ReWind Pickups Low Output PAF Review!!

[nicolasrivera]

Some months ago i had the pleasure of finding out about
ReWind Pickups by our own forum brother Cooljuk (James)
and he hand wound me a Low Output PAF set, a few weeks after
i had them in my hands and ohh man are they something.

First thing i did was put them on my R5 and like anything
the first impression is the one that sticks the longest and i
was really blown away by the sound!!, crisp, punchy, deep,
fat and honky. Don't know why i was not expecting to be this
amazed, maybe it was because i didn't now about the brand
by just a few months ago, but i can truly say James's pickups
deliver just the right amount to magic you expect from a true
hand wound boutique pickup.

This set gave me the perfect excuse to test my new rig, a Mesa
Mini Rectifier into a 4X10 1965A Marshall cabinet, and man does
this combination produce a heavenly tone i never had before!, the
way this pic pus clean up with the way the mesa cleaned really
has blown me away, you just don't expect a heavy gain amp do
this kind of things.

I won't bore you with words any further, here are 3 videos. First
one is just the guitar and the amp, turning the volume and tone
knobs and getting different sounds out of them, then i turn on
reverb and delay to give you a deeper perspective.

The second and third videos are with backing tracks, one ballad
and one with a relaxing tone, again showing the tone range and
dynamic response of the pickups.

There will be other videos with a more aggressive tone and blues
vibe, i was just feeling this relaxing mood at moment!

Here ate the specs of the set:

ReWind Electric
Low Output PAF Set
Long A2 Magnets
Neck 6.73
Bridge 7.28

ReWind Pickups Low Output PAF test - YouTube

ReWind Pickups Low Output PAF test - YouTube

ReWind Pickups Low Output PAF test BT02 - YouTube

ReWind Pickups Low Output PAF test BT02 - YouTube

ReWind Pickups Low Output PAF test BT01 - YouTube

ReWind Pickups Low Output PAF test BT01 - YouTube

[fuelie]

Excellent work and review good sir.

[nicolasrivera]

Thank you!

Originally Posted by fuelie

Excellent work and review good sir.

[fairlanericky]

Not only does your R5 look good, it sounds good as well. Nice job Nico!

Ric

[tazzboy]

cool now you need to try the Creme Burlee's. If you like the 57 classics then you got try the Creme Burlee's

[mdubya]

Originally Posted by tazzboy

cool now you need to try the Creme Burlee's. If you like the 57 classics then you got try the Creme Burlee's

Do you have them, tazz?

[tazzboy]

Yes I do and they are really great. A lot better sounds then the ones Gibson produces.

[mdubya]

Originally Posted by tazzboy

Yes I do and they are really great. A lot better sounds then the ones Gibson produces.

You need to do a sound demo for us.

@ Nico, the low winds sound great.

[cooljuk]

Nico's got some great chops and some great gear! These are FANTASTIC videos! Thank you! ...and the first videos of my Low Output Set, actually. I'll have to get these up on my website ASAP.

All my pickups are machine wound, btw. Hand made, of course, but machine wound just like PAFs were back in Kalamazoo. This set was wound on an old Russian trafo winder converted to pickup use, and somewhat modernized with a digital counter, by me. It's a clunky mean old machine with a bad attitude that winds a mean pickup! These are my standard Low Output PAF Set with the default long A2s. I have the same set (but aged) in my favorite R9.

Just goes to show that a low output pickup can preform exceptionally well in a high gain situation and then clean up like a gem!

Thanks for taking the time to do this, Nico. You rock!

[cooljuk]

Originally Posted by mdubya

You need to do a sound demo for us.

I've got 3 videos of my Creme Brûlées on my website here, if you want to hear them: ReWind : Retro Style Electric Guitar Pickups

More audio clips in my old intro sale thread, too.

[nicolasrivera]

I love that old Russian Trafo now!!!

Thank you James for such a great set of pickups, as i told you this set has become my favorite right now and its a true PAF variant in the same category as Throbaks, Skatterbranes and my beloved WIZZ pickups with the bonus of being extremely affordable for such pristine tone.

Originally Posted by cooljuk

Nico's got some great chops and some great gear! These are FANTASTIC videos! Thank you! ...and the first videos of my Low Output Set, actually. I'll have to get these up on my website ASAP.

All my pickups are machine wound, btw. Hand made, of course, but machine wound just like PAFs were back in Kalamazoo. This set was wound on an old Russian trafo winder converted to pickup use, and somewhat modernized with a digital counter, by me. It's a clunky mean old machine with a bad attitude that winds a mean pickup! These are my standard Low Output PAF Set with the default long A2s. I have the same set (but aged) in my favorite R9.

Just goes to show that a low output pickup can preform exceptionally well in a high gain situation and then clean up like a gem!

Thanks for taking the time to do this, Nico. You rock!

[Pinkie]

Very very nice!! Good job.

[mdubya]

Originally Posted by cooljuk

I've got 3 videos of my Creme Brûlées on my website here, if you want to hear them: ReWind : Retro Style Electric Guitar Pickups

More audio clips in my old intro sale thread, too.

I need some straight up rock tones.

[tazzboy]

Originally Posted by mdubya

You need to do a sound demo for us.

@ Nico, the low winds sound great.

If I could make audio clips I would.

[Hector Arcadius]

Nico, these were some great tones and quite soulful playing!
Thanks for taking the time to do these.

I wouldn't mind a set from James (and a guitar to put those in...), not at all... Superb pickups you're winding mate.

[5F6-A]

Fantastic!!!

[Backstage]

First: Thanks a lot for the review!

Second: I have never seen such a nice R5. Ok, to be honest I saw only one and I sadly hadn't the possibilty to play it.

Third: That is indeed a brilliant tone! Especialy the neck pickup and also the bridge in video #3.

Forth: I didn't guess they are wax potted? No, they can't be, because they are so brilliant bright.
And another thing. It would be interesting if they are so awesome in any of your other Rs. Is this magic repeatable or is it the one moment where this pickups made for that guitar?
In any case you've got an outstanding tone with your R5 now - congratulation.

[fretboarder]

those sound nice!!

good demo nico nicely done...very good playing too!!


thanks for alerting me too it mate cheers!!

[Mouse]

That sounded right to my ears
Excellent presentation Nico, great job cooljuk!

[decoy205]

Nice work James and Nico. These sound great!

[cooljuk]

I keep playing these clips while at work. Love it!

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by nicolasrivera

Some months ago i had the pleasure of finding out about
ReWind Pickups by our own forum brother Cooljuk (James)
and he hand wound me a Low Output PAF set ... [...]

Nice playing and sound there, thanks!

I've tried 6.7, 6.9 and 7.2k and have the same experience - low output can do the trick...

[refin]

Nice playing and tone,enjoyed alot!

[cooljuk]

Originally Posted by Backstage

I didn't guess they are wax potted? No, they can't be, because they are so brilliant bright.

Sorry - this one slipped by me last night. No. I do not wax pot any of my pickups. It would be unauthentic, historically, to do so. PAFs were not potted by Gibson.

If you're concerned about coil squeal, you need not be. I use a high tension system to wind the coils tight, just as Gibson did back in Kalamazoo, tape the coils tightly with strong paper tape, assemble the components very tightly with no room for the magnet to vibrate, and use accurate threaded basepaltes so the screw bobbin is locked down on the magnet and baseplate tightly. Covers are installed under the pressure of 2 clamps with a piece of paper coil tape on the underside over the slugs. I don't even think the paper tape is needed. I might do away with that soon as it's technically "inaccurate" historically.

In the video below a customer, and forum brother Lex, plays a set of my Creme Brulees (one of my hottest winds) through a FULLY OPEN Twin and even kicks in a treble booster at one point. ...all in an indoor room with hardwood floors. Ever dime a Twin?!

If there was going to be coil squeal - it would have been here. Nothing but sweet creamy tone!

ReWind Electric - Crème Brûlée Set - Lex SG through a Twin - YouTube

ReWind Electric - Crème Brûlée Set - Lex SG through a Twin - YouTube

[nicolasrivera]

I made this thread regarding Cab mic and mix placement Cabinet mic and mix Tutorial! this PAF are put against heavy distortion and they reacted very well!!!!

[LtKojak]

Originally Posted by nicolasrivera

The second and third videos are with backing tracks, one ballad
and one with a relaxing tone, again showing the tone range and
dynamic response of the pickups.

Nice playing, Nico! And nice backing tracks as well.

Did you made'em with Band In A Box, by any chance?

I just got the 2012 Everything Set version and I'd like to pick your brain (if you're game, of course) for some insight about the process.

Yours very truly,

[Backstage]

Originally Posted by cooljuk

It would be unauthentic, historically, to do so. PAFs were not potted by Gibson.

Yes, I know that. Back in the 80s we potted everything that wasn't nailed down to get rid of that damn squealing of these old pickups .
Nowadays I change my mind about waxing pickups to death.
Thanks for the advice.

[LtKojak]

Originally Posted by Backstage

Yes, I know that. Back in the 80s we potted everything that wasn't nailed down to get rid of that damn squealing of these old pickups .
Nowadays I change my mind about waxing pickups to death.
Thanks for the advice.

If done right, potting shouldn't kill tone AND really helps when the gain tap gets opened...

HTH,

[Hector Arcadius]

Originally Posted by Backstage

Yes, I know that. Back in the 80s we potted everything that wasn't nailed down to get rid of that damn squealing of these old pickups .
Nowadays I change my mind about waxing pickups to death.
Thanks for the advice.

Originally Posted by LtKojak

If done right, potting shouldn't kill tone AND really helps when the gain tap gets opened...

HTH,

My very limited experience has led me to believe that, in the proper pickups, wax potting is not necessary (if not harmful). I play with quite some gain, but it all comes from pedals, not from the amp (if that means anything) and I certainly don't go in death / grind-core territory either, so... Then again, there are noise-gates but if you prefer one over the other solution to the noise-problem is a different discussion all-together.

[Backstage]

Originally Posted by LtKojak

If done right, potting shouldn't kill tone AND really helps when the gain tap gets opened...

HTH,

You are right but I listen to so much potted pickups over the years, some are great and others arn't. Who can tell why? Wax too hot? Wax to cold? Wrong wax? Wrong mojo or wrong phase of the moon ( )? It's a little tricky to find things out afterwards.
And I also hate it when the microphonic character (sorry if this is a bad term, damn foreign language ) gets lost.
Anyway I am through with potting ... mostly .