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TONE TALK ********************************************************************************************************************* PAF ********************************************************************************************************************* The Truth about PAFs from the Rookies to the Pros: We get calls and e-mails from guys who want to know what pickup they need to get the sound of a PAF. We can only answer with: "Which one of thousands are you talking about?" Think about it. They had machines without counters, at least 4 different magnet types (tons of them were cheap rejects), inconsistent wire (which they finally quit using), MANY different operators,even varying voltages from the public utilities (which affects motor RPMs,especially bacK then), etc. Just look at the D.C readings they had. Anywhere from 6.5k, to over 10k. Sound consistent to you? Wire tensions, patterns,? Another guess at best. At WCR, we have narrowed down the field for you. We haven chosen to compare our acheived tone to famous live ones that have been sought after by all types and ages of guitarists for literally decades. And in doing so WCR has dis-proved any and all theories that they had to be built "the old way." Just listen to clips on the WCR site like EdA's Z"Cross to Bear," or the Stormy" clip in the Fillmores section of the site. By using the same wire type, radical propriatory winding and potting techniques and magnet design for over 14 years, our pickups perform as advertised. Not only are those tones achieved comsistently with WCR Pickups, but you are then thereby given a great platform on which to base your OWN tone on. These are not one-trick-ponies by any stretch of the imagination. We have proven time and time again that there is no need to spend thousands of dollars on pickups that are no more than a crapshoot at best. Some of the old PAFs sounded fantastic, most are just expensive junk. You money is FAR better spent on your choice of WCRs ,boutique amps and speakers. We have clips of most of our pickups, others are currently being worked on. All are done by customers and fans of great tone. None are made or doctored by us. We at WCR get it right the 1st time, every time ;-) ********************************************************************************************************************* PAF's and Mags... ********************************************************************************************************************* I don't know about you guys, but from the PAFs that I've had apart, the "machine" aspect in MANY, if not MOST cases looked like a rookie hand-winder did it. No consistencey at all. The great sounding ones were flukes. And I will go further to say that by now, almost ALL of the good ones are either being used, or are in someones guitar, or even pickup collection. The rest get sold on E-Bay for stupid money. I personally think hand wounds are the top of heap.....:thumb: The mags are a different story. While it is believed that they were all A5's., they were not. The where whatevever REJECTS Gibson could get that week , from 2-5's. Rejects wouldn't hold the spec'd charge, and Gibson would get them for 1/5 the regular price. THEY don't even know what's in there. ********************************************************************************************************************* ABOUT WCR CAPS ********************************************************************************************************************* WCR's precision wound high resolution capacitors, made in U.S.A. Considered by many to be the finest capacitors available. Tension controlled precision wound High quality metalized film Epoxy end fill Sonically transparent. Cuts highs without muddying up tone. Definitely sounds cleaner and more natural Sounds fundamentally neutral, but its presentation has notable bloom and, as with the very best tube preamps, the ability to portray space -- around performers and as an entity itself. Its sound is spacious. There is no tubey glaze, but also no etch or edge. Instead, there is clarity, vigor, and grace. These caps are great parts, and represent a significant step forward in capacitor technology and audio-musical performance... WCR vs. JENSON* Random sample 2.20 µFd. 400 VDC Brand Equivalent Series Resistance Dissipation Factor WCR 15.90 mOhms .0000 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. WCR 12.20 mOhms .0000 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. Jenson 44.20 mOhms .6000 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. Jenson 37.70 mOhms .6200 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. *Jensen Audio Signal Capacitor. Pure aluminum foil. Tinned copper leadout. Paper in oil type. 141269-1 WCR vs. MULTICAP Random sample 5.00 µFd. 400 VDC Brand Equivalent Series Resistance Dissipation Factor WCR 3.10 mOhms .0000 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. WCR 3.30 mOhms .0000 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. Multicap 7.60 mOhms .0100 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. Multicap 4.90 mOhms .0100 @ 1kHz. & 120Hz. ********************************************************************************************************************* ABOUT WCR DC Resistance ********************************************************************************************************************* I wind by EXACT NUMBER OF TURNS, and NOT by exact DC resistance. The DC resistance will only give you a ballpark number, as there are many things that can alter the reading. Different meters, different roll of wire, even changes of wire size in a roll of wire itself, room temperature, etc ********************************************************************************************************************* ABOUT Height Adjustments ********************************************************************************************************************* Here are some guidlines for almost ANY pickup (how *I* like them anyhow.....lol). Set the pole-piece screws so they are flush with the top of either the bobbin, or the cover. Hold the 2 E strings down at the last fret, and set the pup so the strings are about 1 NICKEL AT THE NECK, AND SLIGHTLY MORE AT THE BRIDGE (LIKE 1-1/2 NICKELS) for starters. Then set the other screws to sorta match the neck radius.It wont be as curved at the bridge. It'll be a little flatter all the way across. Some like the "B" screw to be the lowest, but you are just going to have to stand there for awhile with an amp and a screwdriver, and tinker with it to fine-tune them to YOUR ears. They are very sensitive to adjustment, like all my stuff. Turnining the pole-pieces in will fatten them a little, screw them out to thin them out. You should not have anymore than 1/2 of a screwhead thickness sticking out of the top of either the bobbin, OR the cover. That's it for starters. The rest is just plain up to you my friend ! ********************************************************************************************************************* ABOUT Phasing ********************************************************************************************************************* Flip the mag in just one pickup the other way. In other words, the edge of the magnet that is against all the scews, should be pulled and flipped to be against all the slugs. All of the screws are one polarity (north or south) and the slugs are all the opposite of that. I have about 1/2 my guitars like that. When you are in the middle position, have both volumes on 10. Then, back one of the volumes down slowly. By the time you get to 8, it will be fat again. But between 8-10, there are a myriad of voices to be found using minute adjustments. And it will sound differently if you turn the OTHER volume down instead. Or, you can also just swap the ground wire and the hot wire of that pickup, but be sure the bare twisted wire is ALWAYS grounded..And if you do that, it will kill the screw bobbin instead of the slug bobbin if you sre coil-splitting. I have attached an exploded view of a humbucker so you are more familiar with what is under the hood...... ;-) There. THAT will keep you busy and out of trouble awhile... hehhehheh ********************************************************************************************************************* Moore-Green Info ********************************************************************************************************************* If you listen to "Still Got the Blues," THAT is what they are like exactly, and that statement came straight from the people who OWN that axe ;-) I bought and modified a new R8 with them and my electronics and was graced with a chance to play with the Marshall Tucker Band Thurs. nite. I may seem biased, but if it didn't sound as good that night as Gary's axe, it was even better. I thought it was the best sounding axe I own, but after Thurs. nite I think it is the best axe I've ever HEARD!!!. I am keeping that one like it is until it rots.... lol Yes, they are out of phase. But just like the real ones, the neck pickup has 2 conductor + ground. That way it can be wired either in or out of phase, OR, it can be wired to a push-pull switch to have that option at will. ********************************************************************************************************************* PRS INFO ********************************************************************************************************************* Stock PRS has black, red ,white, and shield wires WRC has black, white, red, green, and shield Black WRC goes to black on PRS Red and white of WRC are soldered together and go on red of PRS Green of WRC goes to white of PRS Shield (bare twisted) goes to ground The magnets need to be checked to make sure they are the same north/south of PRS. Usually on a PRS rotary, they are opposite poles, or out-of-phase on and normal guitar. I will phase them like that upon request. (If the pickups are out of phase in the 2,3,4, positions you have to reverse the magnet in ONE of the pickups, DO NOT swap the wires, if you do it will not work. ) Here's another way to look at it: PRS WCR White Green Red White/Red Black Black White Green Red White/Red Black Black An issue with a PRS is usually the neck pickup cavity beeing too shallow, and the bucker has to straddle the neck. In that case, its mostly the pole-piece screws being too long, and if you tell us it is for a PRS, I will also send along 6-12 "short" pole-piece screws. Finally, the stock height-adjustments screws on a PRS generally are fatter than vintage stock, and vintage stock screws are also too long. So, just install the pickup(s) into the mounting ring, lower it so the top of the pickup is as low as you want it to be (usually about flush with the top of the ring) and snip off any adjustement screw thats sticking out the botton. Here is a pic of how to wire to a rotary switch. Also, one of the mags will have to be flipped if you are using the rotary.. Either by you or us, it is VERY easy to do in any case. ********************************************************************************************************************* Shaft Chart ********************************************************************************************************************* Guitar Make/Model Vintage Kit Type Gibson Les Paul Standard 1952- 1977 Short Shaft Les Paul Standard 1977-current Long Shaft Les Paul Custom 1954-1977 Short Shaft Les Paul Custom 1977-current Long Shaft Les Paul Deluxe 1968-1977 Short Shaft Les Paul Deluxe 1978-current Short Shaft Les Paul Pro 1977-1982 Long Shaft Les Paul Studio All Years Long Shaft Les Paul Classic (1960) All Years Long Shaft Les Paul Jr. All Years Short Shaft The Paul All Years Short Shaft SG (all models) All Years Short Shaft ES Series All Years Short Shaft Melody Maker All Years Short Shaft Flying V All Years Short Shaft Explorer All Years Short Shaft Firebird All Years Short Shaft EDS-1275 All Years Short Shaft Historic R2-R0 Std. All Years Short Shaft Historic R7 Custom All Years Short Shaft Historic '68 Cus. Reiss. All Years Long Shaft Epiphone All Models All Years Short Shaft *excludes hollow body Hamer All Models All Years Short Shaft Paul Reed Smith All Models All Years Short Shaft Fender Stratocaster All Years Short Split Telecaster All Years Short Solid Telecaster Custom All Years Short Solid Telecaster Deluxe All Years Short Shaft Telecaster Thinline All Years Short Solid Jazzmaster (and new reissues) 1958-1964 Short Split Jazzmaster 1964-1970s Short Solid Esquire All Years Short Solid Jaguar All Years Short Solid Mustang All Years Short Solid Duo-Sonic All Years Short Solid Musicmaster All Years Short Solid Bronco All Years Short Solid Lead Series All Years Short Split ********************************************************************************************************************* ABOUT Phasing ********************************************************************************************************************* |