Lollar, & Fralin pickups in a different league than Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, etc.?

[guitarcat46]

I know that tone is subjective. However, what justifies the price difference of a set of Lollar pickups, or Fralins over something from Seymour Duncan or DiMarzio?

 

I read something online recently when searching, and someone described the Lollar, and Fralin pickups as being in a different league over the Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio pickups, etc. Do you agree with this?

 

Not to take away from Seymour Duncan, and DiMarzio pickups. Both companies produce great products! However, I'm wondering how much of a tone difference you are getting from a set of these higher priced competitors?

[Wyatt]

 

I know that tone is subjective. However, what justifies the price difference of a set of Lollar pickups, or Fralins over something from Seymour Duncan or DiMarzio? I read something online recently when searching, and someone described the Lollar, and Fralin pickups as being in a different league over the Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio pickups, etc. Do you agree with this? Not to take away from Seymour Duncan, and DiMarzio pickups. Both companies produce great products! However, I'm wondering how much of a tone difference you are getting from a set of these higher priced competitors?

 

 

Yes.

 

No.

 

Yes.

 

No.

 

"She's my sister!"

 

"She's my daughter!'

 

"Sister!"

 

"My daughter!"

 

"She's my sister AND my daughter!"

 

For someone to say that is pure cork-sniffery. There aren't any magic parts that make any PU better than another, not a '59 PAF, not a '51 Broadcaster PU, not a any. It's a matter of taste, for which there can be no argument because it is subjective. The PU's are built as as well across most companies, it's a matter of tone desired, look desired (it DOES matter) and customer service. It's absurd to arbitrarily pick or praise brands. What matters is what tone do you want? And you find all of those who offer it. then you take into account price, looks, options, etc.

 

DiMarzio has very, very little overlap with Fralin or Lollar. DiMarzio doesn't make vintage-style PU's, some are vintage voiced, but not really vintage-spec. So, if you want classic tones, Loallr and Fralin are much more to taste. Seymour Duncan does offer vintage, but that ones that compare to Fralin and Lollar are their Antiquity series, which are higher in price. And you can always call SD's Custom Shop up and they will built you anything you want..."anytang you want, GI!"... and again the cost goes up...but you need a Rickenbacker toaster Pu in a humbucker case, they'll do it! Fralin's shop is happy to take a special order, do repairs, etc.

[guitarcat46]

I definitely don't need anything custom wound. I'm considering a future upgrade for my SG, and

I'm just taking in all of the options. However, I do have the "You get what you pay for" mindset in

this. Not to say a set of $70 Duncans and DiMarzios won't sound good, but at $140 a set of Lollar or Fralins

must sound amazing!

[smorgdonkey]

My answer is that I have Fralins and Lollars and would not hesitate to spend the money again to get more...in fact, just ordered a set of Lollars last week when I came to the conclusion that I was not going to find a set second hand.

 

Another indicator perhaps...with the money that Lollars and Fralins command, there would be WAY more for sale if there were a well-known equal that was cheaper. I consider some of the equals (or ones playing in the same ball park) lesser-known.

 

Example: I put a load of pickups on eBay over the last year and almost nothing sold unless it was about 50% of retail including shipping. The Gibson pickups actually tend to sell pretty well too but not like a Fralin or a Lollar. Put a Seymour Duncan up for $60 including shipping and you'll get offers all day long for $45 and $50.

 

I put a Fralin up that was an 'extra' (I had Fralins in multiple other guitars at the time)...bidding war ensues and it sells for the same price that most of the Seymour Duncans sell for new.

 

 

at $140 a set of Lollar or Fralins must sound amazing!

 

 

They do. Ask the guy I sold a Les Paul Studio which had a set of Fralin P92 in it...I offered to switch out the pickups for about 5 or 6 options at the time (including stock Gibson) at no cost and there was no way those pickups were coming out of that guitar.

[guitarcat46]

I've had some nice e-mail responses to pickup questions I've had from Lollar recently.

I know I will always have the guitar that I'm installing it in. It's a keeper! So, I don't

mind spending the money on a set of Lollar pickups or Fralins eventually.

 

I guess I was just trying to find out, in a round about way, if they sound that much better!

I'll just have to order a set, and let my ears be the judge!

[diceman1000]

i'd go with Rose or BG anyway:poke:

[hecticone]

I don't know what it is with the Fralin's must be the fairy dust I have them in numerous guitars and they all sound stellar. I have a set of split rails coming for cv strat can't wait. They are worth the money no doubt. I have listened to many lollars and they are stellar stuff also. These higher end pups are so much more touch sensitive and you can really feel the amp.

[ashasha]

I don't get into the corksniffery boutique pickups because they are pretty pricey and for no particular reason, but after my experience with Kinman I'd put his pickups high on any list.

[Northstar]

WCR and Lollars are where it's at for me.

[diceman1000]

i'm glad the WCR, Fralins, and what not work for you guys... but there is no way in hell i'd drop $300 on pickups... that's just me... however, if i were in the market for noiseless soap bars i would find a way to get the Kinman's:D

[honeyiscool]

 

I don't get into the corksniffery boutique pickups because they are pretty pricey and for no particular reason, but after my experience with Kinman I'd put his pickups high on any list.

 

See with Chris Kinman it's more about the tech itself. There is nothing basic about his pickups. You would struggle to find a real difference in the construction of a pretty good single coil and a Fralin.

[Mac_C]

Irony - In my main guitar (a modded two single coil pickup Strat) I have a Lindy Fralin 9.4k overwound pickup with baseplate in the bridge and in the neck I have a GFS Premium Alnico. Both sound fabulous!

[BeanoBoy]

 

My answer is that I have Fralins and Lollars and would not hesitate to spend the money again to get more...in fact, just ordered a set of Lollars last week when I came to the conclusion that I was not going to find a set second hand. Another indicator perhaps...with the money that Lollars and Fralins command, there would be WAY more for sale if there were a well-known equal that was cheaper. I consider some of the equals (or ones playing in the same ball park) lesser-known. Example: I put a load of pickups on eBay over the last year and almost nothing sold unless it was about 50% of retail including shipping. The Gibson pickups actually tend to sell pretty well too but not like a Fralin or a Lollar. Put a Seymour Duncan up for $60 including shipping and you'll get offers all day long for $45 and $50. I put a Fralin up that was an 'extra' (I had Fralins in multiple other guitars at the time)...bidding war ensues and it sells for the same price that most of the Seymour Duncans sell for new. They do. Ask the guy I sold a Les Paul Studio which had a set of Fralin P92 in it...I offered to switch out the pickups for about 5 or 6 options at the time (including stock Gibson) at no cost and there was no way those pickups were coming out of that guitar.

 

 

You make a lot of sense. I have Lollar P-90s in my PRS SE Singlecut and WCR Moore/Greens in my Xaviere XV900. Both are budget guitars although the PRS SE line is head and shoulders above the Xaviere. Both guitars benefitted hugely by the upgrades. I had Burstbuckers in my '06 Les Paul Std. Fine pickups but not the vintage sound I like. Installed a set of WCR Crossroads in it, again, huge difference. The boutique pickups lifted both budget and premium guitars to another level, especially in the vintage arena that I'm attracted to.

[smorgdonkey]

 

WCR Moore/Greens..........WCR Crossroads

 

 

I have had a few WCR models as well, Darkburst, Ironman, Crossroads. Excellent product. I still have a Darkburst and a Crossroads. Mr Wagner is one of the ones I was referring to who is 'lesser known' but playing 'in the same park'...Mr BG is another.

 

 

 

For those who can't hear the difference: I recommend that you don't spend the money. Do what makes you happy. I have had GFS in my house before and I will never have any again.

 

To the price point: My new set of Lollars weren't even $250 with shipping included. Furthermore, if you look long enough and hard enough, you CAN get the boutique ones for much less. I think my P92 set cost me $160. If I could get a set tomorrow for that I'd go to the bank machine right now.

[Invader.CC]

 

Yes. No. Yes. No. "She's my sister!" "She's my daughter!' "Sister!" "My daughter!" "She's my sister AND my daughter!" For someone to say that is pure cork-sniffery. There aren't any magic parts that make any PU better than another, not a '59 PAF, not a '51 Broadcaster PU, not a any. It's a matter of taste, for which there can be no argument because it is subjective. The PU's are built as as well across most companies, it's a matter of tone desired, look desired (it DOES matter) and customer service. It's absurd to arbitrarily pick or praise brands. What matters is what tone do you want? And you find all of those who offer it. then you take into account price, looks, options, etc. DiMarzio has very, very little overlap with Fralin or Lollar. DiMarzio doesn't make vintage-style PU's, some are vintage voiced, but not really vintage-spec. So, if you want classic tones, Loallr and Fralin are much more to taste. Seymour Duncan does offer vintage, but that ones that compare to Fralin and Lollar are their Antiquity series, which are higher in price. And you can always call SD's Custom Shop up and they will built you anything you want..."anytang you want, GI!"... and again the cost goes up...but you need a Rickenbacker toaster Pu in a humbucker case, they'll do it! Fralin's shop is happy to take a special order, do repairs, etc.

 

 

I don't want to start a pissing contest here but your logic my friend is flawed on this one..From what you are saying there is no difference between any pickups..

No matter if they are Squier or Epiphone pickups stock Fender or Gibson or any number of aftermarket pickups because they all use the same components..

With your line of thinking they should all sound the same..

I'm far from a cork sniffer and i have heard some outstanding pickups made by Seymour Duncan,DiMarzio,Lace and other mass manufactures..

But if there was no difference why would Duncan and DiMarzio both have custom pickups that cos as much or exceed the price of Fralin,Suhr or Lollar pickups?

I myself can not tell you why because i'm not a technical person i judge with my ears but there is no doubt that the hand wound pups just flat out sound better..

I was much like you till i had my first set of John Suhr Boutique pickups installed in a Strat.I was amazed how much better they sounded then the same voiced Vintage 60s styled Dimarzios's that they had replaced since then i have given the boutique pickups a chance and not once have i been disappointed..

 

After re reading your post i think i may have misunderstood your point ..

[Wyatt]

 

I don't want to start a pissing contest here but your logic my friend is flawed on this one..From what you are saying there is no difference between any pickups.. No matter if they are Squier or Epiphone pickups stock Fender or Gibson or any number of aftermarket pickups because they all use the same components.. With your line of thinking they should all sound the same.. I'm far from a cork sniffer and i have heard some outstanding pickups made by Seymour Duncan,DiMarzio,Lace and other mass manufactures.. But if there was no difference why would Duncan and DiMarzio both have custom pickups that cos as much or exceed the price of Fralin,Suhr or Lollar pickups? I myself can not tell you why because i'm not a technical person i judge with my ears but there is no doubt that the hand wound pups just flat out sound better.. I was much like you till i had my first set of John Suhr Boutique pickups installed in a Strat.I was amazed how much better they sounded then the same voiced Vintage 60s styled Dimarzios's that they had replaced since then i have given the boutique pickups a chance and not once have i been disappointed..

 

 

No, what I'm saying is one can't make a blanket statement that one is better than the others.

 

You wouldn't go to Fralin for a Super Distortion, nor would you go to DiMarzio for '56 Strat tone (I hope).

 

If you are NOT going for classic rock/blues rock/hard rock, chances are Fralin and Lollar have absolutely NOTHING to provide you. They do vintage-voiced PU's and ONLY vintage-voiced PU's, even their original designs and "hot" pickups still have a vintage voice.

 

I'm not saying the Fralins or Lollars are worse or even, I'm saying it all depends on what the person wants. But there is absolutely nothing about Fralin or Lollars materials or process that anyone can't replicate. I tend to buy small winders, because they wind each PU to fit my needs and guarantee it or they';ll rewind until it's perfect.

[hecticone]

Not sure if I understand anything you said or mean.

[Wyatt]

 

Not sure if I understand anything you said or mean.

 

 

yeah, that might have been because of a massive typo.

[*BLEEP*]

Ummm...

 

Does a bear defecate in the wilderness?

[billybilly]

I have not had a set of lollars yet but I am repeatedly amazed how much better my Fralins sound than my other pickups. I was thinking about it today, how can this be? Is he hiding something. He must be because they are the best pickups by a fair bit and I have tried a {censored}load. This includes some of the brands people have mentioned in this post but I don't want to name them because they are good too, just not as good.

[vintage clubber]

I remember back in the day when Dimarzio was just about the only aftermarket pickup maker out there. It's absolutely incredible how many choices are availble for aftermarket pickups in all price levels these days. If I want/need customwound stuff, I still shop for the best bang for the buck. I find that BG, Rose, and TTS are filling that niche at a very reasonable price. I don't believe for a second that their custom wound products are any less than their higher priced competitors, i.e. Fralin, Lollar, WCR, etc.

[clay sails]

Seymour Duncans are my personal favorite. High quality is high quality.

[Angry Tele]

no. Those guys will be the first to admit they owe a lot to Duncan and DiMarzio.

 

 

Pickups are such ghetto ass 1950s technology anyway.

[Busk]

So many factors to which pup is best in a particular axe. I like most of my pups that are all rather generic. The pups in my MIJ Blue Flower Tele are stock and they are awesome for that tele tone. I don't know what to tell you. I've played a lot of expensive gits with expensive pups. Also, I think Carvin AP11's sound outstanding in Bolt. Of course, I also use pretty decent tube amps which helps...

[metallica_00]

I've never owned either brand, but every single guitar I've played with Lollars has sounded REALLY good. They're expensive but if I was in the market for an upgrade I'd probably shell out for them, I think it would be worth in the long run. But pickups like the SD Antiquities have a great rep too (and aren't cheap either).

 

In a Squier, I wouldn't mess around with installing $200-300 pickups. But if you're working with a nice axe to begin with, I think it makes sense.