Hottest humbucker-sized filtertron

hessodreamy

I fancy giving my 335-type a little more spank, but only a little. I was looking into hb-sized filtertrons and Lollartron a were described as “halfway between filtertron and paf” but they’re still too tron for me. I’d like something a bit more towards paf. So a bit of brightness, clarity and clang but not so much of that strong, sharp fundamental. 

Any tv Jones suit? Or sd psyclone? Or one of the uk builders?

Funkfingers

Somebody is listing a hot TV Jones 'Tron in the Parts£ section. (No affiliation.) 

timmypix

I'd go to Fletcher. I've got a set of Creamery humbucker-sized Black Cats with a slight overwind but they're still very much Filtertron. I reckon Fletcher has the most standard options in terms of varying levels of hotness that he's tried and tested.

Sporky

Powertron Plus?

https://tvjones.com/powertron-plus-bridge-humbucker-mount/

TheMarlin

Sporky said:

Powertron Plus?

https://tvjones.com/powertron-plus-bridge-humbucker-mount/

Powertron pro is just a Gibson paf with a hint of Filtertron.  Yuk!

Sporky

The OP did want more PAF than Tron...

There's the Powertron for the next step "down". Sporkaster 4 had one of those in the bridge. 

Teyeplayer

I’m no expert on pickups, but isn’t the lower wind a significant contributor to the brightness and clarity of a filtertron? 

I’d agree with @timmypix and go Fletcher for these. 

dazzajl

Teyeplayer said:

I’m no expert on pickups, but isn’t the lower wind a significant contributor to the brightness and clarity of a filtertron? 

Yup. And I’d say that good filters will do just about everything a PAF bucker can do but not vice versa. 

jellybelly

I've just removed some Blacktop Broadr'Trons from my Gretsch Electromatic - they might fit the bill? Standard HB size. PM me if interested. 

timmypix

https://www.fletcherpickups.co.uk/bigfletchertrons

OilCityPickups

hessodreamy said:

I fancy giving my 335-type a little more spank, but only a little. I was looking into hb-sized filtertrons and Lollartron a were described as “halfway between filtertron and paf” but they’re still too tron for me. I’d like something a bit more towards paf. So a bit of brightness, clarity and clang but not so much of that strong, sharp fundamental. 

Any tv Jones suit? Or sd psyclone? Or one of the uk builders?

Personally I'd fit Firebird pickups ... far easier to make more Gibson like ... 

nacnudnai

Can I ask...what pickups are currently in your 335? It could just be that a different PAF set will give you "spank".

I've tried lots of PAFs and a fair few trons, and they aren't really doing the same thing. The world of PAF clones is broad and covers a lot of ground in terms of sound. Get yourself a nice, bright, clanky PAF clone and you'll probably find something close to what you've described. 

In my personal experience, I have found that if you deviate too far away from the typical Filtertron specs, you lose what a tron is, and don't get something "PAF"-esque. I had a 9k MojoTron (hum sized) and it was way too hot, super compressed and just a bit hard to dial in.

Alegree

Hottest? Probably can fit 25-30k on those little bobbins.

hessodreamy

nacnudnai said:

Can I ask...what pickups are currently in your 335? It could just be that a different PAF set will give you "spank".

I've tried lots of PAFs and a fair few trons, and they aren't really doing the same thing. The world of PAF clones is broad and covers a lot of ground in terms of sound. Get yourself a nice, bright, clanky PAF clone and you'll probably find something close to what you've described. 

In my personal experience, I have found that if you deviate too far away from the typical Filtertron specs, you lose what a tron is, and don't get something "PAF"-esque. I had a 9k MojoTron (hum sized) and it was way too hot, super compressed and just a bit hard to dial in.

You might be right - I’ve checked out all the hot filtertrons and they’re a bit meh. So maybe I’ll stop looking at Trons and start looking at brighter pafs. I’ve some lollar imperials at the moment and they’re no exactly dark. 

Everythingon10

I think I would look into the DiMarzio EJ Customs for this job. They're humbuckers with a Gretsch-style voice, according to the sales blurb. I've never tried them, but the blurb claims to do something like what you want. Here's what DiMarzio say:

Although Eric Johnson is best known as a Strat® player, he has always played humbucker-equipped guitars as well. After getting a new Gibson® Les Paul® 1959 re-issue, Eric asked us if it could be made to sound like an old Gretsch® Country Gentleman guitar. We said, “No problem!” The pickups we designed are exact replacements for standard, full-size humbuckers. They’re bright and have great presence without sounding thin. When Eric tried them, he said they were almost as clear-sounding as Strat® pickups. He was surprised at how well they sounded with heavy distortion, because no matter how overdriven the sound, it did not become muddy.