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Initial Impressions - Seymour Duncan Antiquity II for Jazz Bass

Ryan Mohr

Ryan Mohr

Oct 23, 2007
3,032
26
#1
After setting pickup height to 1/8" on the E string and 3/32", I plugged my J bass into my amp set flat. I noticed the high end was a little more extended, and there was more grind in the high mids, but I'm not sure if I can attribute that to the pickups or the new DR Nickel Lo-Riders. The pickups do sound good, lots of character and a good amount of lows and mids. However, the pickups weren't very loud and I am missing that fatness everyone is raving about.

When I plugged in my Squier Affinity P Bass, all of the sudden a lot of fatness and low end came back, as well as a lot of output. They don't have the character of the Anquity IIs, but so much more fatness and output. I don't know what to think right now.

It has been awhile since I had the SX pickups in the bass because it took awhile for the new wiring harness to get here and I had to return a faulty bridge pickup. I would say the Antiquity IIs sound better, but not $180 better.

I thought the pickups were going to completely change my tone and I had very high expectations, but not sounding as good as a Squier shocked me a little.
 
#2
AqueousView11 said:
After setting pickup height to 1/8" on the E string and 3/32", I plugged my J bass into my amp set flat. I noticed the high end was a little more extended, and there was more grind in the high mids, but I'm not sure if I can attribute that to the pickups or the new DR Nickel Lo-Riders. The pickups do sound good, lots of character and a good amount of lows and mids. However, the pickups weren't very loud and I am missing that fatness everyone is raving about.

When I plugged in my Squier Affinity P Bass, all of the sudden a lot of fatness and low end came back, as well as a lot of output. They don't have the character of the Anquity IIs, but so much more fatness and output. I don't know what to think right now.

It has been awhile since I had the SX pickups in the bass because it took awhile for the new wiring harness to get here and I had to return a faulty bridge pickup. I would say the Antiquity IIs sound better, but not $180 better.

I thought the pickups were going to completely change my tone and I had very high expectations, but not sounding as good as a Squier shocked me a little.
Click to expand...

A lot of people think a pickup change will make a huge difference and change their lives forever. Your Antiquities are just lower in output than the SX pickups. But they are a much more even sounding pickup. You can simply turn up louder to compensate for the output difference. If you could compare the two pickups in the same bass with your amp set so that the volumes were equal, you'd be better able to hear how the pickups differ in sound.

I recently bought a cheap Squier 50s single coil P bass. The stock pickups were pretty hot and didn't sound bad at all. But I ordered a custom wound replacement from Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars and installed it. Both pickups were very close in output, but Pete's custom wound just sounds better. I had to adjust the height of the pickup to get the best out of it. The stock Squier was a bit harsh in the mids and top end. The replacement is smoother and when lowered away from the strings has a much warmer sound without a too aggressive high end and mids. Now that it's adjusted the way I like it I enjoy the sound much more. The upgrade cost me about $120. The difference in sound was worth the money to me. To some young guy just starting out and just cranking out loud rock with his buddies it probably would be a waste of money. He might think the cheaper pickups sound better for the type of music he plays.
 
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#3
I had a similar experience with a Squier P Bass Special that I put Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups in, I was expecting a night and day difference and for a while I was actually in denial and saying that I preffered the Quarter Pounders, but if im 100% honest the only real improvement was that the bridge pickup didn't buzz like a bee on crack anymore
 
#4
62bass said:
A lot of people think a pickup change will make a huge difference and change their lives forever. Your Antiquities are just lower in output than the SX pickups. But they are a much more even sounding pickup. You can simply turn up louder to compensate for the output difference. If you could compare the two pickups in the same bass with your amp set so that the volumes were equal, you'd be better able to hear how the pickups differ in sound.

I recently bought a cheap Squier 50s single coil P bass. The stock pickups were pretty hot and didn't sound bad at all. But I ordered a custom wound replacement from Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars and installed it. Both pickups were very close in output, but Pete's custom wound just sounds better. I had to adjust the height of the pickup to get the best out of it. The stock Squier was a bit harsh in the mids and top end. The replacement is smoother and when lowered away from the strings has a much warmer sound without a too aggressive high end and mids. Now that it's adjusted the way I like it I enjoy the sound much more. The upgrade cost me about $120. The difference in sound was worth the money to me. To some young guy just starting out and just cranking out loud rock with his buddies it probably would be a waste of money. He might think the cheaper pickups sound better for the type of music he plays.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know what you mean. I just increased the Gain on my amp to compensate for the lower output. One thing I did notice is that I don't really need my compressor anymore. The pickups sound so even, and my amp doesn't clip as much when I dig in. I'm also trying to get the pickup heights set right. For some reason the A and D strings are really loud, and the E and G are a little weaker. I know it's usually the other way around but that's what I'm hearing.
 
#5
Pete's pickups are the best I've used so far. I'm hooked. What really does it for me is that I can talk to Pete in my terms (warm, articulate, thick, bright, etc) and he seems to be able to translate muso-speak into a pickup. He's the only guy I've met or talked with who get's it.
 
#6
4Mal said:
Pete's pickups are the best I've used so far. I'm hooked. What really does it for me is that I can talk to Pete in my terms (warm, articulate, thick, bright, etc) and he seems to be able to translate muso-speak into a pickup. He's the only guy I've met or talked with who get's it.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I liked about him too. And he works fast. My pickups were in the mail two days after I finalized the details with him.
 
#7
Just read your impressions on the AII's. After my experience this weekend installing a Badass II bridge on my SX, and seeing the outcome, I'm better prepared to digest what you feel about the new pickups.

It's interesting that the guy at the music store that sold me the BA II bridge said, 'you'll never see huge leaps in improvements, it's all little changes that add up'. Problem is when stuff costs money you hope to get that much worth out of them.

The BA II bridge is really cool, heavy but built like a tank. It installed fine, and after tuning the bass I guess I was expecting it to play like some $2000 beast. But really all it did was make some minor improvements; finally the open strings play better, and overall the tone is 'cleaner', plus tuing with the bridge is better. All small improvments, but nothing that makes you go 'wow'.

I guess in the end, if you had a completely stock SX on hand, and one you completely hot rodded, then you'd most likely know how much better the hot rodded one is.
 
#8
AqueousView11 said:
I noticed the high end was a little more extended, and there was more grind in the high mids, but I'm not sure if I can attribute that to the pickups or the new DR Nickel Lo-Riders. The pickups do sound good, lots of character and a good amount of lows and mids.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much my impression of the SDAIIs. It's not the pickup I'd buy for super high output or anything, but the character you described is what I love about them. It gives them a bit more presence over the stock 62RI pickups I had.
 
#9
These pickups are starting to grow on me, I love the depth of these pickups. I can't really put it into words but they just sound great. I was just surprised that the output was only moderate, because it was 4 out of 5 in SMASH's review.
 
#12
I have been playing through this pickups for the last few days and I really like them now. They have a fat low end, smooth mids, and pleasing highs.

Today, I brought my J bass to band practice to see how they would sound in the mix. I plugged in, put both pickups on full, set my amp flat and started playing. As soon as my drummer and guitarist started playing my tone became a boomy mess with clackiness up to[. I had no articulation or clarity, and you could barely distinguish the notes from one another. I had to favor the bridge pickup and take out a pick to cut through. It doesn't seem like these pickups would sound like this in the mix because when I play by myself they sound fantastic and the tone keeps growing on me. I will try to post some clips.
 
#16
I would think if you put in that much money into an upgraded pickup, you would hear the difference. I would be disappointed. I have only changed out the pickups on an old MIJ 60's Strat and it made a big difference. But I always loved those guitars and hated the sound of the pickups. I have a USA P Bass and I have been toying with changing the pickups so it will be interesting to continue to read other peoples experiences with pickup changes that honestly were not worth the effort or $$$.
 
#17
AqueousView11 said:
Today, I brought my J bass to band practice to see how they would sound in the mix. I plugged in, put both pickups on full, set my amp flat and started playing. As soon as my drummer and guitarist started playing my tone became a boomy mess with clackiness up to[. I had no articulation or clarity, and you could barely distinguish the notes from one another. I had to favor the bridge pickup and take out a pick to cut through. It doesn't seem like these pickups would sound like this in the mix because when I play by myself they sound fantastic and the tone keeps growing on me. I will try to post some clips.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's really unfortunate. I've not had that experience with SDAIIs at all, but I guess they aren't for everyone. Do you normally play with your amp flat?
 
#18
pickles said:
A P is a P and a J is a J above all else. They are different animals and neither can be made to do what the other does best.
Click to expand...
Fair point. I'm trying to simplify my gear in hopes of having just one great J bass, but I know I will need another P or MM at some point for an another sound: fat and punchy. I just love the sound of a great J bass like Paul's AC that I posted.
johnnycat42 said:
I would think if you put in that much money into an upgraded pickup, you would hear the difference. I would be disappointed. I have only changed out the pickups on an old MIJ 60's Strat and it made a big difference. But I always loved those guitars and hated the sound of the pickups. I have a USA P Bass and I have been toying with changing the pickups so it will be interesting to continue to read other peoples experiences with pickup changes that honestly were not worth the effort or $$$.
Click to expand...
That's what I'm thinking right now. I expected a huge difference in my tone for the better, and I hoped I would sit in the mix better. What I got was a great tone, but a tone that doesn't jump out in a mix.
DanGouge said:
Wow, that's really unfortunate. I've not had that experience with SDAIIs at all, but I guess they aren't for everyone. Do you normally play with your amp flat?
Click to expand...
Yes I normally set my amp flat.
 

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