PAF-style pickup clips -- Fat Dianes vs Wolfetones vs Ringer

[Flames1950]

Forum member "cfljames" sent me a set of prototype Wolfetones to try out after I sent him some clips comparing the JTM45/100 he'd bought to my Super PA, to get a direct comparison between some different pickups for fun. A big part of it was to compare neck humbuckers, as we both agreed that many modern 'buckers are just muddy junk in the neck slot.
So all three clips presented here are the same amplifier (my Super PA repro) with the same settings, same cab, same mic positions and preamp settings -- I literally wouldn't let my four-year-old son downstairs until I had them done so the mics wouldn't move a bit. Amp settings were something like presence 7, bass 0, middle 10, treble 10, volume I 8-ish, volumes II-IV on 5. Mics were a Cascade Fathead ribbon and an Oktava MK319 condenser, both about 8 inches away from their respective speakers and placed as carefully as I could so they would be on the same place on each speaker.
So I started out with my Manlius Pickups Fat Dianes in my Les Paul, did a clip; then swapped in the Wolfetones, did a clip; then drug out my old Ibanez Artist with my favorite "ringer" pickups, the Ibanez Super 58's from the late 70's through early 80's. All clips play a phrase first on the bridge pickup, then on the neck pickup for comarison. And I have a hard time playing something twice exactly the same so they don't always match perfectly -- deal with it.
But maybe I won't say which clip is which for now -- and the listener can see what they think of each pickup for a while first.

Here's the page with the clips:

Pickup comparisons

[gutpile]

not streaming correctly?? sounds all garbley.... is it just my connection?

[Flames1950]

I hope so, sounded fine here (and believe me I tried them, because SoundClick has been giving me fits lately!!!)

Maybe it's too much time in front of George's 100-watters messing with your hearing.

[56goldtop]

Ok, I'll bite

I had a hard time choosing between test 1 and 3, but I think I like test 3 the most. BTW, the second clip seemed much lower than the other clips, so when you give the answers, could you also post the output on the pickups?

[Flames1950]

I will post the DC resistances. I don't even have the magnet specs for two of the three. But the one in question (#2) I wasn't sure afterwards if I had normalized the output in Sonar or not. All were of relatively comparable volume in the room with identical signal paths, up until whatever I did (or didn't do) in mixdown to make that one slightly quieter.

[gutpile]

still unlistenable through my PC? my clips sound fine through soundclick? I'll try a different PC later tonight....

[Flames1950]

Can you download the mp3's OK? It should be set to download to your PC if you choose, as opposed to using their player.

[tfrost33]

I cannot decide between test 1 & 3 as well. I think I like #3 then I listen to #1 and like it just as much or more then switch back to #3 and I am right back where I started. #2 is definitely out for me though, even though it sounds great, the other two are better to my ears. I am not even going to try to guess which are which.

[NitroLiq]

not streaming correctly?? sounds all garbley.... is it just my connection?

It's not just you...I get the same result on my box at work. No problems with other soundclick audio files, just these, unfortunately.

[Flames1950]

Don't know why some of you are having trouble. Had to install a Flash update on this particular machine but they played fine again after that.

Must be why I can't get the time of day on this thread though!

[NitroLiq]

Not sure, man. I get the same thing trying to listen to the clips at home.

[Flames1950]

Pete, do you have any luck if you download the clips onto your machine and then listen?

[jcm800nut]

soundclick does that sometimes, their player is goofy and seemingly random.

You have to download the clips, or play the low-fi version (the grey button in the middle), or you get this garbled sound like a cassette tape just got eaten.

Of the three, I think I liked the test3 the best, followed by the test1 clip. The test 2 clip sounds too single coil-ish for me, it'd get pulled out and thrown in the 'I'll do something with this stuff later' pile after 3 strums for me. The 58 has a great mid yowl with a touch of air in the mids too, so it has just a little edge to it, not too smooth and boring, but some people totally love smooth stuff.

[NitroLiq]

Pete, do you have any luck if you download the clips onto your machine and then listen?

I hadn't gotten around to creating a soundclick account so downloading was out. JCM800nut is correct, though. The lo-fi (gray button) versions work fine. Also have to agree with his assessment of the clips. Test Clip 3 stands out above the other two. Clips 2 and 1, I had to go back and forth with a few times and I think I prefer 1 over 2, marginally—1 seems like it would cut more; 2 seems a bit harsh. The first thing that hit me is that 2 was much quieter compared to 3 so I'm not sure if it's a fair comparison in that respect, unless you were trying to show one's output being hotter than the others. For a sonic comparison, the recording levels should be identical. Clip 3 almost had a Pagey vibe going on, especially with the slapback. Out of curiosity, where did you record this? Does this amp have any ghosting or parasitics? I noticed on the first part of each clip where you're playing that little blues chordal solo (I know that's from a song but I forgot which...thrill is gone?)...there's an overwhelming amount of ringing overtones so it had me wondering. If no ghosting/parasitics, It could be something else I'm hearing....flutter echo from playing in a really live room with parallel walls, maybe? Speakers?

[Flames1950]

Actually that was recorded in my basement, which is rather dead so I had to add a touch of reverb. I still haven't figured out why #2 comes out quieter, because those pickups aren't really any quieter in the room. I've tried to go back and import the audio back into Sonar and it still comes out quieter....grrrrrr.......
The intact high harmonics are one thing I love about all three sets of pickups, since it allows them to grab onto notes with ringing sustain. Everything was full volume in the room so that harmonic content feeds back and chimes quite nicely. Even on the Manlius Fat Dianes, and the Super 58's -- both of which are wax potted -- no loss of high end content or overtones and lots of "swirl." It was my Super PA with stock filtering values, so of course it had some amount of ghosting going on as well.
I'm tempted to re-record the second clip to try and even out the volume with the others if I have time someday this week. I do really think everyone's put off by the volume difference, whereas if I sit back and just relax and listen I hear a lot to like about the pickups in that clip as well. (There's a lot I like about all three sets of course........)