Dr Vintage v. Tom Holmes?

[ultra]

Hi guys,

I have certainly taken notice of all the good press that Wolfe's Dr. Vintage pickups have received and I am very interested in getting a set.

What I would like to know, if guys can help? : How do the Dr Vintage compare to Tom Holmes H450 and H455 sets ?

I have a some sets of Tom's pickups in my R9 and Oxblood and I like them a lot but I am open to your comments.

They are both Alnico 2 pickups so they should be in the same ballpark. Maybe the Dr.V guru Mofinco could chime in?

If you have had experience with both pickups, I welcome your comments. Thanks guys.

 

[roadrunner]

I've used Tom's pickups before. Comparing them with the Dr. V's, I'd say the Wolfetone's are a little more "vintage correct". Tom's pickups were pretty aggressive, a little too much so for me.

Tom's a super nice guy, as is Wolfe. I would try to listen to both sets in your guitar and them make the call based on what you like.

 

[davebc]

I haven't tried Wolfe's p/u's but look foward to oredering a set soon. I do have the Tom's in my R0's(as well as a pretty good stash of them tucked away). I LOVE them, imo incredible authentical and old sounding, very complex, sweet with plenty of hair and sizzle. There are as close sonically to any paf I've heard or used. The trick for me was going with the 450's front and rear, slightly less wind revealing the characteristics I mentioned above. However, they not cheap these days. Overpriced relative to the other great contenders??? Maybe.
DON'T rule out the Rolphs. I think most folks would agree Jim is really the master.

 

[bluesforstevie]

The way I hear the Holmes compared to other clones, is that Tom makes them like they were SUPPOSED to be made, per the Seth Lover design. Like the earliest PAF's.....The coils are matched the tone is smoother with a very balanced sound string to string; sweet and juicy...but they may lack the weird magnetic idiosyncracies and edgy harmonic sizzle that the clones and later PAF's ended up having.

I loved my Holmes, especially for fat bridge tones a la the Reverend Billy G.

But if you like the quirky unmatched coil sound, the Dr. V's or others may be the ticket.

 

[davebc]

The way I hear the Holmes compared to other clones, is that Tom makes them like they were SUPPOSED to be made, per the Seth Lover design. Like the earliest PAF's.....The coils are matched the tone is smoother with a very balanced sound string to string; sweet and juicy...but they may lack the weird magnetic idiosyncracies and edgy harmonic sizzle that the clones and later PAF's ended up having.

I loved my Holmes, especially for fat bridge tones a la the Reverend Billy G.

But if you like the quirky unmatched coil sound, the Dr. V's or others may be the ticket.

+ 1
I'll just add that one of the distinguishing qualities that really sets Tom's p/u's apart from the pack is their incredible, dare I say, Fenderish harmonic complexity, with tons and tons of sizzling harmonics, that I never get sick of hearing through any on my amps. The middle position is the best I've heard(my taste of coarse)
The guys at GC had a big jaw drop one Sat. when I plugged my Holmes loaded Lester into an old BF Pro they had on the floor which was JBL loaded . With the tone completely rolled off the treble p/u, I hung a note and got this incredible note bloom, with the amp only set on about 4, hardly cranked. Gotta love it! Your mileage may vary.

 

[roadrunner]

:2zone You guys just like that sizzle on your schnizzle, dontcha?!:salude

 

[bluesforstevie]

:2zone You guys just like that sizzle on your schnizzle, dontcha?!:salude

I like my schnitzel sizzled....wait a minute...ouch...:wah

 

[davebc]

Snoop Doggy Bag says, "My Tom Homies put the sizzle in the schnizzle!"

 

[honduras]

Totally agree with you about Jim Rolph. I have a pair of his '58 Pretenders in my '99 R9 and they give me all the PAF tones I will ever need.

 

[Korina& Mahogany]

I've used Tom's pickups before. Comparing them with the Dr. V's, I'd say the Wolfetone's are a little more "vintage correct". Tom's pickups were pretty aggressive, a little too much so for me.

Tom's a super nice guy, as is Wolfe. I would try to listen to both sets in your guitar and them make the call based on what you like.

When I was in Seattle, I hung out with Wolfe..cool cat, very dedicated. On a cold day, I cleaned and organized his shop...gathered a bunch a loose parts etc...He, mean while, put nice long lead wires on two pairs of Super 70's that I had. 20 Gauss 8.4K..very different.
:2cool
My Holmes do not sound aggressive to me:hmm Less so than my EdA Tim's that I swapped out. The Tim's went into a darker and smooshier sounding axe.
I'll have to get some $$ save and aquire a set the Dr. V's.

 

[korus]

...He, mean while, put nice long lead wires on two pairs of Super 70's that I had. 20 Gauss 8.4K..very different.
:2cool

Ibanez Super 70's ? How do they compare, or better - any description what they sound like ? I can get them (from mid 70's) really cheap but I can not try them, so any info would be welcome. (hope not too much off topic)

 

[Korina& Mahogany]

Ibanez Super 70's ? How do they compare, or better - any description what they sound like ? I can get them (from mid 70's) really cheap but I can not try them, so any info would be welcome. (hope not too much off topic)

The guitar I have them in is so different in construction..Bridge, TP, wood, Ebony board, shape, scale length etc...et Al.. than my others with Tims / Shaws or Holmes..that I can not really compare them.
I wanted something that would sound different from the standard low output paf clone type pup. They sound big, clean and kinda hifi, again that's me. The magnets are longer, wider, thicker - taller than Duncan's, or even Dimarzio's..so that may be a big factor.
Supposedly they have Alnico 8's..I am not really buying that though, Why would they be. Were the Japanese in the late 70's mainly using that grade? It was always about economics..so who knows. That big Ibanez book that came out a few years back did not have any significant info about the Super 70's or 58's.:fc
The Super 70's vary so much in Resistance and magnet strength it can be a crap shoot.
I had a pair that were about 7.7K with 45 Gauss magnets.....way too much magnetic pull.
If you can get them for cheap, I'd say go for them.