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Could someone explain the difference between th SSL-1s and the Surfers? Cause everyone's talking like quot;if you can afford Surfers, get them!quot;... So what's so special abou them?

thanks

First, you've got to ask yourself if you're even a vintage strat sound type of player.
If you hate the sound of stock strat pickups, you won't like either, and should go for something that suits your musical style.

If you DO love the vintage strat sound, and your ears can tell the difference between the different high end strat pickups, you'll know that the Surfers have a bit more complexity, depth, and sweetness to their sound, compared to SSL-1's. What you're paying for is period correct materials, which are made by a veteran, not an hourly employee. They come in a better package as well, which cost Duncan more money in presentation......complete with filter dust that simulates what a set of old pickups sitting in a 63 strat might look like over the course of 40 years.

The simple answer is that they sound slightly better.....enough to justify the difference in price, to a discriminating ear.

thanks... and say.. there aren't de-reliced Antiquities.. or? I mean the sound would be good for me, but I don't want a pup that just looks f***ed up...

they dont look damaged in any way, just old


Originally Posted by Kommerzbassistthanks... and say.. there aren't de-reliced Antiquities.. or? I mean the sound would be good for me, but I don't want a pup that just looks f***ed up...the Antiquity part not only applies to the look, but the tone as well...Antiquity pickups have aged magnets, so they sound like a 40 or 50 year old Strat pickup would today. As for the covers, they are not just a yellowed plastai...Antiquity Covers start out white and they become a lovely yellowed/cream colour. As for the sound...SSL-1's are great pickups, but the Surfers are made by hand by MJ in the Custom Shop and have a more complex tone, more personality, more depth, just MORE of what the SSL-1 have...not more output or more crunch, just more tone!

Yeah, but I actually wanted to kno wif there are like Antiquities with the sound, but without the old look...

Custom shop perhaps? Or use standard covers, hiding the aged look?

Yeah, if you buy Surfers and don't want the vintage look, just use the stock white covers that came with the guitar. The only difference, then, is that the polepieces look grayer, and less shiny. Honestly, unless you're dedicated to the strat singles as your main sound most of the time, there's nothing wrong with SSL-1's.

Even Lew will tell you that SSL-1's sound great in his best friend's strat.....just about equal to the strats he hears with Surfers in them.

Hmm maybe I should just go with the ssl-1s, because they'll only be mid pups anyway and I dont use that pos so much... and... they just set down the price for them at my local dealer

or... maybe I'll do something completely different and wire in a SC HB...