Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

[calibre2001]

I bought a second hand 85 MIJ strat with a maple fretboard many years ago. I had changed the original pickups with Hendrix Voodoo Strat neck pup (left handed), CS56 strat middle pup & a EJ strat bridge pickup. The elecronics were changed to a blender wiring type.

I'll be straight to the point: I am not satisfied with the Voodoo neck pickup despite endless adjustments. So a new pickup it is (no magnet change recommendations please). After reading numerous reviews & watching many video clips, it has come down to either CS69 vs Duncan Antiquity II Surfer. I am personally more inclined to the Antiquity but am not sure whether there will be issues blending it together with 2 other fender pickups. Your thoughts please.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

What sorts of sound are you hoping to get?

The likeliest blending "issue" will be electrical phase and coil winding direction mismatches.

 

[DreX]

Re: Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

Cs 69 and the Ant II sound very different. The former is bright, snappy and scooped, the latter is darker with with a spongier dynamic and feel.

 

[SJ318]

Re: Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

I agree with Drex's opinion of the CS69.
Especially in the neck, BECAUSE it is so bright and snappy and scooped that it works so well there. Obviously, the neck is where the strings vibrate "bigger" or "wider" so it keeps any string muddiness at bay. I was using a 57/62 I loved, but wanted more clarity in the neck position and this did it.
I admit I have not tried the Ant. Surfers of any kind. I'd love to try it for fun, but can't afford a new pickup and my CS69 is just spot on for that position.
SJB

 

[jeremy]

Re: Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

i love my surfers, just played a 3 hour blues gig with a maple neck strat straight into my old deluxe reverb. the cs69 are brighter and more scooped than the surfers. the surfers are bright and scooped enough for me. they may be warmer than the cs69 but in the grand scheme of things they are still vintage sounding strat pups. the cs69 is closer to what hendrix would have had in his guitars

 

[DreX]

Re: Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

I wanted to say a little more, but I was on my phone, so I was brief. The CS 69's are so Hendrix that I feel like I too readily slip into cliche Hendrix riffs when I use them.

The Ant II's have a piano-like clang when you go at them. One day, before taking out some Fat 50's, I went back and forth between them and the Ant IIs, and the only difference I could find is that the Fat 50's compressed more, meaning a small amount of pick attack got you to full volume, where as the Ant II's took more attack to get to the same level. For that reason, I felt the Ant IIs were more expressive pickups, since they were more revealing of subtle picking variations.

Where the Ant IIs really shine those is cranked, with bass and drums at full volume, especially when compared to CS 69's. The CS 69's are the kind of pickup that really on a cranked combo or a Tube Screamer to add some body fat, but the Ant IIs have a naturally meaty mid range that sounds amazing cranked. The last time I used them on jam day, they brought tears to my eyes, they're glorious pickups.

 

[calibre2001]

Re: Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

Thanks for the replies & your comments are dully noted.

I haven't actually made my mind up on which pickup.
I do like the thicker sound offered by the surfer neck for a change ( I have another strat with stock fenders).

I've heard before of the issue of 'phase and coil winding direction mismatches' caused when mixing SD & fender pickups together.
Is this a major issue? How do you people usually go around this?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Query: Duncan Antiquity II Surfer neck

usually just flipping the wires fixes the phase issue