Three Guitar Shootout - Which Tones Do You Perfer???

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

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I love how these guitars sound...same Fender Frontman 10G and same settings in all three videos.

Guitar playing by my good friend and SoCal session hired gun Johnny.




The Les Paul Replica has a Planet Tone Afterburner in the bridge (Alnico V 13.0k) and a Planet Tone Special 59 (Alnico II 7.8k) courtesy of Jose at Planet Tone.

The Replica also has a 21 tone Jimmy Page Wire Harness courtesy of Jersey Shore Guitar Garage. This harness uses both .012uf and .015uf tone capacitors with Gibson/Alpha push-pull 500k pots.

The 2021 Gibson Les Paul 50's Standard Gold Top has a Gibson Burstbucker 3 in the bridge (Alnico II 8.0k) and a Burstbucker I in the neck (Alnico II 6.2k) respectively. Guitar is totally stock.

The red VonHerndon StageCrafter has a custom made (by me) humbucker in the bridge. It consists of a nickel-silver baseplate and the 'slug' coil of a DiMarzio DP103 paired with the 'screw coil' of a Duncan AP2-H.

I used maple spacers in the construction and brass screws and flat washers to attach the bobbins to the baseplate and lock them down sid to avoid feedback.

I used a long, polished Alnico 4 magnet, flipped to yield 180° out of phase in the middle position.

Pots are 550K CTS with a 0.01uf capacitor.

Which do you like better and why.
 
This seems like a cell phone video. Is that correct?

Of the three, I preferred the 2021 Les Paul, but that could be because it sounds louder. There is an audio principal known as the Fletcher-Munson Curve. Essentially, it demonstrates that the human ear is not linear in it's perception of frequencies. Our perception of frequencies changes with volume. Generally, we will perceive louder music as better, even if its frequency content does not change.

So, I can't say if the 2021 is actually any better than the other two, or if it just seems that way because it is louder.

That said, I do realize this is just an informal, ad hoc test and is not meant to be some scientific A/B test. So, I don't mean to be too critical.

But, based just off of what I hear, I'd say I prefer the 2021 Les Paul.
 
smitty_p said:
Our perception of frequencies changes with volume. Generally, we will perceive louder music as better, even if its frequency content does not change.
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Yes...and make constant EQ changes that net nothing...LOL
 
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smitty_p said:
This seems like a cell phone video. Is that correct?

Of the three, I preferred the 2021 Les Paul, but that could be because it sounds louder. There is an audio principal known as the Fletcher-Munson Curve. Essentially, it demonstrates that the human ear is not linear in it's perception of frequencies. Our perception of frequencies changes with volume. Generally, we will perceive louder music as better, even if its frequency content does not change.

So, I can't say if the 2021 is actually any better than the other two, or if it just seems that way because it is louder.

That said, I do realize this is just an informal, ad hoc test and is not meant to be some scientific A/B test. So, I don't mean to be too critical.

But, based just off of what I hear, I'd say I prefer the 2021 Les Paul.
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The 2021 has the highest volume at like amp settings than the other two guitars, but it is important to note that the pickups are set closer to the strings (from the Gibson factory) than on my other guitars. (I've never altered the pickup heights on the 2021. They are about 3/32" from the strings and equal height on both sides)

I typically set pickups about .250" away from the strings, as a general rule of thumb, and they are always "squared up" on both ends of the bobbins.
 
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Don O said:
Heck, I like all 3 since they all sound great!
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All are amazingly similar when you consider the two Les Pauls are both 24.75" scale with .010's, but the 2021 Les Paul has its pickups 3/32" from the strings and the Les Paul Replica has its pickups 1/4" from the strings.

The VonHerndon StageCrafter is 24.0" scale with .011's and it's pickups are 1/4" from the strings....
 
Well then...this is a tough one. I liked them all.

Favorite though?? Hmmm..
I will have to think on that one, through the haze of OxyBrain that I've got going on lol
 
mcblink said:
Well then...this is a tough one. I liked them all.

Favorite though?? Hmmm..
I will have to think on that one, through the haze of OxyBrain that I've got going on lol
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I like them all too...

The 1958 Replica/Fake is the smoothest sounding with the greatest sonic pallette due to the 21 tone wire harness.

The 2021 Gibson has the most volume and treble.

The VonHerndon StageCrafter has a very smooth, round tone as well...
 
Robert Herndon said:
I like them all too...

The 1958 Replica/Fake is the smoothest sounding with the greatest sonic pallette due to the 21 tone wire harness.

The 2021 Gibson has the most volume and treble.

The VonHerndon StageCrafter has a very smooth, round tone as well...
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Robert Herndon said:
I used to have a really long list of preferences and I was convinced certain guitars played better or sounded better than others.

Then, I started working in the studio on a full time basis and all of that began to melt away.

When we listened to a playback, there wasn't any tangible difference between one single coil guitar and another - and one humbucker guitar - and the other. They all sounded the same....and they sound even more similar when compared live in a noisy hall.

But, personal preferences are the life blood of this industry. Each new product will make you play faster or sound better, but in reality, it's all in the mind.
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Robert Herndon said:
What we see with lower output pickups, is less volume and slightly less gain production, but very little difference in character.

But, you may hear subtitles with headphones on, but that's also very subjective.

We listen in hopes of justifying our investment or confirming theories.

One of the best producers I ever worked for told me once, "Be careful what you listen for. You just might hear it.
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Ok before I actually listen, I have to bring these posts up from another thread.
I find my Yamaha with the SD Dimebucker substantially brighter than others and the Godin xtsa very dull. This was met with some scepticism that this difference could even be heard. I have yet to do my comparison.
Yet here is a cell phone video on YT asking for opinions meaning there should be enough difference between the humbuckers to show on said video.
I can hear a difference between some pickups in some of my guitars regardless of waveform and apparently others can too. The inconsistency is puzzling.
Sorry to seem like I am peeing on it but I found it very odd and contrasting to previous posts.
 
There is a difference, but nothing pronounced. I'd say about the same as my four carved top Les Pauls differ from one another. Agree with Jethro its tough to compare when its not exactly the same things being played throughout.

The fake one is noticeably more compressed sounding to me. The Goldtop def sounds the most dynamic to me so that's my pick - more to work with sonically right out of the gate. The BBs are bright pickups but I personally much prefer a bright one to a dark one, since all it takes is a couple of twists of a knob to back them off a bit.
 
Jethro Rocker said:
Ok before I actually listen, I have to bring these posts up from another thread.
I find my Yamaha with the SD Dimebucker substantially brighter than others and the Godin xtsa very dull. This was met with some scepticism that this difference could even be heard. I have yet to do my comparison.
Yet here is a cell phone video on YT asking for opinions meaning there should be enough difference between the humbuckers to show on said video.
I can hear a difference between some pickups in some of my guitars regardless of waveform and apparently others can too. The inconsistency is puzzling.
Sorry to seem like I am peeing on it but I found it very odd and contrasting to previous posts.
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Not odd at all.

I think my point here is that these three guitars, despite scale length differences, string gauge differences and substatantial pickup output variations, all sound nearly identical when listened to in isolation (with subtle differences) and yet no such subtlety can be detected in a live mix when we are using them on the music academy sound stage.

To me, it's so interesting that a 24.75" scale, 8.2k A4 humbucker (.010 x .046) equipped Gibson Les Paul sounds so similar to a 24.0" scale, 8.4k A4 (.011 x .052) equipped Telecaster when listened too individually, yet the subtlety disappears altogether in a live mix.

i don't even have to touch my EQ's to switch guitars.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Not odd at all.

I think my point here is that these three guitars, despite scale length differences, string gauge differences and substatantial pickup output variations, all sound nearly identical when listened to in isolation and no such subtlety can be detected in a live mix.
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I thought the point was to pick out differences and decide which we like better...as per the first post. In a live mix, no. In front of your amp playjng, yes. With some pickups absolutlely.
Then why the remark about greatest sonic palette due to wiring harnesses? 2021 has the most treble. Audible differences one can hear.
Otheriwse everyone picks the only available pickup on the market as it just wouldn't matter.
 
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