Who knows Virgil Arlo?

[Big Al]

I'm not saying anything about it one way or another, I'm just posting a quote from the company's website. I only found it an odd way to deal w/an issue that I guess has occurred somewhere else on the internet. I don't have the time to dig down & find discussions about the pickups on other fora. If I did, I would look to see who is doing the posting as much as the actual reviews themselves, whether pro or con.

Isn't it odd? I'll say this, from what I saw the pickups were well made, not mish mash wound on a sewing machine, but all the hoopla did not match the performance. The online hyperbole is super tactile, ultra responsive detailed pickups. When compared, like I said to standard issue SD pickups they did not perform better or provide any additional response, feel or tone. We played a variety of my guitars, Tommy's excellent 57 Strat and 62 ES 355 which had the VA pickups, and bone stock Custom Shop Fender Strats and R9's.

We all felt that at best they equaled the excellent $60-$90 SD's and did not surpass the the Fender or Gibson stock Custom Shop pickups. That simple really. I will have to call Tom and find out if he was able to get a return on the pickups as he was not going to keep them. This was very similar to the Doyle Coil experience where a very highly touted and expensive pickup did not match the hype. Yes, it is all very subjective and people likes what they like, but in this case an anonymous fictitious "winder" with apparently a hidden shop, which bears all the hallmarks of subcontracted, OEM rebranded, sourced and relabeled product intentionally done to mislead buyers from their true origin.

It is like having GFS make me up a bunch of pickups and I put them in my box with a fancy made up name and used the internet to hype the identity of my fictitious winder and the special properties of these magical ultra high end pickups which I would sell at a magical high end price. In the end it is nothing short of internet marketing and a massive PUMP.

Bullchip can pound all the sand he wants, but I can't recommend these pickups or justify the price and IMO they are nothing special. Has any`one noticed how similar the bull chipper in his sudden appearance and style bears a remarkable similarity to the other hot air spewing Stevens episode? Hmmmm?:hmm

I'll say this, if I am going to spend big bucks on premium Vintage flavored pickups it will be with Jon Gundry. Honest and open, full transparency in his builds and mission. Absolute high quality and attention to detail and an honest passion for doing it right. The same applies for my friend Seymour Duncan, ( who I feel makes the best all around line of pickups, period), and the good folks at DiMarzio, Fralin, Lollor, Harmonic Design, Rio Grande, and on and on. This Virgo Arlo method of duping, by it's very deceptive nature starts out with false premiss and is insulting in it's scope to mislead. Some may feel it's OK, but I do not. That is my opinion and my experience so pound all the sand you want, Mr Shill, it doesn't change anything.

 

[Cogswell]

I think the overall aim is to create some sort of persona, some kind of mystique, you know? A "brand", I guess.
I really don't care about any of that stuff. I like a good, clear sound, & Wolfetone Legends give me that in spades. And if you or I call the number on the website, it's likely that Wolfe is going to answer the phone if he's there. It's not voodoo, it's science.
I have no idea who Virgil Arlo really is, but I'd think he wouldn't be entirely pleased with the representation he's getting here. The forum has thousands of members worldwide. To write off the whole of them because one or two posters express their skepticism is shooting yourself in the foot. Or perhaps in this case chipss36 is shooting Virgil's foot
Lol

 

[chasenblues]

It is like having GFS make me up a bunch of pickups and I put them in my box with a fancy made up name

Isn't that what GFS does,Buys/gets their product offshore and has them put in box with their name on it?
The name Artec comes to mind.

 

[renderit]

I think the overall aim is to create some sort of persona, some kind of mystique, you know? A "brand", I guess.
I really don't care about any of that stuff. I like a good, clear sound, & Wolfetone Legends give me that in spades. And if you or I call the number on the website, it's likely that Wolfe is going to answer the phone if he's there. It's not voodoo, it's science.
I have no idea who Virgil Arlo really is, but I'd think he wouldn't be entirely pleased with the representation he's getting here. The forum has thousands of members worldwide. To write off the whole of them because one or two posters express their skepticism is shooting yourself in the foot. Or perhaps in this case chipss36 is shooting Virgil's foot
Lol

Why would anyone do that? It's SOOO fake!

 

[chipss36]

Proove it.....

Um...... so the guys here playing original 50's Les Paul's have crap tone?

That settles it, all you cheap delusional burst owners need to pull your PAF's and pony up for some VA's, then you'll sound GOOD!!!!

chipss, you do realize that there are guys here that are members of the rock and roll hall of fame right?

 

[chipss36]

I am not the am not one slandering VA, or Stephens.
that would be kojak, he has crap tone, and mistakes in what
is posted, the stems should have been trashed, Doug and pat have better tone
even on YouTube.

suppose that’s the Grammy winner?
muhahaha, as long as you believe him anyway?

Why would anyone do that? It's SOOO fake!

 

[chipss36]

Been playing my VA pickups in a les Pual all day.
ohhh the joy...that so many, will NEVER know.

 

[chipss36]

https://youtu.be/isXv4fHwUgo

 

[chasenblues]

Been playing my les Paul all day.

And your "customers" still wait..

 

[duaneflowers]

It's funny you mentioned Dave Stephens, Mr. Ponzi scheme himself, whom has in writing the very definition of a Ponzi scheme in his own website.

Explain this...

 

[LtKojak]

Explain this...

http://www.sdpickups.com/pricelist.shtml

Scroll down, it starts with sentence "Your order is a CONTRACT for work". The rest follows:

I do not guarantee a delivery time, I can only give you a close guestimate on delivery time, the work changes daily and time predictions are difficult. Despite my best efforts to stay ahead, your order can go later or even sooner than expected. The key is patience. I am one man wearing many hats to make this business run, if you have never been self employed, keep your day job! I do not give refunds, nor may you cancel your order for refund- your payment is acceptance of a binding contract to have your work done as stated. Your payment is usually spent immediately to keep magnets, wire and steel in stock as well as utility costs etc. etc. If you have any questions about my terms just contact me, its all just common sense really.

I think it says it all. Consumer Protection Law anyone?

 

[duaneflowers]

http://www.sdpickups.com/pricelist.shtml

Scroll down, it starts with sentence "Your order is a CONTRACT for work". The rest follows:

I think it says it all. Consumer Protection Law anyone?

So, in other words, you have no idea what a Ponzi Scheme even is and you're just spouting the same bullshit you've been spouting for years whenever Dave's name comes up... got it.

 

[LtKojak]

So, in other words, you have no idea what a Ponzi Scheme even is and you're just spouting the same bullshit you've been spouting for years whenever Dave's name comes up... got it.

To get money from one to finance what it's expected to deliver to another is the very definition of the infamous "Ponzi Scheme".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme

After consulting the Oregon Consumer State law, there's actually no laws in place nor guidelines about how to proceed in requiring and/or enforcing the right for a refund, 'cause there isn't any... although the jurisprudency of the Small Claims Court has sided with the consumer in 58% of cases in 2017.

Seems that European Consumer Laws are light-years ahead towards protecting the consumer than the US', although all leading US companies and manufactures have in-place diverse no-questions-asked policies in that regard.

 

[duaneflowers]

To get money from one to finance what it's expected to deliver to another is the very definition of the infamous "Ponzi Scheme".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme

<bullshit snipped>

What does buying a set of pickups have to do with investment fraud?

 

[LtKojak]

What does buying a set of pickups have to do with investment fraud?

When it was stated twice before, if you still claim of not seen the analogy, then I guess it's just pointless to keep trying.

 

[duaneflowers]

When it was stated twice before, if you still claim of not seen the analogy, then I guess it's just pointless to keep trying.

Either that or your English just sucks and its pointless for you to keep trying to use it... all I hear is your endless bitching about things that have nothing whatsoever to do with you and trying to justify it with complete bullshit... since you are so ignorant of the facts here I can only assume you are just as ignorant of the facts in your other posts. And as usual, you seem to have just started the thread to stir up shit... I have no dog in this race and I don't know or care anything about Virgil Arlo but chipss36 was right to call you out on the crap you are posting...

HTH

 

[deytookerjaabs]

Hmm, no dog in this fight either.


But, seems to me, Mr. Kojak was making an interesting inquiry to start with...is "tone specific" the same stuff as the "Virgil Arlo" stuff but being sold at different price points? The demos linked on both sites are a similar cast of players, no? Then, as stated many times, there is little to zero transparency here while there is a lot that points to the same person being behind both operations.


That has nothing to do with the opinions of the pickup quality/tone/whatever.


It's just a question and/or speculation as far as I can tell.


Then, a user who apparently has done the same exact stuff under a similar name pops in to aggressively shame everyone calling out "paranoid delusions" and "slander" then glorify the tone of said pickups even though...that's not the premise on which the thread was started.


I think it's perfectly fair question to ask on the consumer's part, this is a forum of people who buy pickups, is it not? Okay, maybe you like all the secrecy, but others have a right to be curious.

 

[duaneflowers]

Hmm, no dog in this fight either.


But, seems to me, Mr. Kojak was making an interesting inquiry to start with...is "tone specific" the same stuff as the "Virgil Arlo" stuff but being sold at different price points? The demos linked on both sites are a similar cast of players, no? Then, as stated many times, there is little to zero transparency here while there is a lot that points to the same person being behind both operations.


That has nothing to do with the opinions of the pickup quality/tone/whatever.


It's just a question and/or speculation as far as I can tell.


Then, a user who apparently has done the same exact stuff under a similar name pops in to aggressively shame everyone calling out "paranoid delusions" and "slander" then glorify the tone of said pickups even though...that's not the premise on which the thread was started.


I think it's perfectly fair question to ask on the consumer's part, this is a forum of people who buy pickups, is it not? Okay, maybe you like all the secrecy, but others have a right to be curious.

It was indeed fine until the OP started using the thread to promote his own personal vindictive agenda by spouting complete and utter nonsense completely unrelated to the OP merely because he found an audience to listen to his tripe...

 

[chasenblues]

It's just a question and/or speculation as far as I can tell.


Then, a user who apparently has done the same exact stuff under a similar name pops in to aggressively shame everyone calling out "paranoid delusions" and "slander"

You left lairs and pound sand Lol..

 

[LtKojak]

using the thread to promote his own personal vindictive agenda

Funny you say that... because you're doing exactly the same here.

Would you like to start talking about your beef with Jon Gundry? Or that Dave Stephens is a good friend of yours? Or both, perhaps?

You obviously have a bone to pick, so don't play the caped crusader, Duane. It's beneath you.

BTW, I guess you didn't see my PM cumplimenting you for the importance of your involvement in the making of the Mario Milan/Jame Finnerty book "The Gibson "P.A.F." Humbucking Pickup: From Myth to Reality", calling it "the glue that held everything together". Kudos! A job well deserving being proud of.

So, there you have it. Calling a spade a spade and giving credit where credit is due.