Anyone here ever try a Tom Holmes paf pickup?

[Eric O'Reilly]

Im building a handmade black and white frankenstrat, and want the most real vintage PAF sound ever, his pickups are all hand wound by him, he used to wind the prototypes for Gibson, and he has waiting list of 6 months, but everyone who tries one says it is absolutely the most accurate recreation of a late 50s paf, and they say his attention to detail is unreal and has perfected the paf type, he only makes one set, a bridge and a neck, the bridge is 5500 turns at 8.3k. And the neck is 5000 turns and 7.4k. I really am interested in the bridge, they are $220 a whack! But for handmade one of a kind magical pups go, its not so bad, for my frankie i want a vintage sounding paf, like Eddie used an old Gibson paf, and thats exactly what these are, any input? Or suggestions? Or anyone with experience?

 

[DrKev]

everyone who tries one says it is absolutely the most accurate recreation of a late 50s paf,

The original PAF production ('56-'61) the production specs were almost random in terms of AlNiCo type, resistance, and no of windings. The physical size of the magnet changed too. As a result there is no "one" sound or set of specifications that is period correct. Seymour Duncan does two different pickups based on pickups from a '59 Les Paul. The DiMarzio 36th Anniversary is also based on a '59 LP and sounds different again to either of the Duncan pickups.

And then I've read that EVH re-wound his own pickups and the "final" one may have originally been a DiMarzio, (or a Duncan, or possibly a Gibson, it depends which 'expert' you ask) that was rewound to 14k. It would not have sounded anything like late 50's humbucker.

So here's my two cents - the DiMarzio Virual PAF is stock in Music Man silhouettes. It's a vintage style low-output humbucker. It's a great pickup, very versatile but not a high output rock pickup. Over the years I get the impression that a lot of EVH fans on this forum think that pickup is underpowered and anemic for that kind of music. So, my suggestion is try a Dimarzio 36th Aniiversary or Duncan Seth Lover first. If you like the vibe, then spend the money on the Tom Holmes.

 

[kimonostereo]

There was once a time I was sucked into the endless tone void of EVH and the magical mystery of all the pickups, woods, parts etc. From what I recall, after all the tone "research investigators" debated, it was suggested to find an older Dimarzio Super Distortion and you'd get into the ballpark of the VH1 sound. Others say a Duncan Custom Custom is closer. I've never tried either myself. I've always been happy with the stock Axis pickups, but I did put a EVH Frankenstein pickup in my wife's Hello Kitty strat.

 

[Eric O'Reilly]

All the interviews ive read about his early tone he said that he hated higher output pickups and said he liked " clean sustain" and not distortion, im sure that a superlead on 10 would have added plenty of clean sustain just by the pure volume of it all. Yes ive heard too that he rewound his old gibson pup, so it would not be stock, but he also used a mighty mite copy of a super distortion, and an Ibanez super 70s with an alnico 8. So i think there is so much mystery ( and marketing) involved that its daunting. Ive been told that he used a duncan 59 in his kramer, and i love that sound, so any suggestions? I dont think i wanna spend $220 right now on a pickup, but I my friend also told me to go with the seth lover, or 59. I want it to be able to have pick attack, and clean up well, ive been told that the evh frankenstein is to tight and bright, and is not what was in the guitar when it was still black and white. After he painted it red i think is when he switched the pup to what is now the Evh frankenstein.

 

[BUC]

Just to further the mystery, I've read that after he got famous and someone went back to refurb his guitars, they found that the bridge pickup was actually screwed up and was more of a single coil than a true humbucker.

I would have to agree that the stuff from VH1 sounds like a really low output pickup to me, but then I'm terrible at playing VH. I figure that if you should worry about getting his licks down first, then worry about nailing the tone...to include getting that plate reverb 'just' right.

I do Ice Cream man on a reflex but I don't think it sounds like Eddie. No matter what I do, I sound like me trying to sound like someone else.

 

[Tollywood]

What about a Bare Knuckles VH II?

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=humbuckers&sub=vintage_hot&pickup=vh_ii

 

[Eric O'Reilly]

Oh I got his licks down, in spades. I just am building this for a hobby, and its coming out GREAT! Im doing the clear coat today, and..... Whew! It looks good! I know Eddie didnt use a clear coat, but i want mine to look reL nice, i was gonna go for a completely accurate replica, but now im just building a great guitar, the paint is dead on, the finish is better than Eddies, and im waiting for the pickgaurd, and fender vintage bridge, i have an old CBS style neck with the same Shaller tuners that he had. But the pickup.... Im thinking a Duncan 59, i spoke to Duncan today and inquired about the Seth Lover, but they only come in nickel or gold covered, and i need a black pup, that does not have "seymour duncan" written on it like the rest of them, he said the 59 is of only 2 that come in straight black without the name, and the 59 sounds like a good candidate since thats what is rumored to be in his Kramer, maybe the dimarzio 36th paf? Or should I go a little hotter or modern? I kinda want an older style paf, but with some balls, not to much, but just a little.