TV Jones Limited Edition PAF Humbucker

[HotBluePlates]

I'm excited to have a set of TV Jones Limited Edition PAF Humbuckers arrive in the mail today!

Thanks to a past order with TV Jones (for pickups for my Gretsch 5120 conversion), I was notified when these went on sale. The sound files demoing these pickups impressed me, so I ordered a set even though I don't yet own a Les Paul or other twin-humbucker guitar. I guess that's a sacrilege for a former employee of the Gibson Nashville plant...

Anyway, in 2000 I had the good fortune to play a 1959 Les Paul Standard when its owner stopped in a store I used to hang out in. He was a friend of the store owner, who played the guitar a bit. After 45 minutes to an hour of them hanging out & visiting, I worked up the courage to ask if I could play the '59, and the owner graciously allowed me.

I was struck by the fact that the pickups didn't have the too-edgy sound of ceramic humbuckers yet were still clear enough (bright might be used, but people would interpret that wrongly) that the Les Paul's tone control was actually usable. They were not bright, but all the mud was gone.

Anyway, when I heard the sound clips for the Limited Edition Humbucker, it reminded me enough of that '59 to grab a set for a future Les Paul purchase. I'm glad I did!

Here's TV Jones talking about the pickups; I wound up with pickup #39 & #40 of the 100 pairs. Now I just need to find that perfect Les Paul!

[jjasilli]

They sound "Gretschy" - should be well-suited to your playing style.

(P.S.: maybe a "hollow" LP body with an F-hole, or chambered, is worth considering with these Pups)

[HotBluePlates]

I think the "Gretschy-ness" may just be the amp/player for the demos. I know you'e talking about some of the midrange quality of the sound samples.

I hear it a little differently, as I don't think it's terribly far off from some of the sound Johnny A gets with his signature Gibson model.

Then again, I'f also thought about TV Jones Gretsch style pickups on a solid-body, for distorted rock/blues stuff without the mud...

[jjasilli]

Johnny A does get a Gretschy tone from a Gibson!