Not digging the Seth Lover

P

poundthecheddar

New member
I know I know it is some akin sin to saying anything negative about these pickups but after putting these in my Dot (which is a nice sounding guitar) I just don't like the sound. Clean they are clean but uninspiring. With gain they have the nastiest sound. I am wondering if I would better off with the Alnico II's . I even toyed with the idea of getting a JB bridge and a 59 neck as I have this in a Les Paul and they sound great. I was really hoping I could get a sound similar to Larry Carlton or a latter day Chuck Berry. The Seth's just sound very unlike what I was going for regardless of he amp I use (Boogie Mark III, Peavey Delta Blues, Fender Bassman, and Peavey Bandit) I am also wondering if my guitar repair person maybe did something wrong during the install. Does that sound possible. All opinions are welcome
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

Believe me, you can get them sounding how you want them to sound. Clean and flat = extremely versatile. You can get Seths sounding like a JB far mre readily than you could do the opposite. But with a clean pickup, you have to really know how to use your amps and effects. Seths don't have a ton of inherent tonal "coloration." That places the responsibilty on you to understand how to manipulate e.q. and gain to get the tone you want. With a Mk. III, you should have no problems whatsoever. Give the Seths more time, and really dive into that Mk. III's capabilities.
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

Thanks man. I haven't given up yet. Just frustrated. I have been using EMG's inall my guitars for about 20 years. Maybe my ears just need to read adjust. Oddly I plugged in my PRS with an EMG 81 in the bridge and an 85 in the neck and both pickups sounded clearer and smoother than the Seth's. The Seth's sound so harsh and cheap to me, which ironic because they are the most expensive humbuckers I have ever owned.
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

EMG humbuckers to Seths is a huge leap. You are used to the pickups doing a lot of the work for you; Seths want you to do everything yourself. It's akin to driving a nice modern car with a bunch of amenities for 20 years, and then getting into a '60's car with manual steering, manual drum brakes, manual choke, solid rear axle, manual windows, manual doorlocks, etc. There's gonna be a learning curve that will probably involve a lot of retraining of your muscles, and a lot of rethinking how your guitar interacts with your amp. But once you nail it, you'll be rewarded with tones that you could never get without low output passives.
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

Play a stock Fender Telecaster for a while. They will make you earn it, and work for it. Then you switch to a guitar with Seths, and it's like having some horsepower in your hands. You've just changed your guitar paradigm a huge amount. It'll take a while for your hands and ears to get used to how different they are!
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

trevorus said:
Play a stock Fender Telecaster for a while. They will make you earn it, and work for it.
Click to expand...

I like this analogy. With a vintage Telecaster or SSS Stratocaster, you need to dig in.
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

Going from actives to vintage output humbuckers is a HUGE leap, and I think if your playing developed around an active sound, it will be shocking. I don't know if you have to work more with Seths (if you did, I wouldn't like em), but you have to have a style that can get the most out of them. To those that do (or are working on it), they are worth it. However, I would have the same advice if you were going from Seths to actives.
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

Also, I have Seth Lovers in my Dot as well. I can do about anything at all with it.
 
Re: Not digging the Seth Lover

Epi Dot or Gibson? Did your tech update your pots and caps? I love the Seths I have, and I can certainly understand need in an adjustment period when changing from active pickups. The Seths are worth it, though. If you need a little more "oomph", try using just a little boost from a clean boost pedal like a BBE Boosts Grande.

Bill
 
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