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Post by langford on Apr 25, 2021 12:46:11 GMT -5
What the consensus here? I've got a 1974 Custom Tele that I bought from a friend's estate as a keepsake. Lovely guitar in many respects, but I'm a bit mystified by the Seth Lover pickup. I think it sounds great blended with the bridge pickup, but I can't say I'm a fan of the pup on its own. I find it mid-rangey. Boxy, if that makes sense. I wonder if part of the issue is my amp, a Mesa 5:25 Express, which also produces a lot of mids (to my damaged ears, at least. I don't hear high frequencies very well.) Curious to know what others think and how this pickup performs with other amps.
FYI. I'm not knocking the pickup. As mentioned earlier, I love the blended tones with the bridge pup. I'm just curious about this idea that Fender wanted a humbucker that had Fender characteristics. I'm not hearing it (but I'm also not using a Fender amp!)
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Post by Cal-Woody on Apr 25, 2021 20:59:49 GMT -5
Isn't the Seth Lover an Alnico 2? If so, then maybe change it out and get an Alnico 5 pickup.
A lot of people use the A2 in the bridge and an A5 in the neck position. This way it doesn't go dark sounding when using the neck pickup. My 57 Classics in my Les Paul and both are A2's but the bridge pickup is wound a little hotter, plus I'm using 300k pots and that way the bridge pickup doesn't get too bright and blends sweetly with the neck pickup. This is a common configuration for the SG. I have tried many different pots and per recommendations from our other forum, it was a preferred setup. That was Spot On.
Just some food for thought... plus use the 50's wiring system, as this makes them sound more open and full.
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Tequila Rob
Wholenote
Posts: 683
Formerly Known As: Guitar Fool
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Post by Tequila Rob on Apr 27, 2021 9:35:55 GMT -5
I'm no expert, but I have 3 guitars that I put together from parts and used original WRHB...they all have a slightly different flavor to them. I used 500k pots on all.. I tried the 1 meg pots on one because that is originally what Fender used and found them to be too bright...the 500 k's give them plenty of sparkle and top end...especially the bridge...I usually will leave the tone knob rolled back to about 6 or 7 on the bridge. I sent all 3 sets to Lindy Fralin to be wax potted..and it made a huge difference in high gain situations as they don't feedback like they did when I originally put them in. in 2 of the guitars I put together, the pickups came as a set, and in one of them I purchased the pickups separately. one guitar has a Mahogany Warmouth thinline body, Rosewood neck...it sounds slightly more aggressive and louder than the other 2. Another one has an Alder thinline body from Warmoth, maple neck...its the one with the pickups purchased separately....a bit warmer and smoother sounding last one has an Ash thinline body from Warmoth, maple neck..sound is a bit tighter and snappier than the other 2 when you play then one after the other, you can tell even though the differences are subtle. I love them all, but probably prefer the sound of the one with the Alder body. one of the pickups I bought sounded like crap when I got it..and after doing some research, I discovered that a prior owner of the pickup removed the pole pieces and put them back in wrong...I was able to find a diagram on line of how the pole pieces are supposed to be inserted from Telenator...first row closest to neck should all be north, the second row closer to the bridge should all be south...mine were all mixed up..lol..so I was able to correct it by using a compass. another thing to consider, is that the pickups are very sensitive to how they are adjusted from the strings...another link from Telenator describes how to adjust the pickups....
Hard to say what the deal is with your pickup..could be wiring, adjustment..who knows...
I was going to post a link to Telenator's web site but it's gone....
I don't know how to post the info I got from Telenator, but if you PM me, I can email it to you...
I'm a huge fan of these pickups...there are few good YT video's of them in action..Phil X has one..and another one is on Eddie Vegas's channel
good luck Rob
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Post by archiestone on Apr 27, 2021 15:08:29 GMT -5
I have a set of Seth Lovers that came stock in my 2011 Edwards LP (one of the higher-end ones.) I wouldn't trade them for anything except maybe a set of Gibson 57 Classics (which I don't really need since I have them in another guitar.)
Phenomenal pickups; They sound great to me in all serttings.
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Post by Mike the marksman on Apr 28, 2021 8:51:22 GMT -5
Are you talking about the Seth Lover-designed Fender WRHB or the Seymour Duncan "Seth Lover" humbucker? I think there's some confusion in the thread..
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Post by archiestone on Apr 30, 2021 12:09:41 GMT -5
If the comment above is directed at me: I was not aware of any Seth Lover pup other than the SD 'buckers.
Please ignore my contribution to this thread & carry on.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 30, 2021 12:15:30 GMT -5
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Post by langford on Apr 30, 2021 17:52:40 GMT -5
Are you talking about the Seth Lover-designed Fender WRHB or the Seymour Duncan "Seth Lover" humbucker? I think there's some confusion in the thread.. I'm talking about the pickup Seth Lover designed for Fender back in the day, not a recreation or interpretation. The one I wrote about in the OP is in a stock 1974 Tele Custom. |
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