How Do #7 Pickups Compare to Traditional PAFs?

[JTroska]

Just wondering how the S2 #7 pickups compare to traditional PAFs. I have the S2 Semi Hollow and quite like the stock #7 bridge. Neck pup is perfectly serviceable but not inspiring, imo.

But then I was watching a YouTube demo of the Fralin True PAF pickups and... Well you know how we guitarist are... "Ooo that sounds a little better. Maybe I need those!"

So then I start wondering if a True PAF in the bridge combined with one of Fralins hum-cancelling "single coil" neck pickups would work or make any noticeable improvement.

Anyway, does anybody have any experience with Fralins or Lollars or whatever. Are they any better than the stock #7s?

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm about to order a couple different Fralin pickups and maybe Lollars, but I'm probably a couple weeks out (haven't even placed the order yet + lead time + getting them to my guitar tech + typical slacking in between each step), but if you can wait that long, I believe I will still have a guitar with #7 pickups in it to compare them with, though it won't be the same guitar.

 

[JTroska]

Cool. Yeah I'd be interested. Although I got to crank up my S2 w/#7s with the band last night and fell in love again. We had taken a few weeks off and I was just noodling in my room during that time. And I'm realizing now that the #7s sound a little lackluster at bedroom volume but really nice at band volume. But I'm still interested how they compare to traditional PAFs (more out of curiosity than a craving to change what I have).

 

[AP515]

My assessment of #7's is that they are a slightly hotter PAF. In PRS terms they fall between 57/08's and Dragon 1's. Say about the 59/09 level but without the magic wire.

One of my favorite pickups.

 

[garrettb]

I find them very middle of the road, speaking of the S2 version. A bit woofy and missing the clarity I like.

I've heard that Fralin really nails the old PAF thing. It really depends on what you want the pickups to do. Several guys are making more of a true PAF to vintage specs, while others are tweaking the formula. Original PAFs are all over the place, though, because the winding machines were very inaccurate.

I love the work Jason Lollar is doing, because he makes what I'd consider an improved PAF, with better balance and clarity. The Imperial regular wind bridge and low wind in neck is a great combo. The El Rayo is really cool, too. Super clear tone. I have a low wind set in my HBII.

The other set I really dig is Suhr Thornbuckers. That's what I replaced the #7s with in my S2. They're competitive with the Lollar regular wind Imperials to me, but cost new about as much as a used set of Lollars.

 

[blackthorn]

I find S2's #7 a bit woofy and missing the clarity too, but this can be solved by removing the covers. This is waht I do in one S2 Singlecut. In the other Singlecut changed the stock #7 with GFS Retroton Liverpool and the guitar really shines now. It is different indeed, but the sound is really nice, full and with Filtertron kerrang.

 

[JTroska]

I've heard that Fralin really nails the old PAF thing. It really depends on what you want the pickups to do. Several guys are making more of a true PAF to vintage specs, while others are tweaking the formula. Original PAFs are all over the place, though, because the winding machines were very inaccurate.

I love the work Jason Lollar is doing, because he makes what I'd consider an improved PAF, with better balance and clarity. The Imperial regular wind bridge and low wind in neck is a great combo. The El Rayo is really cool, too. Super clear tone. I have a low wind set in my HBII.

The other set I really dig is Suhr Thornbuckers. That's what I replaced the #7s with in my S2. They're competitive with the Lollar regular wind Imperials to me, but cost new about as much as a used set of Lollars.

Based on the audio demos on the brands' web sites. I slightly prefer the Fralin True PAF over the Lollar Imperial. But it's almost impossible to really tell because we don't know if the difference is the pickup or the amp or the guitar or what. Going by your description, the Lollars seem to use a philosophy I like of improving tradition.

Fralin says he doesn't recommend coil-spillting the True PAF. I actually use the coil-split on the S2. Lollar doesn't give any opinion on it.

Do you play mostly clean or dirty? I'm dirty about 80% of the time so that 's the most important sound to me. But I'm not high-gain. I'm kind of at the AC/DC or Aerosmith gain range.

 

[JTroska]

I find S2's #7 a bit woofy and missing the clarity too, but this can be solved by removing the covers. This is waht I do in one S2 Singlecut. In the other Singlecut changed the stock #7 with GFS Retroton Liverpool and the guitar really shines now. It is different indeed, but the sound is really nice, full and with Filtertron kerrang.

I love the covers too much. Superficial, I know. But I just do.

 

[garrettb]

Based on the audio demos on the brands' web sites. I slightly prefer the Fralin True PAF over the Lollar Imperial. But it's almost impossible to really tell because we don't know if the difference is the pickup or the amp or the guitar or what. Going by your description, the Lollars seem to use a philosophy I like of improving tradition.

Fralin says he doesn't recommend coil-spillting the True PAF. I actually use the coil-split on the S2. Lollar doesn't give any opinion on it.

Do you play mostly clean or dirty? I'm dirty about 80% of the time so that 's the most important sound to me. But I'm not high-gain. I'm kind of at the AC/DC or Aerosmith gain range.

When I was researching pickups, I found some people actually don't like the Lollars because they're not PAF enough. Some people want the honky midrange that his designs take out. I do play a lot with moderate dirt, but I like great clean tones too, so either way a low-to-moderate output pickup with clarity is what I want.

The Thornbuckers are in the medium PAF output range and split wonderfully, so I'd think the True PAF would split well, too.

It's worth a call to both Lollar and Fralin to tell them what you're after and see what they recommend. Check out the Thornbucker demos, too. The neck pickup gets a surprisingly glassy sound as long as the gain isn't too high.

 

[JTroska]

OOOO I'm liking the sound of the Thornbuckers in Suhr's YouTube demos. I'm guessing those would let the semi hollow character shine through wonderfully. Definitely going to look into those some more. Thanks for the pointer.