Seth Lover’s sound slightly too honky for my liking, any way to make them beefier?

[spu12]

Seth Lover’s sound slightly too honky for my liking, any way to make them beefier?

I recently installed some Seth Lover’s in my SG, 250k volume and 500k tone pots. I feel the sound needs a little beefing up and isn’t as warm as full as o thought they would be. Any suggestions on how to add some beef to the setup?

 

[ItsaBass]

Pickup height adjustments and amp adjustments will get Seths wherever you want them. Are these your first low output humbuckers? If so, you might just not be used to how these pickups need to be plucked, and how amps need to be set for them.

Also, while it might sound counterintuitive, since you think they are too bright, you probably want to go to a 500 K pot, so the pickups are not “leaking“ as much, and are outputting their intended frequencies at their intended levels. You can always warm them up later.

 

[spu12]

Pickup height adjustments and amp adjustments will get Seths wherever you want them. Are these your first low output humbuckers? If so, you might just not be used to how these pickups need to be plucked, and how amps need to be set for them.

Also, while it might sound counterintuitive, since you think they are too bright, you probably want to go to a 500 K pot, so the pickups are not “leaking“ as much, and are outputting their intended frequencies at their intended levels. You can always warm them up later.

I had been considering that, thinking it might be possible that the full umph of pickups isn’t being presented with the 250k. These are my first low output humbuckers so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I think that is my next move on this. The thought of replacing the magnet came up but definitely trying the tone pots first. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[AlexR]

You will get more top end presence with the 500k - thats what it tends to do more than giving you extra output. You might get a fraction of extra output, but generally its not a particularly noticeable effect....YMMV.
Seths are a honky low output pickup, the way the vintage humbuckers are. If you are wanting more oomph then another pickup is most likely

 

[Ace Flibble]

Yeah it sounds to me like what you're after is more something like a Pearly Gates or '59, if not even 'bigger'. Seths are copying 50s PAFs and 50s PAFs are "honky", sometimes "nasal", sometimes "hollow" (mostly depends on the vocabulary of the person) and generally lack anything that might be called "beef". The Pearly Gates will get you a richer variation on the PAF sound, as will the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF and the Gibson Burstbucker #3.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

With a vintage wind set you may want to try getting the bridge pickup right up close to the strings, close as you can go.
That'll give you more treble and often a bit more bass.

500K volumes were a good rec too - that's my default choice for Gibsons (though sometimes 300K can suit T-tops).

It's funny how the highs affect our perception of the mids; I found this with my Antiquity hums. In a bright guitar, they're vintage fab.
In a warm one they had too much "waugh" for me even though that axe's natural midrange isn't particularly pronounced.
It was extra presence that made all the difference IMO.

Still, SGs do typically tend to be midrangey creatures. I might've chosen a 59 set for an SG.
Haven't tried mag swapping Seths myself but if the pots aren't enough of a change, I bet they'd take UA5 or A5 mags well.

 

[Lewguitar]

I'd definitely replace the volume pot with a 500K. The Seth Lover is kind of a mellow sounding pickup to me. Not a lot of bite. 250K volume pot will make it even more mellow. So get rid of that 250K and replace it with 500K.

 

[Mincer]

In the end, you might figure out that the Seths might not be for you. If you tend to play in the lower gain ranges, short of Plexi-style distortion, they can be wonderfully dynamic pickups. But if your playing isn't so much about dynamics, they might not be right. I'd recommend 500k pots for any humbucker you choose, though, and since that is pretty cheap, start there (after height adjustments). If you still aren't happy, look at some other pickups.

 

[Leon Of Late]

Tell us what kind of music you play or want to play with them, and what amp and effects you are using. That might help us make better recommendations. Right now we don’t know if you play Honkey Tonk or Death Metal.

 

[frankfalbo]

If you’re not averse to surgery, install an Alnico 4 magnet.

 

[spu12]

Thank you all for your messages and responses. I am looking for just a clean warm style, more mids/bass tone. Don’t have a particular style yet I come from playing classical guitar the past couple years and acoustic, like mid full tones with some low end with a rumble at times.

Some background:
Amp: 65 Princeton Reverb w/12” Jensen
Pedals: MXR analog mini Delay, MXR analog Chorus

sound desire: more full Classical Guitarish tone, fingerstyle playing

 

[Lewguitar]

If you’re not averse to surgery, install an Alnico 4 magnet.

Funny you should mention that Frank. The Seth Lovers in my PRS SE Singlecut do have Alnico 4 magnets. Roughcast. I removed the polished A2 magnets.

The 59's in my other PRS SE Singlecut have 59's. The neck has RCA2 and the bridge has RCA4 from the same batch of magnets that the A4's in my Seths came from.

The 59B with RCA4 has more bite and pushes my amp more aggressively than Seth Lover B with RCA4 does.

Both sets are uncovered and adjusted the same distance from the strings.

And both guitars are virtually identical.

Something about the Seth Lover bridge seems to keep it from having the same bite and aggressiveness (for lack of a better word) as the 59B, even with identical magnets.

The Seth just sounds more polite and it has less of a "rock n roll" attitude.

 

[Clint 55]

You can remove the cover on the bridge pickup and install a double thick (A2) magnet. That will increase the output and make it thicker. I assume you're mostly talking about the bridge pickup. You can also change the magnet on the neck pickup if you want to fine tune things.

 

[Lewguitar]

You can remove the cover on the bridge pickup and install a double thick (A2) magnet. That will increase the output and make it thicker. I assume you're mostly talking about the bridge pickup. You can also change the magnet on the neck pickup if you want to fine tune things.

The Seths in my PRS SE are double creams and I'd hate to give up on them. They sound good but the pickups in my other two PRS SE Singlecuts sound better (to me) so I don't play the one with Seths very much.

I'm thinking I might put RCA5 in them and see what happens.

 

[spu12]

Thanks for sharing your PRS and also all for the magnet change recommendations. I’m definitely not opposed to surgery.

The neck pickup is what I’ll be primarily using to get a beefier rounder sound.

 

[Clint 55]

Thanks for sharing your PRS and also all for the magnet change recommendations. I'm definitely not opposed to surgery.

The neck pickup is what I'll be primarily using to get a beefier rounder sound.

I see. I recommend installing a double thick A2. It helps a lot. I have a 59 set with double thick A2s that I use to get a beefier sound for jazz.

 

[Clint 55]

The Seths in my PRS SE are double creams and I'd hate to give up on them. They sound good but the pickups in my other two PRS SE Singlecuts sound better (to me) so I don't play the one with Seths very much.

I'm thinking I might put RCA5 in them and see what happens.

I could send you some double thick RCUOA5s and RCA6s that I bought on accient. They really help with beefing up the bridge in vintage winds. You should give em a shot since you prefer vintage style PAFs.

 

[ItsaBass]

I had been considering that, thinking it might be possible that the full umph of pickups isn’t being presented with the 250k. These are my first low output humbuckers so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I think that is my next move on this. The thought of replacing the magnet came up but definitely trying the tone pots first. Thanks for the suggestions.

Well, there ya go. You just don't know how to use classic style humbuckers.

Start by turning your amp up.

 

[spu12]

I see. I recommend installing a double thick A2. It helps a lot. I have a 59 set with double thick A2s that I use to get a beefier sound for jazz.

thank you I will try this! First the 500k pots

 

[spu12]

Well, there ya go. You just don't know how to use classic style humbuckers.

Start by turning your amp up.

Simplest answer but it is true!