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Aftermarket Pickups???

Mark Kane

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Jul 18, 2001
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5,742
The '59 pretenders have more push and compression than the '58's. It's not a huge difference but it's there. The '57's are cleaner and more focused still. Have had several sets of each and the all sound great. I honestly don't have a favorite, I let the guitar decide.
 

Albatross

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Aug 23, 2015
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33

Albatross

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Aug 23, 2015
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As an update... I've tried the 59s and they are perfect in every way. Thanks again for the info!

I'm now looking for some P90s (or any of their derivatives)... anyone have any recomendations?
 

renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
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10,951
Ah! P90's! I have Gibson, Lollar, and Thrōbak. Gibsons and Thrōbaks are my favs for earthy sounds with great pick attack. Lollars get great tones, but a little more piano like if you prefer that. They are all great in their own right, I have a tendency to prefer Thrōbak, Gibson, Lollar in that order. I also hear great things about Fralins but have never tried them. But again, all my Historic 13, 14 and 15 guitars all still have their Gibsons in them.
 

Albatross

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Aug 23, 2015
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Thanks for the great suggestions! I think I'll stick with the Gibson ones for now... they sound pretty good and I guess if it ain't broke and all that.
 

jimmy74

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Sep 13, 2014
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7
I've got an R9 50th and was wondering which aftermarket PU's would get me really close to Knopflers Brothers in Arms tone?

thanks
J.
 

jimmy74

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Sep 13, 2014
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7
Knopfler's fingers and brain may be more crucial....


Very true...but I would like to get that woody lovely responsive tone...with the current BB's I can't get even close. I know Wizz and Throbaks are great...just want to know which ones would get me closer.

thanks
 

GILLMAN ROYCE

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Jun 8, 2019
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3
I won't deal with Throbak any more... just not a big fan of the way they do business and of the way they trash other builders whenever they get the chance... my Throbaks came off my Gibby and went on my Epi 345 just cause I needed something with Gold covers.
You've got an Epi ES 345 ? How big is the neck ? Epi/Gibson say it's " slim taper 1960's 'D' profile " in their literature but I have 3 other Epi slim 'D''s - all identical - and my 2011 345 is bigger, small 'C' maybe but not as fat as the Epi Dot Deluxe. IS the guitar neck heavy ? Came with a Bigsby ? I ended up removing the Bigsby and putting Duncan Ants in it. Great tone. Could use any info/impressions. THX!
 

GILLMAN ROYCE

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Jun 8, 2019
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3
No Duane, 57 Classics have matched coils, wax potted and A2 magnets. They are all great sounding and I haven't seen anything of different specs and winds, unless you mean Burstbuckers, 1, 2, 3, Pro and V? There is also a 57plus but that is not the same as a 57 Classic. I have a set of very early 57 Classics made by Tom Holmes and two pair of 2013 versions and they are the same.
So a ' fact ' floating around about the early 57's ( 1990-92) being UNpotted is bad info ? THX!
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
So a ' fact ' floating around about the early 57's ( 1990-92) being UNpotted is bad info ? THX!

AFAIK but that is only what I know. I have no idea or experience with any before my earliest, so who knows? IDK that what I said was promoted as spec from the beginning.
 

Truss Rob

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May 30, 2019
Messages
32
So funny you ask. After joining this forum in the last month, and after years of debating upgrading my pickups... $600 later I did the dirty and broke down and bought Throbaks . Medium outputs.. No buyers remorse . They are significant in my opinion . And remember I was upgrading from Burstbuckers
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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So funny you ask. After joining this forum in the last month, and after years of debating upgrading my pickups... $600 later I did the dirty and broke down and bought Throbaks . Medium outputs.. No buyers remorse . They are significant in my opinion . And remember I was upgrading from Burstbuckers
Throbak Pickups are to die for and in my book the best with the exception of vintage Gibson PAF's !
 

gregc

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Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
349
Wow, there are $600 pickup sets? Wow, and I don't really care, but I had no idea such a thing was out there or even possible.I've got to get out from under this rock, I guess. I thought after market pups were $50-100/ea or so. I'm a little slack jawed to be honest.
 
Last edited:

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
There are so many high quality PAF replicas available right now. You can spend as little as $150, or go all out and buy the very best for around $500- $600. I prefer the PAF replicas that are un-potted. They seem to have the elusive singing or vocal quality to the sound that potted pickups lack. You can't go wrong with ThroBaks.

But there are many other venders that are just as good. I am particularly fond of a set of '59 Pretenders that Jim Rolph made for me several years ago. Jim's client list reads like the roster of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Jim doesn't make his own covers so you'll need to buy them from another vender if you like covered PAFs.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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I just got my 2014 R9 back from my tech who just installed ThroBak MXV-SLE-101 Plus pickups and oh my goodness what a difference it makes in an improvement in tone and this guitar now screams and snarls thru my Marshall 2555X and Vintage 30 loaded cab and the sound is so glorious and no need for overdrive/distortion pedals at all and to me it is so easy to dial in the tone and that means more concentration on the fingerboard as it should be.
 

sws1

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Dec 4, 2001
Messages
2,846
Wow, there are $600 pickup sets? Wow, and I don't really care, but I had no idea such a thing was out there or even possible.I've got to get out from under this rock, I guess. I thought after market pups were $50-100/ea or so. I'm a little slack jawed to be honest.

There were repro PAFs in excess of $100 several decades ago. My first set of SD Antiquities were $125 each and that was in/around 2000.
 

renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
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10,951
I just got my 2014 R9 back from my tech who just installed ThroBak MXV-SLE-101 Plus pickups and oh my goodness what a difference it makes in an improvement in tone and this guitar now screams and snarls thru my Marshall 2555X and Vintage 30 loaded cab and the sound is so glorious and no need for overdrive/distortion pedals at all and to me it is so easy to dial in the tone and that means more concentration on the fingerboard as it should be.

And I agree with this post! However I do keep some stock JUST BECAUSE I feel the work required to get the 'tone' improves my skills in other areas. Like hearing. It is so bad now at times I just want to give up. But then I pick up one of my monsters I changed out and realize all over again that it is worth it to try again. So I play one with Thrōbaks or Wizzes or whatever then try to get the tone with my others. And I appreciate the nuances between them which makes it all worth while.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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And I agree with this post! However I do keep some stock JUST BECAUSE I feel the work required to get the 'tone' improves my skills in other areas. Like hearing. It is so bad now at times I just want to give up. But then I pick up one of my monsters I changed out and realize all over again that it is worth it to try again. So I play one with Thrōbaks or Wizzes or whatever then try to get the tone with my others. And I appreciate the nuances between them which makes it all worth while.

Ren , you make very valid points which I respect . I feel bad that you have to deal with hearing loss which sucks and that can be a major issue to have to deal with and that is not a nice thing and my thoughts and prayers go out to you for having to live with that , and I wish you the best and happiest quality of life possible because when we are making music we rely so much on our ears .
 
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