Searching for the ultimate PAF tone

[honduras]

I need advice to help me in choosing the most suitable pickups to upgrade my '99 R9. The current contenders are Voodoo, RS Fralins, WCR Darkburst/Crossroads, Lollar Imperial, Rolphs. I can't wait the 18 months for Timbuckers.
The sound I'm after is early Jeff Beck, Beano era Clapton, Mick Taylor (Mayall), Dickey Betts, Ted McCarty (Cactus),
Mike Bloomfield - you get the picture?

All objective advice and suggestions gratefully appreciated.

 

[BurstMeUp]

Model DP196 = Neck ... Model DP197 = Bridge (Both in cream)

P.S. It's "Jim" McCarty

 

[TM1]

What's suppose to be so great about these DiMarzio's? I've never found one of their pickup's I've liked in the last 30 years. S'plain Lucy..
Thanks!

 

[BurstMeUp]

What's suppose to be so great about these DiMarzio's? I've never found one of their pickup's I've liked in the last 30 years. S'plain Lucy..
Thanks!

I'm not saying anything about them, other than what he asked, which was, "The sound I'm after is early Jeff Beck, etc.". To me they fit the bill, that's why I purchased 2 sets.

 

[TM1]

I guess what I was trying to say is do they sound better than their other PAF line of pickups. I've just never been able to get on with their products and was hoping that maybe these are a cut above their other one's.
I can get all those types of sounds/ tone from Tim White's pickups and Gibson Pre T-Tops
Thanks!

 

[59gibson]

I need advice to help me in choosing the most suitable pickups to upgrade my '99 R9. The current contenders are Voodoo, RS Fralins, WCR Darkburst/Crossroads, Lollar Imperial, Rolphs. I can't wait the 18 months for Timbuckers.
The sound I'm after is early Jeff Beck, Beano era Clapton, Mick Taylor (Mayall), Dickey Betts, Ted McCarty (Cactus),
Mike Bloomfield - you get the picture?

All objective advice and suggestions gratefully appreciated.

The pickups you mention above are all good pickups including Burstbuckers. There are tons of threads here about each pickup with tons of opinions. You should probably used the search function to read some. My feelings is that each set of pickups will vary depending on the sound charactisitics of your guitar. It took me five sets of pickups (all different makers) to find my ideal set for my 2003 R-9. However, in my next R-9, the original Burstbuckers sound so special that I didn't see a need to swap them out. I do favor the RS/Fralins :dude

 

[jwalker]

For ultimate PAF tone they need to be unpotted. Unpotted pickups have more overtones than potted. Everything sounds and feels fuller when unpotted.

 

[Mike McLenison]

I like the Wagner Crossroads in my SG-61. Very Eric Johnson-like smooth Marshall tone. If you'd like to see a brief video clip and judge for yourself, pm me your email addy.

 

[TM1]

Mike; I've got a few early sets of Crossroads that Jim made me a couple years ago.
Thanks!

 

[gmann]

You shouldn't overlook Duncan Antiquities. I still have the 1st set I ever bought over 10 yrs ago. They have been in at least 1/2 dozen different guitars. The guitars are gone but I've always kept the pups. They are currently in my R4 Tonequest. As for the ones you listed, I've always had great success with Voodoo '59's. I presently have two sets in Historic Lesters. Based on some of the reviews here I always wanted to try the Voodoo '60's. I bought a set of RS Fralins for my R7 w/Bigsby and they didn't work for me in that particular guitar. I kept them however and will try them in something else.

 

[davebc]

I need advice to help me in choosing the most suitable pickups to upgrade my '99 R9. The current contenders are Voodoo, RS Fralins, WCR Darkburst/Crossroads, Lollar Imperial, Rolphs. I can't wait the 18 months for Timbuckers.
The sound I'm after is early Jeff Beck, Beano era Clapton, Mick Taylor (Mayall), Dickey Betts, Ted McCarty (Cactus),
Mike Bloomfield - you get the picture?

All objective advice and suggestions gratefully appreciated.

Do yourself a favor and call Jim Rolph.He is the man.(careful, if you tell him your looking for a 59 wind,he may ask you from what month)
His p/u's nail all the tones you mentioned.Those tones are all my favorites as well.

 

[Elmore]

I was in search of these same tones, and modified my '87 standard/prehistoric (avatar). I upgraded to 500K CTS pots, jensen paper in oil caps, and a pair of Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers. I always come back to these pickups. Even when I think that they could sound better, listening to how they record keeps me from changing. They sound very spongy, almost strat-like. With a tube Marshall, they are fantastic.
They did not blow me away at first, but I began to realize that these things do whatever you tell them to do.
Make sure you get at least 500K pots in your bridge volume and tone.

 

[led zep fan]

+1 for Darkburts.

 

[plugnplay]

I have the Virtual pafs' in my 91' classic. I realize guitars all have their own vibe but honestly my R57 with Darkbursts just kills the tone of my 91" classic. I have a set of Highorder pups coming to replace the Virtual Pafs'. This will be interesting to see how these compare. I also have a set of Burstbucker 1&2s' , Sd 59, JB, SD A-2s', SD custom custom, Gibson 498 and 500s' and so far the Darkbursts are the bomb.FWIW.
Tim....out