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Timbuckers Revisited

RW Foster

New member
Joined
Dec 15, 2001
Messages
1,653
Just curious how many of you still have Timbuckers installed? I know they were the rage a few years ago. I had been on Tim's list for almost 2 years and got within a few weeks of my "due" date when he decided to fold up shop.

That being said, I just bought a pair of zebra Timbuckers from a guy on another forum for a price I felt was fair ($550). I figure if they were great then, they're still great now.
 

BrazenPicker

New member
Joined
Oct 31, 2010
Messages
28
I'd be interested to hear more too. Zhangbucker says on his website that he got the inspiration to do the Pure Handwound buckers from unwrapping a Timbucker. High praise, I think.
 

vincenz

Member
Joined
May 2, 2005
Messages
96
I have Timbucker pickups installed on two LP for 4 years now. They sounds as great as the first day, maybe even better since the guitars have improved with years of playing... Sure thing I will never change them
 

keef

Active member
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,006
According to counselor D the Yarons may be the new pickup du jour...but you have to look at the other forum for that.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
Had a set in my R0 for years now and love them.Also have another pair that I put together over the years and will try these in my gat soon,have them in my mate's '68 currently and they sound awesome:2cool
 

BIG Dave

Active member
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
2,421
I had a pair in my main axe (2002 R8). Splurged on a pair of real '61 PAF's (~ $4K). Swapped out the Tim's for the real PAF's. Bottom line, Tim's and PAF's sound remarkably similar! Hard to tell the difference. An expensive experiment only to find that Tim's are almost indiscernible from the real thing.
 

korus

Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2003
Messages
636
Nothing wrong with Timbuckers. FYI, I had Timbucker #28 double white in the neck of an R8. For kicks, I replaced it with some very good PAFs, and the tone was nowhere near as good. So I think those Timbuckers have some real mojo.

Thank you for telling this. Most of the people who never played PAFs are not fully aware that best PAF clones/replicas are consistent and PAFs are not. Most of the people who have PAFs had many similar experiences and know this first hand but will never tell like you did - cause they just might be selling theirs eventually.
 

goldtop0

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Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
If you can get/loan/buy PAFs you've got to put them in YOUR LP and discount hearing them in someone elses instrument(different wood as they say).
They work in some gats but not ALL LPs as I also found:dang
 

Hackubus

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2001
Messages
1,591
I had a set in a R8 I recently sold. Luckily the buyer didn't want the Tims & I was able to keep them. His loss. Now to find a new home for them!
 

straightblues

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Messages
954
I got a set from Tim. They weren't my flavor at all. I had them in the guitar for about a week. Then sold them for a profit during the boom. The guy that got them, loved them. I didn't like the way the notes jumped out of them. They sounded good overdriven, but not clean. 90% of my playing is very clean.

My opinion is in the minority. I have read very few bad reviews.
 

Tone Seeker

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
410
I have an earlier EdA wind. It was in my 1980 Les Paul Heritage 80 for years. I did a bunch of pickup swapping in multiple guitars a few months ago, and it was a real eye opener.

I now realize that the Tim neck pickup sounds dull in the Les Paul, whereas my set of RS/Fralin True 60's work very well. They really bring out the best in that guitar.

The Tims conversely, work very well in a slab mahogany Collings that I have. While the lower mids were too pronounced with the True 60's, the Tim's bring balance to the guitar.

I thought about selling the Tims, but I'm glad I didn't. I'm about to pop them into the Collings and give them a good workout.

As someone said earlier, it's all about the right fit.

Terry.
 

TBurst Std

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2003
Messages
399
Still have my double white Tims from coming up on 7 years ago and still loving them.
 

les strat

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Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
5,194
I was almost up on the list, then got the email. I was bummed, and just stuck with my '57+ bridge and BB1 neck in the old R8 and sold any boutiques I had. I got tired of the whole newest trendy pickup money pit.
 

Humbuck

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Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
4,489
I have a set of covered double whites and they were great but lost out to a set of Rick Norman's pickups in a light R7 a couple of years ago and have not made it back into any guitars since. Lazy I guess, and I actually like the burstbuckers in 2 other guitars.
 

Heritage 80

New member
Joined
Jan 10, 2002
Messages
7,000
I've got early EdA's (if I remember #'s 29 & 30) from circa 2002 or 2003 in my H80. They're staying. Very vintage when combined with 500K pots, Black Beauty's "borrowed" from my '69 Deluxe, and 50's wiring. Very vintage sounding stuff.
 

rockpit

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2006
Messages
415
Still have a set of Tim's double whites in my CR7. They're in there for the long haul. Didn't know there were any 4- conductor sets. I like
 

tarlton

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2002
Messages
132
Timbucker 4-conductor

I got them both direct from Tim at the time. He'd customize them however you wanted. They are EdA winds, in the very beginning he offered 2 winds. (I think the other was EdW?) I couldn't splash out for a pair at the time, but when i got round to the bridge later pup he said he's make sure it matched... he knew i was heavy into the combo tones. I started out with getting just the neck to see how Timbuckers cut the mustard... he had just come out with them at that point. (Think i waited only 2 weeks for my order.) Everyone wanted vintage-accurate looking stuff... but i needed 4-conductor for the 21 position Jimmy Page mod. I could care less about vintage looking conductor wires. Not even sure he did any other 4-conductor. i never asked.
 
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Tone Seeker

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
410
I have an original EdA wind from Tim with a traditional 2 conductor braided lead PLUS a wire for coil splitting. I had actually requested a 4 conductor lead, but the third wire will do the job nicely!

Terry.
 
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