Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Harpo

New member
As the title says,

What is the difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Are these 2 wire or 4 wire?

Thank you!
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Hi Harpo. Welcome to the User Group Forum. In the upper right, you'll find a "search" function. When you use it, you'll find plenty of threads on this exact topic. Check it out.

And I hope you stick around here!
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Thanks, been there. I found tons of subjective impressions, but no real specifications at all.

To clarify, I'm looking for specific electrical differences, if in fact there are any.

Even the main site pages don't tell whether either pickup can be split, i.e. 4 wire vs 2 wire.
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

The Seth Lover is available in four conductor http://www.ebay.com/itm/Seymour-Duncan-SH-55-Seth-Lover-Neck-Nickel-4-Conductor-/140508482347 , that's the route I went.

I bet the Antiquity would have to be Custom Shop'd to get four conductor. Coil-wise they should be the same, or within the same tolerance range anyway, both should have A2 bars. Both unpotted. I bet the tonal differences would be hard to spot, if any.
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

The main difference I hear is the magnets. In Ant's they're aged, which reduces some high-end and output, which A2's don't have an abundance of when fully-charged. I much prefer the tone of Seth's.
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones

Antiquity
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage-output/1101405_humbuck/
Antiquities are put through an aging process that distresses the parts as if it is a well-used pickup

Seth
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage-output/sh55_seth_lover/
Seths are made to the original specs: long legs, butyrate bobbins, wooden spacer, etc.

Both come with single-conductor pushback wire. If you want 4-conductor, that is a custom order.

(I own the Seths, I do not currently own the Antquity Humbucker set.)
 
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Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

I've understood it as that the Seth Lover is the PAF he originally designed. The Antiquity is like a PAF that has 50 years of wear and tear on it.
 
Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Thanks much for the replies!

I'm looking for pickups for a new Tele build, and since I do want to split the bridge PU (and don't want to special order or ebay), I'll need a 4 wire for the bridge. I'm thinking Alnico II Pro might be the best choice...
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

The Slash model is an alternate AlNiCo 2 pickup that is vintage output, though slightly hotter.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage-output/alnico_ii_pro_s_1/

Another alternate would be using the neck Whole Lotta Humbucker in the bridge position
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage-output/whole_lotta_hum/

Perhaps you know this already, but make sure you check the string spacing. Any traditional PAF (Gibson/vintage-style 'Patend Applied For' humbucker) is going to be Gibson spacing, which is narrower than Fender. For Duncans, this is just a matter of order the stock Trembucker spacing, however some models may not be available in Trembucker spacing. But check your instrument spacing to be sure which you need.
 
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Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Perhaps you know this already, but make sure you check the string spacing. Any traditional PAF (Gibson/vintage-style 'Patend Applied For' humbucker) is going to be Gibson spacing, which is narrower than Fender. For Duncans, this is just a matter of order the stock Trembucker spacing, however some models may not be available in Trembucker spacing. But check your instrument spacing to be sure which you need.

Honestly, I did not know that! I have an 1 11/16 nut on the neck, but the body is routed for an American Standard Strat trem. Where does that put me in terms of string alignment?
 
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Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Honestly, I did not know that! I have an 1 11/16 nut on the neck, but the body is routed for an American Standard Strat trem. Where does that put me in terms of string alignment?

You would need a F-spaced pick up or by SD specs a Trembucker.
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Seth Lover pickups are warm and juicy, yet clear (as long as you don't use a lot of gain), and they look beautiful. Antiquities are the same basic flavor, but they have fake aging on the magnets and the hardware. IME, this makes them sound a bit more anemic, yet also strangely less clear than the Seths. (Though I have never used the neck model Antiquity.) They could work on some guitars, but I think the Seths are a better general-purpose P.A.F.-style pickup over all. Plus I think the Antiquities look ridiculous. Fake cosmetic aging is generally retarded IMO.

Either one can be ordered with the stock Gibson-style leads (braided, cloth-insulated wire, with just hot and ground), or with modern aftermarket-style leads (4 lead wires plus the ground wire).
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Ok, this actually helps a lot. I'm thinking Antiquity in the neck, Blues Saraceno Parallel Axis in the bridge, with splitter.
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

I'm thinking Antiquity in the neck, Blues Saraceno Parallel Axis in the bridge, with splitter.

Hoiw much clarity do you want in the neck slot? You'll get more from a Seth than an Ant.

Also, why only split the bridge? They're pretty thin and bright in single coil mode; the neck slot works better for coil cut as there's more string energy and warmth in that location, making coil cut a more viable option there.
 
Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Seth Lover pickups are warm and juicy, yet clear (as long as you don't use a lot of gain), and they look beautiful. Antiquities are the same basic flavor, but they have fake aging on the magnets and the hardware. IME, this makes them sound a bit more anemic, yet also strangely less clear than the Seths. (Though I have never used the neck model Antiquity.) They could work on some guitars, but I think the Seths are a better general-purpose P.A.F.-style pickup over all. Plus I think the Antiquities look ridiculous. Fake cosmetic aging is generally retarded IMO.

Either one can be ordered with the stock Gibson-style leads (braided, cloth-insulated wire, with just hot and ground), or with modern aftermarket-style leads (4 lead wires plus the ground wire).

I definitely want clarity, and I'm with you on the fake aging. Wish I could find some accurate and clean comparisons online, seems like every video is total distortion.

Hoiw much clarity do you want in the neck slot? You'll get more from a Seth than an Ant.

Also, why only split the bridge? They're pretty thin and bright in single coil mode; the neck slot works better for coil cut as there's more string energy and warmth in that location, making coil cut a more viable option there.

My first choices for neck only come in single lead (unless special ordered, apparently) but in any event my only reason for splitting is to include the tele bridge twang tone in the combinations. I doubt I'll use it a lot, but it just seems like a tele should have it!
 
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Re: Difference between Seth Lover and Antiquity Humbuckers?

Old thread, I know, but just want to put out there that I get substantial increase in clarity from Ant humbuckers over Seths, especially in the neck position. They are also brighter and have more articulation and response to picking nuances as well as more overall complexity. I know this goes against what seems like conventional wisdom on this forum but that is my personal experience.

My guitar is a 2002 Epiphone Les Paul Elite with CTS pots, PIO caps, and a lightweight aluminum tailpiece on the stock steel studs. I think the differences were not as pronounced between the two pickup sets before these guitar mods (It was dull and muddy all the time then). With the mods, the changes became easily noticeable...to me at least. In fact, the Seths may have been preferred before the mods... So the guitar definitely plays a big role.

BTW, my Seth set is from about 1997 or 1998 and I have used them almost constantly so I'm quite familiar with them. I tend to play non-master volume amps and do a lot of guitar control manipulation. I simply think the Ants are just a whole lot better for me and my style.
 
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