Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

[BanditPanda]

Hi.My Antiquities have just shipped. Should see 'em in about 10 days. In doing all the research had read that some found the neck position to be muddy and recommended coil splitting /parallel/series wiring to overcome his perceived problem.
Researching further today on that opinion, a demo on You Tube had flipped the neck pick up i.e. put it on upside down ( screws facing bridge ) which he said would make the neck pick up brighter.? So before installing the neck pick up wanted to check in with you guys and ask
1. Is the neck pick up on the Antiquity Humbucker set generally considered to be muddy?
2. Have you gone through the wiring change with what results?
3. Does flipping the neck pick up actually give a brighter tone from the neck position and if so why?
I look forward to your replies.
Thanks
BP

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Welcome to the forum.

coil splitting /parallel/series wiring

This will require some surgery to convert to four conductor + shield output cable from the stock single conductor + braid type.

1. Is the neck pick up on the Antiquity Humbucker set generally considered to be muddy?
2. Have you gone through the wiring change with what results?
3. Does flipping the neck pick up actually give a brighter tone from the neck position and if so why?

1 - Not particularly. Depends upon how you set the tone controls of your amplification.
2 - Not on an SD Ant humbucker. Hence, nothing to report.
3 - Any difference is marginal. It depends upon the polepiece materials, the exact number of turns on each coil and whether the pickup is installed exactly in parallel with the strings.

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

The Antiquities have more pronounced harmonics vs fundamental. This can either subtly jive with your rig settings or slightly clash with your rig settings.

I find the Ant neck to be thick and rich without being boomy, so I just set them as low as they can go and voila! They sound perfect. Same thing with the bridge... you want that a little lower than you normally set bridge pickups (but obviously not as low as it can go like the neck). When the Ants are set a bit lower, those extra higher harmonics are shifted forward in the tone which gives them a real nice clarity.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

In doing all the research had read that some found the neck position to be muddy

Research? you mean looking at you tube videos and reading internet reviews?

Just wait till you get them, wire them up and then make your decision.
That's is the only kind of research worth a dime.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

In doing all the research had read that some found the neck position to be muddy and recommended coil splitting /parallel/series wiring to overcome his perceived problem.

Your "research" process is flawed at the very root.

HTH,

 

[blueman335]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Just wait till you get them, wire them up and then make your decision.

+1. All that matters is what how they sound in your guitar. For me, and a few guys here, the issue with Ant's is the aged A2's. They make the high-ends more rounded. I prefer a sharper edge on the highs of my neck PU's, but that's personal preference. Depending on the guitar and woods, Ant's tone will vary. Play with PU heights. Most people like them in their stock form; you always have the option of changing mags.

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Your "research" process is flawed at the very root.

Everything in this world is flawed Kojack. You can't let that stop you from seeking the truth

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Research? you mean looking at you tube videos and reading internet reviews?
Just wait till you get them, wire them up and then make your decision.
That's is the only kind of research worth a dime.

Research wherever the info is available. If you don't do your homework chances are you're gonna fail the exam.
There is no excuse for ignorance.
USD250 is slightly more than a dime.

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Good advice concerning pick up height. Thank you for that.

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Thank you FF.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Research wherever the info is available. If you don't do your homework chances are you're gonna fail the exam.
There is no excuse for ignorance.
USD250 is slightly more than a dime.

You need to listen to the advice given, it is good advice no matter how obstinately you try and deny it.

There is no opinion on pickups ever at any time that is in any way relevant to your situation apart from your own.

We've had another guy do a similar thing to you.......claimed the Slash sig set was no good for LP's because the pole spacing was wrong.....this was based on:
Never having owned a set of those pickups
Never even having played a guitar with a set installed
'researching'.....involving reading how some people didn't like the tone
assuming that this dislike was due to the polepiece spacing

His post was met with the derision it deserved really

Don't head down this path. Only you can decide what is good tone for you, and the only way you'll know how the pickups work for you is by trying them. There is no other path possible. Clips are no substitute........and opinions are irrelevant generally, unless you happen to know the person.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

We've had another guy do a similar thing to you.......claimed the Slash sig set was no good for LP's because the pole spacing was wrong.....this was based on:
Never having owned a set of those pickups
Never even having played a guitar with a set installed
'researching'.....involving reading how some people didn't like the tone
assuming that this dislike was due to the polepiece spacing

His post was met with the derision it deserved really

You forgot his "experience" with Model RC cars

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

You need to listen to the advice given, it is good advice no matter how obstinately you try and deny it.

There is no opinion on pickups ever at any time that is in any way relevant to your situation apart from your own.

We've had another guy do a similar thing to you.......claimed the Slash sig set was no good for LP's because the pole spacing was wrong.....this was based on:
Never having owned a set of those pickups
Never even having played a guitar with a set installed
'researching'.....involving reading how some people didn't like the tone
assuming that this dislike was due to the polepiece spacing

His post was met with the derision it deserved really

Don't head down this path. Only you can decide what is good tone for you, and the only way you'll know how the pickups work for you is by trying them. There is no other path possible. Clips are no substitute........and opinions are irrelevant generally, unless you happen to know the person.

Thanks for the pep talk.
Decision was made when I bought them. Think I throw USD250 bucks out the window without researching and getting to know the rep of the product I'm buying?
I personally feel I got the best available in that price range and most players seems to agree.
The rest is up to me.

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

You need to listen to the advice given, it is good advice no matter how obstinately you try and deny it.

There is no opinion on pickups ever at any time that is in any way relevant to your situation apart from your own.

We've had another guy do a similar thing to you.......claimed the Slash sig set was no good for LP's because the pole spacing was wrong.....this was based on:
Never having owned a set of those pickups
Never even having played a guitar with a set installed
'researching'.....involving reading how some people didn't like the tone
assuming that this dislike was due to the polepiece spacing

His post was met with the derision it deserved really

Don't head down this path. Only you can decide what is good tone for you, and the only way you'll know how the pickups work for you is by trying them. There is no other path possible. Clips are no substitute........and opinions are irrelevant generally, unless you happen to know the person.

Oh and Alex. I haven't done anything yet except purchase the pick ups yesterday.

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

The Antiquities have more pronounced harmonics vs fundamental. This can either subtly jive with your rig settings or slightly clash with your rig settings.

I find the Ant neck to be thick and rich without being boomy, so I just set them as low as they can go and voila! They sound perfect. Same thing with the bridge... you want that a little lower than you normally set bridge pickups (but obviously not as low as it can go like the neck). When the Ants are set a bit lower, those extra higher harmonics are shifted forward in the tone which gives them a real nice clarity.

Hey Zen...what gauge strings are you using with that neck p/u as low as it can go?

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Everything in this world is flawed Kojack.

Yes, but your "research" is invalid, to say the least, as everything's based on hearsay.



Now guess who's guitar is it and what p'ups it hosts?

Yes, that's right! That's my #2 and the p'ups are an Antiquity set, which I've modded'em with UOA5 magnets.

Now take a wild guess how I know about your "research" being "invalid, to say the least"?

 

[AlexR]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Oh and Alex. I haven't done anything yet except purchase the pick ups yesterday.

Hey, no issue, we all get the cart before the horse sometimes!!

Listening to clips is good to get a general ballpark of what the pickups might sound like in your guitar, but trying to get detailed info out of it or looking to mod them (or secondguess what steps you might have to do to correct a yet unknown fault) before you even start is just a step too far.
We have had many threads asking 'what pickups should I put in this guitar' when the OP hasn't even got it back from the store.

Anyhow, hope they do what you want with no adjustments needed..

 

[BanditPanda]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Yes, but your "research" is invalid, to say the least, as everything's based on hearsay.

Now guess who's guitar is it and what p'ups it hosts?

Yes, that's right! That's my #2 and the p'ups are an Antiquity set, which I've modded'em with UOA5 magnets.

Now take a wild guess how I know about your "research" being "invalid, to say the least"?

Once again I will enlighten you. Do you know what hearsay is? It is peoples opinions. Hopefully their opinions based on their personal experience.
Example: You purchased Antiquities based on what ? Did they come with the guitar? Prolly not unless it was already modded when you bought it.
So I will presume you purchased Antiquities after market. Based on what or whose information? And you changed the magnets and made a choice for another set based on what? Did you really experience the sound Alnico's 2 thru 8 ? You may claim so but I would think not.
From the beginning of your life's learning curve the information you have been given has been based on hearsay or other person's opinions, from your parent's to your professor's. So try to get with the program and not criticize others and the sources of the information they gather. WE are all in the same boat.
Now if you would like to provide some relevant information on Antiquities with the A2's concerning set up or your perceived sound of them or anything else that can be helpful to me and the others on the board please do so.Up to this point you have not done so.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

Well, he buys the pickups based on what they 'might' sound like. When he gets them in the specific guitar and finds they don't live up to what he wants, then he goes and swaps magnets. Up until the point of hearing them it is utterly useless to figure out what flaws to fix, as you don't know if there will be any flaws, and what flaws these might be.

Thats been the premise of what we are saying up until now. Don't use 'research' to tell you what mods to make to a stock set of pickups. That is what your ears are for, and only after having heard them for yourself......not after reading someone elses opinion with someone elses ears and with someone elses rig.

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Flipped the Antiquirty Humbucker?

WE are all in the same boat.

That is ridiculous. First you come across as a jerk, with the "once again I will enlighten you" nonsense. Secondly, we are not all in the same boat. If I had stuck to other people's soundclips and opinions I would not have tried the black winter, which is a personal favorite pickup. I tried it and gained personal experience. I tried it in multiple guitars. That is a different level of knowledge than just reading about it on forums.

You are being foolish in that it is ridiculous to base everything on others information. You also are reducing everything to opinion which shows that you miss out on how to research anything at all. Yours is the way of superstition, not science. As someone whose profession is in the medical field there are numerous people dead because of this mentality. (Anti-vaccine people use the same arguments, even though vaccines as we know them are over 200 years old)

There is also the failure to weigh the validity of your sources. There are so many problems with your assertions that it would not do to take them apart in a pickup forum. There are facts, there are opinions and they are not the same. There is reading about something, and there is experiencing something and these are not the same.