Gibson LP Trad Pro III Standard Pickups vs. Seymours...need help.....

[danshermankazoo]

Gibson uses their Neck '57 A3R and Bridge '57 A3T. About 5 hours away I found a LP Trad Pro III with Burst Bucker III Necks and Seymour Antiquity Bridge. Does anyone have any experience to tell me what tone differences am I going to find before I make the 5 hour trip to test it out? How are these pickups different and with these pickups and Kluson tuners is it worth the risk not knowing who rewired it?

Any input about the tone, or the situation would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Gibson LP Trad Pro III Standard Pickups vs. Seymours...need help.....

I personally have not played an antiquity, but they are extremely well liked among the forum bros. The are a wonderful vintage sounding pickup and cover alot of ground. Pickups are very subjective. So whether or not you will like certain pickups over the other, I cant say. If the one 5 hours away appears to be in nice shape, at the right price, check it out. You can swap pickups like many of us do. If you dont like the antiquity, you would be able to sell it easier than a Gibson pickup. As far as the wiring job, if it works ok, its probably alright. ask if it was professionally done? If so, they may produce a receipt. Hopefully you'll get more feedback.. Good luck!

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Gibson LP Trad Pro III Standard Pickups vs. Seymours...need help.....

Spec-wise, a Burstbucker 3 was intended as a hot bridge humbucker. I'm surprised it's in the neck position. It's not wax potted, so it's like a Seth. The Antiquity is potted. The BB3 specs at 7.75K and the Antiquity bridge is 8.6k. They probably would match really well, which might explain why they are in the guitar. Though the A3 '57s that should have been in it aren't in side circulation. It would be interesting to know why the person swapped them out. (So good they had to keep them? Or so bad they had to get rid of them?)

 

[blueman335]

Re: Gibson LP Trad Pro III Standard Pickups vs. Seymours...need help.....

I personally have not played an antiquity, but they are extremely well liked among the forum bros.

Not as much as Seth's are. A fair percentage of praise for Seth's, like yours, come from people who have never owned/played one. To me, and a few others here, their high-end is very rounded and of course, with an aged A2 magnet (that's low output even when fully charged), the output of Ant's is definitely low. Is that what the OP's looking for?

 

[SJ318]

Re: Gibson LP Trad Pro III Standard Pickups vs. Seymours...need help.....

Hi,
I have an Antiquity bridge and the degaused magnet was too soft sounding. So I did with most of my pickups, put an A4 fully charged magnet in the Antiquity causing a great sound to crunch and sparkle more, be louder, and easier to EQ.
When ever a pick up gets asked about, that I play, I always feel compelled to answer that I love what A4 mags do for most of my pups.
I love my Seth Lover very much, and love it more w/A4's. Even with the lower output of the degaused mag, the Antiquities sound great. Stock Seth Lovers are Very good pups, I use them both, they are tops in that PAF market, I just like different mags.
SJB my 2 cents.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Gibson LP Trad Pro III Standard Pickups vs. Seymours...need help.....

Actually, the Antiquities are not wax potted, but don't let that stop you- they sound amazing. I love Antiquities (and Seths), but I am not sure the differences in sound between both guitars you can put solely on the pickups. If I like a guitar that comes with Duncans, then awesome! I don't know if the decision to purchase a guitar you haven't played yet should be decided by the pickups, but if you love the guitar itself, an Antiquity is a serious bonus! You will get the sound of a pickup created 60 years ago on the same winding machine as the originals, that is hand aged and sounds like 2 giant sticks of buttah.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Gibson LP Trad Pro III Standard Pickups vs. Seymours...need help.....

I don't know if the decision to purchase a guitar you haven't played yet should be decided by the pickups, but if you love the guitar itself, an Antiquity is a serious bonus! You will get the sound of a pickup created 60 years ago on the same winding machine as the originals, that is hand aged and sounds like 2 giant sticks of buttah.

Right, don't buy a guitar just based on the PU's. I bought a guitar with Ant's, they didn't live to the hype I've read here, and I swapped them out them. They're still sitting in a box. Now Seth's on the other hand...I've got 5 or 6 sets, all in guitars.