Differences between standard SD and Antiquity pickups?

[qbertsoul]

I'm seriously moments away from ordering a Broadcaster bridge pickup and a Vintage '54 neck pickup.

However, one lingering doubt that needs to be put to rest first.

What exactly is the difference between the standards and the Antiquities? I know about how they're aged to look like very old pickups, but aside from that, how are they different tonally?

 

[qbertsoul]

Re: Differences between standard SD and Antiquity pickups?

Bump!

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: Differences between standard SD and Antiquity pickups?

They're aged both in looks and tone. Time takes a toll on the bobbins of a pickup as well as its' magnet, coils and studs. The Antiquities replicate all of those factors as accurately as they can. Now how they sound, beats me, I'm guessing like vintage pickups whatever than means

I have a guitar made by my tech and he put what he said to be a single coil from a 1959 Fender on it's neck. I dunno if you'd call it vintage though. The tone is, well, organic, with a singing, almost vocal quality to it. I don't know however how it sounded in 1959 to compare

 

[Bludave]

Re: Differences between standard SD and Antiquity pickups?

I have 2 sets of Antiquities in 2 different Strats. Thexas Hots in one and Sufers in the other. They are very close to the real deal, but I think the answer you are looking for is the Ants are made by hand by one individual, where the others are more of an assembly line type of process. That being said I also have a Tele with a Vintage 54 in the neck and a Jerry Donahue in the bridge and it sounds awesome. I don't really feel you need to spend the $ on the Ants to get a good sound. The Texas hots sound like a Strat from the 50's, and the Surfers sound like a Stat from the 60's. I have compared them to some real Strats from those eras and the originals have more warmth to them IMHO, but remember they are in a guitar that is 40 or 50 years old. That has a lot to do with it.

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Differences between standard SD and Antiquity pickups?

Standard pups-machine wound, usually wax potted, full strength magnets
Antiquities-hand scatterwound winding, degaused magnets to replicate 50 year old ones, visually they just plain look old.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Differences between standard SD and Antiquity pickups?

I have compared them to some real Strats from those eras and the originals have more warmth to them IMHO, but remember they are in a guitar that is 40 or 50 years old. That has a lot to do with it.

Can you do us a favor and rip the pickups out and test them in the other guitar so that we can see whether the pickups or the guitars are making the difference?

Thanks, appreciated a lot

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Differences between standard SD and Antiquity pickups?

The Ants have a quality that defies verbal description....the closest anyone can say is that they sound old. It's weird you really have to hear them to appreciate them.

Luke