Is anyone a fan of Duncan Antiquity Tele Pickups?

[Pappy]

I was wondering if anyone has tried a Seymour Duncan Antiquity tele pickup? I like the idea of it not being potted but it sound like it's pretty low output. Is it really bright or is it versatile enough to do rock,blues, and country?

I have a feeling that their broadcaster pickup might be more what I'm looking for tonally but didn't want to make any assumptions.

Thanks.

 

[Jim Collins]

I believe the Antiquity bridge pickup actually is potted. I think the bottom plate is added after the potting, which is probably why Duncan says the ferrous plate is not potted. (The Antiquity neck is potted, as well.)

These are my favorite aftermarket Tele pickups. I've used them on several Teles. They will squeal a little bit, but nothing that can't be controlled. I like them because they are lively.

 

[Pappy]

Thanks for your feedback. I like the fact that they are lively pickups and don't mind the occasional squeal.

As you know, some tele pickups are "ice-pickey" and some have more body. Are these really bright or fairly balanced? I guess I should ask, what style(s) of music do you use them for?

 

[fjs1962]

The Duncan Antiquities were my favorite Tele pickups up until I bought my Suhr T. I was thinking I'd put antiquities in the SUhr but I like John's pickups just as much as the Antiquities. Still, after trying all the Fender offerings and a couple of Fralins the Antiquities are at the top of my list.

 

[Bonedance]

I'm more ofa blues player and I really dig the antiquites. The neck pickup is a blues beauty and the bridge has that wonderful snarky snap to it.

Just my opinion of course, but I much prefer the antiquity bridge pup to the broadcaster. There a a lot of players that dig the broadcaster, but honsetly, there are a lot of other pups I'd chose over it.

 

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Bonedance
I'm more ofa blues player and I really dig the antiquites. The neck pickup is a blues beauty and the bridge has that wonderful snarky snap to it.

Just my opinion of course, but I much prefer the antiquity bridge pup to the broadcaster. There a a lot of players that dig the broadcaster, but honsetly, there are a lot of other pups I'd chose over it.

Thanks for your response - it was very helpful.

 

[sanhozay]

The Antiquity Tele pickup that I tried was in a Relic and it was thick sounding with a reedy tone that sounded positively great. Not nearly as bright as many tele pups - which can be a good thing.

 

[Jim Collins]

Some Tele pickups can give you the ice-pick-in-the-ear sound, but not the Antiquities. I should qualify that, though. When used with 250K volume and tone pots, without a treble bypass cap, the Antiquities are things of beauty. When used with 500K or 1Meg pots, and the typical .001uF bypass cap (which is too large), these things will give you ice-pick-in-the-ear tones.

 

[Mark C]

I've had several and they've never disappointed me.

 

[illinimax]

Great blackguard pickups. Complex tone. The bridge does have some bite, in a good way.

 

[KRosser]

I've played them in Trussart's Teles and I think if I was to be in the market for a pickup that sounds the most like a real 50's Tele set, the Antiquities would be it.

 

[Seegs]

I've got them in my teles and strats and havn't heard a pickup I've lilked better...both clean or overdriven they shine...especially great with BF amps...

Chow,
Seegs

 

[Jim Collins]

The Antiquities (Strat and Tele) are good with BF amps, to be sure, but I think they're even better with tweeds. My Strat wAntiquities sounds so good through the tweeds that I rarely even plug it into my blackface-style amps.

 

[shark_bite]

Bringing this thread back to life - I recently started a Tele project that I've been doing in phases. Not knowing tons about pickups, I asked around and pretty much everyone unanimously recommended either Lollars or Fralins. And of course, because I'm both impulsive and impatient, and also because I spent two hours at Willie's playing through amps I have no intention to buy anytime right away, I sprung for a set of Antiquities, figuring if I didn't like them I could try the Lollars next. Got home, put them in the guitar, and went nuts (through my new Bassman and my Deluxe).

They sounded friggin' fantastic. This is weird though: I figured I'd A/B the guitar against my MIM 69 RI Thinline, and to my surprise, the two sound VERY similar. I think if it weren't for the semi-hollow body of the Thinline making the tone of that guitar a little woodier and broad, a blindfolded person would have a hard time telling I was playing two different guitars if they were both plugged into the same amp. This really makes me wonder... but at least any qualms I had about keeping the stock pickups in the 69 are officially squashed now.

 

[eric-d]

All my videos involving a Telecaster are with Antiquity's - on YouTube. Look under the Clip area here....

 

[teleman1]

I have one, flat pole, in my Esquire. I had the Broadcaster. The Antiquity does everyhting it does, just a lil better!

 

[sanhozay]

There are a lot of great pickups but Duncan knows his stuff and winds wonderful pickups. I'll admit I usually turn to Fralin or Lollar but I'm often pretty down with what Fender, Gibson and Duncan turn right out the gate. Put it this way, Duncan winds as many great ones as he does marginal ones, which have kept certain goblet grailers away from his products when it comes to fitting a "special" axe. But if you breakdown his top wares and strictly chew on just the cuddiest of Duncan pickups, then I think they hold up next to anything.

 

[Dana Olsen]

There are a lot of great pickups but Duncan knows his stuff and winds wonderful pickups. I'll admit I usually turn to Fralin or Lollar but I'm often pretty down with what Fender, Gibson and Duncan turn right out the gate. Put it this way, Duncan winds as many great ones as he does marginal ones, which have kept certain goblet grailers away from his products when it comes to fitting a "special" axe. But if you breakdown his top wares and strictly chew on just the cuddiest of Duncan pickups, then I think they hold up next to anything.

I agree. I have a set of Antiquities and they're awesome. I've been favoring lately a set of Don Mare low winds for that Bakersfield sound, but the Antiquities are wonderful pickups too.

I'm putting the m back in a Phil Kubicki Tele I have - extremely lightweight w/ tummy cut and forearm cut, rosewood board - sounds great w/ Ant's.

Thanks, Dana O.

 

[Dave Orban]

I was wondering if anyone has tried a Seymour Duncan Antiquity tele pickup? I like the idea of it not being potted but it sound like it's pretty low output. Is it really bright or is it versatile enough to do rock,blues, and country?

I have a feeling that their broadcaster pickup might be more what I'm looking for tonally but didn't want to make any assumptions.

Thanks.

Huge fan of them. One of my favorites, up there with the great pickups from Don Mare. FWIW, I did NOT like the Broadcaster pickups nearly as much....

The Antiquities may be lower output, but that is one of the reasons they sound so damned good...! And yes, they're VERY versatile!

 

[Big White Tele]

I have 3 pairs of Antiquities,and they all sound different in the same guitar. i have one Bridge pickup that absolutely is killer. This is a very early one, before they were called custom shop. Still all are great pickups.