PAFs for warm bluesy/jazz sounds AND saturated lead

What's Hot
Does such a thing exist? Brands and model recommendations? 4-cable preferred.

I want to get nice tone with clean/edge of break up jazz sound, neck pickup in particular, but also both pickups capable of taking plenty of drive, for a saturated Slash/Gary Moore driven sound.
Trading feedback info here

My band, Red For Dissent
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«13

Comments

  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    Never tried the 4 conductor version but I heartily recommend OX4 PAF’s
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DominicDominic Frets: 16013
    I don't think so
    True vintage PAFs can be very thin and Telecaster sounding .........well,tele on steroids 
    Seth Lovers are a perfect example .......so are Loller low winds and ox 4 which I find too bright.
     Lollar Imperials are as close as you will get ........the reason most PAF s sound so good overdriven is the clarity but it's because they are quite thin and defined like single coils in their "clean" lower volume state.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 4reaction image Wisdom
  • JerkMoansJerkMoans Frets: 8775
    I bow to @Dominic and his erudition, but as a neophyte in these matters the BKP Mules in one of my LPs seem to fit the description the OP is after...
    Inactivist Lefty Lawyer
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • Surely any PAF plus a tone pot should get you in the ballpark?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 8reaction image Wisdom
  • SchnozzSchnozz Frets: 1926
    The Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II Set.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • jeztone2jeztone2 Frets: 2160
    Dominic said:
    I don't think so
    True vintage PAFs can be very thin and Telecaster sounding .........well,tele on steroids 
    Seth Lovers are a perfect example .......so are Loller low winds and ox 4 which I find too bright.
     Lollar Imperials are as close as you will get ........the reason most PAF s sound so good overdriven is the clarity but it's because they are quite thin and defined like single coils in their "clean" lower volume state.
    +1 for the Lollar Imperials. Although they can shriek at really high gain sometimes. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    JerkMoans said:
    I bow to @Dominic and his erudition, but as a neophyte in these matters the BKP Mules in one of my LPs seem to fit the description the OP is after...
    I also find that with Mules.

    I think I've found that raising vintage pickups closer to the strings make the sound more modern and also using a compressor pedal definitely makes them sound more like hot pickups IMO
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4159
    edited February 2019
    The OX4’s do both quite admirably, the trick is to use your guitar’s volume controlsand have good tone controls. They cover everything from Steve Lukather to Gary Moore and anything inbetween 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    edited February 2019
    The Thornbucker Plus set would fit the bill or a regular Thornbucker in the neck and the Plus in the bridge. You could even apply the Pete Thorn switching if the guitar has a 5-way or elements of it if it's a 3-way
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • OX4 did a Slash version briefly and I've emailed to ask.  Mules get a good write-up and sound close too.

    I'd love to say I can use my volume control effectively but I am more inclined to stack a bunch of drives on my Helix.
    Trading feedback info here

    My band, Red For Dissent
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I have a 339 studio with the 57 Classic /  57 Classic plus combo.  It took some tweaking to get the optimum height / pole piece setup, but now the neck is lovely and warm,  and the bridge works really well for the higher gain stuff.  I also dig the middle setting for funky rhythm stuff . 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DominicDominic Frets: 16013
    Funny, I could never get the OX4 to work for me ........always found them v bright
     I guess a lot is down to the amp too 
    It's like a co -dependent marriage
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • zepp76zepp76 Frets: 2534
    Dominic said:
    Funny, I could never get the OX4 to work for me ........always found them v bright
     I guess a lot is down to the amp too 
    It's like a co -dependent marriage
    Agree about the amp mattering too, I have OX4's in my Standard and they sound fantastic through my rather bass heavy JTM45. 


    Tomorrow will be a good day.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    Any decent humbuckers can do both.  I’d go for something potted and mid-hot.  Cork sniffers will tell you it’s not how a 50s LP should sound, don’t listen ;)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 6reaction image Wisdom
  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    John_A said:
    Any decent humbuckers can do both.  I’d go for something potted and mid-hot.  Cork sniffers will tell you it’s not how a 50s LP should sound, don’t listen ;)
    Wis'd, they'll all do it really. 
    It's down to amps and pedals.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • longjawlongjaw Frets: 420
    MoJo pick-ups PAF replicas for the win - got a set in my Gold Top and they nail the tone for me. Like others have said, sound a lot more like a single coil than you'd expect. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • DanielsguitarsDanielsguitars Frets: 3261
    edited February 2019 tFB Trader
    Don't pay boutique money when a set of standard mojo pafs will do what you want imo, I use both his vintage spec and standard both really bloody good, it's what suits the guitar, I put a standard mojo paf bridge in a set neck strat i made in limba and sounds more like an SG to me which is good, i even like the split coil
    www.danielsguitars.co.uk
    (formerly customkits)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413

    Just get a good set of PAF style pickups.  The OP referenced Gary Moore in the original post.  He had PAFs in his 59s.  Worked for him.

    There are plenty of PAF recreations on the market that are all pretty good.  It doesn't really matter if you go Bare Knuckle, Oil City, OX4, Lollar, or any one of a hundred other makers, there a lot of very good pickups out there.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 3reaction image Wisdom
  • soma1975soma1975 Frets: 6627
    I love my low wind Ox4s but I use the guitar vol and tone controls a lot. 

    The Beano ones which are now a regular production option  are possibly more up your street to round off some bright edges
    My Trade Feedback Thread is here

    Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
    0reaction image LOL 1reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    What you got in there at the moment?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.