In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

[64 Tele]

I'd only had one humbucker guitar (an ES335 from 1972 to 1982) and was never crazy about
the humbucker(s) sound with it. I gravitated to P90's after that (LP Special and LP Jr) and
P90's were my preference with Gibson's from that point.

I played single coils exclusively from 1982 to 2015 when I bought a PRS SE on a whim, though
I never cared for the humbucker pickups on it.

I got a set of SD Seth Lover pickups to put on it, and it transformed into an amazing guitar.
Every time I pick it up and play it, I am astonished by how much of an improvement in the sound it made.
I was so impressed by the change, I put Seth Lover pickups in another PRS SE I had.

Prior to this, I would not have said I was a humbucker fan.....Now, I am.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Ive had a set of Seth Lovers in an older PRS Santana SE for decades. Its still one of the best sounding guitars I have.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

They're insane mofo.

 

[Mincer]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Seths sound remarkable in a semi-hollow, and are the best if your style depends on touch-sensitivity.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

It sounds like just that jump from stock pickups to ones that really reflect what Humbuckers are supposed to sound like have won you over. I think you’d be even more of a fan if you try some of the rest of the stable in a similar vein: Pearly Gates, Jazz set, A2P set, and some of the customizations and variants like the Brobucker, S-Deco, and 59s with various magnets changed out, etc.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Seths are easily the best standard production pickups Duncan has ever made IMO.

Allowing Custom Shop models into the contest, the Phat Staple takes the prize IMO.

 

[orpheo]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

I agree. the Seth is so, so amazing. it's sweet yet clear. it can be raunchy but also clean. (and makes an insane hybrid with the A2Pro if you need something as thick as treacle, great for a bright guitar that needs fattening up).

 

[64 Tele]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

I'd played a friend's Gibson Historic 58 Standard (I think with Burstbuckers) quite a bit prior to this.
Even in a "cheap" (PRS SE Custom 24) guitar I preferred the sound of the Seth Lover's over the Gibson pickups. Warm, yet articulate.
We got our college band (see link) together a few months back to celebrate the 40th anniversary of our ep release.
The other guitar player, who has always had really nice Gibsons (SG's, LP's) started playing my PRS with the Seth Lover pickups and wouldn't play anything else the rest of the weekend.
He thought it was a really great sounding guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRbD7LbVV_Y

 

[EC Strat]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Is there any noise / squeal / feedback problems bc they aren’t potted?

 

[Mincer]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Is there any noise / squeal / feedback problems bc they aren’t potted?

If you don't use tons of preamp gain, volume, and and stand in close proximity to the amp, you will be just fine.

 

[64 Tele]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Is there any noise / squeal / feedback problems bc they aren’t potted?

No problems experienced by me. I've got them in two guitars (one is a semi hollow) and never an issue.
I'm not playing high gain amps or pedals.

 

[jeremy]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

ive never had issues with seths squealing. i dont use a ton of gain but its dirty and loud

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

I've got Seths in my Epi Dot, and they work very well there. They make some of my favorite humbucker sounds.

Is there any noise / squeal / feedback problems bc they aren’t potted?

I find that it's easier to get squealing feedback with a Seth than a '59. If I'm playing very loud, with a lot of gain (Metal Zone cranked up, or a Big Muff with the sustain all the way up) and standing close to the amp this is can be a bit of an issue. The semi-hollow body will feedback pretty easily in these conditions anyway, but the Seth will do a higher pitched weird sounding feedback that's harder to control. Never had a problem at lower volume levels or with classic rock levels of gain though.

 

[blueman335]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Seths are easily the best standard production pickups Duncan has ever made IMO.

Allowing Custom Shop models into the contest, the Phat Staple takes the prize IMO.

I wish Phat Staples didn't have the adjustable magnet (pole piece) height feature. They require a deep cavity or a hollowbody, and that has to have limited sales because of fitting issues and price. I've haven't adjust the magnet heights on mine, and wouldn't have paid extra for that feature if I could have avoided it. I'd like to see Duncan come out with a std height model. They're great in the neck slot, especially f you're going for a mid 1950's LPC vibe.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

If you don't use tons of preamp gain, volume, and and stand in close proximity to the amp, you will be just fine.

I’ve found you can also stand close to your amp screamin loud as long as you are more than 45 degrees off axis from the speaker cone.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

My Phat Staples are in an Explorer (bridge only until I can find another gold one), and a pair in my 335 Studio (I added the neck pickup rout on this guitar; it was single pickup as stock).

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

Another fan of the Seth Lover, and Antiquitys, too!

Although I don't use a ton of gain on my Mesa amps, when I have gotten feedback with this pickups it's been harmonic and musical, rather than uncontrollable squealing.

Bill

 

[Mincer]

Re: In praise of Seymour Duncan Seth Lover pickups

I have to say that the regular harmonic 'awesome kind' of feedback that is possible with the Seths is wonderful.