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VIRTUALS / ANTIQUITIES II / V/ SETH LOVERS SOUNDFILE
- Thread starter toni
- Start date
Ian Anderson
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- Joined
- Aug 5, 2001
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- 1,331
Got mine today...
I just recieved a bridge model Virtual PAF today and have it installed in my LPCP - moved the Seth to the neck position after a good six years - gasp!!! :wow
I'm gigging tomorrow, so I'll report back with 'first impressions'
:dude
I just recieved a bridge model Virtual PAF today and have it installed in my LPCP - moved the Seth to the neck position after a good six years - gasp!!! :wow
I'm gigging tomorrow, so I'll report back with 'first impressions'
:dude
Yes Lily I did, and my computer is slow so it took close to an hour, once it was downloaded and I clicked on Ed's soundfile and my windows media player came up on screen and it played his sound clip's fine, I tossed the MP3 Player into the recycling bin, as I thought it wasn't necessary...so I guess I fu*ked up eh? Ah well, I really wasn't bitchin, it wasn't a problem for me so much but when I read Jono's post I thought maybe I'm doing something wrong...thanks anyway, no big deal!
NEVERMIND! I went and pulled it outta the trash and completed the set-up, it works fine with toni's files...thanks Lily:doh
NEVERMIND! I went and pulled it outta the trash and completed the set-up, it works fine with toni's files...thanks Lily:doh
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:lolspin Dewey you're cracking me up! No wonder it didn't work! They can't work when you throw them in the garbage...sheesh!!! :lolspin
The windows media players don't really cut it with mp3 files. And if it continues to open when you download mp3s, just go and change your default to the mp3 player and then that will open automatically instead.
The windows media players don't really cut it with mp3 files. And if it continues to open when you download mp3s, just go and change your default to the mp3 player and then that will open automatically instead.
Dave O'Brien
New member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2001
- Messages
- 12
Rolphs vs. Seth Lovers
Cool thread. Unfortunately I could not download the soundfiles. However I downloaded some other sound files in the Les Paul forum comparing Rolphs to real PAFs and both of them sounded awesome! That's what a Les Paul is supposed to sound like! Mine has never sounded like that. Much more brittle yet muddy at the same time, it that's possible. Anyway, I wish I could hear the Seth Lovers because I have sent my guitar to Music One in Montana to have them install Seth Lovers on their recommendation. But now that I've heard the Rolphs I don't know, maybe the Rolphs would be better. Does anyone have any opinion about this? Has anyone compared these two?
Cool thread. Unfortunately I could not download the soundfiles. However I downloaded some other sound files in the Les Paul forum comparing Rolphs to real PAFs and both of them sounded awesome! That's what a Les Paul is supposed to sound like! Mine has never sounded like that. Much more brittle yet muddy at the same time, it that's possible. Anyway, I wish I could hear the Seth Lovers because I have sent my guitar to Music One in Montana to have them install Seth Lovers on their recommendation. But now that I've heard the Rolphs I don't know, maybe the Rolphs would be better. Does anyone have any opinion about this? Has anyone compared these two?
nicholas
Prince of Darkburst
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2001
- Messages
- 1,648
The Rolphs sound amazing. With seths, you seem to have to modify them with magnets to get that "sound", and even then its not enough. No one I've heard has posted anything remotely negative about Rolphs.
Nicholas,
All i can say, Seths (alnico V's), sounds "as good" as a old PAF.
...maybe not "the same", but "as good", or "in the same ballpark" qualitywise.
I'm sure i would like Rolph's because i like old PAFs, but i like moded Seths also.
so what do you mean by "not enough" ?
All i can say, Seths (alnico V's), sounds "as good" as a old PAF.
...maybe not "the same", but "as good", or "in the same ballpark" qualitywise.
I'm sure i would like Rolph's because i like old PAFs, but i like moded Seths also.
so what do you mean by "not enough" ?
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nicholas
Prince of Darkburst
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2001
- Messages
- 1,648
Toni, not enough being simply ... not enough ! They are close in some aspects, not quite in others. Seems different people try them and have different results. Seths on their own aren't close ( and thats what Dave O'brien is thinking about doing ). Wouldn't you agree to your ears that straight Virtuals beat out unmodded Seths ? Everyone loves EdA's PAF sound ( I do ), but everyone also had their own opinions on the other pups compared in the sound bites. The Rolphs seemed to be the most dead on to the PAF sound and thats what I was trying to communicate to Mr O'brien.
Nicholas,
ok, you mean "not enough" to imitate the vintage PAF, and if so, i agree.
My english is pretty bad so...
Well, i was not telling that Seths sound "the same"...
you're right, to my ears, virtuals litterally smoke both stock Seths and stock Antiquities.
ok, you mean "not enough" to imitate the vintage PAF, and if so, i agree.
My english is pretty bad so...
Well, i was not telling that Seths sound "the same"...
you're right, to my ears, virtuals litterally smoke both stock Seths and stock Antiquities.
nicholas
Prince of Darkburst
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2001
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- 1,648
I GUARANTEE you toni that your english is better than my french !!! Oui Oui !
I agree with you, thats why I ordered a set of double creme virtuals for my R9. I loved the sound I heard from them, plus they are wired and designed to be a great pickup when split single coil.
I agree with you, thats why I ordered a set of double creme virtuals for my R9. I loved the sound I heard from them, plus they are wired and designed to be a great pickup when split single coil.
Hey Nicholas,
i hope you will like them.
in a few moments i will try to post two soundfiles on wich i hope MP3 will allow to hear that Virtuals can sound very "vintage".
I hate the word "vintage", but this means "good" to me...
....a very cheezy soundfile (oh man so cheezy ! hee hee...) just to show the effect of different microphone type on final sound.
i hope you will like them.
in a few moments i will try to post two soundfiles on wich i hope MP3 will allow to hear that Virtuals can sound very "vintage".
I hate the word "vintage", but this means "good" to me...
....a very cheezy soundfile (oh man so cheezy ! hee hee...) just to show the effect of different microphone type on final sound.
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DoobieK
New member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2001
- Messages
- 880
I don't want to give up yet
Toni,
I had fiddled with the Virtuals in my guitar and when I swapped the previous pickups back in, just for comparison, They sounded better than the Virtuals. The previous pickups were a stock SD Jazz and '59 with Alnico II magnet.
How are you adusting yours to sound "vintage"? Everyone is raving about these pickups but I've been struggling. I already posted them for sale, but want to give them another try.
Thanks in advance.
Toni,
I had fiddled with the Virtuals in my guitar and when I swapped the previous pickups back in, just for comparison, They sounded better than the Virtuals. The previous pickups were a stock SD Jazz and '59 with Alnico II magnet.
How are you adusting yours to sound "vintage"? Everyone is raving about these pickups but I've been struggling. I already posted them for sale, but want to give them another try.
Thanks in advance.
R
RICH
Guest
I got some good luck with the virtuals, and I HATE weak pickups. The Guitar I put the virtuals in was already a real good sounding guitar, but with the virtuals it ended up with some decent crunch, and mucho clarity on the wound strings with some decent power behind it, which is a cool thing. To me they seem pretty lively, and the note definition is real good too no matter what strings you're playing, or where on the neck you're doing it. Could be the wood too, I'm sure thats part of it.
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Al,
to get that "vintage" (i hate that word because this tone is very modern to me) tone, i adjust the two pickups a little BELOW the plastic rings level !!!! YEP !
Virtuals are very strong pickups and if you adjust them close to the strings, they becomes too fat and they compress way too much and loose thier clarity. (for my taste)
So they are extremely sensitive to height adjustment, but when you adjust them far from the strings, they litterally sing with their very own vocal....a lot of "texture" I like them very much.
...and you can also slightly adjust all the 6 polescews (one turn up).
If you want to get an idea of that kind of tone, listen to my soundfile in the thread "cheeziest cheezy...."
to get that "vintage" (i hate that word because this tone is very modern to me) tone, i adjust the two pickups a little BELOW the plastic rings level !!!! YEP !
Virtuals are very strong pickups and if you adjust them close to the strings, they becomes too fat and they compress way too much and loose thier clarity. (for my taste)
So they are extremely sensitive to height adjustment, but when you adjust them far from the strings, they litterally sing with their very own vocal....a lot of "texture" I like them very much.
...and you can also slightly adjust all the 6 polescews (one turn up).
If you want to get an idea of that kind of tone, listen to my soundfile in the thread "cheeziest cheezy...."
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nicholas
Prince of Darkburst
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2001
- Messages
- 1,648
Got my Virtuals today !! Ran them right over to Lentz to put in as soon as its refinned. Double creme ..... mmmmmm. The creme color doesnt match up with the rings and pickguard as well as the antiquities though.
That's exactly my experience with Antiquities, to get any decent sensitivity going on, I need to move them away from the strings, to where they're slightly under the pup rings. I'm tellin ya, like I was sayin' on a different thread, those rings are too high!
DoobieK
New member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2001
- Messages
- 880
Allright, I won't give up yet
I'm going to give them one more shot. I really want to like these pickups.
Thanks, Al
I'm going to give them one more shot. I really want to like these pickups.
Thanks, Al
Steven Ross
New member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2001
- Messages
- 3
7.6, 8.3, 49.70607979696 k ohms..........It's the wire and winding style, the inductance, measured in henries, the resonant peak, then the k ohms, 7.6 or 8.3...... All my real PAF's have a common thread, weather lower or higher output, fatter or thinner tone, they all sound like Gibson 57-62 pickups. The wire and winding style, loose turns. These two are key. The exact wire used then is NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL. The copper used then, not the same now....mother nature. The exact lacquer coating, not the same.
My pu winder has spools and spools of copper wire, from years back thru current, and he has measured them all, inch by inch, reading by reading, nothing reads the same as what was used on real PAF's. That exact wire does not exist.
Every PAF copy I have heard is missing low mids, they have low inductance readings, except for Duncan Pearly Gates Bridge, which measures 8.3 k ohms plus, with 7 henries, as my real 8.3 PAF. The problem with that pu is it is too tight and stuffy sounding compared to my real 8.3 k ohm PAF's, which are way open sounding. But compared to other PAF copies, the Gates has the correct inductance.
Winding technique was loose back in real PAF days, birds nest style, not wound as tight and uniformed as current, and that gives a pu a more open tone.
Wood, get great vintage wood tone with great old vintage wood. Dickey Betts once told me at the Boston Garden in 1974, "You need the old wood." No new news to me then, but we were just hanging, talking tone and playing. The bridge pu on his 58 Paul stopped working, so he put in a new one, and he was surprised that the new pu sounded as good as it did in that guitar. Well, a real 58 Les Paul, mother natures sweet wood nector.
My pu winder has spools and spools of copper wire, from years back thru current, and he has measured them all, inch by inch, reading by reading, nothing reads the same as what was used on real PAF's. That exact wire does not exist.
Every PAF copy I have heard is missing low mids, they have low inductance readings, except for Duncan Pearly Gates Bridge, which measures 8.3 k ohms plus, with 7 henries, as my real 8.3 PAF. The problem with that pu is it is too tight and stuffy sounding compared to my real 8.3 k ohm PAF's, which are way open sounding. But compared to other PAF copies, the Gates has the correct inductance.
Winding technique was loose back in real PAF days, birds nest style, not wound as tight and uniformed as current, and that gives a pu a more open tone.
Wood, get great vintage wood tone with great old vintage wood. Dickey Betts once told me at the Boston Garden in 1974, "You need the old wood." No new news to me then, but we were just hanging, talking tone and playing. The bridge pu on his 58 Paul stopped working, so he put in a new one, and he was surprised that the new pu sounded as good as it did in that guitar. Well, a real 58 Les Paul, mother natures sweet wood nector.
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Steeven,
I agree the quality or property of wood (old or new) is a major factor for tone, but i think a good pickup (vintage or new) is also a major factor.
The new Virtual Vintage PAF is not tight sounding at all. I dont know what is the "patented" thing about those PU's but they are very very "airy", it works, they are fun and inspiring. They do not sound like a vintage PAF because they have more bottom and more output, but they sound so rich and complex, different, but who cares anyway, since they surely are....well...truely alive !
I agree the quality or property of wood (old or new) is a major factor for tone, but i think a good pickup (vintage or new) is also a major factor.
The new Virtual Vintage PAF is not tight sounding at all. I dont know what is the "patented" thing about those PU's but they are very very "airy", it works, they are fun and inspiring. They do not sound like a vintage PAF because they have more bottom and more output, but they sound so rich and complex, different, but who cares anyway, since they surely are....well...truely alive !