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Do all Historics have the same pups? Considering Throbaks

LPStrat

New member
Joined
Apr 2, 2019
Messages
33
Ive got an 2002 58 Historic and a 2018 57 Brazilian Historic. I was trying to find out what pickups are in them? Being they are just normal Historics do they all have the same pickups which I believe are just Custom Buckers? I am considering putting some Throbaks in one of them. I am not unhappy with the tone I am getting but I have read good things about the Throbaks.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Ive got an 2002 58 Historic and a 2018 57 Brazilian Historic. I was trying to find out what pickups are in them? Being they are just normal Historics do they all have the same pickups which I believe are just Custom Buckers? I am considering putting some Throbaks in one of them. I am not unhappy with the tone I am getting but I have read good things about the Throbaks.

ThroBak's are the best ! Your 2002 probably has Burst buckers or 57 Classics versus the 2018 which has Custom Buckers . I really love ThroBak MXV-SLE-101 Plus pickups which come with A5 magnets as I like a nice heavy mid range growl where the 57 Classics I believe have A2 magnets , and the Custom Buckers have A3 magnets , which to my ears with the wind and magnets sound weak and thin . Tone is subjective and what ones ears hear and like might be totally different than the next person . ThroBak makes these and they do a great job and they can tailor them to your likes as well where if you like a certain pickup of there's but want it with a different magnet they can accommodate you . Check out there website www.throbak.com and you are welcome to tell them that El Gringo sent you and they are the best and I can't speak more highly of them .
 

Del

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2002
Messages
320
Another pickup to consider are montys.i have Throbaxks but the months sound better
 
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P.A.F

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Joined
Mar 8, 2016
Messages
78
Some say Wizz are way better than Throbaks. I've never tried them unfortunately
 

Rich R

In the Zone/Backstage Pass
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Jun 4, 2002
Messages
4,999
I've been kinda doing a deep dive into boutique PUs lately. The Throbacks are super-nice, and very popular on the LPF. Wizz is also popular, but not my favorite. To my ears, the clear winner has been the PAFs that Gil Yaron makes. They aren't well-known, because he's so low-key in the market, but you will know the difference in sound from the first note. It's common for people to hear them and immediately comment on the tone--really unusual. A set with all the options (aged bobbins, any color combo, with aged covers+shipping) will set you back about $725, but I guarantee you will not regret it.

A very nice affordable alternative are the new Mojotones--comes with everything you need for about $250
 

renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
Some say Wizz are way better than Throbaks. I've never tried them unfortunately

I have a couple of guitars that the Wizz worked very well in.
That said I usually try Thrōbaks first.
I have more that they sound good in so that is my first try always.
If a guitar has a tendency to be 'harder' sounding (like my 339) the Wizz seem to bring out a slightly softer, nuanced and more woody sound.
And the set of NOS wired Wizz I put in the Black Widow are VERY different than standard Wizz for some reason.
Still learning how to control that beast.
Most don't need that and the Thrōbaks bring out more of what I look for.
There are exceptions to the rule though.
I think each guitar is different enough that experimentation is a good thing.
Many of mine get nothing other than the Gibson pickups that came in them.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I think we all find particular non stock pickup varieties that do the job, for a variety of reasons. Some functional, some emotional. I know in my case, both have played a role. I have a nice stash of double cream Duncan Antiquity's, which I started grabbing in the late 90's after hearing a pair in a friends guitar. Seymour is a friend and mentor who had a huge impact on my musical development, both in tone and approach. A very generous man who shared so much knowledge and lore, and became a good friend too me.

I traveled together with him to Gibson in Kalamazoo and he helped me save Bad Betty, which I still own. I still have the pickups he rewound for me and the JB and 59 humbucker sets he gave me from his very first run of his own pickups. Still to this day among the best pickups I've heard, regardless the price.

I have an early pair of Timbuckers wound on double cream bobbins from Gibson 1981 59 paf reissue, (Shawbuckers), humbuckers. The serial number is Big Al on both. They just sound right and have remained in my 99 R9 since I put them in, two decades ago. They will stay there. Tim made them for me and I was so pleased to buy a pair from another friend. They sound great.

I have an amazing pair of early WCR Filmores from another friend and great guy all around, Jim Wagner. Just flippin' amazing pickups. A MAY ZING!!! Personal favourites that really suited me and the very expressive Les Paul they live in.

I love them because they truly are wonderful pickups, but in all honesty I also feel a strong emotional attachment to the friends who made them, for me.

I also have Tom Holmes, Bill Larwence, DiMarzio, Hi-A and various vintage and recent Gibson humbuckers, all chosen and kept because I think they sound good. I keep nothing I don't like. That said, I find most all the original humbuckers Gibson makes, from 1957 to now, to be excellent, excellent pickups. I have been particularly delighted with all the paf flavours since the wonderful 57 Classic. They all stack up nicely against all the various boutique brands, I have found.

Well chosen pickups for an individual guitar can help focus in the responce or eliminate elements in the tone that overwhelm. Each guitar is different as is each player, and their tone chain.

There is no one brand or model pickup that is right for every new or old reissue, regardless what the brand evangelist may preach. Brother renderit, has the right approach too my way of thinking.

Don't fall for the brand X is better than brand Y, because it all depends on the player. From my experience most people complaining about pickups would be better served by learning how to dial in their amp right and use their fx devices correctly. Not everyone, but an awful lot.

Figure out what it is you need. A tool to give a specific sound, or some flavour of the day, group approved fashion choice
 
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El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I think we all find particular non stock pickup varieties that do the job, for a variety of reasons. Some functional, some emotional. I know in my case, both have played a role. I have a nice stash of double cream Duncan Antiquity's, which I started grabbing in the late 90's after hearing a pair in a friends guitar. Seymour is a friend and mentor who had a huge impact on my musical development, both in tone and approach. A very generous man who shared so much knowledge and lore, and became a good friend too me.

I traveled together with him to Gibson in Kalamazoo and he helped me save Bad Betty, which I still own. I still have the pickups he rewound for me and the JB and 59 humbucker sets he gave me from his very first run of his own pickups. Still to this day among the best pickups I've heard, regardless the price.

I have an early pair of Timbuckers wound on double cream bobbins from Gibson 1981 59 paf reissue, (Shawbuckers), humbuckers. The serial number is Big Al on both. They just sound right and have remained in my 99 R9 since I put them in, two decades ago. They will stay there. Tim made them for me and I was so pleased to buy a pair from another friend. They sound great.

I have an amazing pair of early WCR Filmores from another friend and great guy all around, Jim Wagner. Just flippin' amazing pickups. A MAY ZING!!! Personal favourites that really suited me and the very expressive Les Paul they live in.

I love them because they truly are wonderful pickups, but in all honesty I also feel a strong emotional attachment to the friends who made them, for me.

I also have Tom Holmes, Bill Larwence, DiMarzio, Hi-A and various vintage and recent Gibson humbuckers, all chosen and kept because I think they sound good. I keep nothing I don't like. That said, I find most all the original humbuckers Gibson makes, from 1957 to now, to be excellent, excellent pickups. I have been particularly delighted with all the paf flavours since the wonderful 57 Classic. They all stack up nicely against all the various boutique brands, I have found.

Well chosen pickups for an individual guitar can help focus in the responce or eliminate elements in the tone that overwhelm. Each guitar is different as is each player, and their tone chain.

There is no one brand or model pickup that is right for every new or old reissue, regardless what the brand evangelist may preach. Brother renderit, has the right approach too my way of thinking.

Don't fall for the brand X is better than brand Y, because it all depends on the player. From my experience most people complaining about pickups would be better served by learning how to dial in their amp right and use their fx devices correctly. Not everyone, but an awful lot.

Figure out what it is you need. A tool to give a specific sound, or some flavour of the day, group approved fashion choice

100% true , all of it ! I agree with your comment that learning how to dial in your amp can achieve the desired tone . Add in a pedal or 2 and your there in tonal nirvana .Which is what it's all about -that sweet sound is magical when it happens and is what keeps us coming back each day .
 

P.A.F

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Joined
Mar 8, 2016
Messages
78
Yes of course every pickup is different and everyone have different tastes, with better I mean closest to an original paf
 

guitplayer

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Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
2,114
I think we all find particular non stock pickup varieties that do the job, for a variety of reasons. Some functional, some emotional. I know in my case, both have played a role. I have a nice stash of double cream Duncan Antiquity's, which I started grabbing in the late 90's after hearing a pair in a friends guitar. Seymour is a friend and mentor who had a huge impact on my musical development, both in tone and approach. A very generous man who shared so much knowledge and lore, and became a good friend too me.


That's right !! I talked with him and MJ about double cream Antq. in the mid 2000`s.
Wound slightly more than a regular Antiq. At that time he could not sell them without having
covers installed to hide the double cream. Something about a dimarzio patent.
I ordered 3 sets. Covers barely on and easy to remove. A very nice man. I sent him some flint to make to arrowheads out of. :)
 

Bruce R

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Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
That's right !! I talked with him and MJ about double cream Antq. in the mid 2000`s. Wound slightly more than a regular Antiq. At that time he could not sell them without having covers installed to hide the double cream. Something about a dimarzio patent. I ordered 3 sets. Covers barely on and easy to remove. A very nice man. I sent him some flint to make to arrowheads out of. :)[/QUOTE said:
Yes, I too have known Seymour since the late 70's and have used his pickups on every guitar I've owned since. MJ made a sweet zebra Antiquity, with reversed magnet, that made an R8 workhorse just come alive. Can't go wrong with any Duncan!
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Yes of course every pickup is different and everyone have different tastes, with better I mean closest to an original paf

How many guitars with pafs do you own or have played extensively?
 

ourmaninthenorth

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Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
I'm as dumb as horseshit on this stuff, I really am.

This "sounds like an original PAF" stuff baffles the bejesus out of me, which original PAF? the sets that I've played all sounded different - which shouldn't come as a surprise, they were all in different guitars, through different amps. I genuinely believe my ears aren't good enough to make empirical statements like "this modern pickup sounds like this vintage pickup". I'm also frankly weary of being marketed to.

They are however good enough to either like the sound a guitar has, or not.

I like the word preference, and try to avoid the word comparison in these matters.

Keeping it simple doesn't half get complicated at times.....
 

renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
I'm as dumb as horseshit on this stuff, I really am.

This "sounds like an original PAF" stuff baffles the bejesus out of me, which original PAF? the sets that I've played all sounded different - which shouldn't come as a surprise, they were all in different guitars, through different amps. I genuinely believe my ears aren't good enough to make empirical statements like "this modern pickup sounds like this vintage pickup". I'm also frankly weary of being marketed to.

They are however good enough to either like the sound a guitar has, or not.

I like the word preference, and try to avoid the word comparison in these matters.

Keeping it simple doesn't half get complicated at times.....

You know, I don't go for "PAFness" as much as "This just sounds RIGHT".

Each guitar I change the pickups in strikes me "for some reason" (in my noggin', I assure you) as not being the sound I think it COULD have.

Others sound great out of the box.

Now, the voice in me noggin is undoubtedly influenced by my formative years in which PAFs were all the rage.

So there is probably that little taint there.
 

ourmaninthenorth

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Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
You know, I don't go for "PAFness" as much as "This just sounds RIGHT".

Each guitar I change the pickups in strikes me "for some reason" (in my noggin', I assure you) as not being the sound I think it COULD have.

Others sound great out of the box.

Now, the voice in me noggin is undoubtedly influenced by my formative years in which PAFs were all the rage.

So there is probably that little taint there.

Lot of insight in your words Ren, I can dig exactly what you're saying.

The one fly in the ointment ( my ointment ) is the sound in my head, largely influenced by the same guys as you, was most surprisingly realised not by a pair of PAF's but by a pair of original P90's in an original 57 Special lent to me by a member here. I had the bugger for months, I couldn't put it down ( neither could I afford to buy the bloody thing!!)

It was the "that's it" moment from the first note.

I still can't get my head around it.

But you are bang on, it's the sound in our heads that is the destination. I freely admit to not having the same evidence based experience with multiple pickup's as many more informed players. I don't dismiss that experience by any means, quite the opposite in truth, I recognise it as a weakness in my own. So when I claim preference over comparison, what I'm really saying is that my own experience, whilst striving to retain honesty and authenticity, can't venture beyond liking the sound or not on any given in hand guitar. I simply don't have the ability of being able to say, this would sound better with X rather than the Y that's there.

I fully appreciate there are those that can and do, and have.

I'm playing a P90 guitar at present, which I simply adore.

:salude:salude
 

corpse

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Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
I can never think of anything to play when I am in a guitar store- it is really embarrassing- and when I sit down for a few minutes with something it is the same deal. i need some time. I had a set of PAF's in a refin '59 LP live here for a few months- they were sweet- and not as some superlative- that was the best way to describe this particular set- warbly/chorusy almost. Now push them up to "10" (did you know there are other numbers on those little knobs at the bottom besides "10"= I only learned there were in the last seven years or so). They will get snarky yes.
I have owned OX4's- very good pick ups in a LP- his straight std HB (not the Allman).
The best HB I have heard (dare I say period) was a Gil Yaron loaded in a Yaron copy owned (at the time) by pellman73. Super percussive- otherworldly. We had the slightest amount of dirt on there into a Vibrolux Reissue (the brown one- like a 1990) and a touch of slapback. Shazam. Sensitive- rich- it took me a second to get my arms around what I was hearing- I have heard live tones- one that comes to mind is JD Simo playing a CS #45 Nicky at Carter's which killed. This was close to that. Woody- authoritive- warbly but tight.
Now- that said- it was in Banker's 'room of tone'. Killer. Worth the $800 if you can find them.
It is a rabbit's hole kids- and we (I include myself) dismiss the Duncan's or SD's.
Don't.
The recent CS HB's are very good pick ups- If you have spent the time and found them lacking by all means move on- but the underwound ones are very nice. I have an '18 R9 and love them.
 

P.A.F

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Mar 8, 2016
Messages
78
How many guitars with pafs do you own or have played extensively?


I don't own any, I have played a few but i never A/B tested replica pickups and original ones. I'd really like to do it!
Since the tone I love comes straight out of real pafs if I had to buy a replica I'd like to have the closest to the real thing.

Having said that I own a true historic 59 Les Paul and I'm not going to change stock pickups for now... I really like the way they sound
 
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MacFangus

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Oct 10, 2016
Messages
143
In my experience, it depends on the character tone of the guitar. What may sound great in one guitar may not sound as good in another. If I were to purchase a LP Historic that I thought needed a pickup swap, I think I'd look for a different guitar. Just my opinion... My '16 R7 has a stock set of '57 Classics that would never consider changing. My '19 R7 has a set of Wildwood Spec Custombuckers that are just about the finest pickups I've ever heard. Would the Custombuckers sound as great in my '16 R7? Probably not... These two R7's are made of identical materials...with a slight variation in weight...yet they sound nothing alike.
 
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