Solved my Seth Lover problem...

[Ayrton]

...by swapping in a set of Suhr SSVs.

Seriously though, I think I am just not an A2 person. The SSV bridge it just enough to my ears and I feel like I have come full circle a bit. I can’t remember if I ever tried a ‘59 bridge in a Les Paul, but I know I didn’t care for the neck.

I may revisit that later but for now I need to decide something with these Seths. Do I swap the magnets or exchange them for some more Antiquities and swap magnets in those? I am hoping the A5 in either the Seth or the Ant will get me what I hear in the SSV

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

Exchange 1 Seth for an Ant then make hybrids with mag swaps.

 

[Blille]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

Exchange 1 Seth for an Ant then make hybrids with mag swaps.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Discharged]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

I need to decide something with these Seths. Do I swap the magnets

Of course!

Seths are nearly impossible to make'em sound "bad", not even on purpose, and they gracefully take almost any alnico magnet there is, specially the neck one.

/Peter

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

I’d love to own a Suhr guitar, and I’m sure John Suhr makes a wonderful pickup. Glad it works for you!

I’m an Alnico 2 guy when it comes to humbuckers.

I can get on with Alnico 5 just fine, but I love the way I can shape the tone of an Alnico 2 Antiquity or Seth Lover or A2 modded 59 with my pick and my hands and my vibrato as if it were modeling clay.

Love that rubbery, elastic, compressible, expandable quality that A2 gives a humbucker, especially with overdriven tones.

Now if I could just figure out how to get Mike Bloomfield’s sound out of an SE...

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

Man, I've been really curious for those Suhr SSV's for a while. How would you describe them? Have you tried the WLH in the bridge? If so, how do they compare? How do they compare to the Seths?

I can't say I'm a fan of A2 for the bridge position either, personally.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

I am a little hesitant to crack open a new set of pups versus just swapping them, but I guess I can always sell them...

Rex, all PAF based pickups sound similar to me (because they are) and I seem to prefer the A5 based versions. Having said that, I love the Antiquities, but can't get the same level of satisfaction out of any other A2 based models.

The Seth bridge is close to the Antiquity bridge, but going in the "wrong" direction IMO. The SSV is the same, but going in the "right" direction if that makes sense.

I have one uncovered Antiquity in the bridge of an LP, and I plan to experiment with some magnets this week. I need to give a '59 set another go as well. I now have a much better idea of what kind of sound I want, and my amp situation is settled.

Neck humbuckers are even more difficult for me as most sound too muddy to my ears. I like more "clarity" or single coil type sound. Even the SSV neck seems like too far of a drop off compared to the bridge, but I still fiddling with it.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

MAKE A NECK HYBRID THEY SOUND MORE SINGLE COIL AND LESS MUDDY FOR EFF SAKES

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

MAKE A NECK HYBRID THEY SOUND MORE SINGLE COIL AND LESS MUDDY FOR EFF SAKES

ROFL...

Fine, hybrid out of what? I was not in the club of hybrid makers constantly trying different coils, so I haven't a clue as to what works.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

Or sell them to me, cheap

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

Whatever you got and like on their own as long as they're not too different from each other. Seth/Ant is fantastic for example.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

All of my PRS guitars, even the SE’s, have a factory stock 180 pf treble bleed cap across the volume control.

When the volume control is turned down about halfway, the 180 pf cap gives the guitars clarity and an almost acoustic guitar quality.

It really affects the sound of the A2 humbuckers I use...and for the better.

I had one PRS where I removed the cap and the sound with the volume pot turned down was very different. Muddy and murky by comparison.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

ROFL...
Fine, hybrid out of what? I was not in the club of hybrid makers constantly trying different coils, so I haven't a clue as to what works.

I'm a big fan of unbalanced coils for cleaning up neck HB's, whether using hybrids or spin-a-split. Balanced coils reduce treble and clarity and add mids, which to me, is great for the bridge but not so much in the neck slot. When coils are unbalanced, some of the single coil tones aren't cancelled out; use that to your advantage.

I make neck hybrids pairing bridge and neck PAF coils, like '59b/'59n, A2Pb/'59n, '59b/SethN, etc. When there's a 5% difference in coil resistance, you get a noticeably sharper high end and a little thinner sound, in spite of the resistance technically being higher (because of the bridge coil). When it's 10% the magic starts, and I get a sharper high end with a warmer magnet. For me, a '59b/59n hybrid with an UOA5 has been clearer and brighter than a stock '59n with it's A5. An advantage of UOA5's and A2's is getting additional color and texture to the sound.

BTW, for what I want with neck hybrids, pairing a JazzN coil with a '59N coil is too subtle to bother with. It may be a nice hybrid, but I want something more pronounced. Since we don't know the wind patterns and tensions PU makers use, you could pair up two that are similar and get no benefit. By using resistance as a guide, I know I'm getting a different coil, regardless of pattern or tension.

With your Seth's, why not make a hybrid or two with them, and/or wire for spin-a-split? That may give you what you want with the stock A2. If not, change it to a brighter magnet.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

Neck humbuckers are even more difficult for me as most sound too muddy to my ears. I like more "clarity" or single coil type sound.

My 35th Anniversary Jazz neck is all that for me, FWIW.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

I need that clarity and some “acoustic” twang from the neck pickup as well. That’s why I like the 180 pf. Cap across the guitar’s volume pot that PRS always uses. I’m convinced it’s part of the sound of PRS guitars. And probably what people live or hate about them. I’m a fan. Others prefer Gibson’s...no treble bleed cap.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Solved my Seth Lover problem...

I have Antiquitys in both of my PRS Custom 22’s. One is a 1995 and the other a 2002.

The ‘95 was in pretty rough shape when I got it. Lots of playing wear and the pots were very scratchy.

I replaced the pots and the rotary switch and wired it with a 3 way SG style switch...and did not install the 180 pf. treble bleed cap. This was years ago and so I forgot about it after a while.

But when I compared the two guitars recently I found that although they sounded identical with the guitar volume full up, they sounded very different with the volume turned turned to half...which is the way I play rhythm on my neck pickup.

The guitar with the factory installed 180 pf. Cap had the clarity and small amount of twang I like.

Installed the missing 180 pf. cap. That was just what it needed.

Please try it, Ayrton.