Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

Ryan84

Ryan84

New member
Because I liked the Antiquity Surfer set I previously owned and how they sounded, BUT I'd like them just that little bit less hot. Which would essentially give them less mids and make them slightly less dark right? Can they aim to get a set at a certain output like 5.8K or is it like not that exact. Would this also make them sound a little less FAT? That would also be a good thing just for me and my personal taste. Any other thoughts about this would be appreciated. Along with maybe what it may cost to custom order this.

Also, would they wind me two at 5.8K I could use for the neck and middle only in a Strat? I don't like RWRP middles.

It's why I went back to my Custom Shop 69 set. I just preferred them as they weren't wound as hot.

But I have this notion, that I would prefer an Antiquity Surfer to them if and ONLY if they were underwound to 5.8k.
 
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

Why don't you ask them for a surfer set that's a little brighter and a little weaker, rather than telling them exactly what to wind it to? Tell them the tone that you want and let them work their magic. I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but it's what I would do in your situation.
 
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

guitardeth3 said:
Why don't you ask them for a surfer set that's a little brighter and a little weaker, rather than telling them exactly what to wind it to? Tell them the tone that you want and let them work their magic. I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but it's what I would do in your situation.
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That makes sense too. I'm most likely gonna give the Custom Shop a call when they open but just was wondering everybodys thoughts as a preliminary thing.

Would it be unlikely that they even had some at the shop on inventory that were wound lower anyways? Based on inconsistencies. I know that Duncan and Fender for example have like a +/- 10 threshold on what gets passed. Like a Surfer neck position in one set may be 6.8k and in another be like 6.0k.

It's probably not too difficult for them to do. Keeping all variables the same when making a Surfer pickup just less winds being the only difference. Since I like everything else about how they sound except the extra output. Even them having a fatter sound to be honest isn't a bad thing.
 
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

Well, the problem is that the custom shop (and all of seymour duncan AFAIK) winds a pickup to a certain number of turns - the resistance rating is just a range. Really, it should include the +/- 10% error bars for various things beyond SD's control (temperature etc).

On top of that, so much affects eq (magnet choice, wire pitch, wind pattern, what type of wire you use, whether or not the guitar is shielded, etc etc etc) that saying weaker = brighter, less mids isn't always correct. For example you'd think the bg1400 (30k DCR) SD makes would be all mids and darker than a chalkboard covered in shoe polish but by all accounts it still sounds like a telecaster pickup.

If your only problem is output level, I feel like it would be cheaper and easier just lowering the pickup than ordering a custom with ~.4k taken off. Or, you could even get a 500k volume pot and keep it on 7 so you'd have the same tone you get now but lower output. Or, you could turn your amp down, unless you use a non-mv amp and switch guitars frequently. Even then, non-mv amps only have one volume control so some tape or a marker could let you adjust it between songs accordingly unless (1) you play songs with wildly varying gain levels, (2) that have wildly varying eq settings (ex. if you're in an avant-garde jazz dubstep ensemble)

Alternatively if your qualm is EQ then there's a bevy of pedals that do both EQ and boost for less $$$ than a custom-wound surfer pickup.
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

Asking for a specific DC resistance isn't real practical, and if you ask for a "brighter" Ant II, their idea of bright might differ from yours, so instead you could do the Lindy Fralin thing and request a percentage underwound, like 7% under wound ought to do it, and then then can do the wind count math.

I think an Antiquity single coil with a mildy degassed A5 or A3 in the high 5's would be a hot seller; something tasteful to compete with the awesome sounding but otherwise ordinarily packaged CS '69.

Lowering the pickups definitely isn't equivalent to an under wound pickup at the same height. I'd say pickup height changes the dynamics, attack and overall output more than the perceived brightness. The peak resonance is pretty much a fixed property of a pickup. When I was doing frequency sweep tests with an inducer coil, one thing I noticed was not no matter how high I set the inducer coil over the pickup, the peak frequency never changed, the entire curve would raise or lower in amplitude, but it held the same EQ response shape between 100 Hz and maybe 15 kHz, regardless of height.
 
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

An underwound ant?

Just email MJ and ask for an underwound antiquity.


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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

yes they can do it. call them and tell them exactly what you typed

Because I liked the Antiquity Surfer set I previously owned and how they sounded, BUT I'd like them just that little bit less hot. Which would essentially give them less mids and make them slightly less dark right? Can they aim to get a set at a certain output like 5.8K or is it like not that exact. Would this also make them sound a little less FAT? That would also be a good thing just for me and my personal taste. Also, would they wind me two at 5.8K I could use for the neck and middle only in a Strat? I don't like RWRP middles.

It's why I went back to my Custom Shop 69 set. I just preferred them as they weren't wound as hot.

But I have this notion, that I would prefer an Antiquity Surfer to them if and ONLY if they were underwound to 5.8k.
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

If you like the Fender 69's call and ask about the psychedelic strat set.


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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

Farkus said:
If you like the Fender 69's call and ask about the psychedelic strat set.
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A set of three Psychedelic Strat pickups cost $330.00, versus $200 for a set of three CS '69. Based on the product description of the Psychedelic Strat, scooped mids, lots of high, lots of lows, and nearly identical DC resistance, I wouldn't wager that the Psychedelic Strat pickups stand apart from the cheaper CS '69's enough to justify the custom shop prices and wait time.
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

DreX said:
A set of three Psychedelic Strat pickups cost $330.00, versus $200 for a set of three CS '69. Based on the product description of the Psychedelic Strat, scooped mids, lots of high, lots of lows, and nearly identical DC resistance, I wouldn't wager that the Psychedelic Strat pickups stand apart from the cheaper CS '69's enough to justify the custom shop prices and wait time.
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Have you played the Psychedelic set?
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

No. For the reasons I stated I went with the CS 69's. My last custom shop order was Stra-Bro 90's, something you definitely can't find anywhere else.
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

I dunno... the magnets are already weakened... degaussed magnets + less turns? That guitar is gonna be soooo quiet.

The OP might have a hard time getting any decent output out of it. If one wants less winds on an Antiquity, they'll probably want fully charged magnets.

The weakened magnets have a lot to do with the rounded highs and pronounced midrange. The winds and aged magnets also contribute to their darker tone.

I like the darker tone of the Antiquities, it allows one to crank the treble a but more on the amp side resulting in gorgeous detail and fine texture.
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

So then you can't say exactly how they differ or if they are actually worth it. You might actually like them over the 69s but you won't know till you try them.
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

Rockstar216 said:
So then you can't say exactly how they differ or if they are actually worth it. You might actually like them over the 69s but you won't know till you try them.
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I might buy a set some day, but I think all things being apparently equal, it's just prudent to start with the least costly option and go up from there. I'm a big Texas Special fan and I've bought pickups that were nearly identical spec and description wise just to appreciate the tiny differences, so I'm not averse to the idea.
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

zenmindbeginner said:
I dunno... the magnets are already weakened... degaussed magnets + less turns? That guitar is gonna be soooo quiet.

The OP might have a hard time getting any decent output out of it.
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I've never found quietness to be an issue, you can just crank your amp up. The bigger problem is an anemic EQ response where it seems like no matter how loud you turn up your amp, none of the good frequencies are awake and sober.

I agree to an extent though, I have Lolllar Tweeds on hand with A2 and low wound to only 5k, and it did sound too thin and brittle, but I think degaussed A5 wound closer to 5.8k wouldn't share it's problems.
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

DreX said:
I've never found quietness to be an issue, you can just crank your amp up. The bigger problem is an anemic EQ response where it seems like no matter how loud you turn up your amp, none of the good frequencies are awake and sober.

I agree to an extent though, I have Lolllar Tweeds on hand with A2 and low wound to only 5k, and it did sound too thin and brittle, but I think degaussed A5 wound closer to 5.8k wouldn't share it's problems.
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What I am telling myself as I play my set of Surfs (been playing them everyday lately) is that I wouldn't want them any weaker... but I totally agree that I am enjoying cranking my amp up! : )
 
Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

Just FYI - The neck Surfer I had was 6.7k (6.67 exact If I remember right) on the card. Way TOO high for me when I like pups around the 5.8K range in a strat. So that was also unfortunate about the set I bought that the neck was hotter by chance. I know people are saying the output k number doesn't necessarily mean darker or more mids, but In my experience it sure as hell correlates. They were too dark even with my maple neck 50's Roadworn!!

The thing about Duncan Antiquities is the depth they have. But what I love about the Custom Shop Fender's like the 69's is the sparkly chime. I feel like If I could have both it would be a dream. I'm considering ordering maybe just one Surfer underwound to try out in the neck first. I can't see regretting it.
 
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

DC resistance can vary based on temperature, but of course the wind count doesn't. They say the Antiquities are supposed to be period correct, so I think they might not even have a precise wind count in order to simulate the imprecision of the vintage pickups they're based on. Uniqueness is part of the fun with Antiquities.

Ryan84 said:
The thing about Duncan Antiquities is the depth they have. But what I love about the Custom Shop Fender's like the 69's is the sparkly chime. I feel like If I could have both it would be a dream. I'm considering ordering maybe just one Surfer underwound to try out in the neck first. I can't see regretting it.
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I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't tried SSL-1s on account of their seeming superfluous to my collection, but from what I'm told, they might be what you're looking for, darker that 69's, brighter than Ant II's.
 
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

DreX said:
DC resistance can vary based on temperature, but of course the wind count doesn't. They say the Antiquities are supposed to be period correct, so I think they might not even have a precise wind count in order to simulate the imprecision of the vintage pickups they're based on. Uniqueness is part of the fun with Antiquities.




I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't tried SSL-1s on account of their seeming superfluous to my collection, but from what I'm told, they might be what you're looking for, darker that 69's, brighter than Ant II's.
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One step ahead my dude. Tried them and much preferred the Surfer by a long shot.

Pickups I've tried (single coils):

Fat 50's (love in neck position)
Tex Mex (plinky, boring)
Texas Special (too much mids/hot)
Custom 69 (loved)
Antiquity Surfer (liked)
SSL-1 (meh)
SSL-5 (love in bridge only)

The Surfer sounded the best for me in position 2 and 4 especially (the in betweens)
 
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Re: Would Duncan Custom Shop Make An Underwound Antiquity Surfer Set (like 5.8K)?

I've thought this would be a cool idea for some time now, but I think I just want to see how it sounds... I think it would be more of an experiment for me than a definitive tone answer. (Plus they'd probably more difficult to sell than a standard set if I didn't like them)

jimijames said:
(ex. if you're in an avant-garde jazz dubstep ensemble)
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Ah, you've seen my side project! ;)
 
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