Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

[Lewguitar]

Want to know all about 50's PAF's and 60's Gibson humbuckers? Then don't miss these articles guys. Read every word.

Tom Holmes Interview and paf humbucker shootout between Fralin, Holmes and others: http://www.tonequest.com/pdf_pubs/TQRJan09_proof.pdf

Shoot-out between vintage 50's Gibson pafs: http://www.helidriver.com/MLP/TQRApr08_screen.pdf

When Gibson wanted to recreate the old paf they had Tom Holmes create the tooling and prototypes. The result was the best humbucker Gibson had produced since 1960.

Boy I'd love to read a joint interview between Seymour and Tom! Those two guys are it, IMO - my two very favorite pickup makers. For my money, Seymour winds the ultimate Strat pickup (the Antiquity Surfer) and Tom winds my favorite humbucker - although all of the Duncan Custom Shop humbuckers I own blow me away too.

I have Antiquity Surfers and Texas Hots in all of my favorite Strats and Holmes HB's in my 335 and Big Apple Strat. I've never heard better pickups - old or new.

 

[Curly]

Re: Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

I read the Tom Holmes interview -- pretty interesting that he basically does all his tooling.

Now I want a set ... but $700??? Yikes!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

I read the Tom Holmes interview -- pretty interesting that he basically does all his tooling.

Now I want a set ... but $700??? Yikes!

I think the fact that Tom makes all of the parts including the covers himself is part of the secret.

Are they worth $700? I'd say they're more worth $700 than most $700 amps are worth $700!

You know Curly - I'm going to say that if you've got the scratch they're worth it. Like they said in the review at the end, in a word, the tone is beautiful. They just have a beautiful tone that's not exactly like any other humbucker I've heard. They're not nasal or honky at all. They're warm, rich and thick yet bright enough to be articulate. They have their own sound that's definitely some version of a classic paf humbucker - but somehow better.

I lucked into my second set - they were already installed in the ES-335 I just bought. And my first set I bought from Tom himself years ago for nowhere near $700.

Would I pay $700. for a new set? Maybe. But first I'd ask Seymour and MJ if I could send them my extra set so they could figure out why the Holmes pickups sound the way they do and then see if they could wind a set that sounds like them.

Lew

 

[jeremy]

Re: Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

do that and let me know what they say will ya?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

do that and let me know what they say will ya?

I'd be willing to remove my Holmes set from my Strat and send it to Seymour and MJ. Sure wouldn't want to offend anyone though! Seriously: how do you think they would feel about that? I'd think they'd get a kick out of having a set to check out. Good idea or bad idea Jeremy? You know Seymour and MJ better than I do. Lew

 

[jeremy]

Re: Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

i dont think they would have an issue with it and im real curious as to what the "magic" is
seymour and mj want to make the best pups for as many people as they can and if this helps them do that i cant see why they wouldnt want to take a look. im not sure if they would start making a copycat version of it but im sure it would be nice to see what other great winders are coming up with

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

i dont think they would have an issue with it and im real curious as to what the "magic" is
seymour and mj want to make the best pups for as many people as they can and if this helps them do that i cant see why they wouldnt want to take a look. im not sure if they would start making a copycat version of it but im sure it would be nice to see what other great winders are coming up with

That's what I was thinking. I'm going to call MJ and see what she says. If they're into it, I'll remove the set in my Strat and send it to the Duncan Custom Shop. I need to send Seymour my '63 Strat anyway. I have the original switch and pots and pickups but all of the cloth wiring needs to be restored and MJ has already told me Seymour would restore it for me with Antiquity wire so it looks "right" again. I could send everything in one big package. You up for a set of new humbuckers if they're into it? Lew

 

[jeremy]

Re: Fabulous article about vintage Paf's, interview with Tom Holmes, etc.

im always in for new toys