Holmes's P.A.F's, fact or fiction?

[N_schon]

Are the tom holmes pu's as great as i read/heard.?

[jeremy]

they are pretty **** good. every one i know that has em, all in '57-'60 les paul reissues actually, loves em and i think they sound fantastic.

[N_schon]

they are pretty **** good. every one i know that has em, all in '57-'60 les paul reissues actually, loves em and i think they sound fantastic.

so IYHO they are worth the $500 a set price tag?

[the guy who invented fire]

Great pickups but IMHO not worth $500 a pair...

[claytonc]

there are others every bit as good for less $$$

[B2D]

Great pickups but IMHO not worth $500 a pair...

I think the only pickups worth that much would be the PAF's out of an actual 57-59 Les Paul.

[jeremy]

so IYHO they are worth the $500 a set price tag?

my not so humble opinion is that no pair of humbuckers is worth $500

[NoelH]

+1 with Jeremy.
Considering Bare Knuckles, WB, WCR, High Order, Duncan Custom Shop, and dozens of other boutique (or low volume production) winders whose work is as highly regarded at less-than-half the $$, I'd say save your money.

And if this truly is Neal Schon, are you still using the Dimarzio FRED in any of your LPs? Or are you now pretty much all Burstbucker now?
What do you see as the pluses & minuses of the 2?
Love the tone on the new CD(s) especially "Faith in the Heartland".
GREAT sound!

[Southbound Suarez]

Are the tom holmes pu's as great as i read/heard.?

I have a pair that I ordered from Tom last year, and installed in my Gibson lefty Les Paul Premium Plus. Call me crazy, but I think they sound very similar to the already great sounding stock A5 Gibson BB's that came stock in the guitar. On the other hand, I have a set of Tim White "Timbuckers" that I purchased used from eBay for my other Gibson lefty Les Paul Premium Plus that are out of this world. A fellow friend, amp builder, and musician that has played with an Allman Brothers tribute band for over 30 years, verified and agreed with my opinion and preference for Timbucker pup sets over the Tom Holmes pup sets. My friend's second choice for HB pup sets behind the Timbuckers are.....WCR Crossroads and Darkburst pup sets, I most definitely agree as I have the WCR Crossroads and Moore/Green sets myself.

[jeremy]

ive tried the timbuckers and jim rolphs too, i didnt think they were better or worse than the holmes. different for sure but im sure that has to do with the different les pauls they were in as well. i thought all of them were pretty nice, just expensive

[Ed Hunter]

ive tried the timbuckers and jim rolphs too, i didnt think they were better or worse than the holmes. different for sure but im sure that has to do with the different les pauls they were in as well. i thought all of them were pretty nice, just expensive

hey guys not to hijack this thread but who makes a pup that would resemble a. 1961 paf the most? I am after a copy of the pup that evh
pulled from his 1961 ES335?

[the guy who invented fire]

hey guys not to hijack this thread but who makes a pup that would resemble a. 1961 paf the most? I am after a copy of the pup that evh
pulled from his 1961 ES335?

A 1961 PAF style woudl be a long magnet Alnico 5 PAF...thats a Duncan 59

[jeremy]

yup. most of the ones we are talking about would be more like mid/late 50's versions

[Ed Hunter]

A 1961 PAF style woudl be a long magnet Alnico 5 PAF...thats a Duncan 59

is that why that guy named
VHaholic practically nails VH's old 1978-79 tone? he uses a stock 59

[Lewguitar]

Hi Guys,

I have a set of double cream Tom Holmes humbuckers in one of my favorite Strats. They're vintage output alnico 2 pickups and Tom told me they are the same pickups Billy Gibbons uses in some of his guitars.

Are they worth $500 a set? If they were lost or stolen would I spend $500 for another set? Absolutely.

Those, and the Duncan 78's MJ wound for me, are my favorite humbuckers that I've ever owned.

I've owned and used a few Gibson paf's from the 50's. The Holmes HB's are similar but, IMO, better. They're calibrated for one thing, so the neck pickup is balanced with the bridge pickup.

I'll never part with mine.

I suspect that anyone who's actually owned a set of Tom Holmes humbuckers and had them in a really nice guitar would feel the same way.

Lew

[jeremy]

hey lew, nice to see ya around.

like i said, i know a few people with holmes in their historic lp's and they are great but i dont think that they are worth $500. i can have mj or seymour make me a pair of anything i want for $300. i dont see what i am getting for the extra $200. if i had a set i would use em, but i wouldnt buy a set for that kinda money