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Ok, I just did a pickup swap on my R8 Les Paul...I took out the Burstbuckers (a 1 and a 2 wounds by P.S.), let me start by saying that these pickups are better that good pickups, in fact IMO, these are the best Gibson pickups since the late 60's! They had a good, solid tonal range were not muddy and had a hollow/boxy midrange honk that all good PAF's have. That said I felt that they lacked some clarity and string to string defination as well as a little mojo (the mojo could just be my brain telling me that stock pickups need to be removed, but I do know that they lacked clarity and defination), also the bridge lacked just a little quot;stingquot; to my ears. I just got done giveing my new pickups a workout...I dropped in a set of Antiquitys...WOW!!! The neck measures 7.76k while the bridge comes in at 8.59k...for those wondering no, I didn't take the covers off, but I did remove some pole screws and know that both screw coils are cream, so at worst...I have a set of Zebras. Let me start off by saying that these pickups look amazing...nicely aged covers that do not look at all fake. The best part by far was the TONE! They are more difined that the Burstbuckers by far and the defination of these pickups is unreal...now, I do not play under very high gain so I have no idea if I could tune down to B and chug power chords and hear all the notes, and I don't care...that's not what these are for. Great clarity...an almost like 3D clarity, and a depth that I have never heard from any other pickup before, as well as amazing string to string defination The bridge was just a tad spankier than the bridge BB (which is good). Both pickups have a very warm woody tone with killer sparkle and even sound chimy in clean settings. I was worried that the bridge would be a little on the weak side but that's not true at all, I feel like they have just the right amount of quot;heatquot; to get a good crunch tone but still stay clean when you want to play clean. I don't even feel the need to try and tweak the height or the poles that much to be honest...it's safe to say I LOVE THESE PICKUPS and now my LP looks, feels AND sounds perfect.

HOLY GOD Christian! I bout went cross eyed reading through that! Kool you like the new p/ups though! Better than the ol BL L90s?

I'll tell ya...I prefer PAF style pickups, and these Antiquity's are some of the best I have ever tried. I have to say it agian...the Burstbuckers are NOT bad pickups in fact there are a few little parts of the Burstbucker tone that I miss! As for the Lawrence L-90's, they are not really PAF in tone or feel at all but they are a good but thicker/warmer than any other BL I have ever used, I like them alot. They have a tone all of teir own...warm but still very raw sounding, great for really nasty Rock n roll. I think Im gonna convert that Strat with the L-90's back to an S/S/S Strat but if I do I will be puting the L-90's in something else for sure.

These Antiquity's have a very warm organic woody tone that I relly dig...the Burstbuckers have a lot of the same tone but are not as clear as the Ants...for now I like the Ants better than the BB's. The BB's are even more hollow.honky sounding in the mids and I wish the Ant's were that hollow/honky but their not...I liek both sets of pickups but right now Im digging the clarity, defination, warmth, woodness, and 3D depth in the mids and lows of the Ant's.


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireI'll tell ya...I prefer PAF style pickups, and these Antiquity's are some of the best I have ever tried. I have to say it agian...the Burstbuckers are NOT bad pickups in fact there are a few little parts of the Burstbucker tone that I miss! As for the Lawrence L-90's, they are not really PAF in tone or feel at all but they are a good but thicker/warmer than any other BL I have ever used, I like them alot. They have a tone all of teir own...warm but still very raw sounding, great for really nasty Rock n roll. I think Im gonna convert that Strat with the L-90's back to an S/S/S Strat but if I do I will be puting the L-90's in something else for sure.

These Antiquity's have a very warm organic woody tone that I relly dig...the Burstbuckers have a lot of the same tone but are not as clear as the Ants...for now I like the Ants better than the BB's. The BB's are even more hollow.honky sounding in the mids and I wish the Ant's were that hollow/honky but their not...I liek both sets of pickups but right now Im digging the clarity, defination, warmth, woodness, and 3D depth in the mids and lows of the Ant's.

Read your posts Christian....Glad to hear it..

cool ... well, you knew it would sound better

makes me wanna put Seths in my R7

Very cool Christian. The Ant's are tremendous pickups.

Christian...so the Ants are smoother than the BB's?

Would you say they are quot;thickerquot;? in the mids? (the Ants)...

59's are just a bit too twangy/thin for me in my Hamer, and I'm lookin for something else....How would the Ants compare to the 59s IYO?

Scott...these pickups really are the deal, I like them alot!

Jeff: The Antiquity's beat out the BB's in just about everyway. I really like the honk in the Burstbuckers and while the Ant's do have the honk it is not as much of a pronounced honk and I wish it was. Other that the honky quality...the Ant's have a much deeper 3D bass, much more complex mids with lots of bloom around the note. Also, the Ant's are much snappier...not brighter but snappier, more spank to the note...that might be because the Ant's are SO much more clear than the BB's...I think to make the pickups so much more clear they had do to away with some of the honk and I will make that trade anyday. The Ant's are very well defined and articulate and have a singing quality that can't be beat w/o even a hint of mud! There are a lot of guys that would have ou belive that the bridge is too weak and I don't belive that for one second...mine are very punchy.

Congrats bro, they are great pickups. Am happy that they worked in your R8.

Now do you see why I like them more than the PGs!

B


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireScott...these pickups really are the deal, I like them alot!

Jeff: The Antiquity's beat out the BB's in just about everyway. I really like the honk in the Burstbuckers and while the Ant's do have the honk it is not as much of a pronounced honk and I wish it was. Other that the honky quality...the Ant's have a much deeper 3D bass, much more complex mids with lots of bloom around the note. Also, the Ant's are much snappier...not brighter but snappier, more spank to the note...that might be because the Ant's are SO much more clear than the BB's...I think to make the pickups so much more clear they had do to away with some of the honk and I will make that trade anyday. The Ant's are very well defined and articulate and have a singing quality that can't be beat w/o even a hint of mud! There are a lot of guys that would have ou belive that the bridge is too weak and I don't belive that for one second...mine are very punchy.

Thanks Bro.... my post wasn't clear....but I was mainly interested in how the Ants compared to 59s? Not diggin the 59s in my Hamer...

Dr. B: as you know because of our PM's Im not sure IM completely happy with these...I do like them but they are not perfect...maybe I just need another LP for that real fat almost muddy/honky midrange tone!

Jeff: the Ants are Alnico II and have ALL the character of Alnico II pickups...less bass and slightly less/softer treble. They are not as agressive as a PG but they do have a nice snap to the treble...not really what I woudl call bright but snappy. They have more mids than a 59 and while they do have less bass the bass is very deep and 3D with lots of clarity. The Ant's are much more complex in the mids and the treble while it is soft it still cuts. I think they have better string to string defination that 59 and are a lot less likely to get muddy. They are very full sounding pickups with lots of character...some guys say that the bridge is weak, I don't get that at all.

Congrats! I'm glad you like them.

Chris,

You gotta try them with an a5 in the bridge and a3 (or the stock dun-aged mag) in the neck. Take my word for it! (BTW if your bridge is already bright you might wanna go for an a4 in the bridge instead of an a5.) You'll get the spank and a little of that PAF honk in the bridge. With either magnets in the neck, you'll get a magnificient middle position.

BUT they wouldn't have that sizzle that we both love on PGs. But they will do an excellent Zeppelin tone in the bridge. I wish I had a set of CS Page pickups to compare mine against. Am really curious.

B


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireI really like the honk in the Burstbuckers and while the Ant's do have the honk it is not as much of a pronounced honk and I wish it was.

If you're looking for honk...

Seths have more honk than Ants and are a little brighter, in my experience.

Not in any way a value judgement, they're both awesome pickups.

Simon...thanks! Dr B and Scott F both agree with you.

DOC!!! I am now looking for some 3, 4 and 5 bar magnets to try some magnet swaps in the Ants.

I am also thinking about getting a set of Seth's...but I have this nagging feeling that I need to go back to the Custom Shop and order some more pickups!

Bro, let me know of the results.

B

Excellent. Glad you discovered them. You won't be sorry for a minute or even look back. You made the right choice....Enjoy!!!