Nailbomb: PAF on steroids?!

[Fole 666]

Last night I had a gig here in Italy. Played my LP Custom with NBs into my modded Marshall DSL, great tone.

After the gig I talked with a guy in the audience about gear as usual and he said my tone reminded him of classic LP tones but obviously under much gain and muscle. So we switched topic on the PUs and he said that the NB reminded him of classic tones but with more punch and gain, basically PAF tones on steroids.

I never tought of them in that sense, I always associate them with a more modern sound, but thinking they're alnico 5 and they're like 2 K more than a 57 classic set maybe he's not that far off, what do you think?

[ericsabbath]

nah
can't really compare it with a '57 classic at all
it sits between the 498t and 500t voicings ands output

the vhII is a PAF on steroids
the nailbomb has the same magnet and winding specs of a vhII, but the thinner wire/high resistance makes it a much more compressed and full sounding pickup
the nailbomb is more like a PAF on mutant ninja turtle OOZE  :lol:

[TheyCallMeVolume]

I think calling a NB a PAF on steroids is a bit of a stretch. Like Eric said, a VHII would fit the description more.
Don't forget, playing or hearing something live won't give you the purest look at the pickups sound-wise.

[Telerocker]

I agree. VHII is a PAF on steroids, or the Abraxas.

[Fole 666]

Yeah, that's what I tought too....I bought them for the very reason they're modern but still has that vintage feel, like a best of both worlds that is perfect for what i play.

But call me crazy but lately I'm hearing a bit of Randy Rhoads when I plug the Custom in my friends JMP!

[darrenw5094]

But call me crazy but lately I'm hearing a bit of Randy Rhoads when I plug the Custom in my friends JMP!

Crazy Fole 666  :P

[gwEm]

a humbucker loaded les paul into a marshall amp will always have that classic tone, no matter what the pickups.

many factors can and do disguise the source of tone, but 'les paul ness' is often something that comes through to the ear - that big lump of mahogany with the maple cap. Not many other guitars do it that way.

maybe the audience guy was hearing that..!?

[Fole 666]

a humbucker loaded les paul into a marshall amp will always have that classic tone, no matter what the pickups.

Yeah, I think that's the point!

[ericsabbath]

Yeah, that's what I tought too....I bought them for the very reason they're modern but still has that vintage feel, like a best of both worlds that is perfect for what i play.

But call me crazy but lately I'm hearing a bit of Randy Rhoads when I plug the Custom in my friends JMP!

well... considering Randy Rhoads had a mid booster AND a distortion pedal in front of a modded/hot rodded JMP...

[Duke Hunt]

Budd Royce the Canadian dealer for BKP used the exact same expression "Nailbomb is a PAF on steroids". So he's not the only one who thinks that  8)

[ericsabbath]

"paf on steroids" is the most generic and common description for a lot of humbuckers
just like the "hot rodded marshall" that people use for a lot of completely different amps that sound nothing like an actual marshall
technically, all dual bobbin 12-pole humbuckers are "pafs" with or without steroids and most modern overdriven amps are "hot rodded marshalls"

[Cpt_Gonzo]

It's definately the guitar that makes the PAF tone. "Paf tone"...

I have Holy Divers in my Les Paul. If I turn the volume down a bit I can still get that Kossoff or Felder tone.
Are HDs "PAFs on steroids"? Nah...

[darkbluemurder]

Are HDs "PAFs on steroids"? Nah...

They are definitely not. Bridge is way hotter and middier, neck is cleaner and has less mids and bass.
The A-Bomb does not sound like a PAF to my ears, either, but then I did not try it in a typical "PAF environment".

Cheers Stephan