I liked the Rewind 58 PAF because it had a certain midrange thing I could hear that I liked...character...and it wasn't too hot so it sounded balanced and not too pushy. I liked the Wizz just as much but they seem hotter but they have some character mojo I can't put into words but also top end clarity which I love. Next was the Lollar low winds for me as I kept noticing something I liked about them....maybe clarity and balance. Tom.Holmes sounded good but maybe a bit too strong and the Throbak are maybe a smidge better than the stock Memphis pickups. I've always thought Throbaks were over priced considering I hear better sounding pickups for over 100 less. I've even owned some of the SLE limiters but not the plus model which I think is a smidge darker as its hotter.
I own five PAF humbuckers, purchased when they did not cost the earth. No two of them are alike. Some are brighter, some louder, some with more mid-punch, etc. There is no definitive "PAF sound" so, of course, all these aftermarket PAF makers produce wildly different products. Steve Howe's ES-175 sounds about as good as any guitar can in my opinion and it has T-Tops in it. Clapton's ES-335, likely a '64 (however there is evidence that he also had a '68 or thereabouts) appears on many Cream recordings, on all of Blind Faith, and often thereafter. It had whatever incarnation of Gibson humbucker that was used then. The PAF cult is illusory. You want to sound better, listen, practice, and play as much as you can.
I’ve never heard of Clapton’s 335 being anything other than a 1964. I have heard 2 different versions of how/when he acquired it (or them) but have never heard of it (or them) being anything other than a 1964 so I’ll be interested if you have additional info. The first 335 or to most people his famous 335 I think we can agree was a 1964 as it was auctioned as such and he purchased it in 1966 with money he got from the Yardbirds. There is the other story of him purchasing a red 335 at Selmers the day before or the day of the Cream fairwell concert in 1968 in which he played a 335 all night. However, this story is really only coroborated by the guy who supposedly sold him the guitar at Selmers, which doesn’t mean it’s not true. But Ive still never heard that it was anything other than a 1964. Let me know I’m interested in this guitar story (like I am with all guitar story’s lol). But I assume your with me as far as the 1964 being the famous one and the one he purchased first with the Yardbirds money. I assume you’re referring to the other one which actually leaves me wondering that you could be right since there’s 2 stories of the purchase but I only know of it being one year which is 64. Where do you get the other being a 1968 model? To be clear I’m not being a troll or a dick I really want to know what you know. Thanks
@@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha8185 I understand your interest in these things, I share it as well. It seems that Clapton had a '64 and also likely a later one, apparently a '68. I've edited my comment to reflect that. This is what I have found out: According to Jerry Donahue who worked at the famous Selmer store in Charing Cross Road, Clapton purchased a red ES-335 from him in November 1968. He says: "I sold Eric his red Gibson 335 not more than two weeks before his final performance with Cream at the Albert Hall, it was one of my main highlights of working at Selmer’s. We had a nice conversation during the process, and just as we were wrapping it up, Eric mentioned the upcoming shows in a manner that felt as though he was about to offer me a complimentary ticket or two. But I told him I’d already bought tickets, and he seemed pleased. You can imagine my amazement and joy later as I sat watching Cream come on to the Albert Hall stage, Eric with the 335 strapped on. He played that guitar for the entire evening. I was filled with pride." There is a lot of photographic evidence that Clapton used a ES-335 on Cream’s final farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall, corroborating Jerry Donahue's story. Also, there are photographs of Clapton wearing a black leather jacket playing that guitar during rehearsal publicity shots and during the second set of the concert. He played a Gibson Firebird in the first set. Also, he did not play a ES-335 in the U.S. Cream Farewell tour between October 4th and November 4th, 1968, which further corroborates what Donohue said - that Eric purchased a1968 red ES-335 just weeks before the Albert hall show. However interesting all of that may be, that is not my point. A lot of "lore" exists about what guitar was played on what recording or in what show and, frankly, it really doesn't matter. What music was played matters, and that is all.
@@Glicksman1 I know that story as I referenced it as well. I think we both watched it either on 5 watt world or the guitar show. What I’ve never heard is any indication that the guitar purchased in 68 was a 68. I know the two stories of the purchases but only know if one es335. I’m sure he owns and has owned many but the famous one is a 64 purchased in 66. What you’re saying is the one purchased in 68 was a separate guitar and was apparently brand new when he got it. I’ve never heard that and I’ve never known him to own a 68 es335 but I don’t know that he didn’t either lol. I just watch the stuff available on RUclips I’m no expert. But I live old guitar stories and who owned what and sold it to who and what they recorded on it etc. Thanks for the reply. Have a good one.
@@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha8185 Well, if Mr. Donohue is telling the truth, and we have no reason to suspect otherwise, Clapton bought a red ES-335 at Selmer's in London in November 1968, just before the Albert Hall show. With few exceptions, Selmer's sold new instruments as did virtually all music sores in London and elsewhere in those days. There existed no "vintage", or as they would have said "used" or "second hand" guitar market then. Accordingly, we may reasonably surmise that the red ES-335 was of recent vintage at the time of purchase. In that era, a new guitar was considered to be premium and only those who couldn't afford one had "used" ones, definitely de classe. When B. B. King, Muddy Waters, etc. became successful, they bought only new instruments. Once Jimi Hendrix, could do so, he bought only new Strats. I received the information I quoted from articles I have read, but 5 Watt World is reputable and I do watch it on occasion. Cheers
1964 Gibsons had early Gibson Patent number pickups and are identical to 1960/61/62 Pafs in every way. The only difference between a 1960 PAF and a 64 patent number pickup is the sticker on the baseball . The WCR crossroads are based on the 1964 Patent number pups . 1963 and 64 Patent sticker Pups are PAfs . Again the only difference is the the sticker on the Plates . In late 64 they start to change. It was the that Gibson switched from PAf era Plain enamel wire to poly coated wire. And switched to ABS bobbins chrome covers Etc. They were also more accurate in the windings and didn't have uneven coils . Regardless the late Patent number Pups from 65 and ealry 66 were awesome in their own right and so were the T tops that came after.
I expected the love for the Lollar’s. They have absolutely blown up in popularity over the last two years and I always fully expect some bias confirmation as far as they are concerned. That said, it’s not without warrant. Every set of Lollar’s I’ve owned have had distinct top end presence to them that is immediately apparent. It makes them an obvious replacement for a dull or muddy pickup. It also adds a level of perceived sensitivity which is super satisfying. What you don’t get is the ridiculously specific character or frequency range from some of the other winders. The ThroBak’s for example, all have a distinctive vocal quality to the midrange that seems super unique and is what often seems to stand out first on a vintage guitar. Like the top end presence of the Lollar’s, the midrange seems to be the common thread with everything I’ve owned from ThroBak.
You just discribed what I couldn´t. I LOVED lollar highs, but sounde maybe a bit scooped in the mids to be the perfect. A Throbak or Tom Holmes with the Lollar highs would be a killer pickup. But probably the wire/magnet mix can´t make miracles as an old vintage PAF does.
I liked the Lollards Lows all around. The Rewind 58 sounded close and while all are great and I wouldn’t be disappointed with any set in my personal guitar, the Gibson Memphis OEM pups proved pretty versatile. Thanks for doing a really great comparison.
Thank you very much for doing this - not a bad sound in there! The MHS acquitted themselves very well indeed. I really appreciate getting to hear those Tom Holmes "in the wild" so to speak. They were almost *too* rich in the high gain stuff, but in the clean and break up tones those impressively musical mids took the crown for me. Wow, I understand their reputation now. Overall I probably liked the Throbacks the best, they give the impression of being quite balanced from top to bottom, and I really liked the snarl and balls they had under gain. Second only to the Holmes in the lower gain sounds too, imo. Wizz would be awesome in a darker guitar, or if you wanted that Les Paul sound that evokes the Telecaster a little. I dug the Rewind Low Output A5's, and I completely agree with others here that for value for money, the Lollar Imperial Low Winds were absolutely the champ - just wanted a little more meat on them in the high gain stuff.
Wow, what a great comparison, thanks so much for your efforts! Based on listening to your shootout with headphones I come to the following conclusion: The MHS sound quite muffled and dark - I've made the same experience playing them! Throbak and Tom Holmes also sound a bit dark and could be more transparent (I expected more clarity from the hype they get, maybe they are a better fit in a brighter guitar). The Rewind both sound exzellent, the 1958 is maybe the best medium between warmth and clarity in your comparison, a real surprise, they are my favourite set in your shootout Wizz are also great, the just sometimes have a certain frequenzy I don't like, but that's very minor Lollars have great clarity, but appear a tiny bit sterile in some sequences. I'd definitely go with Rewind in that comparison!
If you appreciate this video and all the work that went into it consider sponsoring a coffee for all the late nights this caused me 😂 www.buymeacoffee.com/YeatzeeGuitar
All are fantastic pickups which all sound great in their own way i liked the clearness off the lollars but what stood out was the throbaks seemed to have a really musical 3 dimensional sound and a creaminess aswell 👍
Thanks for taking the time to put this video together, one of the very best I’ve seen! You managed to combine a lot of gain levels, amps OD’s and playing styles in a very effective manner. Personally, I liked the Rewind 58’s overall but the Throbaks were consistently great as well. Awesome job!
Actually, I just found an unused set of Rewind 1958’s that I purchased from a seller on the Guitars Canada forum. Saved over $100 and the 3+ month wait time; I can’t wait for them to arrive. The pickups will be installed in my nearly new Heritage H535 semi-hollow. Your video was helpful in making my choice!👍
You're a pickup-swappin' video-shootin' madman! Great work. I'm sure it takes forever to produce a video like this. I could see all those pickups having strong points in different applications.
Oh boy, that AC10 perhaps the most revealing amplifier of all those used in this superb demonstration. FINALY I can hear the detail I've so wanted to hear for so long. This is my first visit to your RUclips channel, I'm now subscribed and greatful for what must have been a great deal of hard work to produce, for our benefit.
I gotta go with the Lollars. The Tom Holmes and ReWind low output sound good, but for the money, the Lollars win. The Lollars have this open and less compressed sound than some of the others that I really like.
I don't think there's a bad sounding one in the bunch. I play clean/edge of breakup 90% of the time and all of them seem to work beautifully for that. I ditched the muddy BB 61s in my SG for Bare Knuckle Blue Note HSP90s (slightly underwound with A2 magnets) and won't go back to humbuckers, but of this group I like the ReWind low output A5s and the Lollars. I usually like A2 but those sounds great. Glad I don't have to pick from these. Would take forever to decide. Killer demo!
I make records for a living. I have a lot of guitars and just bought a 335 and a GT R7 like you had in your other video. Both of these guitars are NVL custom shop with Custombuckers. I was thinking of changing the pickups on the Les Paul but I love the 335. This video saved me money. Also these comparisons are not night and day. Even with the T Tops. It’s apparent people are making really great product out there. But what did standout were the ReWind 58’s. I think my Les Paul might do with a set !
James at ReWind makes some incredible stuff AND he's the most knowledgeable guy I've ever talked to about pickups. You're in safe hands if you opt to go that route!
The first time I could truly differentiate between these pickups was approx 15 min 40 sec when playing through the Vox AC30. At this point with my eyes closed I could easily tell the low winds from the high, but Wizz from Lollar from Gibson.. Not a chance.. Not without peeping.. 😞😎 For me personally at higher gain levels the difference between all these PAF replicas becomes so small that I wouldn't know which of them to pick, but is that so terrible ? They sound teriffic, and while sound clips can't convay 'feel' this was a worthwhile experiment.
A very well-timed video in my world. I just bought a '16 1959 ES-335TD reissue which comes with the MHS pickups. From what I've heard from your video, I don't think I'll need to swap them out, which is nice considering how much money I just spent! *lol* As others have noted, each set of pickups shines in certain applications and it behooves one know which type of player he is and judge each pickup's applicability to his style. Well done!
Absolutely amazing Video comparison. This is the best Video comparison on RUclips!! Amazing production. Love your 64 ES-345 Reissue too! For me, the Tom Holmes were head and shoulders my favorites. I won't say 'best' because all of them were great and had strong points. I was surprised however that the Lollar low wind imperials sounded a bit too bright and lean for my preferences.
Sweet F. A in it . My drummer laughed when I showed him . Just just between you and me. The lollar set was the best. And I thought the stock set was on par in high gain and maybe one of the better sets at the start of the video.
In 2006, I put a pair of Tom Holmes H450/H455 in my '98 Standard Honeyburst ($500/set) and I've never looked back. I run her through a 2015 Supro Black Magick, and it sounds like Jehovah's favorite choir!
Having owned numerous vintage gibsons, some with PAF pickups, any PAF spec pickup is fine. The important part from there is turning up loud, backing off on the bass, and playing with confidence. 57 classics sound great even though they have even coils and are wax potted.
That seems to be a consensus. I might try them. I love the Lollars in my Tele. I'm mostly a LP player though. I have Wizz in another guitar, and like them. Anyway, thanks.
First, let me be clear. I appreciate the effort that went into this video. 👏 To make it interesting, though, sometimes you have to try some Derigold ice cream next to the boutique just to know what value you're getting at the bougie ice cream shop. The second point is that if you're buying a guitar like that and aren't happy with the pickups it comes with, no bougie PAF is going to fix your problems.🤨 😅😅 Great review!
I really like Wizz in the Bridge the best and Lollar in the Neck. However, you didn't compare it in this vid, but for me the Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday Bridge beats the Wizz.
i have different preferences for OD and cleans. so i would prob stick with the memphis. i’m only wearing airpods rn but going into the studio with all these will yield the same result. i’ll have to go back with my sony headphones or on my midfields. i dont think i could pick out any of these out blindly, and i am a bit shocked i am not hearing A5 /A2 differences on the low end. perhaps because you arent digging in and also i may not be hearing enough low end atm. the guitar is awesome btw.
This one is closer than the Les Paul video. The only one that sounded different were the Wizz. So if you’re lookin for something different then the Wizz is the way to go. The rest to me are slightly different shades of what the MHS offers. Maybe a little brighter here, or a little more mids here. To me the sets that sounded maybe small percentages better for that guitar were maybe the Holmes neck, the Lollars sounded good overall, and I liked the throbak in the bridge. They were only marginally more pleasing to my ears. If I had to make a decision and had to have a set I’d probably go with the lollars. I could literally make any of these work. I think small adjustments in EQ or pickup adjustment would put them about equal with small variances.
Amazing comparison. please don't peak yet and do the same on a Gibson SG Faded :) maybe throw in some Lindy Fralin Pure PAF's and some 61 brustbuckers? sounds like fun to me..
Great video, man! All of these sound great. I love the Lollars the best. Those are really clear and have a cool voice to them. But I am also surprised by the Memphis ones. Those sound great too and I if those were in my guitar, I might not even swap them out. The Throbaks were a big disappointment to me though. I was expecting something more from those.
I just put a set of Lollar imperials in a 70's V and I can't wait to get them out. The bridge is ok, but a lot brighter and more hifi than here. And the low end on the neck is super woofy. I was super disappointed in them.
@@YeatzeeGuitar It's all good, just going to try something else. Mostly likely some of those WCR Godwoods. Also, fwiw, I have MHS P90's in an ES-330 and they're amazing. I've liked almost every MHS I've heard.
I'm going with the Holmes set. Sounds best across all samples. However, I have a set of Fralin Pure PAF's that I think are as good as any of these. I would have loved to hear them in the comparison.
I guess go with the cheapest/quickest to get one, because I don't think that the tonal difference between them is worth the differences in price and availability.
Very interesting... I might be total douche bag, but either the pickups loose a lot of "distinctiveness" when being recorded and the Audio streamed via YT or the differences are so minute, that you'd really only are able to pick it up live, sitting next to the cabinet. Having said that, being the owner of a LP historic with custom Throbak's, I can definitely hear a difference vs. the Custom Buckers that were in that guitar originally, but usually besides having a good hearing, it also depends on what and how you play a lot... Still very interesting comparison!
I have some of those same sets. They sound significantly different from each other in my amps. In this video they all sound similar. I'm mostly hearing pedals and amps and modelers, not pickups.
Ha. They sound how they sound, you're hearing them side by side in a way I'm betting you've never heard yourself unless you too did this sort of test. The mind fills in a lot of detail, and as the player you also experience more than what seems to come across in recordings. I'll be addressing all of that in the next video, but this is as legit as a test as you can get. If you're upset I used a klon in a few excerpts as if that negates pickup differences then I don't know what to tell ya 🤷♂️ If everything is constant but the pickups, you're hearing the differences in pickups (and a small amount of my playing since I'm not a robot), that's it regardless of anything else.
Thanks for all the work you put into the video first off, but really you can't properly test these with this much breakup, you have to be between clean and dirty to really hear what's happening with a pickup, also I would have just used a blackface fender amp everyone is pretty familiar with. If you use some sort of modded Marshall circuit we have no idea what we're hearing, also no pedals, that just makes it even more difficult to figure anything out.
Disagree. What do you think the percentage of PAF style pickup users play squeeky clean only? 5%? 10%? This is a real world test with real world setups. People use overdrives to boost clean amps, people use overdrive, people use gain. I tried to cover all the bases as best as I could.
@@YeatzeeGuitar Show me the part where I said you need to play squeaky clean,....... you didn't even read my comment, that's not at all what I'm saying, I said It needs to be in between clean and dirty. Meaning dynamic,... Meaning when you pick light it's clean and when you pick harder it's dirty, very simple thing people have used for 60 yrs. When an amp is FULLY distorted you can't hear much of the tone of the guitar or pickups.
There are plenty of inbetween tones in this video. All of these tones are dynamic and would get cleaner if I picked lighter or rolled back the volume. You said I should have just used a blackface fender amp... Which are known for being squeeky clean unless cranked. Can't please everyone 😅
@@YeatzeeGuitar 75% of all classic overdrive tones you've ever heard in history are cranked blackface and silverface amps, everyone thinks it's all Marshalls, it's actually wrong, it was much easier in studios to record fender amps. Also if someone never turns there amp up above 2 it will be squeaky clean, even a Marshall. Marshalls start to break up around 4-5, fenders around 5-6. In the video it appears there are two sections completely dirty then extremely clean. PAFs were mostly played through turned up amps with no pedals, why not try and create the same setup for a comparison video.
Blackface fenders = amps literally designed to be as clean as possible. Id bet 90% of people don't have the space to turn up a blackface fender loud enough to get drive and do hours worth of recording with them. Instead of complaining about free content I spent dozens of hours doing on my own dime be a part of the solution and do your own video, or buy me studio time and the amps you deem a requirement. 👌
Well to be fair I did samples with a wide range of gain.... also very few just play crystal clean so it's pointless to only show clean tones... hence the mixture :)
You could have skipped the actual pickup swapping and kept the same set for all but changed your tone and attack a hair between each. Nobody would have known the difference.
The Throbaks have consistently been my least favorite in every one of the many comparison videos I've watched. Given their price, that's pretty hilarious. Just sound like boomy murk with a painful upper midrange. Leave some room for the bass player!
First off: exceptionally well done. You are definitely one of the best if not THE best on the net at doing these types of video's. The direct side by side (quick change) comparisons are just THE best way to showcase these pickups. Really appreciate the time that you take to do this. Its a true service to the guitar community. I actually have owned a bunch of these pickups and currently own a few so I'm very familiar with them. My take: the only 3 that didnt stand out to me were the Throbacks (surprisingly), the stock Gibson pickups and the Rewind A5's. Most others stood out at one point in time in once of the clips. These 3 just never did for me. The clean clips really highlighted the difference more than the overdriven clips but the overdriven clips really showcased some of the midrange bite. For overdriven I preferred the Rewind 1958. Cleans I preferred the Lollar Low winds and the Holmes. There is a clarity that the Lollars have that the rest did not. That was great for the cleans but made the overdriven tone suffer a bit as it could be a bit harsh on the upper end. The Holmes have a midrange characteristic that none of the others have...but they lacked a bit of clarity in the low E string. As a Holmes owner (along with Throbak and Wizz) I know that the Holmes have a harmonic quality in the midrange that just "jump out" when letting notes ring. The Rewind 58's were nice overall on cleans also. The Wizz have some great clarity also but as having owned them before, I remember that it comes at the cost of lacking a bit of midrange. That said...for the money...with what you get...they are really hard to beat. Overall my favorite (for performance/price) is probably the Rewind 58 for overall tone. The Holmes are killer but are they really worth that much more? Depends i guess. But they are "unobtainium" right now so that factors in to the cost. (Tom stopped making them 1 or 2 years ago). The Wizz and Lollars are an incredible overall value.
I kinda agree on the clarity and the Lollars, but they were just too clean, like they had no character, that's why I said they were boring. Maybe it's just my ears, I'm used to the Holmes and how they "color' each notes in such a sweet way. I even have a low wind Holmes for the neck in my 335 to give me a little more clarity, it's still rich sounding. BTW I heard Tom is only taking a break and will probably be making more pickups soon, let's hope!
Very nicely done!!! To be honest I didn't notice much with the overdriven tones, they were either warmer or brighter mostly, with the low wind being brighter of course. I play clean mostly, so that's what I paid attention to. I may be a little biased here, for me it's still the Holmes, there's this untouchable top end, the note is just surrounded by harmonics, the note blooms and sounds full.. none of the others could touch it. But the Holmes were sometimes a little warm, but still in a beautiful way and not muffled like the Gibsons were. I have two sets, one in a 335 and one in a V. I also found the low wind Lollars a little boring, while the low wind Rewind were just gorgeous. That Rewind 58 set was just wonderful!! There's this sweet mids it adds to the tone, just beautiful. I placed my order 3 weeks ago and I can't wait to try them next! It was the right choice :) I listened to the clip using headphones with an external DAC.
That's a nice sounding guitar! All the pickups sound great in it. Some folks talk up vintage wire as being somehow superior to today's wire... After this video I will never sweat the fact that I will only wind with modern wire.
Thanks! Ya not sure on the difference wire makes. I guess if you're upgrading a historic LP with all sorts of aftermarket historic parts maybe having old wire in there would be appealing? Idk, not my lane :)
electrons don't care about vintage wire. resistivity should be all that matters. aging metal just means more surface oxidation and fatigue if it's under stress. copper is copper is copper. the only downside to modern materials are when they lie... like when nickel isn't really nickel but a nickel color or things like that. I'm not sure anyone can come up with physics that favor old wire for sound. the best part for me is the way people think their ears are as accurate as a spectrum analyzer... if you did these blindfolded i would bet that everyone that LOVED a specific set would not be able to actually pick them out of the group. especially if you are allowed to move the tone knobs....
Well I mean that's pretty obvious, if you tamper the comparison you're probably not going to be able to determine what's in the comparison. I think its a lot harder as just the RUclips listener to really pick up on the differences or get them locked in your brain but as the player there's qualities I could start to really identify. I always test myself for fun with a no video only audio version of these comparison videos and I'm pretty good at picking them out. The Holmes for example I can pick out just about every time, they have a very distinct quality to me. The lollars and MHS as well. Wizz I had more success in the LP comparison but particularly the bridge I could pick out well, and the rewinds kind of blended together for me a touch more than the others.
the Menphis and the throbak seem the best for me ! the good idea you have is the change of amps ! nice work i got a 335 from 88 and nearly only play with the neck pup ; thank's a lot
Throwback in the bridge and wizz in the neck. The wizz has an open single oil like tone h others don’t, the throwback just sounded great in the bridge. I’d try for a hybrid set from wizz with an a5 in the bridge and maybe slightly overwound to match the specs of the throwback. Standard a4 in the neck. Hat would be the winner for me. Cheaper than throwbacks and. Wizz has custom spec wire that matches 50s spec now.
Aaaaargh . ha ha. u want everybody's tone comments BEFORE you divulge yours. Ha ha. That's an evil genius - right there. Like Dr Evil from Austin Powers. Ha ha ha ha just kiddding. Ha ha from mtw - rock guitarist in L.A.
If you get a chance, try some Stephens Design pups. ruclips.net/video/MKDRy3iYeF4/видео.html I'd also love to hear these against a set of TTops and Shaw era humbuckers.
Wow, I listened again with different headphones, and while there are differences, they are subtle at times, more so than the Les Paul shootout. I can hear varying amounts of output, some small shifts in frequency (Rewind low winds are obviously a bit shifted to the upper freq. Compared to the Rewind 1958's) . Wow, the raw character of that guitar just burst through overshadowing the pickups individual contributions. Since the guitar sounds great, this is a good thing! There isn't a single pickup that doesn't just sound great in that instrument.
That's actually a great point, starting with a good guitar is super important I think. I honestly don't own any dogs so I can't test this, but I have a hunch that if you have a guitar that's not good a pickup change isn't going to radically change it.
@@YeatzeeGuitar my friend has a crate guitar and put seymour duncans and the thing is those pickups where pricey and should sound really good but it just got louder, no definition in the guitar at all. Just louder clunks and chugs.
I’m only watching this on an iPad, and 75% through, decided I preferred the Tom Holmes. Never heard of him or that brand before, so there was no bias or predisposition. Imagine my surprise (horror) when I googled and found his prices and reputation. I have the _Golden Ears,_ apparently. And they too often cost me a lot of money….
Great work again,, love your comparisons. I felt the Wizz Premium PAF pickups sounded best, followed by the Lollar Low-wind pickups - also, curious as to why you like light weight aluminum tailpieces vs. solid steel. Thanks again.
They are all amazing. I hear only minor differencies. I liked the Tom Holmes best. I found they have a a mellower top end, but it's really just a tiny bit.
![7 PAF Humbucker Comparison Followup - My Opinions 🤔 [Throbak | Wizz | Holmes | Lollar | ReWind]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qUv8HoJKlsI/mqdefault.jpg)
![7 PAF Humbucker Comparison Followup - My Opinions 🤔 [Throbak | Wizz | Holmes | Lollar | ReWind]](/img/tr.png)
Want to hear what I thought of each set tested here as the player? Watch my followup video here: ruclips.net/video/qUv8HoJKlsI/видео.html
New subscriber, Thank You.
Lots of time and effort, very much appreciated Sir.
I liked the Rewind 58 PAF because it had a certain midrange thing I could hear that I liked...character...and it wasn't too hot so it sounded balanced and not too pushy. I liked the Wizz just as much but they seem hotter but they have some character mojo I can't put into words but also top end clarity which I love. Next was the Lollar low winds for me as I kept noticing something I liked about them....maybe clarity and balance. Tom.Holmes sounded good but maybe a bit too strong and the Throbak are maybe a smidge better than the stock Memphis pickups. I've always thought Throbaks were over priced considering I hear better sounding pickups for over 100 less. I've even owned some of the SLE limiters but not the plus model which I think is a smidge darker as its hotter.
I own five PAF humbuckers, purchased when they did not cost the earth. No two of them are alike. Some are brighter, some louder, some with more mid-punch, etc. There is no definitive "PAF sound" so, of course, all these aftermarket PAF makers produce wildly different products.
Steve Howe's ES-175 sounds about as good as any guitar can in my opinion and it has T-Tops in it. Clapton's ES-335, likely a '64 (however there is evidence that he also had a '68 or thereabouts) appears on many Cream recordings, on all of Blind Faith, and often thereafter. It had whatever incarnation of Gibson humbucker that was used then. The PAF cult is illusory. You want to sound better, listen, practice, and play as much as you can.
I’ve never heard of Clapton’s 335 being anything other than a 1964. I have heard 2 different versions of how/when he acquired it (or them) but have never heard of it (or them) being anything other than a 1964 so I’ll be interested if you have additional info. The first 335 or to most people his famous 335 I think we can agree was a 1964 as it was auctioned as such and he purchased it in 1966 with money he got from the Yardbirds. There is the other story of him purchasing a red 335 at Selmers the day before or the day of the Cream fairwell concert in 1968 in which he played a 335 all night. However, this story is really only coroborated by the guy who supposedly sold him the guitar at Selmers, which doesn’t mean it’s not true. But Ive still never heard that it was anything other than a 1964. Let me know I’m interested in this guitar story (like I am with all guitar story’s lol). But I assume your with me as far as the 1964 being the famous one and the one he purchased first with the Yardbirds money. I assume you’re referring to the other one which actually leaves me wondering that you could be right since there’s 2 stories of the purchase but I only know of it being one year which is 64. Where do you get the other being a 1968 model? To be clear I’m not being a troll or a dick I really want to know what you know. Thanks
@@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha8185 I understand your interest in these things, I share it as well.
It seems that Clapton had a '64 and also likely a later one, apparently a '68. I've edited my comment to reflect that. This is what I have found out:
According to Jerry Donahue who worked at the famous Selmer store in Charing Cross Road, Clapton purchased a red ES-335 from him in November 1968. He says:
"I sold Eric his red Gibson 335 not more than two weeks before his final performance with Cream at the Albert Hall, it was one of my main highlights of working at Selmer’s. We had a nice conversation during the process, and just as we were wrapping it up, Eric mentioned the upcoming shows in a manner that felt as though he was about to offer me a complimentary ticket or two. But I told him I’d already bought tickets, and he seemed pleased.
You can imagine my amazement and joy later as I sat watching Cream come on to the Albert Hall stage, Eric with the 335 strapped on. He played that guitar for the entire evening. I was filled with pride."
There is a lot of photographic evidence that Clapton used a ES-335 on Cream’s final farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall, corroborating Jerry Donahue's story. Also, there are photographs of Clapton wearing a black leather jacket playing that guitar during rehearsal publicity shots and during the second set of the concert. He played a Gibson Firebird in the first set.
Also, he did not play a ES-335 in the U.S. Cream Farewell tour between October 4th and November 4th, 1968, which further corroborates what Donohue said - that Eric purchased a1968 red ES-335 just weeks before the Albert hall show.
However interesting all of that may be, that is not my point. A lot of "lore" exists about what guitar was played on what recording or in what show and, frankly, it really doesn't matter. What music was played matters, and that is all.
@@Glicksman1 I know that story as I referenced it as well. I think we both watched it either on 5 watt world or the guitar show. What I’ve never heard is any indication that the guitar purchased in 68 was a 68. I know the two stories of the purchases but only know if one es335. I’m sure he owns and has owned many but the famous one is a 64 purchased in 66. What you’re saying is the one purchased in 68 was a separate guitar and was apparently brand new when he got it. I’ve never heard that and I’ve never known him to own a 68 es335 but I don’t know that he didn’t either lol. I just watch the stuff available on RUclips I’m no expert. But I live old guitar stories and who owned what and sold it to who and what they recorded on it etc. Thanks for the reply. Have a good one.
@@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha8185 Well, if Mr. Donohue is telling the truth, and we have no reason to suspect otherwise, Clapton bought a red ES-335 at Selmer's in London in November 1968, just before the Albert Hall show. With few exceptions, Selmer's sold new instruments as did virtually all music sores in London and elsewhere in those days. There existed no "vintage", or as they would have said "used" or "second hand" guitar market then. Accordingly, we may reasonably surmise that the red ES-335 was of recent vintage at the time of purchase.
In that era, a new guitar was considered to be premium and only those who couldn't afford one had "used" ones, definitely de classe.
When B. B. King, Muddy Waters, etc. became successful, they bought only new instruments. Once Jimi Hendrix, could do so, he bought only new Strats.
I received the information I quoted from articles I have read, but 5 Watt World is reputable and I do watch it on occasion.
Cheers
1964 Gibsons had early Gibson Patent number pickups and are identical to 1960/61/62 Pafs in every way. The only difference between a 1960 PAF and a 64 patent number pickup is the sticker on the baseball .
The WCR crossroads are based on the 1964 Patent number pups . 1963 and 64 Patent sticker Pups are PAfs . Again the only difference is the the sticker on the Plates .
In late 64 they start to change. It was the that Gibson switched from PAf era Plain enamel wire to poly coated wire. And switched to ABS bobbins chrome covers Etc. They were also more accurate in the windings and didn't have uneven coils .
Regardless the late Patent number Pups from 65 and ealry 66 were awesome in their own right and so were the T tops that came after.
Lollars stood out as sounding noticeably different. All sounded great.
They all sound different from each other to me.
Call me crazy, but it's the MHS for me: balance, brillance, warmth, breakup, yet still clear.
I expected the love for the Lollar’s. They have absolutely blown up in popularity over the last two years and I always fully expect some bias confirmation as far as they are concerned. That said, it’s not without warrant. Every set of Lollar’s I’ve owned have had distinct top end presence to them that is immediately apparent. It makes them an obvious replacement for a dull or muddy pickup. It also adds a level of perceived sensitivity which is super satisfying. What you don’t get is the ridiculously specific character or frequency range from some of the other winders.
The ThroBak’s for example, all have a distinctive vocal quality to the midrange that seems super unique and is what often seems to stand out first on a vintage guitar. Like the top end presence of the Lollar’s, the midrange seems to be the common thread with everything I’ve owned from ThroBak.
You just discribed what I couldn´t. I LOVED lollar highs, but sounde maybe a bit scooped in the mids to be the perfect. A Throbak or Tom Holmes with the Lollar highs would be a killer pickup. But probably the wire/magnet mix can´t make miracles as an old vintage PAF does.
I liked the Lollards Lows all around. The Rewind 58 sounded close and while all are great and I wouldn’t be disappointed with any set in my personal guitar, the Gibson Memphis OEM pups proved pretty versatile.
Thanks for doing a really great comparison.
Thank you very much for doing this - not a bad sound in there! The MHS acquitted themselves very well indeed.
I really appreciate getting to hear those Tom Holmes "in the wild" so to speak. They were almost *too* rich in the high gain stuff, but in the clean and break up tones those impressively musical mids took the crown for me. Wow, I understand their reputation now.
Overall I probably liked the Throbacks the best, they give the impression of being quite balanced from top to bottom, and I really liked the snarl and balls they had under gain.
Second only to the Holmes in the lower gain sounds too, imo.
Wizz would be awesome in a darker guitar, or if you wanted that Les Paul sound that evokes the Telecaster a little.
I dug the Rewind Low Output A5's, and I completely agree with others here that for value for money, the Lollar Imperial Low Winds were absolutely the champ - just wanted a little more meat on them in the high gain stuff.
Interesting comment about the Tele tone. Probably why I lean toward Wizz
I´ve never heard Lollars sounding that good. I´m really impressed. My three favs were the Lollar low winds, the Tom Holmes and the Throbaks.
Wow, what a great comparison, thanks so much for your efforts! Based on listening to your shootout with headphones I come to the following conclusion:
The MHS sound quite muffled and dark - I've made the same experience playing them!
Throbak and Tom Holmes also sound a bit dark and could be more transparent (I expected more clarity from the hype they get, maybe they are a better fit in a brighter guitar).
The Rewind both sound exzellent, the 1958 is maybe the best medium between warmth and clarity in your comparison, a real surprise, they are my favourite set in your shootout
Wizz are also great, the just sometimes have a certain frequenzy I don't like, but that's very minor
Lollars have great clarity, but appear a tiny bit sterile in some sequences.
I'd definitely go with Rewind in that comparison!
If you appreciate this video and all the work that went into it consider sponsoring a coffee for all the late nights this caused me 😂 www.buymeacoffee.com/YeatzeeGuitar
Rewind 1958 were my fave! Sounded great everywhere.
All are fantastic pickups which all sound great in their own way i liked the clearness off the lollars but what stood out was the throbaks seemed to have a really musical 3 dimensional sound and a creaminess aswell 👍
Thanks for taking the time to put this video together, one of the very best I’ve seen! You managed to combine a lot of gain levels, amps OD’s and playing styles in a very effective manner. Personally, I liked the Rewind 58’s overall but the Throbaks were consistently great as well. Awesome job!
Thank you!!
Actually, I just found an unused set of Rewind 1958’s that I purchased from a seller on the Guitars Canada forum. Saved over $100 and the 3+ month wait time; I can’t wait for them to arrive. The pickups will be installed in my nearly new Heritage H535 semi-hollow. Your video was helpful in making my choice!👍
You're a pickup-swappin' video-shootin' madman! Great work. I'm sure it takes forever to produce a video like this. I could see all those pickups having strong points in different applications.
Oh boy, that AC10 perhaps the most revealing amplifier of all those used in this superb demonstration. FINALY I can hear the detail I've so wanted to hear for so long.
This is my first visit to your RUclips channel, I'm now subscribed and greatful for what must have been a great deal of hard work to produce, for our benefit.
Between the Tom Holmes and the Lollar for me so factoring in price the Lollars win hands down
I own both..... they are very very similar. I think the lollars might be a little more bright but not noticeable
This should have considerably way more views! Awesome job
Thanks! I've got a couple other in depth PAF comparisons in my Les Paul as well if you're curious
I gotta go with the Lollars. The Tom Holmes and ReWind low output sound good, but for the money, the Lollars win. The Lollars have this open and less compressed sound than some of the others that I really like.
Ha. "I could use some coffee". wow. A labor of love, huh. Thanks for work. Nice guitar. nice studio!
Cheers from mtw in LA.
I don't think there's a bad sounding one in the bunch. I play clean/edge of breakup 90% of the time and all of them seem to work beautifully for that. I ditched the muddy BB 61s in my SG for Bare Knuckle Blue Note HSP90s (slightly underwound with A2 magnets) and won't go back to humbuckers, but of this group I like the ReWind low output A5s and the Lollars. I usually like A2 but those sounds great. Glad I don't have to pick from these. Would take forever to decide. Killer demo!
I make records for a living. I have a lot of guitars and just bought a 335 and a GT R7 like you had in your other video. Both of these guitars are NVL custom shop with Custombuckers. I was thinking of changing the pickups on the Les Paul but I love the 335. This video saved me money. Also these comparisons are not night and day. Even with the T Tops. It’s apparent people are making really great product out there. But what did standout were the ReWind 58’s. I think my Les Paul might do with a set !
James at ReWind makes some incredible stuff AND he's the most knowledgeable guy I've ever talked to about pickups. You're in safe hands if you opt to go that route!
The first time I could truly differentiate between these pickups was approx 15 min 40 sec when playing through the Vox AC30.
At this point with my eyes closed I could easily tell the low winds from the high, but Wizz from Lollar from Gibson.. Not a chance.. Not without peeping.. 😞😎
For me personally at higher gain levels the difference between all these PAF replicas becomes so small that I wouldn't know which of them to pick, but is that so terrible ? They sound teriffic, and while sound clips can't convay 'feel' this was a worthwhile experiment.
A very well-timed video in my world. I just bought a '16 1959 ES-335TD reissue which comes with the MHS pickups. From what I've heard from your video, I don't think I'll need to swap them out, which is nice considering how much money I just spent! *lol* As others have noted, each set of pickups shines in certain applications and it behooves one know which type of player he is and judge each pickup's applicability to his style. Well done!
Thank you for all your labor on these comparisons.
Throbak for the take
Absolutely amazing Video comparison. This is the best Video comparison on RUclips!! Amazing production. Love your 64 ES-345 Reissue too! For me, the Tom Holmes were head and shoulders my favorites. I won't say 'best' because all of them were great and had strong points. I was surprised however that the Lollar low wind imperials sounded a bit too bright and lean for my preferences.
This was super helpful, thank you for doing this.
Sweet F. A in it . My drummer laughed when I showed him . Just just between you and me. The lollar set was the best. And I thought the stock set was on par in high gain and maybe one of the better sets at the start of the video.
In 2006, I put a pair of Tom Holmes H450/H455 in my '98 Standard Honeyburst ($500/set) and I've never looked back. I run her through a 2015 Supro Black Magick, and it sounds like Jehovah's favorite choir!
Having owned numerous vintage gibsons, some with PAF pickups, any PAF spec pickup is fine. The important part from there is turning up loud, backing off on the bass, and playing with confidence. 57 classics sound great even though they have even coils and are wax potted.
Tom Holmes pickups are head and shoulders above the rest. Clarity, grind, definition presence, warmth... without mud.
Playing live: Throbak
Recording: Lollars
I liked the Lollars. It was just clarity. Not even harsh treble, just nice airy clarity.
That seems to be a consensus. I might try them. I love the Lollars in my Tele. I'm mostly a LP player though. I have Wizz in another guitar, and like them.
Anyway, thanks.
First, let me be clear. I appreciate the effort that went into this video. 👏 To make it interesting, though, sometimes you have to try some Derigold ice cream next to the boutique just to know what value you're getting at the bougie ice cream shop. The second point is that if you're buying a guitar like that and aren't happy with the pickups it comes with, no bougie PAF is going to fix your problems.🤨 😅😅 Great review!
They all sound great!
Agreed!
I really like Wizz in the Bridge the best and Lollar in the Neck. However, you didn't compare it in this vid, but for me the Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday Bridge beats the Wizz.
Hi, thank you for demo, perfect demo, for me i prefer a Throwback and a Holmes, it’s more light bassy and dark and very clarity and shiny sounds.
Thank you, and certainly not bad choices there!
i have different preferences for OD and cleans. so i would prob stick with the memphis. i’m only wearing airpods rn but going into the studio with all these will yield the same result. i’ll have to go back with my sony headphones or on my midfields. i dont think i could pick out any of these out blindly, and i am a bit shocked i am not hearing A5 /A2 differences on the low end. perhaps because you arent digging in and also i may not be hearing enough low end atm. the guitar is awesome btw.
Thro bac for the win!
Very Very Close. But my top four are:
1. Tom Holmes
2. ReWind Low Output A5
3. Throbak
4. Whizz Premium PAF
Solid top 4
Rewind 58's are the winner to my ears.
Most authentic PAF pickup for a knopfler tone on his 58 LP ?
You just proved there is very little difference in pickups. I've been saying that for years. Cheers!
This one is closer than the Les Paul video. The only one that sounded different were the Wizz. So if you’re lookin for something different then the Wizz is the way to go. The rest to me are slightly different shades of what the MHS offers. Maybe a little brighter here, or a little more mids here. To me the sets that sounded maybe small percentages better for that guitar were maybe the Holmes neck, the Lollars sounded good overall, and I liked the throbak in the bridge. They were only marginally more pleasing to my ears. If I had to make a decision and had to have a set I’d probably go with the lollars. I could literally make any of these work. I think small adjustments in EQ or pickup adjustment would put them about equal with small variances.
All were good! Which they should be, they're all high end ;)
Amazing comparison. please don't peak yet and do the same on a Gibson SG Faded :) maybe throw in some Lindy Fralin Pure PAF's and some 61 brustbuckers? sounds like fun to me..
Kudos for all your effort.
It was very helpful !! I subscribed to the channel!!
I like re-wind 1958 PAF.
I have played both lollar and tom Holmes In my LP... Them some killer pups
nice!
Great video, man! All of these sound great. I love the Lollars the best. Those are really clear and have a cool voice to them. But I am also surprised by the Memphis ones. Those sound great too and I if those were in my guitar, I might not even swap them out. The Throbaks were a big disappointment to me though. I was expecting something more from those.
I just put a set of Lollar imperials in a 70's V and I can't wait to get them out. The bridge is ok, but a lot brighter and more hifi than here. And the low end on the neck is super woofy. I was super disappointed in them.
I also liked the MHS set a lot, particularly the chimey middle position! I don't think there's a "bad" set here :)
@@stilllifewithguitar184 That's a bummer!
@@YeatzeeGuitar It's all good, just going to try something else. Mostly likely some of those WCR Godwoods. Also, fwiw, I have MHS P90's in an ES-330 and they're amazing. I've liked almost every MHS I've heard.
@@stilllifewithguitar184 damn that sucks...did you make any height or screw adjustment?? What amp are you using ?
I liked best the Rewind 1958. They have more harmonics, body and depth to my ears.
I'm going with the Holmes set. Sounds best across all samples. However, I have a set of Fralin Pure PAF's that I think are as good as any of these. I would have loved to hear them in the comparison.
I have a Fralin Pure PAF bridge position in one of my guitars. It will stay there as long as I own the guitar!
Heard good things about those Fralin's! So many I wish I could have included in this test :)
@@YeatzeeGuitar I have a set for sale, let me know! Lol
My pickup funds are all tapped out lol, need to sell some of what I've already got.
That’s for doing all this.
Rewind or Arcane. To me Arcane nails it with the triple clone and 57 classic.
Great test!
I guess go with the cheapest/quickest to get one, because I don't think that the tonal difference between them is worth the differences in price and availability.
Buzztones…….. period….. hands down…. Tone and price point is never going to be beat!!!!!
Very interesting... I might be total douche bag, but either the pickups loose a lot of "distinctiveness" when being recorded and the Audio streamed via YT or
the differences are so minute, that you'd really only are able to pick it up live, sitting next to the cabinet.
Having said that, being the owner of a LP historic with custom Throbak's, I can definitely hear a difference vs. the Custom Buckers that were in that guitar
originally, but usually besides having a good hearing, it also depends on what and how you play a lot... Still very interesting comparison!
Check my other pickup comparison in my LP, the guitar definitely has an affect on how strong the pickups voice comes through
Great tone!! yeah .
ReWind Low Output A5 takes it for me
I have some of those same sets. They sound significantly different from each other in my amps. In this video they all sound similar. I'm mostly hearing pedals and amps and modelers, not pickups.
Ha. They sound how they sound, you're hearing them side by side in a way I'm betting you've never heard yourself unless you too did this sort of test. The mind fills in a lot of detail, and as the player you also experience more than what seems to come across in recordings. I'll be addressing all of that in the next video, but this is as legit as a test as you can get. If you're upset I used a klon in a few excerpts as if that negates pickup differences then I don't know what to tell ya 🤷♂️ If everything is constant but the pickups, you're hearing the differences in pickups (and a small amount of my playing since I'm not a robot), that's it regardless of anything else.
@@YeatzeeGuitar r u sure you’re not a robot?
🤔🤫
Whats the small room reverb your using? Not listed in the description.
Just a random reverb plugin to give a light sense of space.
That guitar is KILLA.
Agreed!
Lollar!
I would go with the Lollars
Not a bad choice at all!
They all sound exactly the same. Did they feel different ? Did they inspire you differently ?
I talk about my feelings in the follow up video here: ruclips.net/video/qUv8HoJKlsI/видео.html
Don't give the lollard back they belong in that guitar. All the pickups sound great. Think they would all crush with some amp tweaking
Thanks for all the work you put into the video first off, but really you can't properly test these with this much breakup, you have to be between clean and dirty to really hear what's happening with a pickup, also I would have just used a blackface fender amp everyone is pretty familiar with. If you use some sort of modded Marshall circuit we have no idea what we're hearing, also no pedals, that just makes it even more difficult to figure anything out.
Disagree. What do you think the percentage of PAF style pickup users play squeeky clean only? 5%? 10%? This is a real world test with real world setups. People use overdrives to boost clean amps, people use overdrive, people use gain. I tried to cover all the bases as best as I could.
@@YeatzeeGuitar Show me the part where I said you need to play squeaky clean,....... you didn't even read my comment, that's not at all what I'm saying, I said It needs to be in between clean and dirty. Meaning dynamic,... Meaning when you pick light it's clean and when you pick harder it's dirty, very simple thing people have used for 60 yrs. When an amp is FULLY distorted you can't hear much of the tone of the guitar or pickups.
There are plenty of inbetween tones in this video. All of these tones are dynamic and would get cleaner if I picked lighter or rolled back the volume. You said I should have just used a blackface fender amp... Which are known for being squeeky clean unless cranked. Can't please everyone 😅
@@YeatzeeGuitar 75% of all classic overdrive tones you've ever heard in history are cranked blackface and silverface amps, everyone thinks it's all Marshalls, it's actually wrong, it was much easier in studios to record fender amps. Also if someone never turns there amp up above 2 it will be squeaky clean, even a Marshall. Marshalls start to break up around 4-5, fenders around 5-6. In the video it appears there are two sections completely dirty then extremely clean. PAFs were mostly played through turned up amps with no pedals, why not try and create the same setup for a comparison video.
Blackface fenders = amps literally designed to be as clean as possible. Id bet 90% of people don't have the space to turn up a blackface fender loud enough to get drive and do hours worth of recording with them. Instead of complaining about free content I spent dozens of hours doing on my own dime be a part of the solution and do your own video, or buy me studio time and the amps you deem a requirement. 👌
Wizz then Lollar
Gotta turn down the gain to actually compare the pickups G
Well to be fair I did samples with a wide range of gain.... also very few just play crystal clean so it's pointless to only show clean tones... hence the mixture :)
You could have skipped the actual pickup swapping and kept the same set for all but changed your tone and attack a hair between each. Nobody would have known the difference.
You made me save 2-3 years and several hundred euros.
Happy to hear it! If you *really* appreciate it consider donating a coffee my way for saving you all that money and time 🙂😉
The Throbaks have consistently been my least favorite in every one of the many comparison videos I've watched. Given their price, that's pretty hilarious. Just sound like boomy murk with a painful upper midrange. Leave some room for the bass player!
I should apologize to Throbak, I just looked up the price of the Rewinds. Now there's a punchline!
Damn I couldnt hear a bad one, if it were me I’ll let my wallet decide
You’re style of playing makes all of the pickups sound the same.
I did something like 14 different demos with a wide range of playing styles and tones... But OK.
First off: exceptionally well done. You are definitely one of the best if not THE best on the net at doing these types of video's. The direct side by side (quick change) comparisons are just THE best way to showcase these pickups. Really appreciate the time that you take to do this. Its a true service to the guitar community.
I actually have owned a bunch of these pickups and currently own a few so I'm very familiar with them. My take: the only 3 that didnt stand out to me were the Throbacks (surprisingly), the stock Gibson pickups and the Rewind A5's. Most others stood out at one point in time in once of the clips. These 3 just never did for me. The clean clips really highlighted the difference more than the overdriven clips but the overdriven clips really showcased some of the midrange bite. For overdriven I preferred the Rewind 1958. Cleans I preferred the Lollar Low winds and the Holmes. There is a clarity that the Lollars have that the rest did not. That was great for the cleans but made the overdriven tone suffer a bit as it could be a bit harsh on the upper end. The Holmes have a midrange characteristic that none of the others have...but they lacked a bit of clarity in the low E string. As a Holmes owner (along with Throbak and Wizz) I know that the Holmes have a harmonic quality in the midrange that just "jump out" when letting notes ring. The Rewind 58's were nice overall on cleans also. The Wizz have some great clarity also but as having owned them before, I remember that it comes at the cost of lacking a bit of midrange. That said...for the money...with what you get...they are really hard to beat.
Overall my favorite (for performance/price) is probably the Rewind 58 for overall tone. The Holmes are killer but are they really worth that much more? Depends i guess. But they are "unobtainium" right now so that factors in to the cost. (Tom stopped making them 1 or 2 years ago). The Wizz and Lollars are an incredible overall value.
Thank you! And thanks for taking the time to write out your detailed impressions!
I kinda agree on the clarity and the Lollars, but they were just too clean, like they had no character, that's why I said they were boring. Maybe it's just my ears, I'm used to the Holmes and how they "color' each notes in such a sweet way. I even have a low wind Holmes for the neck in my 335 to give me a little more clarity, it's still rich sounding.
BTW I heard Tom is only taking a break and will probably be making more pickups soon, let's hope!
Like that name 😎just saw them in Austin. Wish I could of gotten them to autograph my guitar, but maybe some other day.
Very nicely done!!! To be honest I didn't notice much with the overdriven tones, they were either warmer or brighter mostly, with the low wind being brighter of course. I play clean mostly, so that's what I paid attention to. I may be a little biased here, for me it's still the Holmes, there's this untouchable top end, the note is just surrounded by harmonics, the note blooms and sounds full.. none of the others could touch it. But the Holmes were sometimes a little warm, but still in a beautiful way and not muffled like the Gibsons were. I have two sets, one in a 335 and one in a V. I also found the low wind Lollars a little boring, while the low wind Rewind were just gorgeous. That Rewind 58 set was just wonderful!! There's this sweet mids it adds to the tone, just beautiful. I placed my order 3 weeks ago and I can't wait to try them next! It was the right choice :)
I listened to the clip using headphones with an external DAC.
Thanks, and congrats on the new pickups!
That's a nice sounding guitar! All the pickups sound great in it. Some folks talk up vintage wire as being somehow superior to today's wire... After this video I will never sweat the fact that I will only wind with modern wire.
Thanks! Ya not sure on the difference wire makes. I guess if you're upgrading a historic LP with all sorts of aftermarket historic parts maybe having old wire in there would be appealing? Idk, not my lane :)
electrons don't care about vintage wire. resistivity should be all that matters. aging metal just means more surface oxidation and fatigue if it's under stress.
copper is copper is copper.
the only downside to modern materials are when they lie... like when nickel isn't really nickel but a nickel color or things like that.
I'm not sure anyone can come up with physics that favor old wire for sound.
the best part for me is the way people think their ears are as accurate as a spectrum analyzer... if you did these blindfolded i would bet that everyone that LOVED a specific set would not be able to actually pick them out of the group.
especially if you are allowed to move the tone knobs....
Well I mean that's pretty obvious, if you tamper the comparison you're probably not going to be able to determine what's in the comparison. I think its a lot harder as just the RUclips listener to really pick up on the differences or get them locked in your brain but as the player there's qualities I could start to really identify. I always test myself for fun with a no video only audio version of these comparison videos and I'm pretty good at picking them out. The Holmes for example I can pick out just about every time, they have a very distinct quality to me. The lollars and MHS as well. Wizz I had more success in the LP comparison but particularly the bridge I could pick out well, and the rewinds kind of blended together for me a touch more than the others.
I was really impressed by the Lollars, but I also liked the Wizz and low output Rewinds.
Found as well that these 3 suited best. Would habe liked to hear as the Mojotone 59 Clones low winds.
the Menphis and the throbak seem the best for me ! the good idea you have is the change of amps ! nice work i got a 335 from 88 and nearly only play with the neck pup ; thank's a lot
I loved all the pickups. I have MHS and burst buckers on my 335's. But man this AC30 sounds amazing...
Throwback in the bridge and wizz in the neck. The wizz has an open single oil like tone h others don’t, the throwback just sounded great in the bridge. I’d try for a hybrid set from wizz with an a5 in the bridge and maybe slightly overwound to match the specs of the throwback. Standard a4 in the neck. Hat would be the winner for me. Cheaper than throwbacks and. Wizz has custom spec wire that matches 50s spec now.
👍👍👍🙏
This shootout must have been quite a hassle, considering the work involved in swapping pickups in a semi-hollow... plus all the editing ! Kudos man !
Thank you!
if you listen while reading comments youll find out that they all sound the same.
cool comparison, the MHS actually held their own pretty good but the rewind low output A5's sounded really good with the semi hollow guitars sound.
Tom Holmes are on another level. I have sticker paf and t tops. It's the only one that has that clarity
Aaaaargh . ha ha. u want everybody's tone comments BEFORE you divulge yours. Ha ha. That's an evil genius -
right there. Like Dr Evil from Austin Powers. Ha ha ha ha just kiddding. Ha ha from mtw - rock guitarist in L.A.
MHS all the way for me. AC10 sounded awesome.
All sound thee same
You missed out Ox 4s dude! They are world class
If you get a chance, try some Stephens Design pups. ruclips.net/video/MKDRy3iYeF4/видео.html I'd also love to hear these against a set of TTops and Shaw era humbuckers.
I've heard good things about those online, but never met anyone with a set. Love both Ttops and shaw era buckers though!
What a waste of time. Not even negligible
Wow, I listened again with different headphones, and while there are differences, they are subtle at times, more so than the Les Paul shootout. I can hear varying amounts of output, some small shifts in frequency (Rewind low winds are obviously a bit shifted to the upper freq. Compared to the Rewind 1958's) . Wow, the raw character of that guitar just burst through overshadowing the pickups individual contributions. Since the guitar sounds great, this is a good thing! There isn't a single pickup that doesn't just sound great in that instrument.
That's actually a great point, starting with a good guitar is super important I think. I honestly don't own any dogs so I can't test this, but I have a hunch that if you have a guitar that's not good a pickup change isn't going to radically change it.
@@YeatzeeGuitar my friend has a crate guitar and put seymour duncans and the thing is those pickups where pricey and should sound really good but it just got louder, no definition in the guitar at all. Just louder clunks and chugs.
Damn ..they all sound close to each other except for one set which from this sound sample I wouldn’t touch with a 10 ft pole.. : (
Which one was that?
My guess is the Standard Wind Imperials would be the better Lollar set to compare with this group.
Possibly
Excellent comparisons! So many great options out there.
I’m only watching this on an iPad, and 75% through, decided I preferred the Tom Holmes. Never heard of him or that brand before, so there was no bias or predisposition. Imagine my surprise (horror) when I googled and found his prices and reputation. I have the _Golden Ears,_ apparently. And they too often cost me a lot of money….
Great work again,, love your comparisons. I felt the Wizz Premium PAF pickups sounded best, followed by the Lollar Low-wind pickups - also, curious as to why you like light weight aluminum tailpieces vs. solid steel. Thanks again.
Thanks! Just seemed to have an affect on the overtones I didn't dig with all steel hardware
@@YeatzeeGuitar Thanks!
They are all amazing. I hear only minor differencies. I liked the Tom Holmes best. I found they have a a mellower top end, but it's really just a tiny bit.
IMO, the PRS 57/08 is the best new paf style pickup I've ever owned. I've owned quite a few of the Gibson originals.