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Anyone try Throbak Paf's yet?

bluesforstevie

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Joined
Jun 20, 2002
Messages
12,771
I'm in the market for some new pickups, and these are definitely on the shortlist. Which ones would Jon or any of you other guys suggest? The guitar is an '02 R8 Historic Makeover. I think it's fairly balanced sounding, perhaps on the dark side, but quite percussive. I am going to upgrade to Pigtail hardware and stainless steel bridge posts to tighten up the bottom a little. I've currently got WCR Fillmore neck and Goooooodwood bridge. I really like the bridge pickup, it's just a tiny bit too hot and compressed, but the neck pickup is too middy sounding and too hot.

The "Peter Green" set looks interesting as I think I want a reasonably hot bridge pickup (8.5k region), but I don't want it to be too bright. I also think I want the neck PU more in the 7.5k or less region, unless I can be conviced otherwise? Does that work well with flipped magnet/out of phase middle tones?

Well, I have a guitar that sounded too "thick" or dark in the neck with most A2 pickups...so, I put an A5 in my Burstbucker 2 which is about 7.8K and it really, really helped...gave it more definition and cut...and it has the Peter Green flip...along with my Burstbucker 3 with A2 mag in the bridge...which is about 8.5K or so...and I really like the combo. Here's a sample video for you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6qkF_6LNPA
 

MapleFlame

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Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Well, I have a guitar that sounded too "thick" or dark in the neck with most A2 pickups...so, I put an A5 in my Burstbucker 2 which is about 7.8K and it really, really helped...gave it more definition and cut...and it has the Peter Green flip...along with my Burstbucker 3 with A2 mag in the bridge...which is about 8.5K or so...and I really like the combo. Here's a sample video for you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6qkF_6LNPA


Best tone you ever had. Love it love it.:salude
 

Classic

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Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
1,624
I'm currently using Wolfetone Legends which are A2 and the neck pickup particularly is amazing and woody sounding but the bridge a little thin no matter what I do so I'm hoping the unorientated A5 bridge will thicken things up. I really liked the SD '59 I had in the bridge a couple of years back but preferred the openness of the Wolfetone. This should hopefully sound like a mix of the two.
 

shakti

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2007
Messages
494
Best tone you ever had. Love it love it.:salude

+1! Out of all of your videos, I like this one the best by far!! That tone is pretty close to what I am shooting for...that open, airy, bluesy Green-like tone, but enough output to get to Duane Allman territory. :2zone
 

bluesforstevie

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Jun 20, 2002
Messages
12,771
+1! Out of all of your videos, I like this one the best by far!! That tone is pretty close to what I am shooting for...that open, airy, bluesy Green-like tone, but enough output to get to Duane Allman territory. :2zone

Yeah...I'm not shamelessly looking for comps...I just thought this maybe a good example of an A5 at work in the neck...and the PG flip...
 

bluesforstevie

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Jun 20, 2002
Messages
12,771
Sorry for all the posts....but I'm going for the good ole' A2 set...that's what I'm used to and oddly enough the K readings are the same as my real PAF's in my 07 R9!!
 

Tuco

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May 29, 2003
Messages
1,073
BFS, very nice demo of the different tones available to the flipped magnet player.
 

dtw576

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Feb 23, 2003
Messages
1,934
I'm trying a set of the SLE-101 Plus Limited for an SG and the DT-102 Limited for either a V or ES 355. The SG presently has RS True 60's and the V has Holmes 450/455's. Should be an interesting shootout.
 

rockpit

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2006
Messages
415
I'm on the list for a set of the LE PAF's, but need more info on how the tone between the unoriented vs oriented differs. I'm trying to decide between Jon's 101's and 102's. Input appreciated.
 

francè

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Mar 6, 2007
Messages
169
I'm trying a set of the SLE-101 Plus Limited for an SG and the DT-102 Limited for either a V or ES 355. The SG presently has RS True 60's and the V has Holmes 450/455's. Should be an interesting shootout.

Very very interesting! Please let us know when throbak will arrive!

I'm in list for a SLE-101us limted and I can't wait!

Bye
 

Todd Louis

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Messages
14,526
Looking forwad to hearing thes Jon makes geat fuzz boxes so the PU's sould be the same ...

Gota get clips of them man!!! Ill make ya some... Let me get the $$ together and Ill order a set
 

jwalker

Les Paul Forum Sponsor
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
2,592
I've been listening comparison clips (oriented vs unoriented) lately and I found difficult to distinguish any difference.

Where are these clips?

The difference is subtle. A5 oriented has a focused tone. Less crunch to the picked note, a little rounder sounding. A5 unoriented has a bit of crunch to the picked note similar to A2 but with the character of A5. It's a subtle difference but a very different feel when you A/B them.
 

Cream Fan

Active member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
2,695
I have a '61 SG/LP that I've owned since 1984, so I'm very intimately familiar with its tone. Until I'd read about the Throbak PAFs and corresponded with Jon about them I never knew there was an unoriented vs. oriented A5 magnet situation. That being said, I've always wondered whether the magnets in my '61 might be long A2s, because they never sounded the same as other pickups with modern A5s. There is a vowel-like quality to the tone that is unique to A2 magnets that my '61's PAFs have. Now that I know that unoriented A5s exist, I'm convinced that is what I have. They really are the best of both worlds. The extra clarity of the A5 without the boomy low end. The upper mid growl with no scooping on the mids, as with a stock oriented A5. In short, I will be putting an unoriented A5 DT-102 set in this guitar:

Bills-Clapton-SG.jpg
 

jwalker

Les Paul Forum Sponsor
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
2,592
They were from one of your pickup winding buddies ;) ...I think he was given some magnet samples from the same supplier as you?

Okay I think I know who it is. I gave him the sample unoreitned A5 magnets if it's who I think it is. Both of us have been on a quest to find unoriented A5. I finally found a place that would do it so I sent him a test pair to try since he was having no luck finding them.
 
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