Antiquity vs Lollar vs Stuart

[teXum]

I know this has been debated a few times already, but I'd like a few more opinions, and direct comparisons, based on my own needs/guitar.

I'm looking for a set to replace the stock pickups in my '52 RI ('96), and I'm not looking for something different, just better, and perhaps a bit more complex in the highs. The stock bridge pup has a nice bite, but sounds a bit one dimensional, same goes for the neck pup: warm and woody, but one-dimensional.
I'm guessing that there are a lot of pickups out there that does the '50 thang better, and so far I've narrowed my choice down to these:

Antiquity I's (Alnico 2?)
Lollar Vintage T (Alnico 5)
Lollar/GVCG (Alnico 3)
Fred Stuart Blackguards (Alnico 3)
SD STL 1's (Alnico 5)

Anyone tried several of these, and pefered one over the other?
Are there any significant differences (I'm pretty certain they all sound great)?


Please share your thoughts on how any of these will sound in a '52 RI.
Thanks,

[ciaran]

I have a standard mexican telecaster and I wouls like to replace the standard pickups and was going to replace them with either the Fender tex ones or the Vintage noiseless because i saw a good deal for these on the Internet. I would love to replace them with Kinmans but I don't have the money.

[yegbert]

I've tried the A2 Antiquity I ('55) and the A5 STL-1, as well as an A3 Fender OV.

I've also tried the A2 APTL-1 (AlNiCo 2 Pro). The significance of this other one is that I hear some of the same complexity in it as I hear in the A2 Antiquity.

I have the Ant '55 bridge (the set, in fact) installed in one Tele now, the STL-1 bridge in another, and the APTL-1 in another.

I don't get as much of that complexity in the STL-1, as I do in either of those A2s. But the STL-1 has a somewhat unique trait with skinnier polepieces, that makes it interesting. My MIJ TL-Vintage bridge pickup and an A5 spec bridge pickup that I have from an '83 AV '52 (which I suspect are one and the same) have these skinny poles too. These have a little more subtlety compared to other A5s.

The Ant I '55 is a slightly lower wind than the Ant I flatpole. I'm hoping to try an Ant I flatpole and a JD sometime soon, just looking for a good deal on one of either used.

I'd guess the Ant I flatpole would get you this A2 complexity, but stay closer to the tone of the OV, than the Ant I '55.

Both Ant Is (flatpole and staggerpole '55) have a non-potted baseplate. I like that myself, gives it more character but that will be a difference from the OV you may not like.

Sorry, I can't compare those based on experience to the others you listed, never tried them. I've love to hear what anyone else thinks about any of these.

[sidneystreet]

Of those mentioned in your list, I own and would recommend the Lollar Vintage, or Fred Stuart Blackguard. The Stuart and Lollar pups provide exactly what you are speaking of, that is a slightly woodier, more harmonically rich tone.

The Fender '52 Reissue American Vintage set is pretty good, but I prefer a tone with a little warmer mids. The Fender Nocaster pups would be another excellent option.

[JCollins]

I have used the Antiquity I Tele pickups, the SD STL-1, and the Lollar Vintage T pickups. Currently, I have Lollar Vintage Ts in each of my two Teles.

As I recall, the STL-1 pickups were very good -- a very nice sound not altogether that much different from the stock Fender 52 reissue pickups. I tried these pickups in a 52 reissue, quite a few years ago. I recall liking them, but thinking they weren't really that much of a change.

The Antiquity I pickups will be a change. The neck pickup will be noticeably darker. If you like the general tone of your neck pickup, now, there is a chance you'd be disappointed with the tone of the Antiquity I neck. The Antiquity bridge pickup, on the other hand, is a very nice one. It really isn't as bright as I expected, with a touch more in the mids. It sounds old, as if it had been around the block a few times. It is also very lightly potted, which means it will be slightly microphonic. This was done on purpose, it is not a defect. Up until I tried the Lollars, these were my favorite Tele pickups.

The Lollar Vintage Ts really shine. They are brighter than the Antiquities, but it is a softer bright. I set my amp up to be louder and brighter than I will typically need, and I control everything from the guitar. (I rarely use effects. In fact, I rarely plug them in. I'm not a purist, I just prefer the way I sound without them.) With these pickups, I can use the bridge pickup with the guitar's volume down, and the guitar's tone up, and have a terrific bright, but soft rhythm sound. This is also where the real twang lives. The Lollar Vintage T neck pickup is nowhere near as dark as the Antiquity I neck. Both pickups are very full sounding.

It is also worth noting that I never really cared much for the middle position of a Tele (or parallel single coil sounds in any Fender style guitar) until I started using the Lollars. I still use the single pickups most of the time, but I do use the middle position frequently.

[slincoln]

I've got all 3 pups (Antiquity, Lollar Vintage T, and Stuart Blackguards). I'd put the Lollar and Stuart on a definitely higher plane than the SD. They're just more musical and complex. If I had to choose between the Lollar and the Stuarts, I'd take the Stuarts. For me, the Stuarts most approximate the sound of a real vintage guitar. The Lollars seem more "modern" if that makes sense. Some may like that better. For complexity, the Fred's win, hands down, IMHO.

[TY]

The stuarts are badass. Much better than the antiquity flatpole in my esquire. Don't discount the Fralins. I have an A3 in my 52RI bridge and it is amazing. Incredible depth, woodiness. Very dynamic.

[New Madrid]

I'd also like to know how the Stuarts compare to the OV '52 set. I've been trying to figure out if I can justify the expense out of sheer curiosity.

[Geo]

This is interesting but keep in mind the Fender OV '52 RI
pickups were changed mid '98 to be more like originals or
a set that had what was liked on the originals which varied
some in windings and output then.
Sorry for the long sentence.

[TY]

The OV52s are nothing to sneeze at. Overall, a very nice pickup. The only other pickup that I've had in the same guitar as the OV52 (a later alnico 3 model, btw) is the Fralin A3 stock stagger wound to 7.2K. They are in the same tonal ballpark. Similar spectrum of frequencies, but the Fralin just sounds a bit more complex, woodier, and though it isn't brighter, it has a little more clarity if that makes any sense. Fantastic pickup!

My stuart is in this esquire:



The only other pickup I've had in this guitar is the antiquity flatpole, which was blown away by the stuart. The antiquity was just very flat, lifeless, no sparkle, way too compressed by comparison.

[Kris]

I have both the Antiquity I and the Stuart Blackguard bridge pickups. Both are great pickups, smoother than many but still with good tele bite.

My alltime favorite is the Stuart and the only one of the dozen or so "boutique" pickups I've purchased that I currently use.

Kris

[AJ Love]

I've got a Lollar Alnico 3 bridge pickup in my '52 RI that sounds amazing. I'm looking forward to checking out a Stuart pickup to see if it is even better