SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

[Thames]

Hey!

Just got back from a gig yesterday. Damn! I loooove these pickups. I have both of them in my LP. And simply wont get back to anything else! This is the most clear, articulate and natural sounding pickup I ever tried.


The Seth neck has that articulation, that clarity I do like with just the right amount of mids to compensate in that position. Soooo nice, singing sustain when used with high-gain, sweet but snarly tone with OD, and jangly warm clean tones.


The Seth bridge has that bitey tone, while having a BOLD and deep character, I really feel there's something going on inside the cover, that there's something alive in there, reacting to every subtilities from my pick attack. With high-gain, it stays clear. With OD, it shines... but bites!

Listen to Alex Lifeson (Rush) tones on 2112, that's the tone I'm after, and the Seths are the perfect match...

- Intro of the song : Strong OD (cranked Marshall), lots of string definition thru the chords.
- First part, lots of dynamics and various playing intensity, the greatest feature of the Seths. Listen to the hard-hitting section starting at 2:30 to 3:00.
- First solo @ ~3:00 : lots of bite and attack, with lots of depth, honky snarly tone, but very musical...
- Listen to the clean part @ 7:00... no need to comment on this part.
( damn! you need to hear that, I'll post a record of my playing... soon! )


I tell you, if youre into classic rock, or even modern, and you havent tried the Seths, you're really missing something. Really.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I love 'em! :bigthumb:

 

[BillG3]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I've got a set (potted, 4-cond) in my Electra with the Jimmy Page wiring mod (thank you, Robert_S for help on this). Lots of variety, lots of clarity. Really nice set of pups.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I love 'em too. I have a set in my Heritage 150.

2005 marks the 10th anniversary of the Seth Lover Model and the 50th anniversary of the PAF humbucker. We'll have a special celebration at NAMM to mark these events.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

They are amazing. I've had mine in and out of a couple of my guitars. I have them in a '61 SG/LP reissue now and so far they're incredible. This was a result of Lew's thread on the Clapton tone. The Seth seems to be in the '64 SG, post-PAF ballpark.

Jeff

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

They are amazing. I've had mine in and out of a couple of my guitars. I have them in a '61 SG/LP reissue now and so far they're incredible. This was a result of Lew's thread on the Clapton tone. The Seth seems to be in the '64 SG, post-PAF ballpark.

Jeff

Thanks! Yes I'm a Seth Lover lover too. I use a neck Seth in my favorite guitar with humbuckers, my Hamer Monoco. In that guitar it has a very fat, warm but clear tone. In some guitars, the Seth can sound just as nice as an Antiquity. In that thread about Clapton's Les Pauls and SG, Seymour recommended the Seth or Antiquity, BTW. Lew

 

[timccart]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

Have one in the bridge of an Ibanez as73 and it is sweet sounding.

 

[Seraphial]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

Beautiful, smooth and chimey. Classic rock tones galore. When I get my ES335 I'm definitely pairing it with a couple of Seths.

 

[Marcel]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I'm wondering if the Seth neck goes wit a JB bridge or if it has to much bass compared to the JB

 

[Simon_F]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I'm wondering if the Seth neck goes wit a JB bridge or if it has to much bass compared to the JB

The Seth neck has less bass than the '59 neck - it's smoother and more mid-present. Plenty of people combine a JB with a '59, so I'm sure a JB/Seth combo would work.

 

[Brow]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I have a set of Seths in my Gibson LP Standard and LOVE em'

 

[Marcel]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

The Seth neck has less bass than the '59 neck - it's smoother and more mid-present. Plenty of people combine a JB with a '59, so I'm sure a JB/Seth combo would work.

thx! JB/59 is a popular combo i know but not for me i think i like a lighter bottom end.

I heard a clip of a seth from Jeff_H or someone and it has sounded awesome.... it sounds very complex and open or however you call it...

 

[seafoamer]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

Got a neck seth in the neck of my strat,
a bridge seth in the neck of my tele,
and an original 1957 PAF in my 57 Gibson 175.

Seth Lover ownz my @ss!

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

Got a neck seth in the neck of my strat,
a bridge seth in the neck of my tele,
and an original 1957 PAF in my 57 Gibson 175.

Seth Lover ownz my @ss!

how does the seth compare to the real PAF?

 

[seafoamer]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

how does the seth compare to the real PAF?

I find them tough to compare being that the real PAF is in a completely different kind of gtr. The 57 gibson 175 is a 1 p-up only, very acoustic sounding archtop. My strat & tele are both 2 humbucker gtrs with floyd rose bridges, chambered bodies, and use both 250k & 500k pots.

Because of these vastly different setups, I can't really compare them too well. I have never took the PAF out of the gibson, & I never had the seths setup any other way then they are now. If I tried to compare them, I'd probably just be hearing mostly the differences in the gtrs/setups.

Sorry I couldn't give u more insight.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I find them tough to compare being that the real PAF is in a completely different kind of gtr. The 57 gibson 175 is a 1 p-up only, very acoustic sounding archtop. My strat & tele are both 2 humbucker gtrs with floyd rose bridges, chambered bodies, and use both 250k & 500k pots.

Because of these vastly different setups, I can't really compare them too well. I have never took the PAF out of the gibson, & I never had the seths setup any other way then they are now. If I tried to compare them, I'd probably just be hearing mostly the differences in the gtrs/setups.

Sorry I couldn't give u more insight.

Fair enough brother...I am glad you told me that as opposed to just make a comparison!

 

[NT02]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I dropped an Antiquity neck and Seth Lover bridge in my Les Paul Classic based on advise from this group. I can't tell you how many hours I've played since then. The upgrade was fantastic! I hear the nuances of playing and the true tone of the guitar so much better. I smile every time I pick that guitar up, now.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I dropped an Antiquity neck and Seth Lover bridge in my Les Paul Classic based on advise from this group. I can't tell you how many hours I've played since then. The upgrade was fantastic! I hear the nuances of playing and the true tone of the guitar so much better. I smile every time I pick that guitar up, now.

Welcome to the "Brotherhood"! Glad you like it. After a while, try an Antiquity in the bridge for comparison. You'll love that one too, I guarantee it.

Jeff

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

I love 'em too. I have a set in my Heritage 150.

Evan is a member of the Heritage Brotherhood as well?!! :saeek:

Luke

 

[NT02]

Re: SH-55 Seth Lover Appreciation Thread

Welcome to the "Brotherhood"! Glad you like it. After a while, try an Antiquity in the bridge for comparison. You'll love that one too, I guarantee it.

Jeff

Thanks! I was looking at a set of either, along with APIIs and when searching, and lucked into some good pricing on these. A couple of things surprised me about this combo: The Ant actually seems more powerful than the Seth, even though it has a lower resistance. The Ant is very present and smooth all at once, I guess balanced is the word. Also, I prefer both pickups much closer to the strings than the stock pickups. They capture such picking definition, yet do not get muddy or loose sustain this close. Awesome. So the Ant in the bridge would be nice, huh? Have to consider that, if I ever get tired of that Seth Lover bite!