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Recent convert to WCR Crossroads and an observation...

fast ricky love

In the Zone/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
3,458
Well, after thinking I was really set with pickups, I stumbled onto a deal for a set of Crossroads and figured what the hey... wow, I really like these pickups! I'd heard somewhere some folks found them a bit bright and that was what kept me away... well I'm happy to say that isn't the case. They are defined, sweet and even have a growl to them!

In fact after A/B'ing them with my H-80 with Shaws, I find they remind me a lot of Shaws!! I took out the other H-80 I own and did the same A/B and found the same results. They really have a nice depth to them and like I said, when you dig in they have growl! Very cool. They sing like crazy too when overdriven. Definately a keeper. :yay

I can't believe the amount of great aftermarket PU's available today, good times!
 

coreybox

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
316
I hear such great things about WCR pickups, but still can't decide whether i would prefer a crossroads or GW set. Jim says the GW's aren't 'hot' sounding to the point of distorting early or anything, just the are fatter than the crossroads. The problem is that all the clips on his website sound the exact same. There is no clean or semi-dirty tones, just really over the top overdriven blues songs. I like classic tones, such as the beano album, beatles, blues rock stuff....and i just don't know if the GW are going to be too hot for me or if they would be my thing.

glad you like yours!

corey
 

fiestared

New member
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
420
coreybox said:
I hear such great things about WCR pickups, but still can't decide whether i would prefer a crossroads or GW set. Jim says the GW's aren't 'hot' sounding to the point of distorting early or anything, just the are fatter than the crossroads. The problem is that all the clips on his website sound the exact same. There is no clean or semi-dirty tones, just really over the top overdriven blues songs. I like classic tones, such as the beano album, beatles, blues rock stuff....and i just don't know if the GW are going to be too hot for me or if they would be my thing.

glad you like yours!

corey

I'd like to hear some varied clips of the GWs as well. The samples on the site are too similar. I have a Crossroads neck and Darkburst bridge, and they sound a hell of a lot better than the sound clips on the WCR site.

-Mark
 

coreybox

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
316
i think the best clip on the site is crossroads #3 ( http://crcoils.com/Sound_Clips/Crossroad_clips/crossroad_clips.html ). But then again it is the only one that has any variance in tone from the others.
they sound a hell of a lot better than the sound clips on the WCR site.

Yeah, i would imagine that. They don't seem to represent them well at all. One thing is that the GWs are said to be lower output than the fillmores, but then the fillmore clips are recorded with less gain and sound much cleaner than the GWs. I just can't tell what any of them sound like from the clips, and the descriptions such as 'fat' and 'PAF all the way' don't really tell me much.
 

illinimax

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2005
Messages
170
The CR neck pickup is terrific. The Fillmore bridge pickup mates well with it, too.
 

DANELECTRO

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2003
Messages
6,318
This has nothing to do with Crossroads pickup specifically, but I just want to say kudos to Jim for his excellent customer service. I have an old set of his SR Strat pickups and for whatever reason, the neck pickup just died. I called Jim about getting it repaired and he said he would wind a new pickup for me and send it out on Monday. He didn't ask for any money, he just wanted me to return the old pickup to him whenever I get a chance so he can see what failed on it. We talked for quite some time about pickup winding, tone, and his old water-damaged 69 SG that always blows everybody away when they hear it. You couldn't deal with a nicer guy.
 

Ridgeback

New member
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
203
If I could only have one set of Jim's pups it would be the Xroads. I have them in my Lucille and they can do anything. Fortunately, I do have one other HB guitar (95 LP std) and it has a DB neck \ GW bridge combo. Different from the Xroads and also very nice. Jim is a pleasure to deal with.
 

Ed A

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Jul 16, 2001
Messages
4,679
coreybox said:
i think the best clip on the site is crossroads #3 ( http://crcoils.com/Sound_Clips/Crossroad_clips/crossroad_clips.html ). But then again it is the only one that has any variance in tone from the others.

Thats my clip. Someone said that the clips on the WCR site are too overdriven. I dont think mine is heavily overdriven, its guitar straight into a '65 Pro Reverb, no pedals. Its not great quality but I was trying to show the nice nasal honk of the Crossroads.

I have tried Crossroads, Darkbursts, Fillmores and Goodw**ds... There is a big difference between Crossroads and G**dwoods. Crossroads ARE much more pure PAF. Clarity with nice honk and openess. Capable of singing sustain and harmonics. The Goodw**ds are much thicker and fatter with more bottom end balls and stronger, less hollow mids. But they do still retain that PAF on steroids character, they are not like a Super Distortion pickup that has no PAF character at all. Fillmores from what I remember are much more midrange oriented, cool for simulation a Duane tone, but I didnt find them to have as much character as the Crossroads... For all of you that dont understand what is meant by PAF sounding or fat sounding or hot sounding or clear sounding, then why dont you just by a few sets like I did of the different types, try them all and keep what you like, sell the rest. Its the only way to really know.
 

RickN

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Feb 12, 2002
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7,143
Ed A said:
For all of you that dont understand what is meant by PAF sounding or fat sounding or hot sounding or clear sounding, then why dont you just by a few sets like I did of the different types, try them all and keep what you like, sell the rest. Its the only way to really know.
That is THE BEST pickup advice you can ever get, regardless of which brand of pickup you're asking about. :salude
 

GoldtopTom

Formerly Tomi Matan, Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2003
Messages
588
Best tone I ve ever heard on this forum came from ED A and his '65PR using Crossroads.
He used them with old wood so I don't think it is just pickups but sound is stellar anyway..and than EDs playing kills...

T
 

turkish

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2002
Messages
370
Guys,

Great info so far! :jim

Whenever you get the chance, I really would appreciate if you could compare them XRoads to Tims and Rolph's 59s. I already have 2 sets of timbuckers and one set of Rolph 59s, that's why it'd be great for me.

Best,

B
 

BadAssBill

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Joined
Mar 10, 2003
Messages
1,578
Out of all the clips I've heard on the net showing off the various pickups, Ed those are the best I've heard. Not only is the playing great...but it fits the pickups. Why do people have these clips of fusion that all sound the same with no real world sounds in them? It drives me nuts.
Every other clip on the crossroads is useless. People looking for the PAF vibe do not like that over processed, modern sound.
Do you have the rest of that song somewhere...I'd love to hear the rest of it. The other guitar that came in sounded great too.
 

fast ricky love

In the Zone/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
Messages
3,458
turkish said:
Guys,

Great info so far! :jim

Whenever you get the chance, I really would appreciate if you could compare them XRoads to Tims and Rolph's 59s. I already have 2 sets of timbuckers and one set of Rolph 59s, that's why it'd be great for me.

Best,

B

I've had all three in my Keebler LP, as well as a set of Rolph '58's. Here's my take:

- Tims: Beautiful tone and best harmonic overtone, a bit scooped tonally which made them the thinnest sounding, and therefore brightest. Not what I was after in this guitar, I wanted a bit more midrange girth. The neck PU tho' is just killer, woody and detailed.

- Rolph '59's: Dark! Great tone but I found them a bit lacking in detail, especially the neck PU. (These were the EdA wind like the Tims. I wound up going back to the Tims at this point, but they are cool PU's for the right guitar).

- Rolph '58's: The winner up to this point. More detailed than the '59's but still warm and sparkly without being harsh. Sweet! Great neck PU too. But still found them a bit thin for this guitar.

- Crossroads: Yes! Detailed, sweet, warm, nice midrange but not over the top. Great bass detail and they sing when overdriven. Can still get a bright tone out of them, I find them the most satisfying overall in this guitar. Neck is great too, reminds me of the Tim neck. Like I said earlier, they have a growl when I dig in that reminds me a bit of Shaws, in the best way possible. Really worth trying these PU's.
 

Rafael

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Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
811
I will say only this: I was planning to buy an R8 since my Standard was sounding not so good. I was going to get it in NY on my next travel (I'm actually here right now).

Well, I got my hands on a CR/DB set before the trip, and it just made me forget about the R8. So here I am, taking home a 1962 reissue Telecaster Custom.

In the end, I really thing this was a good decision. The WCRs made my guitar sound 1000 times better, and now I can have 2 completely different guitars, thus a better range of tones coming out of my gear.

Congratulations to Jim Wagner... such an awesome guy, amazingly helpfull and full of joy. I just wish I could get stuff with the quality you guys have in the USA in Brazil, and for the same price (FWIW, a pair of classic 57 in Brazil costs 450 dollars)

rock on

Rafael
 

coreybox

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Feb 1, 2006
Messages
316
Ed A said:
Thats my clip. Someone said that the clips on the WCR site are too overdriven. I dont think mine is heavily overdriven, its guitar straight into a '65 Pro Reverb, no pedals. Its not great quality but I was trying to show the nice nasal honk of the Crossroads.

Yeah, the amount of overdrive you use is nothing compared to the other clips.

Killer playing on that track though. Do you have an albums out (i see you are on the LPFs own cd for a track).

take care

corey
 

Todd Louis

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Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Messages
14,526
Well Man Welcom to the Crossroad Club
fast ricky love said:
I've had all three in my Keebler LP, as well as a set of Rolph '58's. Here's my take:

- Tims: Beautiful tone and best harmonic overtone, a bit scooped tonally which made them the thinnest sounding, and therefore brightest. Not what I was after in this guitar, I wanted a bit more midrange girth. The neck PU tho' is just killer, woody and detailed.

- Rolph '59's: Dark! Great tone but I found them a bit lacking in detail, especially the neck PU. (These were the EdA wind like the Tims. I wound up going back to the Tims at this point, but they are cool PU's for the right guitar).

- Rolph '58's: The winner up to this point. More detailed than the '59's but still warm and sparkly without being harsh. Sweet! Great neck PU too. But still found them a bit thin for this guitar.

- Crossroads: Yes! Detailed, sweet, warm, nice midrange but not over the top. Great bass detail and they sing when overdriven. Can still get a bright tone out of them, I find them the most satisfying overall in this guitar. Neck is great too, reminds me of the Tim neck. Like I said earlier, they have a growl when I dig in that reminds me a bit of Shaws, in the best way possible. Really worth trying these PU's.
Well Man Welcome to the Crossroad Club!!!:salude
I have them in Mine and will be getting more Jim's CR's set is Dynamite! :worship

Oh and Ed Always liked that clip ;)
 

Ed A

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Jul 16, 2001
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4,679
BadAssBill said:
Out of all the clips I've heard on the net showing off the various pickups, Ed those are the best I've heard. Not only is the playing great...but it fits the pickups. Why do people have these clips of fusion that all sound the same with no real world sounds in them? It drives me nuts.
Every other clip on the crossroads is useless. People looking for the PAF vibe do not like that over processed, modern sound.
Do you have the rest of that song somewhere...I'd love to hear the rest of it. The other guitar that came in sounded great too.

Id have to do some digging to find the rest of the song, its from some gig somewhere when I tried the Crossroads. I probably dont have it labeled properly.... There's a version of that song on one of the LPForum CDs, I dont remember if its the first or second CD... there is also a version on our website from a rehearsal studio, Im not that happy with the recorded guitar tone, but it coulda been worse. Its Dont Want You No More/Cross to Bear on our sounds page...

http://www.seventurns.net/sounds.html
 

zoommutt

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Nov 15, 2003
Messages
1,448
Ed,do you ever play the South Fork?How about Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett?
 

Ed A

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zoommutt said:
Ed,do you ever play the South Fork?How about Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett?

Funny you should say that, we just booked Talkhouse for July 6th. We are doing two sets 9PM and 10:30PM... If you come down, say hello!
 

zoommutt

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Nov 15, 2003
Messages
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I live in New Hampshire now.I visit my Mom,who lives there,about once a summer.Stephen Talkhouse is a great place because it is sooo small.I've seen Richard Thompson ,Taj Mahal,and John Hammond there.So many great players have been there.If I'm down there for 4th of July I will check you out.Your music sounds great on your web site.
 
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