is leaning toward the Custom Shop Strat Replacement set in Alnico 5, just because I trust the Duncan Custom Shop, and Seymour calls it his personal favorite strat set. $300, not including aging. 9.5K/7.5K/7.5K......neck and middle seem a tad overwound for vintage spec??
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/stratocaster/sd_for_strat_75_1/

Does anyone here own the Custom Shop Replacement set in A5 or A2? Is it worth $70 more? Does this set sound much different than Surfers or Texas Hots?

What sound are you going for? There's a lot of awesome pickups I could draw your attention to, but they are all over the map tone-wise. The Custom Shop specializes in fulfilling special wishes, if you don't have a specific want, I wouldn't blow your money on a made to order pickup.

If you like the Ant II's you might like the Texas Hots, they're the same pickup as the Ant II, but with a weaker A2 magnet, they're darker, spongier. I just removed a set after failing to fall in love after six months of use.

I have Ant II Surfer pickups but not the CS model you mentioned. The nearest that I have tried to the latter is the Fender Custom Shop Fat Fifties set.

I agree that the Fat 50's and the Ant II's are a lot alike. I spent some time doing a direct A/B. The Fat 50's were louder and more compressed / lacking in dynamics relative to the Ant II.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

I've tried my share of good A5 vintage strat sets, and it's interesting how similarly spec'd pickups can all sound slightly different. So, buy and try is about all anyone can suggest.

I think what caught my eye is that Seymour considers his Custom Shop strat pickups to be his favorite - it shouldn't be much of a surprise.

If I have two main SSS strats, it would be nice to have one set of Surfers and one set of Custom Shop A5's. The cost can be offset by selling another set of pickups.

 

[DreX]

Re: Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

The SSL-1's have a very "A5" sound, which is to say they match the coil real well. They're all aright tight sounding, top to bottom, not as laid back as the Antiquities. It's funny that the SSL-1, sort of the flag ship single coil, wouldn't be Seymour's favorite. What did the SSL-1 do to get on his bad side?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

7.5k?!

That's just too hot...hell, to my ears the 6.3k Surfers/TH's and even SSL-1/2 - APS-1/2's are too hot but at least they are under six and a half.

My favorite pickups these days are coming out of the Fender Custom Shop...I have been blown away by almost all of the ones I've tried in the past 2 or 3 years.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Custom Shop Strat Replacement vs. Antiquity Strat sets

One thing I started wondering about, since I've never inquired before, is if a customer can request a Seymour W. Duncan wound set at the regular Custom Shop price, rather than made by anyone else in the Duncan CS.

If a person who values strat tone wanted to spend a little money, how cool would it be to have Seymour's favorite strat set, wound by him, and also a set from Maricela Juarez? Having signatures on boxes, and two slightly different, equally great strat sets made by the masters would be amazing. :33: