Metropoulos Forum

Trying to decide which WCR. Owners want to weigh in?

Right now Im leaning towards the darkburst since that has the most general acclaim and seems I can go wrong but the crossroads is tempting. I usually prefer lower output PAF clones but I dont mind if they have a little more as long as they have the detail and clarity. No mud. Cant do it.

BetSet is another Im on the fence about.

The fillmore description turns me off a bit. The Godwood, reading betweent he lines Id say its a dark or bassy pickups. Good for people who want taht but not me.

out of the following:

voodoo 59
rio grande genuine texas
darkburst

i liked the darkburst the best. just me.

Billy Batz wrote:Trying to decide which WCR. Owners want to weigh in?

Right now Im leaning towards the darkburst since that has the most general acclaim and seems I can go wrong but the crossroads is tempting. I usually prefer lower output PAF clones but I dont mind if they have a little more as long as they have the detail and clarity. No mud. Cant do it.

BetSet is another Im on the fence about.

The fillmore description turns me off a bit. The Godwood, reading betweent he lines Id say its a dark or bassy pickups. Good for people who want taht but not me.

ive tried the Godwood the darkburst is more natural. the crossroads is even lower output than the darkburst so u decided.

Billy Batz wrote:Trying to decide which WCR. Owners want to weigh in?

Right now Im leaning towards the darkburst since that has the most general acclaim and seems I can go wrong but the crossroads is tempting. I usually prefer lower output PAF clones but I dont mind if they have a little more as long as they have the detail and clarity. No mud. Cant do it.

BetSet is another Im on the fence about.

The fillmore description turns me off a bit. The Godwood, reading betweent he lines Id say its a dark or bassy pickups. Good for people who want taht but not me.

Crossroads IS WCR's PAF clone. The Goodwood is a pumped up PAF. I think the Crossroads and the Darkburst are pretty close. The Darkburst is slightly hotter, maybe between the Crossroads and the Goodwood, but the Goodwood is still PAF-like... its not a distortion pickup at all. I didnt like what Jim Wagner had to say about the BetSet. He says they are intentionally unbalanced (meaning the neck pickup is hotter than the bridge, cause thats whats going on in Dickey Betts guitar). I wouldnt put an out of balance set of pups in my guitar, I dont care who's guitar it will sound like. I've got a Fillmore set in an LP, and thru any Marshall type amp, they absolutely kill. The best new pickups Ive ever heard for playing slide guitar. I mean, Duane Allmans tone from the Fillmore East recordings... how do you go wrong with that???

Im just talkin bridge for now. The neck Ill probably get a crossroads.

Im always interested in less output in the neck so it stays cleaner obviously but Im curiouse how that effects the 'Allman' middle position. I mean when you have it set for both pups with the neck volume rolled down. I prefer taht tone to have as strong a signal as the bridge (it never will of coarse) but it doesnt since you have to roll down a ways to get the necks effect from mud to smooth as hell. I figure a lower output neck should get a stronger signal overall since you wont have to roll back as far so you kill the bridge less. I think it may be that way anyway. I guess you could eliminate that issue by having the pickup on the wiper but I keep it stock usually.

Hey BB, I have a set of Darkbursts I'd be willing to sell... (set or single)PM me if your interested... I have a Skatterbrane neck in right now...I can't decide on the Lindy or Skatterbrane bridge... The DB are decent PUPs they are in great shape with all leads in tact...

I just went ahead and ordered a bridge. Damn. Oh well. Best to help the builder stay in business.

Got it just now. Itll go in today but I want to get at least an hour in of jamming with the HO pup first. Maybe record a few riff to sample and compare B4 and after.

the crossroads and darkburst arer both PAF clones

Which ones arent PAF clones? Looks like just the IM and Hercs

well thats to say a stock PAF clone, the godwood is not a stock paf by any means and as you mentioned the merc etc

Man the DBs got some bit to em! I little on the hot side for my tastes but I have to say they have the clarity so its not a bad thing. I may back em down a bit tho. Ill go on a limb and say to date the best PAF pickup Ive played so far, juiced up or not.

Dan, have Jim send u a alnico 2 magnet to try. it takes the edge off alittle. .

rockstah wrote:Dan, have Jim send u a alnico 2 magnet to try. it takes the edge of alittle. .

I just ordered a DB bridge myseft, what are the difference in magnets?

Alnico2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 and even ceramic

Any details and each variation??

i have tried a5 ( comes stock ) and a2. i did try the a3 but have forgotten why i don't like it. ...anyway comparing a5 to a2 the 5 is somewhat brighter where the a2 is some what smoother( not as bright ). the a2 seems a little fatter/rounder but the a5 seems a little more articulate and aggressive. they both have things i like and as of recently i went back to the stock a5... ya never know what it will be next week though.
as well i suppose it all depends on the guitar the pickup is in as far which you'll prefer.

I'm not really into ceramic magnets. they seem a little to harsh and brittle. great for metal i would say.

p.s. the Darkburst is 8.6k and it may take some getting used to as far as how you run your setup but its a wide open sound pickup. nothing surrounding the notes if u know what i mean.