So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

[d1dsj]

Short review.
Had the Custom Surfer in, thought I wanted more power whilst retaining a vintage vibe so I swapped it out for an SSL5. Well I tried it and adjusted the height several times and eventually realised it was just lacking something and by comparison it sounded flat. The SSL5 isn't bad by any means, and although I'm fairly new to single coils my opinion is that the Ant has Mojo, it's kind of 3D... phat, loads of clarity and yet punchy with some spank. So the Ant, Surfer is back in for good.
Lesson learned!
That's it. :friday:

P.s another nod to GJ, he did tell me the Custom Surfer was pretty much the ideal Strat pick up!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

Is Custom Surfer another name for an Antiquity Strat Custom, Bridge 1024-01 ?

 

[d1dsj]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

Is Custom Surfer another name for an Antiquity Strat Custom, Bridge 1024-01 ?

Not sure, but it is an overwound Ant, it measures 9.7k. Ah, it is this one
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/antiquity/stratocaster/1102409_08_10_a/

 

[wolf5150]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

9.7K on a true single is gonna be noisy as hell in a gig or under gain... how do you deal with it ?

Is it potted ? I thought antiquities weren't .

 

[d1dsj]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

Although I haven't gigged with it, I have tried it at volume and it's no worse than the other singles I've tried... although it sounds fantastic!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

Just done some checking. My pickup is definitely an Ant 1 Texas Hot Custom Bridge. The eBay auction listing misdescribed it as an Ant II Surfer. Not massively bothered. This baby reads 10.22k. I paid the equivalent of fifty Dollars for it.

Regarding using single coil pickups through high gain valve amplification. When the tone is good, it is surprising exactly how much hum and buzz it is possible to forgive.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

Just done some checking. My pickup is definitely an Ant 1 Texas Hot Custom Bridge. The eBay auction listing misdescribed it as an Ant II Surfer. Not massively bothered. This baby reads 10.22k. I paid the equivalent of fifty Dollars for it.

Regarding using single coil pickups through high gain valve amplification. When the tone is good, it is surprising exactly how much hum and buzz it is possible to forgive.

Excellent price. You are right about Hum but this one genuinely doesn't seem too bad. I'm glad I've tried the SSL5 because I now know how good the Ant is! I'll put it away for another day.

 

[jimo]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

You just don't hear too many bad things about the Ants..........ever.....Cheers! JIMO

 

[wolf5150]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

You haven't gigged it ??

No wonder you think it's quiet.

I'll book you for a gig in the Farmers Arms near me mate... then tell me hum doesn't matter if the tone's good... you won't hear the note over the hum in that place , the electrics are terrible !!!

When I 1st got my Suhr with his V60's , I took it to a gig there and had to go home for another guitar because the noise from true singles was unbelievable.

I switched to Kinmans and haven't looked back since. :beerchug:

 

[jimo]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

I was just talking to a tour veteran, and he said the best investment you'll ever make is a power conditioner....hmnnn...

 

[wolf5150]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

I looked into them a long time ago.

They don't make one that's affordable for my system because I go direct into my desk and out through powered speakers.

Buying noiseless singles was a LOT cheaper. :approve: :approve: :approve:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

The Surfer Custom/Surfer set is calibrated and voiced the way you always wanted a vintage strat to sound. Because of that, I've weeded through many other strat sets, enjoying what they offer, but ultimately the Surfers sound right.

I usually set the bridge's tone around 7-9, just to get it's treble right where I want it. Other than that, it's a perfect blend of balance and clarity.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

You haven't gigged it ??

No wonder you think it's quiet.

I'll book you for a gig in the Farmers Arms near me mate... then tell me hum doesn't matter if the tone's good... you won't hear the note over the hum in that place , the electrics are terrible !!!

When I 1st got my Suhr with his V60's , I took it to a gig there and had to go home for another guitar because the noise from true singles was unbelievable.

I switched to Kinmans and haven't looked back since. :beerchug:

Ha ha... some of the places we have played have been rough too.... the people being nearly as dodgey as the electrics! The worst places are the ones with flourescent tubes/ halogen lighting and my Cornfords are very sensitive when it comes to noise anyway... I live with it. I have tried this guitar at gigging volumes and it's no worse than the other singles I've had or tried but it is a very good point you raise and I always take a couple of guitars anyway.

My band plan on mixing things up a bit more in the coming year and we plan on adding some Jimi, SRV, Floyd and others into our set where I can use this G&L to full effect... can't wait!:friday:

 

[Stratman]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

The Surfer Custom/Surfer set is calibrated and voiced the way you always wanted a vintage strat to sound. Because of that, I've weeded through many other strat sets, enjoying what they offer, but ultimately the Surfers sound right.

I usually set the bridge's tone around 7-9, just to get it's treble right where I want it. Other than that, it's a perfect blend of balance and clarity.

I do almost the same thing, but I set the Bridge pup with the amp for my lead tone, then balance out the Neck pup for my rhythm tone.

It take a bit of going back and forth setting up the pup to string distance, but once you have it set-up properly, nothing is better.

 

[Despair]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

If you like Seymour Duncans, you don't have to go Kinman to go noiseless. Even pretty picky players have been happy with the Stack Plus series. As long as you aren't the sort to be nostalgic for noise, or have a need to simulate swarming bees at random during your set...

STK-S series has equivalents to the SSL-2 Vintage Flat, SSL-3 Hot and SSL-6 Custom Flat, and also adds the Vintage Hot Stack Plus and YJM Fury models.

How much tone are you losing to the noise? Even if you find noiseless don't work for you in the studio, they may be better live.

Still, with no exact match to your favorite pickup, can see why you might just choose to suffer.

Or at least, to pursue other ways to bring noise under control. Might look into a Rocktron Hush or other noise filters/gates.

Power filtration is good advice in general, can really extend the life of amps and signal processors, as well as making them perform more predictably, instead of tone varying with wall voltage...

Also, you could look into shielding your guitar, or adding a noise-cancelling coil to the guitar, instead of the pickups. Will cost you high end, and since it's applied to all pickups, usually is less perfect noise cancelling than building it into the pickups, but it's also easier to switch it in or out when not needed where you are playing (or when bee swarm simulation is required).

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

Short review.
Had the Custom Surfer in, thought I wanted more power whilst retaining a vintage vibe so I swapped it out for an SSL5. Well I tried it and adjusted the height several times and eventually realised it was just lacking something and by comparison it sounded flat. The SSL5 isn't bad by any means, and although I'm fairly new to single coils my opinion is that the Ant has Mojo, it's kind of 3D... phat, loads of clarity and yet punchy with some spank. So the Ant, Surfer is back in for good.
Lesson learned!
That's it. :friday:

P.s another nod to GJ, he did tell me the Custom Surfer was pretty much the ideal Strat pick up!

I've used both and my favorite is the Twangbanger though....The SSL5 is darker,has more mids,and a bit more in the lows compared to the Surfer bridge...My current fav combination(and has been for several years) is a Surfer/Surfer/Twangbanger..

In another Basswood body strat I have an SSL5 in the bridge and APS2s in the neck and middle...This is a fairly bright guitar for some reason?

Alot of folks love the SSL3 and it might be worth looking into? Ask Curly about it..

 

[jeremy]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

the custom ant I and custom ant II are both really cool pups. the 10k isnt as hot as you think since it isnt made with #42 wire like the normal and rw/rp models that are 6.5k

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

9.7K on a true single is gonna be noisy as hell in a gig or under gain... how do you deal with it ?

Is it potted ? I thought antiquities weren't .

You know man I've never had the feedback problems with single coils everyone talks about. I get a little hum when I'm not playing, but I never ever get feedback on my strat unless I want it, and that's into a cranked hot rod deville or dual showman.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

I've just put my gear away having played pretty darn loud today. The G&L is Ash body/ maple board and neck, Custom surfer/ Zhang RWRP/ Zhang into my MK50, Hurricane and Marshall 2554 and it sounded fantastic through all of them. In a gig situation I would just flick to position 2 or 4 to silence things between songs. But honestly, what a sound.... it sounds absolutely fabulous and bear in mind I've been a LP/ Humbucker player for so many years. So musical, woody.... very 3D... hard to explain. Feedback was not much worse than my H/B guitars... yes I did have to be mindful of controlling it but it was not as bad as I thought. My LP'57 R.I with a Brobucker suffers about the same amount so I'm not too worried! The only limitation I see if I'm being brutally honest is me. I'm used to hiding behind the power of a 'bucker but I'm really enjoying the clarity of pure sound of this guitar and ultimately my playing should improve.

 

[jeremy]

Re: So I compared SSL5 to Custom Surfer....

i dont have feedback issues either or hum issues for the most part. when im not playing i roll the volume off on the guitar. nothing pisses me off more than watching a musician on stage letting their stuff hum or feedback cause they didnt roll back the volume between songs. when i am playing im way louder than any hum.

there are places with really crappy wiring that can be extremely noisy but i dont run into them all that often.