Swap out Fralins for Antiquities on my P?

kirkm24 · #1 12-21-2008, 06:02 PM

I have a set of Fralins in my P currently and I was considering swapping them out for an Antiquity II. Should I bother or leave it alone? I like the Fralin but I am a tinkerer and my curiosity has been tickled with all the talk about the Antiquity pickups.

Fawkes007 · #2 12-21-2008, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkm24

I have a set of Fralins in my P currently and I was considering swapping them out for an Antiquity II. Should I bother or leave it alone? I like the Fralin but I am a tinkerer and my curiosity has been tickled with all the talk about the Antiquity pickups.

Don't do eet, man. I like Duncans as much as the next person, but you'd be swapping out one builder's version of the vintage P-pickup for another. If you were going to do any kind of swapping, I would research pickups that may approximate the sound you are really looking for. Do you want a more vintage sound? Keep the Fralins.

kirkm24 · #3 12-21-2008, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fawkes007

Don't do eet, man. I like Duncans as much as the next person, but you'd be swapping out one builder's version of the vintage P-pickup for another. If you were going to do any kind of swapping, I would research pickups that may approximate the sound you are really looking for. Do you want a more vintage sound? Keep the Fralins.

Yes for my P bass, I want a very vintage sound. I guess I wanted to know if I would gain or lose anything by doing a swap? I'll probably keep the Fralins because I am pretty satisfied with them but I was curious about the Antiquity pickups.

Ryan Mohr · #4 12-21-2008, 06:56 PM

The Antiquity IIs have a fatter and fuller sound, the root of their sound is vintage but it is upgraded. The Fralins are the vintage Fender sound.

allexcosta · #5 12-21-2008, 07:06 PM

I would, just for the sake of it. And then keep the Fralins, do an A/B and sell the one I liked less. Losing a few bucks in the process is worth the fun...

kirkm24 · #6 12-22-2008, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AqueousView11

The Antiquity IIs have a fatter and fuller sound, the root of their sound is vintage but it is upgraded. The Fralins are the vintage Fender sound.

Would you say the Fralins are more "Jamerson" sounding than the Antiquity pickups?

4Mal · #7 12-22-2008, 08:48 AM

Do you find the Fralin a little brite ? A vintage P (or J) should be a little bright but also a little soft. It's the Alnico magnet vs ceramic magnet. Many of the current crop of P-Bass pickups I've heard have been a little brittle sounding on top and I suspect that's where it came from.

BestP-Bass pickup I've heard in ages is one I ordered from Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars. Alnico magnets and a slight overwind. Sounds like http://w3.gorge.net/mfbrown/vvwater.mp3

no eq, no compression. DI into a channel of a digi-002R. TI Jazz Flats on an 87 MIJ 62 RI. To my ear it's a pretty good rendition of an old P... The key was that I could describe what I was looking for to the builder before the pickup was built - not after ...

kirkm24 · #8 12-22-2008, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Mal

Do you find the Fralin a little brite ? A vintage P (or J) should be a little bright but also a little soft. It's the Alnico magnet vs ceramic magnet. Many of the current crop of P-Bass pickups I've heard have been a little brittle sounding on top and I suspect that's where it came from.

BestP-Bass pickup I've heard in ages is one I ordered from Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars. Alnico magnets and a slight overwind. Sounds like http://w3.gorge.net/mfbrown/vvwater.mp3

no eq, no compression. DI into a channel of a digi-002R. TI Jazz Flats on an 87 MIJ 62 RI. To my ear it's a pretty good rendition of an old P... The key was that I could describe what I was looking for to the builder before the pickup was built - not after ...

I guess there might be a little brightness to the Fralin but not too bad. On your sound clip how much of the tone knob was on? I usually run mine at about 50% - 30% and I can get a nice classic vintage tone without sounding like mud. Yours sounded brighter than my bass going solely off your clip.

4Mal · #9 12-22-2008, 09:34 AM

Volume and tone were dimed - I record all my samples that way. It's how you get a represenative sample IMO. So that was vol & tone all the way up and no sweetening.

I actually record that way pretty much all the time. Later in the process - after drums - I can apply filters and compression within the context of a song. So my basic raw tracks are pretty un-forgiving tonally.

kirkm24 · #10 12-22-2008, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Mal

Volume and tone were dimed - I record all my samples that way. It's how you get a represenative sample IMO. So that was vol & tone all the way up and no sweetening.

I actually record that way pretty much all the time. Later in the process - after drums - I can apply filters and compression within the context of a song. So my basic raw tracks are pretty un-forgiving tonally.

I thought so. If that was dimed, that really isn't all that bright taken that into consideration. I think I am going to stick with my Fralin for now.

jokerjkny · #11 12-22-2008, 01:36 PM

i've got a set of antiquity II's going into my fralin equipped glaub soon.

but honestly, i feel like they'd be really similar.

according to the guys at duncan, the ant II's are clean, bright and punchy, while the ant I's are more darker and looser sounding.

Robert Sjea · #12 03-10-2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkm24

Would you say the Fralins are more "Jamerson" sounding than the Antiquity pickups?

My question as well. I don't want Jamerson - I want more of the 70's kind of fat punch and splat, to be very technical and precise. The big powerful sound of Dave Hope of Kansas. Any suggestions?

r379 · #13 03-10-2009, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jokerjkny

i've got a set of antiquity II's going into my fralin equipped glaub soon.

Let us know how it turns out, please.

Lesfunk · #14 03-10-2009, 09:47 PM

I would just to help the economy!

jokerjkny · #15 03-11-2009, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r379

Let us know how it turns out, please.

oh,

well, posted a few thoughts in another thread, but the ant ii's are very punchy, similar to the fralins. but the top end is a touch muted, while still having that upper middy carve. the top end on the fralin is much prettier and airier. overall, i like the extra kick to the ant ii's, and love how my pick sounds w/ its thicker trebles. quite addictive.

do a search for my name and the antiquities, and you should find it somewhere.

r379 · #16 03-11-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jokerjkny

oh,

well, posted a few thoughts in another thread, but the ant ii's are very punchy, similar to the fralins. but the top end is a touch muted, while still having that upper middy carve. the top end on the fralin is much prettier and airier. overall, i like the extra kick to the ant ii's, and love how my pick sounds w/ its thicker trebles. quite addictive.

do a search for my name and the antiquities, and you should find it somewhere.

Thanks. Based on your comments, I'd go for the Fralins.

NOVAX · #17 03-11-2009, 10:08 PM

I would throw a Nordstrand into the fray and completely fudge
up the decision. Things always happen in 3's, don't they?

NorCal Dog · #18 03-12-2009, 06:50 AM

i didn't vote

with that said, i LOVE the Fralin's in my Highway One with a .1 cap

don't know about the Antiquities II, but i just put a set of SPB-1's with a .1 cap in a Hoppus jazz..... WOWZAAAAA

awesome tone,,, every string is balanced, the lows aren't louder in vol than the highs, very nice pickup