WCR vrs WB !!! 335 Pickups comparison! Clips!

[Starrman]

Both guitars are almost exactly the same....The Blonde is a 83, with tone pros hardware with WB 6707 vintage Hot pickups.....The black is a 81 with tone pros hardware with WCR Darkburst pickups.
The amp is a original 1964 Vibroverb (1-15')....effects were a Zendrive 2 and a TC nova delay. And a Boss Loop Station for the background loop/pattern.
I love both of the PU sets! WB and WCR you guys rock! Thank you for some awsome pickups and service....
Please tell me what which ones you like.....and why.....

YouTube - Frankie Starr "335 Demo"

[shotgunlew]

The WB's sound better IMO, The darkbursts have a tad bit bassier sound.

[LPCollector]

I liked the 67 07's.

They seemed more open and had better note definition........they also had a nice little growl to them....as you held a note and then added vibrato is when I heard them growl.

Great playing.........EXCELLENT hand posture......Jazz trained?

[shotgunlew]

Originally Posted by LPCollector

I liked the 67 07's.

They seemed more open and had better note definition........they also had a nice little growl to them....as you held a note and then added vibrato is when I heard them growl.

Great playing.........EXCELLENT hand posture......Jazz trained?

I was just about to say that, If not jazz maybe a classical backround?

[Led Zep Fan]

Here are the Darkbursts in my 03 R8.

YouTube - One cat left playing Zeppelin

YouTube - One Cat Left covering Slither by Velvet...

The WBs are okay I guess, but my OPINION (just an opinion, don't get offended anyone, please) is that the WCRs can't be touched. I've had them in my LP for quite some time now, since they first came out actually.... responsive to the touch, clean up perfectly when you turn the guitar's volume down, complex overtones, they have it all.

I'm using an 81 JCM 800, 2x12, 50 watt, and ONE channel. I use the guitar's volume knob to clean up the tone, and then turn it to 10 when soloing. If it weren't for the amazing range of these pickups I'd be in trouble... When you pick/strum lightly, things are clean. Dig in and everything dirties up.

Enough of my ranting, but if any of you installed the Darkbursts and played them for a week or two you'd be going nuts as well!

[Big John]

I've listened to my own Youtube stuff, and even though I've gotten decent feedback on the clips, they're sound nothing like real life. Youtube is such a difficult medium for judging tone. Too many variables involved for true A/B-ing. The playing was absolutely great. I think you need to work on your facial expressions, Starrman. When you get ready to do a fast run, your face should look like your about to take a dump.




Just kidding, man.

[b-squared]

Wonderful playing, Starrman. I think the WBs are more articulate and airy sounding.

The WCRs got killer "Woman Tone" on the neck...I really liked that sound.

Both guitars sound great--again, great playing.

Zep Fan--nice playing--I was listening with Bose headphones (tons of bass response), and there was almost no lower end. No way to tell how good the pickups sounded through your rig. I'll have to take your word that they do the job for you.

I feel the same way about my WBs. When I take my guitars to the store (GC for example) everyone on staff there asks if it's for sale...nothing there can touch the quality or sonic response.

BB

[Sinmastah]

Nice playing man. Keep rocking.

Also the pickups sound pretty similar to me, however I have only been playing for a year and a few months, so my ear isn't the best yet.

[PMcG No.6]

Originally Posted by LPCollector

I liked the 67 07's.

They seemed more open and had better note definition........they also had a nice little growl to them....as you held a note and then added vibrato is when I heard them growl.

+1 on that. Both sound awesome, but I think I liked the WB's slightly better. Great tone and playing. Half the time I had forgotten I was supposed to be comparing the pickup tone. I was mesmerized by your skillz. Well done, Starr!

[st.bede]

starrman...you nailed it....

WCRs a litter thicker and the WBs,. a little more articulate....and, again the WBs in the bridge just sound so perfect (my fav bridge PU)......now give the Lollars a try (they changed my life)...and in my opionon they are very blanced sounding and still very alive....

all in all some great PUs

[FLICKOFLASH]

WCR the top end is muffled WB's were crisp

[BONEDADDY]

Thanks starrman. Great playing. Both sets sounded great. unfortunately my laptop speakers suck. I am currently away from home and do not have a good set of headphones with me. That being said, they still sounded treat. Good thing it wasn't a bass demo because my laptop speakers reproduce almost zero bass. So........I think because of my bright toned speakers the WCR pups sounded a bit better. will have to listen again. I have a suspicion it will be akin to the difference in tone when comparing Larry Carlton to Robben Ford.

Thanks again for the vid!

[johnbeloe]

Originally Posted by b-squared

Wonderful playing, Starrman. I think the WBs are more articulate and airy sounding.

The WCRs got killer "Woman Tone" on the neck...I really liked that sound.

Both guitars sound great--again, great playing.

Zep Fan--nice playing--I was listening with Bose headphones (tons of bass response), and there was almost no lower end. No way to tell how good the pickups sounded through your rig. I'll have to take your word that they do the job for you.

I feel the same way about my WBs. When I take my guitars to the store (GC for example) everyone on staff there asks if it's for sale...nothing there can touch the quality or sonic response.

BB

SOME OF YOU GUYS SHOULD GIVE THE UK' BAREKNUCKLE PICKUPS A TRY....THE STORY MONDAY, MULES, AND PG BLUES SETS ARE INCREDIBLE!!......http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/reviews/pgblues.pdf

[Fixxxer]

In all honesty, and I really mean this.

You should buy the pickups and try them out. These soundclips are great and the playing is superior to anything I could ever dream of, but to be honest the, "this is muffled" and, "this is clearer / airy" are relevant in the terms of you tube clips but you really don't know until you get your hands on them and put them in the axe.

I can assure you all as a recovering gear whore that the WCR's are not muddy and the WB's are are not as "airy" as one may think. Depending on what you do and what applications you have, you will ultimately prefer one over the other.

In my experience, they each have different traits the other does not have.

Hope that helps.

[kevinT]

+1 on what Fixxxer said.

IMO both sounded great.

The soloing is supurb as well.

[WBPickups]

I think both sounded fantastic! They both have personality and showcased Frankie's talent which is the main job of good pickups. Congrats to you Frankie for having two great guitars that sound amazing and can showcase what your playing..

[JLH]

Starrmann, Your request was to tell you which ones (WB's or WCR's) we personally liked and why.
I liked the WB's better, Why: they simply sound better in your comparison between the two.
Better, IMO = more musical, much better definition, articulate, crisp and "ballsy", tighter response and just superior tone for my ear
That is not to say how they would compare in my guitars or any other members guitar or with anyone else playing your guitar.
It's simply an evaluation of these two pickup sets in your guitars while your playing (which is SMOKIN").
Between the two, My go too guitar would be the one loaded with the WB's.

[nwobhm]

I listened without looking, then went back to see what I had picked. I picked the WB for clarity and note bloom, they have that bell like quality. How they sound in someone else's gear may differ. But, to pick between the 2, as was requested I'd pick the WB.

[Bryan]

in the clips the WB's have a much better tone to my ears..but neither was horrible..

[Starrman]

Thanks for the feed-back!

Just for the record, the WCR (black 335) guitar had a 300K volume pot on the neck, which I put to make it sound a little darker.....500k volume on the bridge pickup....300k tone pots. The 300k caps were the original Gibsons from that era (1981).....
The WB, (Blonde) has 500k on the volumes and tones...with some vitamin Q .o22 caps (from our ol'e buddy holy grail)......The blonde also has a aluminum tail-piece....Which seemed to add a little more brightness/presence....

I am not saying either one is better or worse! Just differant flavors! They both are way better then the typical Semour Duncans (no offense), or current Gibson PU's...

Both guitars had the Pu's set at the same height, with the knobs all turned all the way up, except for the middle position, when I roll the neck PU back a little...Details....Details...

Will Boggs!!!! Jim Wagner!!!! you guys are the bomb!

[Alex]

I dig your playing style, Frankie!

Both sounded great. But I like the WB's, they just sound a little better, IMO.

Subscribed.

[5F6-A]

Well done, enjoyed it very much!

[carydad]

It's a neverending journey. I've had a few sets of WCR, have a tone of Wolfetone, WB, 3 or 4 bareknuckle, som sheptones...I change them all the time. Pretty much set on WB now. Just dropped some greens in the JBLP and have a set of gregwinds waiting for the axcess to arrive. 6707vtpH in the R9. Skatterbranes in my SL250 slash and BK emeralds in the weddington. All great stuff. Some pups seems a little more compressed, some more open, some fatter on the bottom, some a little brighter. I can eq the amp or OD to make them all sound similar. The real difference for me is hard to put to words. Also have BK nailbombs and mules kickin around which will get into some guitar some day. I dont think you can go wrong with any of them, since IMHO they are all way better stock pups from any manufacturer. Still need to try lollars someday. I dont think there is a "best" since my ear seems to change daily. Same with overdrives. I can have three pedals plugged into an amp with the same settings across the board...and like a different pedal better each day...really.

[decoy205]

I thought they both sounded great. I agree with flick the top end of the wcr's seems a tad less present then the wb's. I think the WB's sounded more 'vintage'.

Both sound amazing though.

Great playing!!!