What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

[IMENATOR]

I am going thru a Led Zeppeling kind of phase so I feel compelled to get some greenbacks and a vintage PAF bridge humbucker. It is really hard to find the antiquity paf humbucker in stock here and also SD custom shop pickups get very expensive here in Mexico for some reason. What SD production model should I try to get close to that SD Antiquity PAF humbucker sound? It really sounds epic on the demos. Should I just try a Seth Lover and wax pot it? The 59 does not sound bad at all but I think it is a different kind of sound. What about the DiMarzio PAF 36th Aniversary? I read mixed reviews, it does not seem to sound as good as the Antiquity but is more budget friendly.

 

[Karan D. Taktawala]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

I am going thru a Led Zeppeling kind of phase so I feel compelled to get some greenbacks and a vintage PAF bridge humbucker. It is really hard to find the antiquity paf humbucker in stock here and also SD custom shop pickups get very expensive here in Mexico for some reason. What SD production model should I try to get close to that SD Antiquity PAF humbucker sound? It really sounds epic on the demos. Should I just try a Seth Lover and wax pot it? The 59 does not sound bad at all but I think it is a different kind of sound. What about the DiMarzio PAF 36th Aniversary? I read mixed reviews, it does not seem to sound as good as the Antiquity but is more budget friendly.

Mista Lova Lova!

Seth Lover


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GrilledChickenSalad]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

Nothing will be exact. Only close.

Some close options are the Pearly Gates, Seth Lover, and Alnico II Pro. If you are going for the Antiquity tone, save up a little longer and get the Antiquity.

 

[freefrog]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

IMHO/IME...

-Seth = closest to Ant's among the "production models" that I've tried [EDIT to complete this hasty claim: because these are the only mass produced Duncan HB's with unpotted coils on butyrate bobbins, for that sligthly microphonic quality that potted coils on cab bobbins haven't. Obviously, they haven't quite the same EQing but my own experience makes me think that swapping the mag of a Seth for a degaussed one would give something close enough to an Ant, with just less DCR and inductance. YMMV.]

-Wax potting a Seth wouldn't be a good idea: butyrate bobbins would melt (and burnt butyrate smells like vomit. LOL). If you want a potted Duncan, something like the PG mentioned above would be a better idea... [But I've played Seth's in a cranked up 50W Marshall without squealing, FWIW].

-DM 36th's are an attempt to emulate a P.A.F. sound with modern recipes (patented by DiMarzio). Some players like it. Personally, I find this model artificial sounding and would vastly prefer a Seth or PG. YMMV.

BTW, if you want a "post 1972" Page tone, what you need is a T-Top clone, not a P.A.F. copy, AFAIK / if memory serves me.

FWIW. Good luck in your choice...

 

[Mincer]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

I'd just look for a 59. It is about the closest production pickup to the Antiquity. The Seth has more mids than both the Antiquity and 59, and might prove as hard to find where you are as the Antiquity.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

If look for the Later Zep sound (after his bridge pup died), look into a set of Jazz (SH-2).

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

I chased that sound. Of the stock sets, Alnico 2 Pro set did the best for me. The next option that did a little better for me was a Seth neck in the neck and a 59 neck in the bridge.

I’ve read on this forum a Jazz neck with a short bar A5 is close to a T-Top, that in the bridge and a Seth neck should work reasonably.

Problem is, no set will do it all because his sound changed. He had at least 5 different Les Pauls and repaired one of them, which changes the sound.

For example, a Distortion bridge with a Jazz neck did the best sounding Black Dog, and worked for all the fuzzy buzzy small amp sounds he did but not for any of the more biting big amp sounds.

 

[blueman335]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

Some of us are less than thrilled with the stock degaussed A2's in Antiquities. They're a weak magnet at full strength. Seems like a good part of recommendations and praise for Ants comes from players who've never actually owned them, they just assume they're great. I like Seth's much better. My other favorite Duncan PAF's are WLH & A2P.

 

[Discharged]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

Just like blueman335, I'm not that thrilled with Ants and its stock degaussed mags, but they extremely gracefully take mag swaps. In their different musical contexts, mag combos like A3/A2, A3/UOA5, UOA5/UOA5, shortA4/longA4 and A4/A8 all sound excellent. A customer of mine just got an A2/A6 mag combo, so in the next future I'll finally have a go with a 2002 std LP, although the first impression was pretty encouraging, considering his tonal wish.

/Peter

 

[BluesIsBlood12]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

Since he's in a Zep phase, how come nobody mentioned Whole Lotta Humbuckers yet? I'll grant you that stock they are quite different than Ants, but it may be what he's looking for. I like them better with A4 or A2, but my LP is bright.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

Since he's in a Zep phase, how come nobody mentioned Whole Lotta Humbuckers yet? I'll grant you that stock they are quite different than Ants, but it may be what he's looking for. I like them better with A4 or A2, but my LP is bright.

Whole Lottas are great pickups, but they aren’t as Zep-ish at the name would lead one to believe.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

Wow, the number of posts is in double digits and no one has mentioned Teles and soundboards? That's a new record!

I'd say a set of 59 necks in both neck and bridge would get you the best "vintage correct" Jimmy Page Les Paul vibe, but I don't quite think that would be the best thing. Most of that man's tone was in the fingers or him and his studio engineers.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

Wow, the number of posts is in double digits and no one has mentioned Teles and soundboards? That's a new record!

I'd say a set of 59 necks in both neck and bridge would get you the best "vintage correct" Jimmy Page Les Paul vibe, but I don't quite think that would be the best thing. Most of that man's tone was in the fingers or him and his studio engineers.

Maybe because I specifically asked about the Antiquity. I am not an obsessed tone chaser, I just got the bug of classic rock sounds, again.

By the way, after reading Mincer's comment about the 59 I tried to listen to the demos again, the neck is sweet. However I also found the Saturday Nigth Special, those sound sound super nice both on LPs and Strats, did not see it coming honestly. Any body here using them? Opinions?

 

[blueman335]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

'59's are bright & mid-scooped, that may or may not be what you want. In the neck of LP's they can be bassy/boomy (don't have that issue very often in other guitars). I like an UOA5 in '59B's for a richer, warmer tone, and an A4 in a '59N takes out the excess low end.

 

[Aceman]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

'59's are bright & mid-scooped, that may or may not be what you want. In the neck of LP's they can be bassy/boomy (don't have that issue very often in other guitars). I like an UOA5 in '59B's for a richer, warmer tone, and an A4 in a '59N takes out the excess low end.

And that's why you want a PG neck and a 59 Bridge!

 

[SJ318]

Re: What production model sounds closer to the Antiquity PAF Humbucker?

I agree with blueman335, BluesIsBlood12,
But for me, a Seth Bridge with a RCA5 Mag nails that early Page live sound before he broke his original double white bobbin pickup and had a double black bobbin wound like a T-Top (which I personally disliked). The WLH is a bit thicker in the mids than Page's original Les Paul live sound, and a bit grittier too, (A4 mag swap on the WLH sounds like a good idea) but I have both and they are my favorite pickups for all of the late '60's early '70's PAF type sounds. Again, the Seth needs an RCA5 for me to get there. I have had a really good PAF, a hot one read almost 9K, had a RC mag of some sort, but I needed the money, sold it for 1,500.00 bucks, and MJ (at the custom shop) helped me re-create that sound with the Seth and mag mod.
blueman335 and all the others here know much more than I do, but I thought I would add my 2 cents, FWIW.
SB