How to make an antiquity neck humbucker a little harder/less soft sounding?

[GuitarStv]

I want my antiquity neck to sound a little brighter/harder but still be lower output than the bridge. Les Paul, 50s wiring. Should I be looking for a magnet swap?

 

[jeremy]

id start with an a4 mag swap

 

[beaubrummels]

Or UOA5 maybe

 

[Mincer]

A brand new polished A5 might work, too. You can also get rid of the spacers.

 

[AlexR]

Try disconnecting the tone circuit.

 

[marcello252]

id start with an a4 mag swap

this

 

[GuitarDoc]

Yeah, A4 or A5 depending on how hard you want it to get. I personally would go for the A5.

 

[GuitarStv]

A brand new polished A5 might work, too. You can also get rid of the spacers.

What does getting rid of the spacers do?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Try disconnecting the tone circuit.

Or changing it out for a no-load tone. Or 1 Meg pots for the neck pickup.

 

[Clint 55]

There's a lot you can do. A4 will definitely make it sound harder and de-soften it. I don't care for A4 because it's too dry but some guys like it. A5, UOA5, or A3 would brighten it up a bit but it would still have some smoothness to it. You could also bump down your pots on the bridge pickup to 250, maybe go to a no load tone in the neck, then eq the amp brighter. This would make the neck sound brighter.

Of course I always recommend double thick A2 for the bridge because it fattens it up, but you'd have to run the pup without a cover. You could get smaller gains in the bridge pickup by swapping the aged A2 for a fully charged A2 and keep the cover.

 

[AlexR]

Or changing it out for a no-load tone. Or 1 Meg pots for the neck pickup.

Thats the long term.....if the disconnection actually does what is necessary. No point buying parts if its not effective.

 

[hamerfan]

I tried different mag combos in my Ants like A4 neck/A5 bridge, both with full A2s, both with A5 than A3neck /fullA2 bridge. I ended with A3 neck and UO A5. So this my recommendation.

 

[marcello252]

I tried different mag combos in my Ants like A4 neck/A5 bridge, both with full A2s, both with A5 than A3neck /fullA2 bridge. I ended with A3 neck and UO A5. So this my recommendation.

I always find the A3 in neck position a bit hollow on the bass side, that's why I prefer a rounder A2, isn't it a bit skinny?

 

[jeremy]

i like an a3 in the neck antiquity bucker, i dont find it hollow on the bass, but i play blues/rock/funk so ymmv

 

[eclecticsynergy]

As a first step you might try using a neo mag to recharge the partly-degaussed A2 that's in there.
It can be done in seconds without removing the pickup, and it's reversible if you don't like the change.
Subtle difference, but audible.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...121187-How-to-degauss=&viewfull=1#post1820751

 

[jeremy]

its a pretty subtle difference, id guess it wont be enough change

 

[Chistopher]

A4 will cause a boost in output, possibly more than desired.

 

[GuitarStv]

Thanks all!

I have an A3 lying around my basement somewhere, so think I'll try starting there. Sounds like A4 would be the next logical place to go if that doesn't work out. Just looking for a snappier/sharper neck sound.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

A3 has a pretty PAFish voicing, to my ear it's especially great for neck hums. Quite low output, though, even compared to A2.
The low end is reduced enough that it doesn't get mushy like A2 can, and the mids & highs shine a little brighter.
I'd say it's well worth trying, although you might want to raise the pickup a bit from where it was.

An A3 swap takes output of the Custom wind right down to the upper range of vintage output.
I remember the Custom3 as having been a viable alternative to 9½-10K hot-PAF bridge winds.

A4 is really, really nice for neck humbuckers in most cases. I like to say it has sort of a split personality.
Played clean it tends to have good definition and a nice sparkle, quite pick-responsive and dynamic.
Given some gain & volume it takes on a whole different character, smoother and singing yet a little raw. No longer polite.
Overall, I've found A4 to be nice and vintagey in both tone and feel, good for neck or bridge.
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[Wrinkleygit]

I would remove the cover before trying anything else, I think that would be the simplest option.