Pickup suggestions for LS80

[ArthurS]

Figured that since there's been no activity in almost a week, I might as well open a new thread to try and start things going again

As some of you may remember, I had a wonderful pair of Tim White "Timbucker" PAF-replicas in my 2003 LS80F. They were absolutely incredible, but I'm a mere college student and went through some expensive weeks, so with regret I sold them on eBay a few weeks ago.

Anyway, I re-installed the stock Gotoh pickups and, perhaps not surprisingly, they don't do it for me anymore. The neck pickup is fine, nice and warm though not as rich as the Tims, but I don't like the bridge pickup at all. It is trebly, thin and ill-defined when using some gain, so it has to go.

So I'm looking for an above-average PAF-ish bridge pickup, preferably with a below-average price tag . I'm currently considering the following

• SD Seth Lover off eBay (unfortunately these seem to be going for a lot money lately)
• Dimarzio Virtual PAF off eBay (though this might be a bit too modern, I think I want to keep this Tokai my 'vintage LP sounding' axe)
• David Barfuss PAFs (these come recommended by one of our fellow forum members)

The Barfuss cost EUR75 each, which is a little bit more than I was looking to spend, but it wouldn't really be a problem to buy one. Biggest problem I have with the Barfuss pickup is that I haven't actually heard one. He's very friendly in e-mails and says they are "nothing like a Seth or Duncan 59", but he couldn't really specify what they DID sound like.

Anybody have any other suggestions (maybe some cheap custom pickup winder that makes a good PAF?), or experiences with one of the aforementioned pickups? I've considered the Duncan 59, but I fear they might not be enough improvement over the Gotoh and I'd still be unhappy with those after the Tims. Thanks!

 

[Novosel]

You sold your Timbuckers? You outta yer mind, boy! I've been on Tim's list for almost a year!

But if I ever saw an 80's set of Tokai 57 PAF's come on Ebay, I would consider bidding if the price didn't get crazy. Maybe not so much to actually use, but to hang on to for a while. :wink:

 

[ArthurS]

You sold your Timbuckers? You outta yer mind, boy! I've been on Tim's list for almost a year!

Come on don't rub it in, please I was on the waiting list for about 9-10 months before I got them. Worth the wait, though! (the guy I sold them to was ecstatic with them as well )

But if I ever saw an 80's set of Tokai 57 PAF's come on Ebay, I would consider bidding if the price didn't get crazy. Maybe not so much to actually use, but to hang on to for a while. :wink:

So you're saying these might be nice as an 'investment' but don't sound that good?

 

[hans-j?rgen]

Another unholy thread resurrection, Batman! :roll:

But if I ever saw an 80's set of Tokai 57 PAF's come on Ebay, I would consider bidding if the price didn't get crazy. Maybe not so much to actually use, but to hang on to for a while. :wink:

Alright, waddaya pay? Found mine in the cellar, 8.28 and 8.24 kOhms...

 

[ArthurS]

Another unholy thread resurrection, Batman!

Alright, waddaya pay?

How much do you want for the neck pickup? I have a neck pickup on order from a Russian guy called Chernishev, but the Shamray Custom Shop (through which he sells his pickups) seems to have stopped replying to my e-mails so I'm very slowly starting to think that a credit card cancellation might become something to consider within a week or two :-?

 

[hans-j?rgen]

How much do you want for the neck pickup?

To be honest, I have no idea, but the imaginary price just went up after reading some of Ian's praises... :wink:

I have a neck pickup on order from a Russian guy called Chernishev, but the Shamray Custom Shop (through which he sells his pickups) seems to have stopped replying to my e-mails so I'm very slowly starting to think that a credit card cancellation might become something to consider within a week or two :-?

Did you ever test one of these? I think I've read something about them over at the Les Paul Forum, but don't remember if they're described as being good PAF replicas.

Concerning my Tokai PAFs I'm in the midst of a rather big "Change everything or leave it as it is?" project with four Love Rocks, one Ibanez and a Luxor ES-335 copy, too. All these guitars need a set of humbuckers, and I don't own a spare one, so until some days ago I thought the Tokais would go into the ES-335 which I ripped apart years ago. So maybe I will not sell them at all after testing them in the Love Rocks again.

 

[Skybone]

www.bareknucklepickups.com

I installed a matched pair of Black Dog pickups (8.? & 10.2kOhm) and they sound wonderful. OK, they aren't cheap compared to the manufactured brands, but compared to other boutique brands, they're a bargain. All the different pickups have varying outputs, from mild (Stormy Monday) to HOT (Warpig), scatter wound by hand in Devon. A fully calibrated set costs about ?190 (about ?285 ish).