Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

S

SJ318

New member
Wow,
I am surprised. The Seth was noticeably louder and far brighter than the Antiquity (both w/the same RCA5 from Ph.Luth.). Both were in the same bridge position in my 2 SG '61 re-issues, same covers, same pup height and screw height. Both used 500k SD smooth pots as well as 500k smooth pots for tone controls (same .022 caps used).
Been wanting to do that for some time and was spurned to action by a comment on my original post. Take this info as you like, but I swear on my Mothers
soul (wherever she may be) this is exactly what I hear. Enough of a difference to be surprised (to repeat myself).
Steve Buffington
 
Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

Glad you tried it out......Its something that only experience will be able to guide you on. Other rigs/players/ears really don't give any idea of the actuality of the situation.
 
Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

louder and brighter? interesting. id expect brighter but not louder
 
Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

Jeremy-
I just tried it again to make sure it wasn't the brightness that was fooling me. It wasn't, it was as if I had turned the amp up from three to four and a half. Very noticeable. Again, surprisingly louder and brighter. I wonder, with all things being equal, if there is something about the wire itself that could cause such a difference. This is an area I have no real knowledge of. Thank you for being polite to me always.
AlexR -
Yes, you are correct. These differences could not be foreseen. I am using a Princeton Reverb re-issue and a new Blues Jr. to try out these pickups and both respond the same. I liked the A4 very much, and the UOA5 also, but with my equipment, the RCA5 with the Seth Lover bridge really gets me the sound I like best. I suppose that might change in the future, like all tastes do, but this has ben a great set up for me for a while now. Thank you also, AlexR, you too have always been polite to me.
Everyone has been polite to me all these years, save one person, and that is the last I shall say of the matter.
Thank you,
Steve Buffington.
 
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Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

The wind is the single most important aspect of the pickup construction. There are so many tweakable aspects that us mere players cannot fully comprehend. And of course if you alter 1 aspect than others will also be affected. Not only is the pickup interactively variable, but the pickup/guitar and amp also mate in ways that might make 1 eq band really stand out. A lot of the crunch in a amp is in a narrow eq range. But then room, speaker and amp also combine to make some tones stand out moreso than others.
For players with any guitars it makes the right combination vitally important - you cannot afford to have to tweak your amp every time you plug in a new guitar, so the guitar/pickup/magnet become your tweaking tools. I have honestly lost count of the number of swaps I have done so that each guitar has its own tone......but not such that it is obnoxious in any 1 frequency band.
 
Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

AlexR-
Although my live playing days have become no more than once a year, I still find it endlessly fascinating tweaking my guitars, and I have many of them, like many of you. In my condition, it is a hobby and labor of love. I am very happy with all the iterations of bridge pickups and magnet swaps. As i said, the Seth w/RCA5 gives me much playing pleasure around the condo these days.
I seem to be unable to find a humbucker bright enough for the neck. Jazz/A5 etc. So for purposes of looks I have found a way to mount a Twangbanger in a humbucker cover and plate, it mounts and looks like a humbucker. I use a 53mm humbucker cover. They fit nicely in standard hb rings. I am not asking a question, just enjoy talking shop about pickups. Just like my HS strats, a true single coil neck and a Seth bridge sound great to my ears together. Well, I'll leave you folks be. Thank you for the info on the wind, differences of such, etc. They really do make a great difference. Even when they "seem" to be close in nature.
Steve
 
Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

Interesting. Being that the Ant was wound to compensate for a lower strength magnet, I would have expected the opposite. At least the brightness makes sense.
 
Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

usually the antiquity would be wound hotter than the seth at least in all the ones ive had across my bench, probably very similar wire as well. could be the strength of the magnet or ??? only half matters why, more important to have what you like
 
Re: Report: Antiquity/Seth Lover bridge - both RCA5

BluesIsBlood12 Yes,
I cannot explain the increase in output. I was still surprised at the big difference in brightness. As I said, the RCA5 both came from the same batch.
Thanks, Jeremy, I do like what I have and plan to take a break and catch up on keeping my fingers strong, as at 66 years of age and a lifetime of playing I am finally starting
to notice what can only be arthritis in my right fingers. I do have arthritis in my spine along with all the surgeries so I am not surprised. I find I am more interested these last years
in the fact that every note counts and speed will never be something I care about.
Steve Buffington
 
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