Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

That90'sGuy

That90'sGuy

DyzaBoyzologist
Hey guys, I'm on an elusive "perfect humbucker" search. I realize that the tones I'm getting are good (better than most), but after playing that Grosh it's made me realize that there is better out there.

I have 3 humbuckers in question. There's the Tom Holmes H450/H455 (which I've heard from some are the richest and best humbuckers around), the JM Rolph humbucker (most authentic, vintage sounding PAF), or the Voodoo '59 (one person claimed it sounded better than the Tom Holmes, he had... others contradict him).

I'm tempted to shell out money for the Tom Holmes set for my Les Paul, get the Voodoos for my Dean Chafin Del Sol (honestly, one of the finest semi-hollowbody archtops I've EVER played and well worth the upgrade).

What do you guys think? Has anyone tried these or can comment on the quality of one of them? Cost is NOT going to be an issue... I will save up money for it if it's going to make a difference.

I originally thought about the Lindy Fralin Unbucker too, but I think it pairs the best with single coils (after playing the Grosh).
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

The nice ones I own are:

1. a set of rolph's 59's
2. 2 sets of timbuckers, and a custom neck he's done for my 24 fret guitar
3. 2 sets of a5 bridge a3 neck modded antiquity humbuckers

I tried voodoo's for a brief period, like the timbuckers and rolphs better. But they are in the same ballpark, noticeably brighther (and slightly thinner) than both of those. Modded antiquities are standing tall against all the PAF clones I have compared. They are different, do not have that nasal honk of the tim's and jim's. They have less uppermids that is, but are not thin at all. My ants are in the 8.70/7.70-60 vicinity, whereas timbuckers and rolphs are around 8.35/8.00-7.90.

I'd say do not discount ants. Tim White has a very long waiting list, so maybe out of the question if you don't wanna pay Tom Holmes prices! Rolphs on the other hand all come custom made after talking to him on the phone. He is a very cool guy to talk to, and excellent pickup winder.

I heard great things about SD custom shop Jimmy Page pickups as well.

B
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

Thanks for the reply dr. barlo :)

I think I want a humbucker that sounds exceptionally rich, something with a bit of sparkle. I've heard that both the Tom Holmes and the Voodoos have a 3d quality that others seem to lack. I do like my Antiquities, but perhaps something with more dimension would work better for me.

Thanks for the suggestion of the Timbuckers... I can't believe I completely forgot about them. With cleans, what seems to balance the best? I never thought that PAFs were really thin. I always wanted something with body, but sparkle and definition. If I were to go with the Timbuckers or the Rolphs, do you think I'd be disappointed?

I agree about the Tom Holmes ridiculous prices. People are claiming that they are the best humbucker ever, surpassing any modern or vintage pup out there (even the original PAFs artists like Clapton used with Cream). Harmonics is a big thing to me too; I think that a pup with harmonics has more life to it.

Realistically, the Voodoos are probably looking the best right now (for price/quality ratio), but I'd love to hear more suggestions. I just don't want a humbucker that sounds dull. I've played stuff that sounds lively and I want to see if I can get that with the good quality guitars I have now, without having to sell them.

If anyone has any experience with those other ones (perhaps someone can tell me if I'm on the right track looking at Voodoos) it'd be greatly appreciated.

Rock on!
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

I would not say that voodoo's have the most 3d clarity among the pickups discussed. That is something I definitely would have noticed! I love 3d harmonics. There the clear winners me thinks is the mag modded antiquities. BTW don't let that flavour of the month thing over in the LPF fool you, over there, there are hardcore followers for every brand of pickups. something like the length of skirts you know! :D

Over in the LPF the point which turned me off about them voodoos seems not to be specific to my guitar: excessive brightness and thiness. In fact I DO love bright pickups, when many people hate their PG+'s I am the one making offers to collect them and such. But them voodoo's (maybe those I've gotten were not the best who knows, it was a 8.1 a5 7.85 a3) were excessively bright. I have bought them used, from a LPF mate. BTW that guitar I tried them in is a bright one so maybe voodoo's are the best for you. Yet in the same guitar, rolphs, still bright, but fuller, with very rich, 3d harmonics. Even tims were slightly thin in that guitar.

I'd say Rolphs from what you are describing. Ask him to do a 8.30-35 bridge, you are gonna love it. BTW if you are worrying about Jims pricing, don't! ;)

B
 
Last edited:
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

Wow... this is all so confusing...haha. So many people say different things. Some say that the Rolphs aren't worth the cash because they're pretty much Seth Lovers. Voodoos are bright, huh? If it doesn't have any richness, 3d complexity, or sparkle, it's not really what I want. I'm seriously considering the Rolphs right now. This has definitely changed my thought process. :)

Anyone else? :D
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

I have two sets of Timbuckers and I think they are great. The only relevant thing I can compare them to is a Voodoo neck PU I had. The Voodoo neck PU was really nice...warm, complex, fat, and clear. The Timbucker neck PU is (IHMO, YMMV, etc., etc.,) a bit more subdued than the Voodoo, but perhaps more woody. The middle setting on the Tims is freakin' amazing, and that's why I like the set so much. The bridge PU is amazing as well...I think it does a great AC/DC. If I didn't use the middle I might try a Voodoo neck and Tim bridge. Not that they couldn't blend in the middle if asked, but again I'm happy (thrilled) with the set as is. At some point I'd love to get a couple more LPs and throw a set of Voodoos in one and Antiquities in the other.

Off topic a bit: I tried the Fillmores and they were a bit too much for my needs at the moment. Meaning that if I was able to buy the LPs I mentioned above without becoming the next John Wayne Bobbitt I would and I would have kept the Fillmores. I just wanted more of a classic PAF thing. That being said, the gentleman I sold the Fillmores thinks they are the greatest thing since air, and he really knows his stuff. Again, with multiple LPs these would find a home and I think they would really shine in my Pro Reverb.

To continue my rant, I wanted great PAF clones and got them from Tim. All of the PUs you listed are excellent and I think it's like different brands of Pale Ale. Close, but you can taste the difference, and chances are you'll like one type better than the rest but not to the point where you won't want to take a taste of the others from time to time.

Good luck! I think there are clips of these pickups around so that might help you.
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

I have only owned the Holmes...and I like them better than the original '58, '59 & 60' Gibson pafs I've owned over the years.

I have a set of alnico 2 double cream Holmes HB's in my '00 Les Paul 59 RI ...an exceptionally light, resonant and lively Les Paul guitar. I have the featherweight Gotoh aluminum stop tailpiece on it and moved the tone caps to the middle terminal of the volume pots to help retain the highs and clarity when I turn down the volume controls.

The Holmes HB's sound brighter, livlier and stronger than any alnico 2 "paf" HB I've heard. Couldn't tell you why...they just do.

I would love to hear Dr. Barlo's alnico 3 modded Antiquitys compared to the Tom Holmes HB's.

The Holmes HB's have a strong paf tone, perhaps like the best examples of the late 50's Les Paul. When Clapton lost his Sunburst that he recorded the John Mayall Bluesbreakers CD with, it took him 25 or 30 years to find another one that sounded like it.

The Holmes HB's sound like I remember the pickups on Jeff Beck's Les Paul that he recorded Truth with sounding...the Les Paul he toured with in 1967 when I saw him three nights in a row in Detroit & Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Beck was playing a late 50's unfinished or natural finished Les Paul with two uncovered double cream paf's through two '67 Marshall Plexi stacks. I think it's the Les Paul guitar a dishonest repair man stole the pickups out of and which Seymour replaced with the Tele-Gib with the first Jazz & JB pickups in it...and gave Jeff as a gift.

I also heard Clapton with Cream in '67 from pretty close up. He was playing the painted SG with uncovered HB's through two Marshall stacks.

Clapton's tone was smoother and sweeter than Becks, warmer but still very 3 dimensional and very viloin like but not as exciting as Beck's playing...I can get that Gibson SG Clapton tone with a Duncan 59B or 59TB. It's one of my all time favorite HB tones.

But the Holmes's HB's nail Beck's live tone the way I remember it from '67...at least for me and the way I play.

I guess that makes the Duncan 59B or TB and the Holmes a2 HBs my favorite HB bridge pickups, since they both nail my two favorite humbucker tones.

Lew
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

Last I heard about Tom Holmes was that he isn't making pups anymore. He never did it on a full-time basis anyway (part of the reason for the hi-$$), but I hear that he's not making them anymore. The booteeks are all going to sound nice and sound the best to different ears, in different guitars. It's a crap shoot. The upshot is that whatever you buy, you'll be able to turn over for about what you paid, so you won't be out much $$. I've been thinking about trying a set of Jason Lollar's Imperial Humbuckers. They don't get talked-up on the boards like some of the others, but Jason makes outstanding pups, and what little I've heard about them is very good.
I think that if I were you right now, I'd call Jim Rolph and get a set from him. Guys really seem to like them. I've read more good comments on his pups than any of the other booteeks.
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

One thing I remember when I ordered my Holmes HB's from Tom is that I told him I wanted an HB that would nail Jeff Beck's humbucking tone from '67 as well as Clapton's Les Paul tone. He told me to order the standard Holmes alinico 2 paf set that he said was also being used by Billy Gibbons.

I have never compared the Tom Holmes HB's to the Duncan Pearly Gates...I wonder how they'd compare?

Lew
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

Thanks a lot for the replies guys, I think the Rolphs deserve so serious attention.

It's getting to the point where I think I may just not like the sound of a Les Paul period... as scary as that sounds. I really want something dynamic and rich, but I just seem to get is a little bit of a bland or boring tone. The Voodoos, if they have the complexity I need, may do the trick. I'm hearing two different sides, so maybe the pups are sketchy.

Falstaff, thanks for the link. I can't access it quite yet (I'm just registering now). I'm sure it'll come in handy. I'd hate to admit it, but those LPForum guys do know their stuff.

I really want something with body and a little bit of sparkle. If I like one of these PAF humbuckers enough in my Dean, I may just end up selling the Les Paul (it's good, but I like the feel and the tone of my Chafin better unplugged... I swear it's better wood... real nice flame top etc.).
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

You know Tweed, I was thinking of Lollars myself before.

The reviews are very enticing. I think I may really have to give them a spin. Clarity is a big thing to me, and these seem to have them in spades. So many choices, I'm sure something has to have the tone I'm looking for.
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

the_Chris said:
You know Tweed, I was thinking of Lollars myself before.

The reviews are very enticing. I think I may really have to give them a spin. Clarity is a big thing to me, and these seem to have them in spades. So many choices, I'm sure something has to have the tone I'm looking for.
Click to expand...

Jason tells me that he's never tried the Holmes, but he has gotten feedback from players who have used both Holmes and Imperials, and they describe the two pups as very similar, with the Imperials having more of an "airy" quality.
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

That's what I'm seeing and price wise it looks much more reasonable. I think these will really kick in my Dean Chafin Del Sol :)
 
Re: Which PAF pup: Holmes, Rolph, Voodoo?

After much thought and much reviewing, I have come to a conclusion.

I really do love my SD Antiquities. I don't care anymore if someone says there is something "a little better" because it does really nail the vintage PAF tone (I was listening the Allman Brothers and man does it nail that tone). I guess my ears just need adjusting to the whole PAF thing. There are some applications I try to use it for where it doesn't sound the best (lots of rhythm strumming), but soloing it is to die for. It's jazz applications as well as anything remotely distorted is fantastic too.

As far as my Dean Chafin Del Sol, the Lollar Imperials offer a slightly "airier" tone than Tom Holmes so I think the clarity and the "transparency" it offers (by this I mean, allows the woods of the guitar to shine through) will make it really sound fantastic.

I have a feeling I'll want to keep both guitars because of their own individual uses, but we'll see. I absolutely need a Grosh Bent Top Custom so if the Dean sounds really really great (like I'm expecting it to), I may consider selling the Gibson (if I can get a PAF tone that is a bit airier or different than the norm... I may prefer it).

Who knows? If I really fall in love with the PAF tone and fall out of this single coil phase I've been hit with hard lately, the Rolphs are gonna be must haves for their authenticity.

Thanks again for the help guys. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top