I have the “Pure PAF’s” in my ‘60’s Gibson Les Paul. The ‘61 burst buckets were horrible. The Fralin pickups made the guitar come alive! They’re expensive, but worth every dollar.
Great playing / demo / production man - thanks for putting this together! This is the best Fralin demo I’ve seen. Love the tone! I just got a loaded pick guard from Fralin with the Sunbucker Blues pickups, excited to here how they compare to the Unbuckers.
So have to say, you should be doing demos for a bunch of the smaller winders. This is the exact demo the unbucker needed. ive got a tele deluxe build im in the middle of for a client, and was about certain on set of Black Dogs for it, but then earlier today I “un”forgot about these fralin’s, looked for a demo b/c it’s been a while, and low and behold this was the demo i needed to “un” black dog this tele. Excellent work!
haha thanks so much, Michael! I am happy this review could help. I'd love to do more small winder stuff, but I guess i have to learn how to solder then? Ah man, a tele deluxe! I have always wanted to play one. Hope the build goes fantastic.
and just a heads up, im putting the link to this demo on listing for the 2nd deluxe. Just people can hear how these can sound with a little care! thanks again!
@@SuperdangerStudios How come you didn't demo the comparison between the bridge single coil vs humbucker? Is the single coil (or humbucker) that terrible?
@SuperdangerStudios I have it in the neck, but don't have Fralin to compare. About Birmingham, I would say it is really great humbucker with a great clarity, but their claim about split tone is a bit overstated - it is ok, totally usable, but compared to my strat pickups Birmingham is less exciting.
Just what I was looking for - thx a lot! what would you say the bass response is like overall? Where you able to compare them objectively with the stock pickups?
I wasn’t able to compare them back to back bc it took about a week to install everything. The Fralins had much more output and top end air. I was not able to get a good reading on the bass output though. Sorry!
He did´t show the bridge slpit because It sounds thin and useless, everything is about sell gear and cash for the adverisment. 90% of gear videos are paid ads and this is no exception. That bridge pickup sounds harsh with a strong awfull peak in the high mids, It´s overwound. If you want a set of good split coil pickups with the same covers (nickel), same 4 wire configuration, get a set of Wilkinson WVC for 50 bucks. I had this set of Fraling "unbacker" in a PRS and sold them, with the cash I bought a reverb pedal and a set of Wilkinson WVC humbackers and kept some cash for a good Wirlwind cable. Just my two cents.
The split bridge is very useful in an HH guitar for chiming single coil parts in a live context. The split bridge at home in basement or wherever soloed just isn’t going to sound exactly like a good single coil Tele or Strat pickup- but I don’t think that’s Fralin’s objective and it’s not really possible. But to make a very useful humbucker pickup with single coil and tonal options without so much output drop? Mission accomplished.
5 way switch? Or a push pull knob? Sorry might of missed that in the video. Either way i think they sounds great. Have you tried just the bridge in single coil ? Wonder what thats like. 🍻
So many PRS owners commenting here considering some Fralins 😂 I’m in the same boat, have a PRS S2 Mira that is my favourite guitar unplugged, but much prefer my HS MiJ Mustang plugged in for most things indie and alt that I like to play. Currently stuck between the Fralin: Unbuckers, P92 or Bareknuckle: Mules or Nantucket.
Anyone know specs on these? HOW mismatched are the coils? What magnets? I am looking to wind my own humbuckers with mismatched coils and doing the Spin-a-Split wiring setup on them. No idea how much to mismatch or what the give/take is on that. Anyone with info?
Lindy Fralin out of Virginia. I did a few demos of these pickups in a Gibson Les Paul in 2016. They are still available for viewing, and it seems many people have viewed them. There are even pickup demos done by Lindy, himself.
@@SuperdangerStudios I have a pure paf also, and I much preferred the unbucker split, i have it with a 2.2 resistor ( to use some of the other coil), but still the unbucker is much better and more clarity
I’m thinking about ordering a prewired HSS Strat pickguard from Fralin with Vintage Hots in neck and middle and an Unbucker bridge. Would you expect that combination to work well together?
Sounds great! Haven’t played the vintage hits but heard great demos of them. I would just double check with them that the unbucker is hot enough to keep up with the vintage hots! Cheers!
The other Fralin humbucker to try split is the Sunbucker. I have one in the neck of my Custom 24 and it sounds great. Also check out the Gepetto Camelots. I have a set of those in my LP hollow with single/parallele/series wiring.
I’m trying to decide between unbucker or the sunbucker blues!!! Play mostly cleanish sounds and like to split a lot doing Grateful Dead tunes - torn between the two would love any suggestions or experiences 🙏🏼
Haha I’m sorry dude. This was a 5 way switch and I didn’t have it wired to single coil bridge bc that would have been the least used option. I’m gonna change it to a 3 way with push pull so I can get it back.
@@SuperdangerStudios Oh yeah I get you, that sounds rad though! Btw, thanks for uploading this though, it was really well made and you are right, there really aren't many good quality reviews of Fralin pickups despite their excellence!
I already have the 57-08 pickups in my PRS SC 245 and those are very vintage sounding. Having a modern pickup in the PRS would voice it a bit different and I would demo that for sure.
@@SuperdangerStudios thanks for your reply. You have been very inspiring. I have prs se custom 24. I am thorn between fralin unbucker and prs 58/15lt. I will wait with great anticipation for the fralin modern paf HD demo.
So I recently bought the same guitar. I love it. My issue is the big volume drop when it goes to single coils. Did your pickup change or help with drastic drop?
Hey, Donly! Yes I remember the stock pickups had a big change in output. When I changed to the Fralins it was there but much less pronounced. I don’t think there is any practical way to completely eliminate it but the Unbuckers did help. Cheers!
That is a really cool guitar. I think I will put these in a Kiesel SC90 I have. It has lots of switches. They would be put to good use on these pickups id say
Ive been looking to upgrade my PRS SE Custom 24. I love the way that guitar feels, plays, and looks, but i really dont like the stock pickups and my electronics need replacing. Ive been heavily considering Fralin pickups. I usually gravitate towards single coils, but i do like having access to a good humbucker tone from time to time. Considering trying the P90-Humbucker in the neck then a humbucker in the bridge, or trying a set of the Pure P.A.F. The Pure P.A.F. would be a way of trying to preserve a humbucker guitar in my collection while getting a tone that i would actually like to play, but the p90 and humbucker combo would be my ideal set up. Now im considering the Unbucker. Thanks a lot for making my decision that much harder. 😋 they really do sound great. The single coil tones actually sound like a single coil. I find most coil taps or spits sounds very thin and almost piezo like, but these are nice, or at least in your guitar and rig.
@@SuperdangerStudios thanks, yeah I have another guitar with the Frailen split top singles. Actually on the background picture on this, my TH-cam channel they sound great but the other project already has a humbucker sized rout🤷♂️
It’s an older Ibanez Jem body with the Vai humbuckers….”dark matter?” Not after that sound. I changed the neck, etc and it has a custom designed body similar to the Jem floral pattern but I used a paisley cloth, not paint like via used his moms curtains 😂. I’m more of a John Schofield Sean Costello style player
I have a RW Tele with the Lindy Fralin UnBucker in the neck, and a Fralin Blues s/c in bridge. The magic happens with the Tonestyler 5 way switch. Pos 1 bridge, 2 bridge and UnBucker split, 3 Unbucker and bridge, 4 UnBucker split, 5 Humbucker. I also believe the pot values are changed between 250k and 500k depending on split or not. I had Acme Guitar Works do the mod several years ago, and it is my go to guitar for most of my gigs. It’s got and ash body, is super lightweight, and I can beat the snot out of that guitar and it never goes out of tune and keeps taking any abuse. Plus it’s a great pursuader when some drunk clown in the audience wants to impress his boyfriends by messing with our female singer. I believe Acme Guitar Works has a nice video of the system that should be out there somewhere.
That guitar sounds like a keeper for sure! Love the Fralin Pickups. Esp since lollar has gotten so expensive. I gotta check out that 5 way switch! Thanks for dropping by!
@@SuperdangerStudios Thanks it is a great guitar and a workhorse. I have a set of Lollar T’s in a cheap Affinity Tele. It cost me $139, and with those Lollars, it sounds amazing. I used to get compliments from people on how good that cheap little Affinity sounded. The pickups of course cost more than the guitar. It is cool though.
Great Video! I am teetering on taking the plunge with a full set of Unbuckers on a PRS SE Custom 24-08, which has two independent coil splitting switches for each pickup. This demo has me thinking yes! this would be an upgrade from the 85/15s (which sound pretty darn good split but have this weird treble spike when the volume goes above 9. ) Very tempted!
I have the “Pure PAF’s” in my ‘60’s Gibson Les Paul. The ‘61 burst buckets were horrible. The Fralin pickups made the guitar come alive! They’re expensive, but worth every dollar.
Great playing / demo / production man - thanks for putting this together! This is the best Fralin demo I’ve seen. Love the tone! I just got a loaded pick guard from Fralin with the Sunbucker Blues pickups, excited to here how they compare to the Unbuckers.
Thanks so much for watching. Thrilled it helped. I really want to try the Sunbuckers. One day will load them into my PRS CU24. Cheers!
Very nice demo. I love these probably the best splitting humbucker on the market.
They are so good man. Used them on a gig last night and was really pleased at the versatility. I’m thinking about dropping these in my PRS soon.
Great sounding demo!!
Thanks, Conor!
So have to say, you should be doing demos for a bunch of the smaller winders. This is the exact demo the unbucker needed. ive got a tele deluxe build im in the middle of for a client, and was about certain on set of Black Dogs for it, but then earlier today I “un”forgot about these fralin’s, looked for a demo b/c it’s been a while, and low and behold this was the demo i needed to “un” black dog this tele. Excellent work!
haha thanks so much, Michael! I am happy this review could help. I'd love to do more small winder stuff, but I guess i have to learn how to solder then?
Ah man, a tele deluxe! I have always wanted to play one. Hope the build goes fantastic.
and just a heads up, im putting the link to this demo on listing for the 2nd deluxe. Just people can hear how these can sound with a little care! thanks again!
@@8infinitfy8 that's great to hear. THanks, Michael!
I had Fralin pickups in a Grosh guitar. The Unbucker in the bridge was amazing!
Ah man right on!
@@SuperdangerStudios How come you didn't demo the comparison between the bridge single coil vs humbucker? Is the single coil (or humbucker) that terrible?
more impressed at how you somehow managed to use the tremolo without a trem arm
Haha I used the force!
Thanks for demo! Tonerider claims to have the similar pickup called Birmingham, but for the fraction of the price. I wonder how they compare?
Ah I just looked at that! Very interesting.
@SuperdangerStudios I have it in the neck, but don't have Fralin to compare. About Birmingham, I would say it is really great humbucker with a great clarity, but their claim about split tone is a bit overstated - it is ok, totally usable, but compared to my strat pickups Birmingham is less exciting.
Great video! Great vibes! Thank you, Alex.
My pleasure! Thanks for watching!
Great demo and playing. I’m considering one of these for a bridge on an HSS Strat to get best of both worlds there.
Thanks Bill! They are amazing pickups. You won’t be disappointed.
ive had unbuckers for years in my PRS and have theie PAFs in my LP. Love the coil splitting and sounds.
I gotta try their PAFs!
Nice clarity in the neck. The bridge has a nice bark to it. Keep strumming.
Thank you!
Very nice demo. thanks
Thank you! They are really fantastic pickups
Just what I was looking for - thx a lot! what would you say the bass response is like overall? Where you able to compare them objectively with the stock pickups?
I wasn’t able to compare them back to back bc it took about a week to install everything. The Fralins had much more output and top end air. I was not able to get a good reading on the bass output though. Sorry!
Why did you avoid the bridge split sound? I wanted to hear!
I didn’t have it wired to do split bridge but I should probably change that
He did´t show the bridge slpit because It sounds thin and useless, everything is about sell gear and cash for the adverisment. 90% of gear videos are paid ads and this is no exception. That bridge pickup sounds harsh with a strong awfull peak in the high mids, It´s overwound. If you want a set of good split coil pickups with the same covers (nickel), same 4 wire configuration, get a set of Wilkinson WVC for 50 bucks. I had this set of Fraling "unbacker" in a PRS and sold them, with the cash I bought a reverb pedal and a set of Wilkinson WVC humbackers and kept some cash for a good Wirlwind cable. Just my two cents.
The split bridge is very useful in an HH guitar for chiming single coil parts in a live context. The split bridge at home in basement or wherever soloed just isn’t going to sound exactly like a good single coil Tele or Strat pickup- but I don’t think that’s Fralin’s objective and it’s not really possible. But to make a very useful humbucker pickup with single coil and tonal options without so much output drop? Mission accomplished.
5 way switch? Or a push pull knob? Sorry might of missed that in the video. Either way i think they sounds great. Have you tried just the bridge in single coil ? Wonder what thats like. 🍻
It’s a 5 way so I omitted single coil but am going to switch it to a 3 way w switch bc I want that
@@SuperdangerStudios Right on! I might do the same thing with a tele I own. Thanks
So many PRS owners commenting here considering some Fralins 😂
I’m in the same boat, have a PRS S2 Mira that is my favourite guitar unplugged, but much prefer my HS MiJ Mustang plugged in for most things indie and alt that I like to play.
Currently stuck between the Fralin: Unbuckers, P92 or Bareknuckle: Mules or Nantucket.
I’m loving the Unbuckers!
Very nice just got one for a epiphone double cut, sounds great but my split is only 4.4k?
They sound amazing! I am looking at putting a set of them in my Epiphone SG. Thanks for sharing this video!
That is going to sound great!
Was the bridge position all in humbucker or single coil? there was no comparison of the 2 in the video somehow?
Oh this guitar I didn’t split the Humbucker bc only had a 5 position switch. Am gonna add a push pull probably. Sorry!
Anyone know specs on these? HOW mismatched are the coils? What magnets? I am looking to wind my own humbuckers with mismatched coils and doing the Spin-a-Split wiring setup on them. No idea how much to mismatch or what the give/take is on that. Anyone with info?
thanks for making this video!
Thanks for watching it! Are you thinking of getting some unbuckers?
Lindy Fralin out of Virginia. I did a few demos of these pickups in a Gibson Les Paul in 2016. They are still available for viewing, and it seems many people have viewed them. There are even pickup demos done by Lindy, himself.
I have them uncovered in a prs s2 standard, great sounding pickups. Love them
Very nice! I have been thinking of upgrading the pickups in my S2 CU 24 as well. Am torn between unbuckers, pure pafs, and the lollar imperials.
@@SuperdangerStudios I have a pure paf also, and I much preferred the unbucker split, i have it with a 2.2 resistor ( to use some of the other coil), but still the unbucker is much better and more clarity
Wow really? Dang. I might have to just let it rip then!
I’m thinking about ordering a prewired HSS Strat pickguard from Fralin with Vintage Hots in neck and middle and an Unbucker bridge. Would you expect that combination to work well together?
Sounds great! Haven’t played the vintage hits but heard great demos of them. I would just double check with them that the unbucker is hot enough to keep up with the vintage hots! Cheers!
The other Fralin humbucker to try split is the Sunbucker. I have one in the neck of my Custom 24 and it sounds great. Also check out the Gepetto Camelots. I have a set of those in my LP hollow with single/parallele/series wiring.
Well you were right about the fender twin IR so I guess I gotta buy these now haha. You’re going to bankrupt me! Lol
I’m trying to decide between unbucker or the sunbucker blues!!! Play mostly cleanish sounds and like to split a lot doing Grateful Dead tunes - torn between the two would love any suggestions or experiences 🙏🏼
This is a great review, but why the heck didn't you include the bridge split tone??
Haha I’m sorry dude. This was a 5 way switch and I didn’t have it wired to single coil bridge bc that would have been the least used option. I’m gonna change it to a 3 way with push pull so I can get it back.
@@SuperdangerStudios Oh yeah I get you, that sounds rad though! Btw, thanks for uploading this though, it was really well made and you are right, there really aren't many good quality reviews of Fralin pickups despite their excellence!
Did you add resistors to turn the 500K pots to 250K in coil tap, or just leave them as 500K in single coil?
I didn’t add any resistors just left them as is.
Odd. Zero videos of fralin?over 100. But good video
Thanks!
Why did you choose modern P.A.F for your PRS se Custome 24? When will you demo it. Waiting with great expectations.
I already have the 57-08 pickups in my PRS SC 245 and those are very vintage sounding. Having a modern pickup in the PRS would voice it a bit different and I would demo that for sure.
@@SuperdangerStudios thanks for your reply. You have been very inspiring. I have prs se custom 24. I am thorn between fralin unbucker and prs 58/15lt. I will wait with great anticipation for the fralin modern paf HD demo.
So I recently bought the same guitar. I love it. My issue is the big volume drop when it goes to single coils. Did your pickup change or help with drastic drop?
Hey, Donly! Yes I remember the stock pickups had a big change in output. When I changed to the Fralins it was there but much less pronounced. I don’t think there is any practical way to completely eliminate it but the Unbuckers did help. Cheers!
@@SuperdangerStudios Hey, thank you for the reply. I appreciate it. I will definitely check it out. Thanks again 👍🏾
That is a really cool guitar. I think I will put these in a Kiesel SC90 I have. It has lots of switches. They would be put to good use on these pickups id say
Hell yeah! These things are so versatile. Cheers!
Ive been looking to upgrade my PRS SE Custom 24. I love the way that guitar feels, plays, and looks, but i really dont like the stock pickups and my electronics need replacing. Ive been heavily considering Fralin pickups. I usually gravitate towards single coils, but i do like having access to a good humbucker tone from time to time. Considering trying the P90-Humbucker in the neck then a humbucker in the bridge, or trying a set of the Pure P.A.F. The Pure P.A.F. would be a way of trying to preserve a humbucker guitar in my collection while getting a tone that i would actually like to play, but the p90 and humbucker combo would be my ideal set up. Now im considering the Unbucker. Thanks a lot for making my decision that much harder. 😋 they really do sound great. The single coil tones actually sound like a single coil. I find most coil taps or spits sounds very thin and almost piezo like, but these are nice, or at least in your guitar and rig.
I think I am going to lean towards the Pure PAF too in the bridge and the Unbucker in the Neck as well. Thanks for watching!
Are you using 500K pots?
Not sure! They are the stock pots.
So does the neck in single come close to say a SRV tone? I have a partscaster strat with a humbucker in neck but want a classic single coil sound.
It doesn’t sorry to say. I would recommend their Twangmaster or their Big single pickups. That would nail it.
@@SuperdangerStudios thanks, yeah I have another guitar with the Frailen split top singles. Actually on the background picture on this, my TH-cam channel they sound great but the other project already has a humbucker sized rout🤷♂️
It’s an older Ibanez Jem body with the Vai humbuckers….”dark matter?” Not after that sound. I changed the neck, etc and it has a custom designed body similar to the Jem floral pattern but I used a paisley cloth, not paint like via used his moms curtains 😂. I’m more of a John Schofield Sean Costello style player
@@roderickgful The twangmaster and big single are are actually humbucker sized! but they sound like single coils.
I have a RW Tele with the Lindy Fralin UnBucker in the neck, and a Fralin Blues s/c in bridge. The magic happens with the Tonestyler 5 way switch. Pos 1 bridge, 2 bridge and UnBucker split, 3 Unbucker and bridge, 4 UnBucker split, 5 Humbucker. I also believe the pot values are changed between 250k and 500k depending on split or not. I had Acme Guitar Works do the mod several years ago, and it is my go to guitar for most of my gigs. It’s got and ash body, is super lightweight, and I can beat the snot out of that guitar and it never goes out of tune and keeps taking any abuse. Plus it’s a great pursuader when some drunk clown in the audience wants to impress his boyfriends by messing with our female singer. I believe Acme Guitar Works has a nice video of the system that should be out there somewhere.
That guitar sounds like a keeper for sure! Love the Fralin Pickups. Esp since lollar has gotten so expensive. I gotta check out that 5 way switch! Thanks for dropping by!
@@SuperdangerStudios Thanks it is a great guitar and a workhorse. I have a set of Lollar T’s in a cheap Affinity Tele. It cost me $139, and with those Lollars, it sounds amazing. I used to get compliments from people on how good that cheap little Affinity sounded. The pickups of course cost more than the guitar. It is cool though.
Are they hum canceling in single mode?
Yes!
Thanks for the review! If you put the Unbuckers in a PRS Custom 24-08, do you know if you need 3 or 4 conductor leads?
Great question! I asked Fralin about it and they said 4 leads.
@@SuperdangerStudios Thanks for the response! Much appreciated.
@@emilianodiaz7514 I would confirm w them though! Bc it depends on what you want for out of phase positions.
I’d be interested in hearing your results. Considering putting these in my CU24-08 as well
Great Video! I am teetering on taking the plunge with a full set of Unbuckers on a PRS SE Custom 24-08, which has two independent coil splitting switches for each pickup. This demo has me thinking yes! this would be an upgrade from the 85/15s (which sound pretty darn good split but have this weird treble spike when the volume goes above 9. ) Very tempted!
nice video
Thanks for the visit
That's a mahogany body?
Swamp ash body!
Best quality reviews I have seen! I would love to send you an axe to try out one day!
Thanks so much Brandan! And yeah am always happy to try out new gear! Let me know!
I have SD Invaders coil split in my Les Paul Studio, thinking off dropping these in there
Great idea!
The "Nuys" in Van Nuys is pronounced like Bill Nye the science guy. Van Nyes.