PAF Discussion

bruce919

bruce919

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I have only played two guitars in my life with actual late 50’s PAF in them. It was so long ago & only had a chance to play them for a few min. each.

Here is the BIG question. Of all of the new pickups being made (that are $100 or under) what one best reproduces the tone & vibe of those old PAF. I know there all this stuff about what wire is used , wooden shims & so forth. I do not want to focus on how there made or what material is used. I am looking for the tonal aspects.

Let the flaming start.

 
Lots of choices...all of them are excellent.

1. WCR pups are great.

2. Voodoo '59

3. Seth Lovers

4. Tom Holmes

IMHO...the Holmes were the best. But at $500 a set, they are seriously expensive. I give the nod to the Voodoos over the WCR pups by a hair. The WCRs have a wonderful compression but the cleans on the Voodoos are a tad better. You really cannot go wrong with either at about $250 a set. The Seths are also great, but don't have the definition of the Voodoos or the WCRs.

JMHO...YMMV

 
Shlebotniks, maybe Poe?
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He stopped making them, and they have gone through the roof in price. The last set I saw for sale went for about $900. I have a whole mess of them(about 60-70)...and they aren't going anywhere.

Smokin Joe Shablotnik is a great guy, but weird. I am not sure if he will wind again due to health reasons. He winds his pups by hand and he recently had to have Tommy John surgery. Last year he had rotator cuff surgery. Sad story actually.

 
I recently put a set of WCRs in my trem-equipped McInturff Taurus Standard -- a Fillmore in the bridge and Crossroads in the neck. That combo is just killer IMO, with the Fillmore being a little more aggressive than your average PAF and the Crossroads being much more in a line with a PAF and outstanding clean tones.

 
Bobbymack - Thanks for the cool link.

Jaye - Cool too. I have a McInturff FLE that I have been thinking of selling. If I end up keeping it, I am likely to swap out the pups and go with a three way switch. The TOL pups used in the FLEs are nice, but I've never been a fan of splitting humbuckers. I'm thinking about trying the Voodoos, but the WCR look interesting too. So many choices tends to confuse me though (lol).

 
Poe: Where do you rank the Haeussel's in the Huber?

The WCR Crossroads for all intents and purposes IS a true PAF. JMHO

 
If you are looking for a good Humbucker that splits very well....look no further than Haussel. Simply the best split sounds I have ever heard. Not very vintage sounding, which is why I didn't mention them earlier...but amazing sounding pups with incredible split sounds.

The best split humbucker of all time is the Shablotnik "Bruce Sutter" model.

 
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While the Shlabotniks are highly regarded both for their split and true vintage sound, as Poe mentions, you'll pay out the A$$ for them.

I like the Holmes the best, and missed grabbing a set when they were $250. I talked to Holmes (who built the early Sunbursts) about Hamers and his pickups. He seemed to have desperately wanted to get out of the pickup biz and start making guitars again, but the demand was too great for the pickups. He thought if he doubled the price, that the orders would slow or stop. They didn't. He got an order for 40 pickups (IIRC) and said he couldn't fill the order at $250 a pair any longer and that to keep making them, he'd have to charge $500/pr. The buyer didn't blink and ordered them. They are VERY good pickups.

I have the Voodoos in my mahogany Vector, but am not convinced that they work in that guitar. Too bright, but I'm assuming for now that it is the guitar, although the stock Duncans sounded great in there.

 
I like the Holmes the best, and missed grabbing a set when they were $250.    They are VERY good pickups. 
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Yep, I inherited a pair of Holmes in a 335 I bought, and I have been VERY pleasantly surprised as I was pretty much unfamiliar with them...

They are very low output (though the WCRs are low output also, I've come to believe that's a key at least for the tones I like)), but man do they sound great thru a loud amp. I think they're getting $400-500/pr on ebay now??? /emoticons/default_tongue.png

 
I am looking for pickups sugestions that are $100 or less. The Gib$ons , Dimarzio's, Duncans type price range.

 
I can't vouch for vintage PAF personally, but the Duncan Antiquity pickups in my 30th LTD sound excellent to my ears and the marketing hype claims they sound like a real PAF.

-Jonathan

 
Bobbymack - Thanks for the cool link.Jaye - Cool too. I have a McInturff FLE that I have been thinking of selling. If I end up keeping it, I am likely to swap out the pups and go with a three way switch. The TOL pups used in the FLEs are nice, but I've never been a fan of splitting humbuckers. I'm thinking about trying the Voodoos, but the WCR look interesting too. So many choices tends to confuse me though (lol).
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Which FLE do you have...a goldtop?

I have two Taurus Standards now...I didn't care for the Zodiac pickups at all in the trem model, but they sound fantastic in my stoptail Standard. I did use a three way switch when I put in the WCRs -- that guitar is now an absolute tone monster and a true joy to play.

I've never played Voodoos so can't comment on them. But I have a bunch of WCRs of all types and they are consistently bad ass IMO. Plus, you get them in three-four days after ordering and Jim is one of the nicest guys on the planet as far as I'm concerned. I recently but a set of Darkbursts in one of my LPs and those are really really nice as well!

 
For an under $100 pickup, stick with the Duncan 59. For over $100, Fralin, Voodoo, Rolph, WCR, Lollar, all make excellent pickups. I have Voodoo make me special pickups with a lightly overwound bridge(and some other foolishness that adds clarity and definition), and I couldn't be happier with this pickup in my solid guitars(Les Pauls, etc).

I still use Rio Barbecue Bucker(dumb name, great pickup) in my Hamers, which are all chambered.

 
I am looking for pickups sugestions that are $100 or less. The Gib$ons , Dimarzio's, Duncans type price range.
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I had a Baker at one time that had Dimarzio Vintage Virtuals or whatever they're called and they weren't bad. I've never been a fan of Seth Lovers or the Gibson Burstbuckers personally.

 
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