Humbuckers: WCR, Throbak or Holmes?

[Bunnest]

I am using WCR darkbursts right now, I love 'em, BIG improvement over the Dimarzio classics. What is the deal with these old Gibson winders? Throbak and Holmes acquired the original tooling? Anyome make any comparisons? Worth double the price of WCRs (at the least)?
Thanks!!

[shakti]

I didn't know Holmes had any of the old Gibson winding machines?

I've got a set of ThroBak PG102 Ltds in my R8 Historic Makeover. They replaced a WCR Fillmore neck and Goodwood bridge. As nice as those WCRs were, these are head and shoulders above, IMHO. Not an apples to apples comparison of course, since they're different specs, but the complexity of the ThroBaks are just in another class. The Goodwood bridge was a very nice, *veeery* fat sounding bridge PU though.

[Bunnest]

wow! that much improvement, eh? I noticed a huge improvement from the dimarzios...Thanks for sharing...ALWYAS SOMETHING!!! I did some research after seeing VG looking for some pickups, seems Throbak AND Holmes got the machines...I do notice that the Darkburst seem to be more popular for the plexi VH type sound, but having any WCR, you get the idea. thanks!

[VelvetGeorge]

I haven't tried too many of the more recent pickups. I was just content with the T tops. But when I heard the Throbaks at the LA amp show it got me thinking about PAF's.

I'm hoping to post some comparison clips this weekend.

VG

[Flames1950]

I can find any number of newly made bridge pickups that suit me fine, but neck buckers are killing me -- they just aren't clear and lively like a PAF. So I'm trying a new approach and looking to........the JAPANESE!!!! They always made the closest replicas of everything guitar back in the seventies and early eighties.......and that's all I will say until I hoard what I want...........except that I won't be spending $400 for only a pair of what I'm scrounging for!!!!

[F#m7]

I have owned a number of WCR pickups, and while they are nice pickups, they don't even compare to the Throbaks IMO. I have a set of the SLE-101 limited pickups and they are everything they are advertised to be. The only drawback being the cost of course. I did have him put an A5 in the neck for more clarity. The A2 was fantastic on the GB and E strings, but was a bit muddy on the lower strings. Replaced with the A5 and it's perfect now. The bridge is by far the best bridge pickup I have ever played, and I've played a bunch.

[Bunnest]

Thanks for the input guys, I do notice the difficulty in gettting a clear "bubbly" tone out of the rhythm pu. And a nice muted sound out of the bridge pu. Big difference in the WCR from my old Dimarzios. Can't wait to try out a pair of those classics revisted. My decision of which manufacturer is based upon price.

[Bunnest]

Also George, I think those two manufactueres would be, essentially, old t-tops anyway, no?

[Fever Dog]

George,
what is your opinion of the throbak's in comparison to other pickups you have?

[VelvetGeorge]

Also George, I think those two manufactueres would be, essentially, old t-tops anyway, no?

They claim to be accurate PAF replicas. From Throbak description of the set I ordered:

DT-102 Limited (Double Tone 102)

Neck 7.7K Bridge 7.9K

This set is a direct clone of a personal favorite pair of PAF's I own.

George,
what is your opinion of the throbak's in comparison to other pickups you have?

I haven't been able to install the Throbaks yet. I want to do comparison clips with my T tops. Possibly tomorrow, this week for sure.

VG

[F#m7]

I almost ordered the dt-102's. The main difference I can see between those and the SLE=101's is the unoriented A5 in the bridge. Can't wait for the review.

[shakti]

As I understand it, the SLE101 and SLE101 Plus both have a lot of bite and a very clear, open sound, whereas the DT102 and PG102 have more "honk" and swirl. And apparently that's because of the special winding machine used for the slug coils of the SLE sets, where the DT102 and PG102 use the Leesona for winding the slug coil.

I can say that the PG102s I have sound just a touch darker than the clips I've heard of the SLE101s, but with almost as much clarity. The gain is that I find them to sound perhaps more "interesting", they seem to colour the sound slightly more than the SLEs, which strike me as sounding extremely open and natural. I must admit I'm GASing for another Gibson or three, so I can have all of these sets available. Amazing pickups, and I don't find the hype to be exaggerated in any way. Just listen to these clips:

SLE-101 Ltd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZgdtUpm7RQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PG-102 Ltd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTAhs...eature=channel" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[VelvetGeorge]

I installed the Throbaks, they are just as killer as I remember from hearing them in LA. They hang with my T tops all the way. And better them in some ways.

Clip and discussion here:

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php ... 09#p233009" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


VG

[cfljames]

I can find any number of newly made bridge pickups that suit me fine, but neck buckers are killing me -- they just aren't clear and lively like a PAF. So I'm trying a new approach and looking to........the JAPANESE!!!! They always made the closest replicas of everything guitar back in the seventies and early eighties.......and that's all I will say until I hoard what I want...........except that I won't be spending $400 for only a pair of what I'm scrounging for!!!!

Flames,I got something I'll send out with the mustards for the 45/100.They are ?????????
A pair of prototype Wolfetone MK2 pickups that have alnico 5 magnets,no potting,correct enamel,aged raw nickel covers,etc.There are only now 5 sets that were made to date and I ended up with two pairs,and I am currently using one pair in my 58 Les Paul Murphy and love them,but I would like your true opinion on what you like or don't like?You are a 100% right with the muddy neck syndrome on most replica PAF'S.
These were the cure for the common Mudbuckers offered by Gibson.

I brought the guitar to Gibson's road trip in NY with Tom Murphy and he loved them,and many others did as well when matched against multiple Les Paul's with all different pickups through the same sterile sounding divided by 13 amp.They are a hotter PAF type wind with that "HONK" but are still clear and clean up and bloom like the old ones do, !!! My meter got smashed and is reading half of the digits so here is what I got by basically half guessing? I'm not that far off,but you check as well.
NECK:8.0
BRIDGE:8.9
As I said I can't really read because of what's left to my meter so it may vary a little,but the both are 8's. So when you get them let me know if I was in the ballpark,or were not even talking the same sport
I should have everything to you this week. Enjoy!!!!!

[electricskychurch]

so, what 's the tone difference between the DT-102 and LSE-101 LE ?
are they brighter sounding than a T-Top or Fralin 7,5/8k humbuckers ?

some say DT-102 is brighter than t-tops after they listened to George's clip, some seem to ssay the contrary !

teh fralin 7,5k/8k are too bright for my 97' les paul 59 ri .
the t-tops are a bit less bright , more transparent but still a bit too bright and lacking a bit of warmth for that guitar.
i will swap teh pu's with my 96' les paul 59' ri that is darker sounding.
it has some skatterbrane raw set actualy but they are a bit too dark for that guiatr.
they have good overtones/ harmonics and nice loose attack but have a bit more output than the t-tops (i like low output pu's, 7,5 -8k) .
i tried several WCR (crossroads , betset and darkburst i still have , i sold teh fillmore ones), they are nice pu's but not exactly what i was looking for.
mayvbe i should retry them but teh a5 had a bit too much low mids for me and teh a2 sounded a bit too refined for what i was looking for in teh guitars i tried them (crossroads a2 and darkburst a5 & a2 in eth 97 les paul 59 ri and betset in a sg 61 ri ; fillmore in a 2001 les paul standard but they have too much output and low end for me , at least when not doing some slide ).
at first a few years ago, i had put classic 57 in all my guitars, so i could really compare them .
i also tried teh seth lover sh55 set (and obviously all the stock pu's i had in my USA serie guitars like 490/498t , 496/500t and i tried some bustbuckers pro).
i'm still curious about teh tom holmes as well.