Best Paf On The Market?

[el pucho]

Hi, I'm in the process of upgrading my Les Paul Standard to include a Jimmy Page type mod, and I need to replace my pickups, as the stock Gibsons are the one wire connection, and I need 4.

I know this is almost impossible to answer, but I'll ask anyway

After looking around for reviews I originally decided on one of Jim Wagners sets (Darkbuster, or Crossroads), but I also see that Lindy Fralins PAF gets excellent reviews too. As I'm spending what is a small fortune to me, i thought it wise to do as much homework as possible before committing to anything.

So, if anyone has used either of these pickups, or even another set that would suit my needs I'd be very glad to hear your opinion. And also, I've yet to decide wether or not to have covers fitted, again...any views?

Thanks.

PS - I'm basically looking for that classic Les paul tone (who isn't) Page, early Clapton, Paul Kossof etc.

[Daniel Sorbera]

well you can never go wrong with either a seymour duncan 59 or a seth lover model. Both those sound amazing.

[jnewman]

I've never used them (been planning on picking up a set for a while, though), but I've heard some amazing things about Jim Wagner's pickups. You might want to check them out. You can find his stuff at www.crcoils.com. They are REALLY expensive, though. REALLY expensive. The cheapest humbuckers he sells run $250 per set of two. They might be in that 100% more money for 5% more performance zone. Well, you did ask what the best on the market are . I suppose you could always look for real actual vintage ones, although that can be iffy.

Edited February 23, 2005 by jnewman

[lovekraft]

I really like the DiMarzio PAF Pro, but I'm boycotting DiMarzio until they get that bloated ridiculous Flash website under control! Seriously, it may not be a Fralin, or a WCR, but I like the sound of them for classic tones. As always, YMMV.

[el pucho]

I meant to ask about coil splitting with humbuckers too. Are some pickups "better sounding"" than others when it comes to splitting? And I still haven't decided wether to have them covered or not, I do prefer the look of covered humbuckers, but does that muffle the sound a little?

Thanks for helping me out, I think the more I learn about this stuff, the less I know!

[bigdguitars]

I have customized a couple of gibson's paf reissues to be coil spilt and they don't sound all that well. I would assume that any really hot pickup would stand on its own as single coil.

In terms of PAF's I have gone through a bunch of old dimarzio PAFs. I get them on ebay and they sound awesome. I love them and would buy more.

[Sambo]

Im my experiance, any pickup with a ceramic magnet tends to sound a bit shoddy when split (exception being PRS HFS and Tremonti Bridge pickups). Alnico magnets sound much nicer. Dunno why, but hey. I used to have a les paul copy loaded with some wizard vintage pickups http://www.wizardpickupsltd.com/. They sound wicked, but are a bit more expensive than your normal Dimarzio/duncans. But are all hand made and sound good when split.

[el pucho]

Thanks for all the input again guys.

I'm going to try out some of Jim Wagners humbuckers, they seem to get excellent reviews wherever I look. Now all I need to do is decide on what set to get, and what ones, if any, are "better" for splitting.

I'll try the uncovered ones as it saves some cash, and it's easier to add covers than it is to remove them if I ever choose to cover them (I prefer the look of covered ones).

No doubt I'll be posting again soon when I get lost in a mess od wires attempting to re-wire the guitar.

[unclej]

I really like the DiMarzio PAF Pro, but I'm boycotting DiMarzio until they get that bloated ridiculous Flash website under control!

thank you! i thought i was the only one.

that being said i'm a big fan of the paf joe (satriani), the paf pro and the fred. i put a paf joe in a solid walnut lap steel that i made and it makes you want to hug your dog and slap your mother in law.

[darren wilson]

Jim Soloway raves about Jason Lollar Imperial humbuckers.

I think the Duncan '59 sounds really great in series and parallel modes. I prefer parallel to split, because it still gives you a bit of that single-coil 'glassy' sound, but it remains humbucking.

[Jester700]

I'm boycotting DiMarzio for their legal tactics, but the site comes in a close second!

Yeah, hotter buckers usually split better, and splits work best when combined with another pickup IMO (rather than on their own). The Duncan JB splits well, as does the Stag Mag (but the Stag Mag is designed specifically for this).

[Jon Bell]

I meant to ask about coil splitting with humbuckers too. Are some pickups "better sounding"" than others when it comes to splitting?  And I still haven't decided wether to have them covered or not,  I do prefer the look of covered humbuckers, but does that muffle the sound a little?

Thanks for helping me out, I think the more I learn about this stuff, the less I know!

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Some humbuckers are designed with alnico slugs for polepieces rather than the ferrous studs attached to a bar magnet used on most humbuckers. This should make the split tone more like a true single coil.

Adding covers will reduce the highs a little bit.

Jon