Lollar vs SD firebird pickups?

[GuitarStv]

At first glance, they all seem to be pretty similar pickups:

The lollars are Alnico 5, 6.1k and 7.4k for the neck and bridge.
The SDs antiquities are Alnico 5, 6.4k and 7.5k for the neck and bridge.
The SD SM-1s are Alnico 5, 6.3k and 7.4k for the neck and bridge.


I guess I'm looking for the one that sounds the most single coil-y of the bunch? Have run across a few videos that I really like of the lollars. I've played the SM-1 in neck position a few times and really liked them. Haven't been able to find too many videos for the SD Antiquities.

 

[Teleplayer]

I like the Lollar mini-humbuckers because they have a nice balanced tone, and sound really good with both clean and overdrive. The SM-1 tend to be brighter as it is a true firebird construction, but both of them are reasonably clear. When you say strat like, then it’s probably SM-1 out of these two, although maybe not the first thing that comes to my mine. I understand that Mark Knopfler had a custom strat with Duncan SM-1 pickups in middle and bridge. Here is a link to video about the guitar, although it seems like there was a Roland synth pickup being used.

https://youtu.be/xr64mBz6-4A?si=UEKqI6cBHUqRnW-7&t=205

 

[freefrog]

Well, Lollar data rank the inductance of their 7.4k Firebird PU at 2.31H, slightly lower than what I've measured on a SM1 (2.56H for 7.5k) or than some published data about the Duncan Antiquity - 2.82H for the 6.7k neck Antiquity II? That's high!
On this basis alone, the Lollar might seem slightly more "single coilish"... but only if it has not more parasitic capacitance and if inductance measurements are comparable for being done at the same frequency.

All of them should do the job IMHO.

I've never found Firebird PU's so close to single coils, that said. Yes, a Firebird PU is brighter than a standard humbucker and a SM1 has a lower inductance than a SSL1... but once the tone control lowered, the SM1 sounds practically like a one magnet mini-humbucker with tone full up, and not like a SSL1. Other experiences and feelings may differ, of course. ;-)

 

[GuitarStv]

I've never found Firebird PU's so close to single coils, that said. Yes, a Firebird PU is brighter than a standard humbucker and a SM1 has a lower inductance than a SSL1... but once the tone control lowered, the SM1 sounds practically like a one magnet mini-humbucker with tone full up, and not like a SSL1. Other experiences and feelings may differ, of course. ;-)

Tone terminology is difficult sometimes. I get that they don't sound like single coils. It's that snappier and brighter response than most humbuckers that I'm after for cleans and cleanish stuff. Then like you said, it's possible to back off the tone and get a mellower sound that works well for overdriven type work.

 

[freefrog]

Tone terminology is difficult sometimes. I get that they don't sound like single coils. It's that snappier and brighter response than most humbuckers that I'm after for cleans and cleanish stuff. Then like you said, it's possible to back off the tone and get a mellower sound that works well for overdriven type work.

Understood.

I hope my post didn't sound argumentative because, TBH, I was partly replying to a past state of myself, there: a few decades ago, I liked to think of Firebird PU's as being HB alternatives to single coils. Then I've played them a bit more and realized they striked me as being their own thing... Which is good since it gave me a reason to have more guitars.

While I'm at it: I've really liked the Duncan designed mini-hum mounted in 3 PUs Vintage Modified Squier Tele's... I don't remember what were the specs of this thing but I had found it surprisingly transparent and... single coilish (!).

EDIT - The Duncan design mini-hum evoked above measured 8.3k and 2.25H. I suppose it was loaded with a not too gaussed ceramic magnet. It had apparently a low parasitic capacitance, since its resonant frequency was rather high pitched. FWIW.

 

[Teleplayer]

Strat pickups are characterised by glassy top end, and sometimes a scooped midrange. Firebird pickups don't have that IMO. They are more about peaky upper mid brightness. I wonder if it is due to two humbucker coils which are like 'identical twins', or maybe the full metal cover contributes as well.