Whole Lotta Humbuckers

Spirit of 76

Spirit of 76

New member
For anyone going for a great 70s, classic rock sound, the Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers are a great choice. They were designed just like the pickups Seymour Duncan worked on for Jimmy Paige in the 70s.

Initially these were a limited release just in the UK but now they are a normal production run.

I just has a set installed in an Epiphone Les Paul Classic (had to go with the covered nickel for the classic look) and they really sound great. The clean tone is excellent but I have also been testing them out on a clean channel with both a Boss Blues Driver and Big Muff Pi; I am getting some great sounds with both pedals.

Anyway, Guitar Center still has a few sets in stock (when I bought mine a few weeks ago, a lot of other places had them on back order or you could only get a single pickup and not a set).

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Seymou...Lotta-Humbucker-Electric-Guitar-Pickup-Set.gc
 
Glad you like them. I have a set of the original custom shop release and initially they were going to be the start of some pickup swapping, but they never got swapped.
 
I agree. They are a great set for those looking for a PAF-type, but a little hotter.
 
I love them too, in fact, I am about to begin ordering what will become my second guitar with a WLH set in them. Although, I am in no rush, the guitar will not be ready for several months. So, I do not need to order another set of WLH today... I do not think. Hopefully they are not too difficult to locate soon.
 
They sound intriguing. I've been swapping pickups like crazy lately. I'm thinking about getting a pair (or at least bridge model) for my SG.
 
Hopefully you can get a set, though when I got mine, I was specifically looking for Nickle Covered pickups and Guitar Center was the only place with a set. The uncovered might be easier to locate.

I really both pick ups, but for the neck, if you drop the tone down you can get a really nice nasally Clapton/Cream kinda sound for soloing.
 
ArtieToo said:
So, how would these compare to the classic old '59 set?
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Artie, the DCR of the WLH set is 8.2K and 8.78K and it uses roughcast Alnico 5 magnets.

My newish 59's measure 7.43K and 8.13K and came with polished Alnico 5 magnets.

I'm very familiar with Duncan 59's and have some sets from the 1980's that MJ wound. Those have a higher DCR than today's 59 set and mine came with ROUGHCAST Alnico 5 magnets stock.

I think polished A5 magnets might hold a stronger charge than roughcast, and polished A5 give a pickup a brighter sound than roughcast. I would anticipate the WLH set with roughcast A5 having a warmer more textured sound with stronger midrange, than today's 59 set.

8.2K is pretty high for a neck pickup but original PAF sets might have had a neck pickup wound with higher DCR than the bridge pickup or the same as the bridge pickup.

Or lower DCR like today's calibrated sets.

It was hit or miss in the 50's and I don't think Gibson made any attempt to calibrate PAFs for the neck and bridge positions.

Some did accidentally come with an A2 neck and A4 or A5 bridge. That would balance them a little bit.

But it was probably not intentional.
 
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ArtieToo said:
So, how would these compare to the classic old '59 set?
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Mine are like an improved 59 set. Some mids filled in on the bridge, softer top end on the bridge, little more heat on the bridge (drives amps a little better, more range with the volume control), no boom on the neck, some chime in the middle position, both split well and combine when split well. Even gets Fendery with split and out of phase (like Dire Straits Sultans of Swing Fendery).
 
beaubrummels said:
Mine are like an improved 59 set. Some mids filled in on the bridge, softer top end on the bridge, little more heat on the bridge (drives amps a little better, more range with the volume control), no boom on the neck, some chime in the middle position, both split well and combine when split well. Even gets Fendery with split and out of phase (like Dire Straits Sultans of Swing Fendery).
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That's basically what I would expect them to be. An improved 59 set.
 
Spirit of 76 said:
Hopefully you can get a set, though when I got mine, I was specifically looking for Nickle Covered pickups and Guitar Center was the only place with a set. The uncovered might be easier to locate.

I really both pick ups, but for the neck, if you drop the tone down you can get a really nice nasally Clapton/Cream kinda sound for soloing.
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I wonder if I should order mine now! I do want a set without covers. I see they are out of stock at Duncan. I always prefer ordering them direct from Duncan if possible.

I do not need them for about 2 months... I hope SD is not discontinuing them...

I also love both the neck and the bridge. They have a wide range. I also have push-push volumes so I can operate in single coil mode too. They sound great in any mode.
 
beaubrummels said:
Mine are like an improved 59 set. Some mids filled in on the bridge, softer top end on the bridge, little more heat on the bridge (drives amps a little better, more range with the volume control), no boom on the neck, some chime in the middle position, both split well and combine when split well. Even gets Fendery with split and out of phase (like Dire Straits Sultans of Swing Fendery).
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Yes this is exactly what they sound like. And yes, the Fender-y tones are real. Very cool set of humbuckers. I would also add that they have a certain glassy smooth top end capability, very glassy when playing something such as The Thrill is Gone.

I love the WLH set. They truly shine with any kind of dirt, these pups love driving music with sex appeal. With that being said, don't ignore the clean tones either!
 
ArtieToo said:
Cool. I just got my roughcast A2/A3 set for my 59's, from AFX, that you recommended. I'll try these out, and go from there.

Thanks again Lew;
Artie
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Sweet! The roughcast A2 in a 59B or Antiquity Bridge is my favorite and the most fun to play!

Roughcast A3 is my favorite magnet in a neck humbucker for clean tones. Doesn't do overdrive as well as a stronger magnet though.
 
SnakeAces said:
I love them too, in fact, I am about to begin ordering what will become my second guitar with a WLH set in them. Although, I am in no rush, the guitar will not be ready for several months. So, I do not need to order another set of WLH today... I do not think. Hopefully they are not too difficult to locate soon.
Click to expand...

SnakeAces, looks like Guitar Center still has both the Nickle Covered and Black Uncovered in-stock (see link below). SD has been out of stock for a few months so not sure when they will have more.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Seymour...-Pickup-Set.gc
 
Spirit of 76 said:
SnakeAces, looks like Guitar Center still has both the Nickle Covered and Black Uncovered in-stock (see link below). SD has been out of stock for a few months so not sure when they will have more.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Seymour...-Pickup-Set.gc
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Awesome! Thank you!

Yeah, Artie and Lew know everything there is to know about tone, I swear. These guys are walking encyclopedias when it comes to what a pickup can do, then they can just mix and match magnets to achieve pretty much any tone they are seeking in their head. We love having you guys around here!
 
Spirit of 76 said:
For anyone going for a great 70s, classic rock sound, the Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers are a great choice.
Click to expand...

I use them now with my classic rock cover band and they are great. However, I was using them with my post-hardcore metal band and they were amazing. Thick, chuggy, throaty, spleen-splitting heavy. They make a Les Paul sound like what you picture a Les Paul sounds like.
 
SnakeAces said:
Awesome! Thank you!

Yeah, Artie and Lew know everything there is to know about tone, I swear. These guys are walking encyclopedias when it comes to what a pickup can do, then they can just mix and match magnets to achieve pretty much any tone they are seeking in their head. We love having you guys around here!
Click to expand...

Thanks . . . but Lew knows tone. I know wiring. Together, we get stuff done. :D

And Lew, I'm doing these mags into HB-101's. (The "Designed" series.) I hope they work out just as well.
 
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