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Timbuckers Tim White’s take on the PAF

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I have an early set that Tim did for me wound on Gibson double cream bobbins from my stash at the time. They are wonderful pickups that exhibit much of the PAF tone I like. I believe they were blueprinted from a pair of great sounding PAF's that ED A owned. They have lived in my 1999 R9, (my second favorite R9), since Tim sent them to me and will never leave it. Just a great match with that guitar and I don't mess with perfection. It sounds exceptional and will stay that way. I have recorded and gigged with it a lot over the years, but obviously not so much now.

I just had it out in rotation and took it to a friends house for a little jam, and he remarked more than once, as we played it through some of his killer old amps,about the great tone of that Les Paul and asked me about the pickups. I like them. They suit me perfectly and I wouldn't change a thing. I feel extra special about them as Tim made them for me and the serial number is "Big Al" on the sticker. I always send a thought out to Tim when I play it and count my self lucky to have them.
 

Wallace

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2003
Messages
877
Cheers Big Al :salude
I remember way back when you received those and how stoked you were.

I also have a double cream set and can't for the life of me recall how they sounded.
(It's my age)
Do they lean more towards uneven harmonics like the Burstbuckers or are they more even order harmonics like the 57's?

I appreciate they have their own unique PAF voice, I'm just trying to work out which ball park they sit in.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Cheers Big Al :salude
I remember way back when you received those and how stoked you were.

I also have a double cream set and can't for the life of me recall how they sounded.
(It's my age)
Do they lean more towards uneven harmonics like the Burstbuckers or are they more even order harmonics like the 57's?

I appreciate they have their own unique PAF voice, I'm just trying to work out which ball park they sit in.

They have that woody/midrangey kinda thing that is great. Not as hollow sounding as the Antiquities I love, but a touch less hollow with more mid push,(not overly so or aggressively mid pronounced), Lots of harmonics with a good bite but not spiky or harsh. I've never used the Burstbuckers much so I can't compare them, plus I've only ever had them in Lipton,(the 1999 R9), since I received them, so I'm not sure how they might sound in other guitars.

I'm pretty sure you won't like them and may need to send them to me. It is a service I offer long time Forum Bros and though an inconvenience, I would accept them I guess...:laugh2:

Wallace, pop them in a guitar and try 'em out again. C'mon it's fun stuff and nobodies ears are as good as your own. I really, really like mine and I am just as pleased with them now as way back when. I do know they have lost some appeal with the ever searching, jump on the newest bandwagon pickup types, but that ain't me and I find them more than suitable for my needs and expectations.

Of course, if you really don't feel like I do about, I would take them off your hands as I'd love to have another pair. Somehow though, I'm pretty sure that won't happen as I can't see that outcome as a possibility. Let me know your impressions and feelings about them as I do remember Tim did do at least two different winds, maybe more and all I told him was make me a set you think I would like. I think they may be the ED A wind, but I am not sure.
 

Wallace

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2003
Messages
877
Thanks for the response Big Al :salude

You're right of course.
I do need to do some testing on my own through my rig.
I've just ordered a new wiring harness and a set of SD Ants too.

I'm thinking if I'm getting the soldering Iron out I may as well go through all the HB sets I have and see where I end up.
I'll report back once I've done some listening.
For anyone else interested:
I'll be trying out sets of 57's, Burstbucker 1 & 2, WCR Fillmore's, Tim Whites and some SD Ants.
Currently installed in my 2003 R59 is a 57 Bridge and Fillmore neck.
I still love the Fillmore neck but not so keen these days on the 57 bridge.

All for now.
 

tarlton

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2002
Messages
132
i still use my #24 bridge & later un-numbered Timbucker neck, set...
4-wire/EdA wind, custom ordered. Not only that, It's my number one of only 2 Les
Pauls i owm=n. (I can't afford to muddy the waters). :hee
Poor but lots of time to play and writesong... Just give me a tool that works decently. I don't got all day on this planet.

At one point when Throbak had NOS wire a few years ago i picked up a set thinking PAF clone technology had moved forward. Wrong. Good, not the same, not better. Would work if mine were stolen or something... but ya, that amazing "3-D magic mids" wudn't in the Throbaks. It's not a bump either. It's a blackhole crevice where a Phoenix goes to be reborn; all sooty, gooey scales & feathers mixed with gold, silver and amber pollen, red wine in a bizarre magpie nest of pirate treasure. More like that.

#2 is a Fillmore bridge / Duncan Firebird neck combo for a more sledgehammer flavored Les Paul tone. All this talk about new Duane pickups (I got my Fillmore when they first came out)... so i think i maize have to try a Wizz Duane.

Hope does spring eternal, even if only to say afterwards " There's no place like home Toto!" :eek:le
 

ntotoro

New member
Joined
Aug 25, 2002
Messages
569
Have the same set of Ed A's in an R9 that I got from Tim in 2004, I believe. Those pickups will never, ever, ever leave. Tight, but full lows to play anything with just enough compression to sing without being squishy and just enough mids in the pickup itself to give you a little thwack.

Nick
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
My Tims will never leave my LP.........tried all the old ones PAFs, T-tops etc and the closest to the Tims were a set of T-tops and Custombuckers that came with my '13 R8.
Great rich and harmonic laden pups they are:2cool
 

oldflame

Active member
Joined
Jan 11, 2004
Messages
1,142
I have two creams and a zebra. Two of which are about to go in a custom build as a starting point. Great sounding PAF style pickups, in a world now full of great sounding PAF style pickups.
 

Ed A

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Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
4,679
Yeah Tim, did and Ed A wind set which were copies of a set of favorite double whites I had... I still have the bridge pickup marked PROTOTYPE... Not sure how he nailed the tone of my double whites so well, considering that this was years ago, long before pickup makers were sourcing magic dust for the bobbins and steel from some guys grave who died in the '50s.... My double white bridge pup (long gone unfortunately) that he copied was an 8.3K with uneven coils, if I remember right the slug coil was about 4.4k and the screw coil about 3.9K... I think part of the cool mid honk character came from the inside coil being stronger....
 

tarlton

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2002
Messages
132
Ed A if you check this thread again could you say what the coils on the neck were? Thanks!
 

BIG Dave

Active member
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
2,421
I just looked in my pickup drawer and I’m seeing seven humbuckers. The first two are what I believe are the pickups that came stock with my 2002 R8, which now sports real 1961 PAF’s. The next four are all Timbuckers (labeled 7.57K, 7.75K, 8.35K and 8.42K). And one lone Tom Holmes H455. I should put those Timbuckers to good use...
 
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