SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

[JPMTO]

I’m really struggling with my choice to upgrade a CS 63 Journeyman Strat with CS 60’s. The CS Shop pickups aren’t that great, especially for cutting through the mix with a band.

I play mostly slightly overdriven tones in the styles of John Mayer and Jerry Garcia.

My short list is:

- SD Antiquity Surfers
- SD Antiquity Texas Hots
- SD CS Scooped (they’re making a Big Dipper now and seems good but no videos)
- Fralin Vintage Hot
- Van Zandt Blues

What do you guys think??

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

Ooh, this is gonna be a toughy. What you asked is like going to Philidelphia and asking who makes the best cheese steaks.

My first question for you is, on what end of the vintage/vintage-hot spectrum are you looking for and what don't like about your current CS 60's? Is more cut all you want from them or is there anything else you'd like to improve about them?

Without knowing more details the best I can suggest is either the Surfers or the Vintage Hots, depending on what you are going for.

 

[JPMTO]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

Well Jim's is the best, so that's easy! Lol

So, I'm looking for something that will cut through the mix when soloing with a TS or King of Tone. The current CS 60's just don't sing enough for me. I know the sensation I want -- I have it with my Lollar Blackface in another strat. They also need to have a certain sweetness that I'm missing with these ones. I don't want the "crunch" of a Fender Texas Special, I want smoother, beefier, when playing leads. And when playing rhythm, I want that beautiful Stevie/JM/Jerry clean, glassy slightly overdriven tone. I can achieve that tone with the CS's without a band setting, but not so much with a drummer. Make sense?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

Ok, you’ve got Blackfaces which are all A5s. Which bridge do you have?

Hear me out.... A lot of the famous Mayer tones come from the Black Strat which are not Big Dippers. (Big Dippers are based on the pickups in his SRV which apparently came underwound from the factory). Apparently the Black Strat pickups are mixed magnets. One of my guitars is currently setup with APS-1 in the neck and SSL-1 in the mid and bridge. This gives a smoky, round neck tone, traditional middle and complex N/M tone that reminds me of those Black Strat tones.

So perhaps try a Texas Hot neck, Surfer middle and whatever bridge you want (Texas Hot or Surfer, Custom Bridge or Standard). Depending on if you want noise cancelling in the combined position it would change which versions you’d get...

 

[PicoRiveraTele]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

I’m really struggling with my choice to upgrade a CS 63 Journeyman Strat with CS 60’s. The CS Shop pickups aren’t that great, especially for cutting through the mix with a band.

I play mostly slightly overdriven tones in the styles of John Mayer and Jerry Garcia.

My short list is:

- SD Antiquity Surfers
- SD Antiquity Texas Hots
- SD CS Scooped (they’re making a Big Dipper now and seems good but no videos)
- Fralin Vintage Hot
- Van Zandt Blues

What do you guys think??

Do you know the DC resistance of your stock pickups? If you're having trouble cutting through the mix, I don't believe pickups will really solve the problem. It can also be the EQ disposition of your amp and cab. If you are in a situation where the pickup has to be changed, you'd have to make a dramatic change, like switch out for something with humbuckers, for example. The tiny difference between, say, Antiquities Surfers versus Texas Hots won't make much of a difference.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

This is not what you are going to want to hear, but if you can't get the sounds you want with the CS '60's pups, none of your list is going to either.

The Fenders are great sounding pickups and if I recall correctly are all in the 5.7-5.9 range.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

I really like the Surfers- they seem to have the best qualities of every vintage pickup I've ever used.

 

[JPMTO]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

Not true. I Lollar Blackface in my other strat. They are remarkably better than the CS pick ups. And it’s not me falling for voodoo. It’s the sound and the response I get from my band.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

Not true. I Lollar Blackface in my other strat. They are remarkably better than the CS pick ups. And it’s not me falling for voodoo. It’s the sound and the response I get from my band.

Fair enough, only you know what you want to hear.

Assuming you do not want another set of Lollars, the surfers get my vote. I have the Texas hots and the Fralin vintage hots as well. All three are great, but if I had to choose one, it would be the surfers.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

Surfers or Fralins.

But I agree with Ayrton.

I’m certain that if John Mayer picked up the OP’s guitar and plugged it into a good amp that he’d sound just like John Meyer.

Same thing would happen if it was Mark Knopfler.

 

[JPMTO]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

Cool. Yeah I agree. No equipment will make you sound like anyone alone. I’m just trying to get as much help as I can.

 

[JPMTO]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

One other question! Could I pair the Neck and Middle CS 60's Pick Ups with a Surfer Bridge? That might be a good test.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

You can, but you'd have to reverse the hot and ground on the Surfer.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

You can, but you'd have to reverse the hot and ground on the Surfer.

You think the Antiquity Surfer Custom Bridge would be out of phase with the Fender pickups otherwise?

If so, an Antiquity Texas Hot Custom Bridge might not.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SD Antiquity Surfer vs Texas Hot vs Fralin vs ??

The Antiquity Surfer should be opposite phase of modern Fender pickups. The Antiquity Texas Hots are not.