I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

jones

jones

New member
Well, I've got the GAS really bad now, as you can tell from the title. I've been reading way too much about these pickups.

Anyway thought I'd ask and see what people think.

I like to play basic blues based stuff a lot, you know, minor pentatonic...
I am also into a lot more modern "shoe-gazer" type stuff, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Smiths, The Cure, Slowdive, The Pixies.
I also am into just some really popular rock/pop stuff like U2, R.E.M., Coldplay, The Killers.

I love to use delay OD and modulation effects to create soundscapes.

It seems either the Texas Hot or the Surfers could work just fine for all of this. I have considered the Surfer N/M and Texas Custom Bridge.

I just can't seem to pick one and feel confidant I won't feel the grass is greener.:banghead:

The guitar is a very resonant and light Road Worn, maple neck. I know these guitars are somewhat controversial to some around here, but this is just a great couple pieces of wood, I don't really care how it looks.

ANY thoughts and input would be appreciated.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

I can feel your pain, choosing between different degrees of awesome is a difficult position to be in.
I love my surfer set as many players here do. I have the surfer bridge which I love, where many others here prefer the Texas Hot Custom Bridge.
I personally have never played the TH pickups so I won't comment about them, however I can recommend the Surfers as a one of the best pure single coil pickup you could ever want.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

loudriver23 said:
I can feel your pain, choosing between different degrees of awesome is a difficult position to be in.
I love my surfer set as many players here do. I have the surfer bridge which I love, where many others here prefer the Texas Hot Custom Bridge.
I personally have never played the TH pickups so I won't comment about them, however I can recommend the Surfers as a one of the best pure single coil pickup you could ever want.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Surfers seem like they would be perfect for a lot of my light OD delay stuff.

Eventually I'll have two strats with each most likely. i think the Texas Hot would be great in this Road Worn I've got now. But I've got another strat, mexi 50's model with APS-1's in it now. If I put the Texas Hots in the RW, i'd have to strats with A2 pick-ups! I want at least one with A5 if I've got two guitars.

So going Surfer seems to make sense now, but in the long run I think the Texas Hots may be the best pups for this Road Worn.

But I haven't even heard in person either of these pickups! Only bits on You Tube. It would be great if there were some high quality clips around at least.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

I would say that if you're a dyed in the wool Strat lover who loves that bright but deep, glassy but crystilline tone of a REAL Strat go for the Surfers. They're the ultimate vintage style Strat pickup, IMO.

If you're a player who loves Strats but has always found them to be a little to glassy bright and wished for a tone that's a little warmer, with smooth treble and fuller mids go for the Texas Hots.

Both are superb pickups but the Surfers have the classic bright, bubbley, deep tone of the best vintage Strat pickups of all time.

I use a combo: Surfers for the neck and middle and an overwound Texas Hot Custom bridge pickup.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

Thanks for the input Lewguitar, that's part of my problem, both sound equally enticing to me. The combo of Surfer N/M Texas Custom bridge seems really cool, and tempting as well.

Any thoughts from anyone which would more suit the psychedelic (classic and modern) end of my tastes?
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

jones said:
The combo of Surfer N/M Texas Custom bridge seems really cool, and tempting as well.
Click to expand...

Go for that. It's the best of both!

There's some tricks to the wiring when combining the two models though:

1. Use the middle rw/wp surfer as the neck pickup.
2. Use the neck surfer as the middle pickup.
3. Wire the bridge Texas Hot Custom reverse of normal: white ground. black hot and to the switch.

Lew
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

Lew hit it right on the head with his description ..... I agree that for getting the most out of the one guitar go TH bridge with Surfs in the N/M. It really is a great combination.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

i think you nailed it on your 1st post. get the surfer neck and middle and the hotter texas custom bridge...its such a good combo.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

before i started using a custom shop tapped alnico II pup in the bridge, i also used surfers neck and middle with the texas hot custom bridge. great combo
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

jeremy said:
a custom shop tapped alnico II pup
Click to expand...

Do tell us more about this CS pickup.

My personal favourite single coil combination is:
B - Twangbanger
C - Five-Two
N - Five-Two RP/RW *

* This aspect is a long story. I have posted about it before. I shall refrain from boring everybody with it again.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

there is a pup called the '53 style tapped jb
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/telecaster/1953_tapped_jb/

i think it used to be called the custom shop alnico II tapped hot for tele bridge or something like that. i think its the same pup that went into the bridge of the forumcaster. anyway, i had them make me a version that would fit in a strat. same basic pup 42 pe wire with a base plate but on a strat bobbin. its not quite the same as the tele version obviously but its a damn fine strat pup.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

^ Understood.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

You guys really like the Surfer/Texas Custom bridge, I am so tempted to go that route. There will be other guitars in my future, perhaps I should just take the plunge. Anyhow, whichever way I go, I'm sure I'll be really happy with the results.

I am still wondering if anyone has a comment on my musical tastes, and if this would lead them to recommending one set in particular.

Thanks for the input guys.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

The two Ants are vastly different and I like the Ant1 much better. I don't think it is too smooth or too round at all. Nothing sounds like the Ant1, compared to it Surfer, SSL1 and APS1 are in a different corner.

IMHO Seymour had the right idea when he created the Antiquities and picked A2. It comes out like IMHO a Strat Überpickup should. The Surfer might have been created more due to market pressure from people who just won't consider A2.

I don't like the Custom bridge Ant.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

what dont you like about it?

i have both strat sets of antiquitys and they are both great but in the middle and neck i like the alnico 5 magnets slightly better
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

uOpt said:
The two Ants are vastly different and I like the Ant1 much better. I don't think it is too smooth or too round at all. Nothing sounds like the Ant1, compared to it Surfer, SSL1 and APS1 are in a different corner.

IMHO Seymour had the right idea when he created the Antiquities and picked A2. It comes out like IMHO a Strat Überpickup should. The Surfer might have been created more due to market pressure from people who just won't consider A2.

I don't like the Custom bridge Ant.
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for the input. I am always curious how the other side feels. So you don't use the custom bridge eh? Just another standard Ant1 there?

Does the Ant1 set still have nice quack in the 2 and 4 positions?
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

jeremy said:
what dont you like about it?

i have both strat sets of antiquitys and they are both great but in the middle and neck i like the alnico 5 magnets slightly better
Click to expand...

It's not that I dislike anything in particular about the Surfer.

It is just that the Ant1 is really special sounding and the Surfer is right there with my Lollar Blonde, the SSL and APS.

It might be my particular guitar and/or my particular Surfer. I'm not really equipped with a million Strats and Strat pickups. I'm just relaying my "hoppla" effect when slamming in the Ant1 for the first time and I ended up thinking "yepp, Seymour got it right the first time". That was after I used the Surfer for a year or so.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

jones said:
Hey, thanks for the input. I am always curious how the other side feels. So you don't use the custom bridge eh? Just another standard Ant1 there?
Click to expand...

Exactly. I never liked any of the awg43 Strat pickups (or just overwound? Not sure what the Custom bridge is), I don't like SSL5/6 and QP either. The only exception is the Strabro90 which sounds great in full mode in the bridge.

But, and that's a big but, I have several GE-7s, a BSM HS treble booster and other toys to fatten a vintage class bridge pickup back up. And I might still end up with a PG in the bridge.

jones said:
Does the Ant1 set still have nice quack in the 2 and 4 positions?
Click to expand...

Yes, I think it just sounds like a Strat should. It is in no way comparable to fat pickups.
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

Tastes!

:cool2:

Apart from the custom ant I bridge, I think ant I's are too soft to be "real" strat pickups. That's the way I feel. Of course, I am not claiming that that's the right way or anything.

I love those surfers. In fact, I prefer the custom ant II bridge over the custom ant I bridge. But that's just me. Meanwhile, I see and respect why so many love custom I bridge / surfer neck (in the middle) / surfer middle (in the neck).

B :)
 
Re: I can't decide which Strat Ants to get!!!! Can anybody help me!!! AARRGGHH!!

I think I will need three strats, one surf, one tex, one combo!!!!! Hahahahaha!
 
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