Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

I agree with this 100%. The stock bridge pickup was very thin and weak sounding... very lifeless. The Surfer Custom just has that extra vibe going on. :)

The Twangbanger is another winner.Doesn't really sound like a true TELE bridge pickup to me,but it's still a great strat bridge pickup.
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

I'm hijacking this old thread here as I'm curious about the antiquity pickups. They've been often compared to the best 62' sounding strat. Here is a vid with Gary Moore and his vintage 62' strat I think. Are the antiquities closer sounding to Gary's strat? I love his tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXYjEMTQRm0
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

My favorite strat has the Surfer Custom/2 Surfers. I love that combo, because it's calibrated perfectly for my taste. I just keep the bridge tone rolled back to 7 or 8, to warm it up a little bit.

I like the A5 Surfers much more than the A2 Antiquities.
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

My favorite strat has the Surfer Custom/2 Surfers. I love that combo, because it's calibrated perfectly for my taste. I just keep the bridge tone rolled back to 7 or 8, to warm it up a little bit.

I like the A5 Surfers much more than the A2 Antiquities.

Thanks, I'll be looking forward to my surfer set next week!
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

I surmise that the Antiquity Surfers are a cut or two above the SSL-1 set. Can anyone describe the differences of these two sets?

I've long had a Antiquity I set, but often wonder what I'm missing out on with the Surfers.
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

Got the surfers in my strat and they'll never leave that guitar.
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

The Surfers are the best Strat pickups I've ever used. I like them better than the stock pickups in my old '63 Strat...and those are some great pickups too!

The Surfers are stronger, livlier and ballsier...like if you could pick the three best sounding pickups out of one hundred from 1962 or 63.

They remind me of the pickups in my step brothers original '62 Strat...I compared his '62 to my '63 and always felt that the '62 Strat had slightly stronger tone.

And, of course, the 9.5K to 10K Surfer Custom bridge pickup was a needed improvement, IMO. Never liked stock vintage Strat bridge pickup sets where all three are identical....makes the bridge pickup seem weak and ice picky.

Lew

The stock strat bridge pickup doesn't sound weak or ice picky to me, with the right amp and speakers. It is sharp, edgy, cutting sounding but that's the strat bridge position tone (think Highway star, Purple haze, Foxy lady....).
I wouldn't want it any other way - that's way I hate tone pot on the bridge pickup or hot SC's in a strat. I want start to sound like a strat. 9-10K is way too much IMO. Gibson PAF HB is 7-9K!
My SSL-1 in the bridge is 6.7 and I worry it's overwound - sounds good, though..
I've red here on the forum that surfers sound hipped compared to more neutral SSL-1..
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

the custom antiquity bridges are made with thinner than #42 wire, so 9-10k isnt as hot as you think.

if you like the sound of a 6.7k strat single coil in the bridge, thats great. most people dont though. alot of it has to do with the amp too. my tweed deluxe sounds great with a vintage wind bridge pup, most of my other amps dont.
 
Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

I don't get it, why are they called antiquity - high output, different wire than in old pickups (if i'm not mistaken)... I'd call them hot "upgraded" strat SC's to work with some modern amps.
I could post a lot of clips of good ole strat tones like this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJHyZG2UUE

amateur "modern" clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emM5uhTDO1E&feature=related

but I would like to see a clip with high output strat pups sounding good and like a strat should sound
Jeremy, you are right about the amp, but the amp is a crucial part of the tone. I doubt that a strat with hotter pups with "most of your other amps" sound even close to that tweed with true strat pups and that is the problem.. That never worked for me...
 
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Re: Just got some Antiquity Surfers...WOW!

I don't get it, why are they called antiquity - high output, different wire than in old pickups (if i'm not mistaken)

the custom bridge models really arent that high output, they arent as hot as a ssl5 for example. the regular antiquitys use formvar 42 which is what the old fenders used.

Jeremy, you are right about the amp, but the amp is a crucial part of the tone. I doubt that a strat with hotter pups with "most of your other amps" sound even close to that tweed with true strat pups and that is the problem.. That never worked for me...

i gotta say that a vintage bridge pup thru my bf deluxe doesnt do it for me. the vintage neck and middle pups are fantastic but the bridge needs a little extra to get where i want it
 
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