Hi. I've owned some sets of Duncans over the years but never Seth Lovers. 59's, Antiquity humbuckers, Antiquity Tele, Phatcat's.... I just took delivery of a new Heritage 535 semi-hollow. The old Gibson plant in Kalamazoo. I'm not familiar with these pickups, although I've heard their tonality is similar to the Antiquities. Very sweet sounding but the neck pickup is really fat and bass heavy. I use a Carr Rambler amp so there's already plentiful bass. I'm not sure if this is an attribute of the Alnico 2 pickups and design or it it's inherent in the guitar. I have a pair of Bare Knuckle Mules I can swap out but don't want to go there if it's the guitar since it can be returned. It's a very responsive guitar and so far I really like it with this exception. However it can still be returned and you almost have to change your amp setting for neck pickup only. Any feedback would be appreciated - except from unpotted pickups.... Thanks
Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
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Thundermtn
New member
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
Welcome back! You have your height and pole pieces adjusted yet? My Dad has one in a routed Tele neck position, his is not bass heavy at all. I'm betting it's the guitar if you have it adjusted right.
Welcome back! You have your height and pole pieces adjusted yet? My Dad has one in a routed Tele neck position, his is not bass heavy at all. I'm betting it's the guitar if you have it adjusted right.
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
With the typical 2 humbucker guitar the proper tonal setup is to adjust the amp so the neck pickup is not boomy. You then work on the tone control for the bridge pickup to tame the excess treble content.
This approach is especially true with regard to semihollows whose natural tonality makes for less definition in the treble content of both positions.
Naturally this process is done in conjunction with the screwdriver to make the previously mentioned height adjustments.
With the typical 2 humbucker guitar the proper tonal setup is to adjust the amp so the neck pickup is not boomy. You then work on the tone control for the bridge pickup to tame the excess treble content.
This approach is especially true with regard to semihollows whose natural tonality makes for less definition in the treble content of both positions.
Naturally this process is done in conjunction with the screwdriver to make the previously mentioned height adjustments.
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
This is embarrassing. Yeah, apparently as I'm getting old I'm getting feeble minded. This Heritage is very responsive so it's probably very susceptible to it. I appreciate the response to this not beginning with "Hey, dumbass....." from all of you. I love the Mules but there may well be no need. Plus, new guitar, new strings - I probably need to do as you suggest and let things settle in a little. Thanks, everyone.
This is embarrassing. Yeah, apparently as I'm getting old I'm getting feeble minded. This Heritage is very responsive so it's probably very susceptible to it. I appreciate the response to this not beginning with "Hey, dumbass....." from all of you. I love the Mules but there may well be no need. Plus, new guitar, new strings - I probably need to do as you suggest and let things settle in a little. Thanks, everyone.
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
I guess I should go into my profile and list gear but here it is for the moment - Gibson ES-137, Heritage 535, G&L ASAT, Epiphone Elitist Les Paul, Warmoth Strat with lacquer finish and Fralins, Warmoth Tele with Fralin Big Singles and Bigsby. Amps are heavily modded 68 Princeton reissue with bigger transformers and 6L6's, Carr Rambler, Carr Skylark, Dr Z MAZ 18 NR.
I guess I should go into my profile and list gear but here it is for the moment - Gibson ES-137, Heritage 535, G&L ASAT, Epiphone Elitist Les Paul, Warmoth Strat with lacquer finish and Fralins, Warmoth Tele with Fralin Big Singles and Bigsby. Amps are heavily modded 68 Princeton reissue with bigger transformers and 6L6's, Carr Rambler, Carr Skylark, Dr Z MAZ 18 NR.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
If you're ever not happy with the eq of a pickup, it's a simple fix for $10 or less. Especially for guitars with a volume for each pickup. Change your pot values! If you want a small increase in treble you can convert your neck tone to a no load. If you want a large increase, you can change your 500k volume to a 1 meg. If 1 meg is too much, you can use a resistor across the input and ground of the 1 meg volume pot to decrease the treble. You can eq your guitar however you want. You don't have to just "deal with it".
If you're ever not happy with the eq of a pickup, it's a simple fix for $10 or less. Especially for guitars with a volume for each pickup. Change your pot values! If you want a small increase in treble you can convert your neck tone to a no load. If you want a large increase, you can change your 500k volume to a 1 meg. If 1 meg is too much, you can use a resistor across the input and ground of the 1 meg volume pot to decrease the treble. You can eq your guitar however you want. You don't have to just "deal with it".
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Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
I've had several. The one I have now still has the original pickups, which I prefer over Classic 57's. More open. I bought it new 14 years ago and I like it better than some of the Standards out there today. I think I paid $1200 new. Definitely a keeper.
I've had several. The one I have now still has the original pickups, which I prefer over Classic 57's. More open. I bought it new 14 years ago and I like it better than some of the Standards out there today. I think I paid $1200 new. Definitely a keeper.
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
Thanks. The pot value will mainly affect top end. I do high end audio for a living and have done speaker design for 30 years. If this was a speaker I'd be looking at the cabinet tuning, damping, etc. I have one guitar with 350K pots in it just because it worked. Thanks for the thought. One issue I'm having with this guitar is the vintage wiring. It's true that you don't lose the top end as quickly when you turn down volume, but I kind of use that. Plus I really miss the control on a 2 vol, 2 tone control guitar of not having as much control over the blend of the pickups in the middle position. It's like the volume/tone thing with modern wiring. Turn one of the pickups to 9 and its output nosedives.
Thanks. The pot value will mainly affect top end. I do high end audio for a living and have done speaker design for 30 years. If this was a speaker I'd be looking at the cabinet tuning, damping, etc. I have one guitar with 350K pots in it just because it worked. Thanks for the thought. One issue I'm having with this guitar is the vintage wiring. It's true that you don't lose the top end as quickly when you turn down volume, but I kind of use that. Plus I really miss the control on a 2 vol, 2 tone control guitar of not having as much control over the blend of the pickups in the middle position. It's like the volume/tone thing with modern wiring. Turn one of the pickups to 9 and its output nosedives.
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
^ You analogy is incorrect. The pickup's whole resonant frequency moves higher and up the frequency spectrum. This may or may not lead to a whole host of different eq effects......the wind will determine precisely what the details are. You could just as well have a stronger bass signal than before.
But its not like there is a limited signal that means more of one means less of another.....that is just wrong.
^ You analogy is incorrect. The pickup's whole resonant frequency moves higher and up the frequency spectrum. This may or may not lead to a whole host of different eq effects......the wind will determine precisely what the details are. You could just as well have a stronger bass signal than before.
But its not like there is a limited signal that means more of one means less of another.....that is just wrong.
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
^ Only with the pickups you have tried and in your limited experience, and let it be added, only with perception and not with any actual measurement involved
Now here is what actually happens with pot values, taken from
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2010/10/25...does-it-affect-the-sound-of-a-guitar-pick-up/
^ Only with the pickups you have tried and in your limited experience, and let it be added, only with perception and not with any actual measurement involved
Now here is what actually happens with pot values, taken from
http://www.mk-guitar.com/2010/10/25...does-it-affect-the-sound-of-a-guitar-pick-up/
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
Seths are not bass heavy, not in the bridge or the neck. They have more of a midrange honk to them, IME.
Increasing pot value will make the pickups seem a bit brighter, opening up the top end slightly, but not change the rest of the sound, IME.
Seths are not bass heavy, not in the bridge or the neck. They have more of a midrange honk to them, IME.
Increasing pot value will make the pickups seem a bit brighter, opening up the top end slightly, but not change the rest of the sound, IME.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
Did you even read your article?
- The volume pot load can drastically change the frequency response of the pick-up.
- In fact the resonance peak causes a certain color to the sound – typically a presence boost that can help to promote clarity, but also can lead to a harsh sound.
He said the exact same thing that I did.
Did you even read your article?
- The volume pot load can drastically change the frequency response of the pick-up.
- In fact the resonance peak causes a certain color to the sound – typically a presence boost that can help to promote clarity, but also can lead to a harsh sound.
He said the exact same thing that I did.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
Sounds like you might have misread the article. All a pot value will do is dampen the resonant peak, not change it, nor change any of the other frequencies the pickup puts out. It will sound more flat in frequency response by reducing just that one peak, and that change might be perceived by some as an increase in something else, all things being relative, but that is not what is happening. The article even goes on to say that the pot value can often become nearly irrelevant given the load pedals and the amp input add to the circuit. But either way, it absolutely does not increase treble and reduce bass. It reduces the resonant peak only.
Sounds like you might have misread the article. All a pot value will do is dampen the resonant peak, not change it, nor change any of the other frequencies the pickup puts out. It will sound more flat in frequency response by reducing just that one peak, and that change might be perceived by some as an increase in something else, all things being relative, but that is not what is happening. The article even goes on to say that the pot value can often become nearly irrelevant given the load pedals and the amp input add to the circuit. But either way, it absolutely does not increase treble and reduce bass. It reduces the resonant peak only.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
If you allow more of the highs from the resonant peak from the pickups out the jack, it's expressed by the speaker as more highs and less lows. By the way, I copied and pasted those bullets from the article so maybe you misread it.
If you allow more of the highs from the resonant peak from the pickups out the jack, it's expressed by the speaker as more highs and less lows. By the way, I copied and pasted those bullets from the article so maybe you misread it.
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
Reducing the resonant peak is changing the frequency response, but it is not adding highs and reducing bass. You can't just copy the bullets you like and make a valid argument.
Reducing the resonant peak is changing the frequency response, but it is not adding highs and reducing bass. You can't just copy the bullets you like and make a valid argument.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Have new guitar with Seth Lovers - Question
Why are you insinuating that I said the total load of the guitar's circuit rewinds your pickups for you? Tell me where I said that. I'm talking about the net effect to the listener of using a 1 meg volume pot. Not lab research. In the real world, using a 1 meg volume pot lets through more of the highs from the resonant peak so that the presence of the bass is diminished.
Why are you insinuating that I said the total load of the guitar's circuit rewinds your pickups for you? Tell me where I said that. I'm talking about the net effect to the listener of using a 1 meg volume pot. Not lab research. In the real world, using a 1 meg volume pot lets through more of the highs from the resonant peak so that the presence of the bass is diminished.
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