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Would you say, the WLH set is a GOOD PAF remake/clone/copy ?

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  • Would you say, the WLH set is a GOOD PAF remake/clone/copy ?

    I realize there a quite a bit of diff sounding Gibson PAF's out there . . .

    . . . but with your experience, would you say the WLH set is s good, very good, or brilliant remake of a PAF ?
    Formerly known as; SirJackdeFuzz (7400+ posts)

  • #2
    In the non-expert opinion (of a sh*tty player), I'd say very good, though it might depend on what "PAF" means to you or what you want out of a set of pickups. They sound more modern than Antiquities, for example, so preference could be determined by your intended application. I had them in an SG for around a year, playing mostly medium gain rock, and that was my favorite tone at the time. I decided that the SG design is just not for me though, so they're in a box waiting for a guitar to go into.

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    • #3
      Hard to say not having owned a set.

      But here's the description: "The bridge is a vintage-hot 8.78k DC resistance and the neck is similarly beefy at 8.20k. The rough cast magnets add warmth and balance so everything sounds bigger. What is sonically unique about the Whole Lotta Humbucker pickups is the way that they push your amp and add a very slight natural compression and sustain to your sound."

      So they're wound hotter and with more turns of copper wire than most real pafs, but that's what most people today want.

      And unlike most real paf sets, the bridge is wound hotter than the neck pickup, but that's what most of today's players prefer.

      The overdriven tones most of us like today is not the sound Seth Lover or Gibson had in mind when they created the original pafs.

      In fact, my experience with Gibson when I visited them in Kalamazoo in the 1960's is that they were ANTI-ROCK N ROLL.

      They use Alnico 5 roughcast magnets which were used in some real pafs, although most seem to have had Alnico 2 or Alnico 4 magnets.

      So are they historically accurate?

      Yes and no.

      Do they sound great? Most owners seem to think they do.
      “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

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      • #4
        No, the WLH isn't a vintage PAF humbucker. It is a signature humbucker that has a sound of its own. Despite being mildly overwound, the bridge humbucker is still bright and it has a particularly cutting rock tone that is distinctive. They are real rocking pickups.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by BluesIsBlood12 View Post
          In the non-expert opinion (of a sh*tty player), I'd say very good, though it might depend on what "PAF" means to you or what you want out of a set of pickups. They sound more modern than Antiquities, for example, so preference could be determined by your intended application. I had them in an SG for around a year, playing mostly medium gain rock, and that was my favorite tone at the time. I decided that the SG design is just not for me though, so they're in a box waiting for a guitar to go into.
          . . . sounds good

          Thanks.
          Formerly known as; SirJackdeFuzz (7400+ posts)

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Lewguitar View Post
            Hard to say not having owned a set.

            But here's the description: "The bridge is a vintage-hot 8.78k DC resistance and the neck is similarly beefy at 8.20k. The rough cast magnets add warmth and balance so everything sounds bigger. What is sonically unique about the Whole Lotta Humbucker pickups is the way that they push your amp and add a very slight natural compression and sustain to your sound."

            So they're wound hotter and with more turns of copper wire than most real pafs, but that's what most people today want.

            And unlike most real paf sets, the bridge is wound hotter than the neck pickup, but that's what most of today's players prefer.


            The overdriven tones most of us like today is not the sound Seth Lover or Gibson had in mind when they created the original pafs.

            In fact, my experience with Gibson when I visited them in Kalamazoo in the 1960's is that they were ANTI-ROCK N ROLL.

            They use Alnico 5 roughcast magnets which were used in some real pafs, although most seem to have had Alnico 2 or Alnico 4 magnets.

            So are they historically accurate?

            Yes and no.

            Do they sound great? Most owners seem to think they do.
            OK, that is pretty much how i see them as.

            Formerly known as; SirJackdeFuzz (7400+ posts)

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Teleplayer View Post
              No, the WLH isn't a vintage PAF humbucker. It is a signature humbucker that has a sound of its own. Despite being mildly overwound, the bridge humbucker is still bright and it has a particularly cutting rock tone that is distinctive. They are real rocking pickups.
              Would you say the SD A2P's are ''more'' PAF-like then ?

              Formerly known as; SirJackdeFuzz (7400+ posts)

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              • #8
                Originally posted by SirJackdeFuzz II View Post

                Would you say the SD A2P's are ''more'' PAF-like then ?
                Yes I would say so. However the A2Ps are smooth sounding which is the opposite of the Rockin' WLH. Duncan's most accurate vintage PAF are probably the 59s or the Antiquity - those i have not used!

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                • #9
                  I think the most accurate might be the three or four Joe Bonamassa models, since supposedly they're made to sound as exact as possible to the pafs in Joe's old guitars.

                  I own three sets of Antiquitys and those are my favorites.

                  I also have two sets of 59's and I like them too but I changed the polished magnets to roughcast like were used in the 1950's.

                  But those two models are also calibrated so the bridge pickup is hotter than the neck pickup.

                  Fine with me.

                  It used to bug the crap out of me that the neck pickup was louder than the bridge pickups on the old Gibsons I used to own.


                  “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Teleplayer View Post

                    Yes I would say so. However the A2Ps are smooth sounding which is the opposite of the Rockin' WLH. Duncan's most accurate vintage PAF are probably the 59s or the Antiquity - those i have not used!
                    Thanks Teleplayer.

                    One would think that the Seth Lover set would be theee most accurate PAF of the lot of 'em.
                    Seeing as the man himself was involved with Seymour to help in the creation of his very own design (way back, when he worked for Gibson).
                    Formerly known as; SirJackdeFuzz (7400+ posts)

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Lewguitar View Post
                      I think the most accurate might be the three or four Joe Bonamassa models, since supposedly they're made to sound as exact as possible to the pafs in Joe's old guitars.

                      I own three sets of Antiquitys and those are my favorites.

                      I also have two sets of 59's and I like them too but I changed the polished magnets to roughcast like were used in the 1950's.

                      But those two models are also calibrated so the bridge pickup is hotter than the neck pickup.

                      Fine with me.

                      It used to bug the crap out of me that the neck pickup was louder than the bridge pickups on the old Gibsons I used to own.

                      Thanks.
                      Looks like i will be looking into those as well then
                      Formerly known as; SirJackdeFuzz (7400+ posts)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by SirJackdeFuzz II View Post

                        Thanks Teleplayer.

                        One would think that the Seth Lover set would be theee most accurate PAF of the lot of 'em.
                        Seeing as the man himself was involved with Seymour to help in the creation of his very own design (way back, when he worked for Gibson).
                        Truthfully, I think the Seth Lovers are closer in one way: they're weaker than Antiquitys and more like real pafs in that regard.

                        But they use polished Alnico 2. Not roughcast Alnico 2 like real pafs used.

                        The sound is not as toothy (like a comb) and textured as Antiquitys.

                        I prefer the sound of Antiquitys.
                        “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

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                        • #13
                          The WLH neck sounds like a great candidate to use with the Perpetual Burn in the bridge. Hmmmm.

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                          • #14
                            No, the Antiquity or even the 59 is a better PAF remake than the WLH. The WLH manages to fall in the 'hotter PAF' catagory, but is too hot to be considered an actual PAF-type pickup.
                            Administrator of the SDUGF

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by ErikH View Post
                              The WLH neck sounds like a great candidate to use with the Perpetual Burn in the bridge. Hmmmm.
                              I may have to try that. I have the PB. It's one of my favorite bridge pups. It's clean, while still having some punch and a nice attack.

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