JWP Godwood in LP vs Wolftones Timbrewolf in LP.. thoughts?

Bash_Man

Bash_Man

Well-known member
So I've been rocking the Wolftones Timrewolf in my LP Classic for some time now, and it sounds great. But I've been wanting to try the JWP Godwood set in the LP Classic.

Any thoughts on the difference in sound/tone between the 2 for those who have had a chance to try both pickups ?

I know tone is a personal taste, but just looking to get some ideas and thoughts here.

Cheers and thanks.
 
Currently am contemplating replacing the Wolfetones in my Kauer Banshee with A Godwood/Crossroads set. The Wolfetones are ok but a bit anemic in that guitar. I have that Wagner set in 2 historic LPs and they are pretty badass
 
I can only answer half of the question but I have a Godwood in the bridge position of an LP. The Godwood is of P.A.F. lineage obviously but with a little more lower mid meat and a little less top end sting than most other pickups in this category. It's a perfect fit for my particular brightly voiced LP.
 
I had the Godwood set in my Les Paul Classic about ten years ago. I personally found it to be a bit fuzzy sounding. Something in the low mids I think. It always sounded undefined to me. I know people love them though. Just my experience. I much prefer the BKP Mules and Riff Raff sets or the Duncan Antiquities.
 
Godwoods are one of the best bridge pickups available for an LP.

The timbre wolf is a good option, and a good sounding pickup, but that's like comparing a Volkswagen to Ferrari - they'll both get you from point a to point b, and they're both well above the average, but one is close to best in class.

The only LP pickup I would prefer above a godwood is one of Scott's roxys, but I STILL have godwoods in one of my main Les Paul's - they're the Goldilocks of hot PAFs

The only caution I would toss out there is that the Godwood is really sensitive to pick attack, and especially the low mids can be hard to control if your rhythm technique isn't really really developed. That's not a diss at all, some people just prefer more compression to synergize with their style.

If that's your playing style though, I would go for something much hotter than a godwood or timbre wolf anyways because neither one is going to suit you.
 
DanTravis62 said:
The only caution I would toss out there is that the Godwood is really sensitive to pick attack, and especially the low mids can be hard to control if your rhythm technique isn't really really developed. That's not a diss at all, some people just prefer more compression to synergize with their style.
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That's true but some guitars naturally have a more compressed, creamy and sustain laden response as opposed to a more percussive, dry and immediate feel. The same pickup can literally feel easier to play and control on one guitar vs. another.
 
thegame said:
That's true but some guitars naturally have a more compressed, creamy and sustain laden response as opposed to a more percussive, dry and immediate feel. The same pickup can literally feel easier to play and control on one guitar vs. another.
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I agree, but ive also played the timbre wolf in 3 guitars and godwoods in 9 or 10 (or something like that) - godwoods are really, really popular for a reason

so i'm quite confident in what i've heard them in, from lawsuit ibanez and grecos to R9s. There are variations and deviations, but a godwood bridge is pretty "singular" in how it behaves. It's pretty distinguishable, even from similarly voiced pickups of other brands.
 
Thanks guys. Appriciate the feedback. I think you've built a stronger case for me to get it to try.

I'll have to reach out to Jim to see what he recommends with the Godwood for the neck. Looking for something balanaced level wise. Right now I think I have the marshallhead in the neck, and it sounds great. very clean, but the level difference between the neck and bridge and definitly noticable.
 
It’s pretty apples vs oranges the 2 pickups you’re asking about since the Timbre Wolf is a lot hotter with different intentions for it. Fwiw I prefer the Darkburst to the Godwood or Ice Bucker. If you’re looking for authentic PAF tones the WCR’s, MCP’s and BKP’s really are nothing like it (I have now 3 real ‘50’s Gibson PAF’s and have borrowed 3 others to compare with in the same guitar), but they are tighter with harder attack than real PAF’s, so it can work more easily for metal guys. Not that this is good or bad, but I feel it necessary to mention that guys often get it very wrong when they describe some recent pickups as sounding PAF-like. The ones I’ve had that really do have the same voicing/flavor (but not the same 3D Magic or rawness) are the Tone Specific’s, Virgil Arlo, Klein, and I’d guess Ron Ellis (but haven’t tried them). I don’t think many guys here would love those, but that’s IME the paf flavor having real ones as references to go by

For current made pickups WCR’s are quite good (especially for the price), but not the best out there I’ve had IME. If you’re looking for something lower DC like the Godwood there are many ‘70’s and ‘80’s pickups I’ve mentioned in other threads for a similar price or less to WCR’s that smoke them imho for tone quality, more organic and just being more inspiring to play through
 
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braintheory said:
If you’re looking for something lower DC like the Godwood there are many ‘70’s and ‘80’s pickups I’ve mentioned in other threads for a similar price or less to WCR’s that smoke them imho for tone quality and just being more inspiring to play through
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I’ve prob tried 2 dozen bridge pickups in my older R8 and the Godwood is the best I’ve had in there by a mile. Tried 4 of the Bare Knuckle offerings and didn’t like any of them—at all. I would love to hear what you’ve used that ‘smokes’ the GW cause I will give them a whirl.
 
tallcoolone said:
I’ve prob tried 2 dozen bridge pickups in my older R8 and the Godwood is the best I’ve had in there by a mile. Tried 4 of the Bare Knuckle offerings and didn’t like any of them—at all. I would love to hear what you’ve used that ‘smokes’ the GW cause I will give them a whirl.
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Just to be clear I used to be a huge fan of WCR’s and they were my favorites for a while and would agree they smoke anything by BKP, MCP and many current brands. To be able to better recommend you stuff, I’d need more info on what qualities in sound and feel you want in your pickups, but here are some I’d consider better:

The following from the ‘70’s/‘80’s: Tim Shaw PAF’s, Japanese PAF’s, Hagstrom humbuckers (some late ‘60’s), Gretsch Humbuckers (‘60’s Supertrons and ‘50’s PAF’s are my favorites), ‘60’s Guild Humbuckers, Schaller low output humbuckers, Tone Specific Bloombuckers or Twang sets, Virgil Arlo

None of them exactly have the same voicing as a Godwood, some can be close, but all of them IME win in having more complexity/richness to tone, more nuance around the notes and sound more organic/raw partly since most of those are vintage pickups. There’s lots of other great vintage and affordable pickups I love, but nothing at all like a Godwood or PAF. Some vintage pickups got very underrated I’d guess since they came in guitars that weren’t great, so we assumed the pickup probably wasn’t great either lol
 
braintheory said:
Just to be clear I used to be a huge fan of WCR’s and they were my favorites for a while and would agree they smoke anything by BKP, MCP and many current brands. To be able to better recommend you stuff, I’d need more info on what qualities in sound and feel you want in your pickups, but here are some I’d consider better:

The following from the ‘70’s/‘80’s: Tim Shaw PAF’s, Japanese PAF’s, Hagstrom humbuckers (some late ‘60’s), Gretsch Humbuckers (‘60’s Supertrons and ‘50’s PAF’s are my favorites), ‘60’s Guild Humbuckers, Schaller low output humbuckers, Tone Specific Bloombuckers or Twang sets, Virgil Arlo

None of them exactly have the same voicing as a Godwood, some can be close, but all of them IME win in having more complexity/richness to tone, more nuance around the notes and sound more organic/raw partly since most of those are vintage pickups. There’s lots of other great vintage and affordable pickups I love, but nothing at all like a Godwood or PAF. Some vintage pickups got very underrated I’d guess since they came in guitars that weren’t great, so we assumed the pickup probably wasn’t great either lol
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My experience with vintage pickups is that they are incredibly inconsistent and expensive. New only for me
 
tallcoolone said:
My experience with vintage pickups is that they are incredibly inconsistent and expensive. New only for me
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Well the majority of what I mentioned are cheaper than WCR (kind of my point here) and consistent IME. I literally compare them in the same exact guitars to be sure of that (I nerd out about that stuff hard lol) and even so they’re at least consistently great and better sounding and feeling than the new stuff IME. That part IME is at least a safe bet. I find when directly compared the newer pickups just sound bland, sterile/flat/dead, not nearly as inspiring for me to play through. They spoil me lol. They sound and feel so much more alive to me. Tone Specific and Virgil Arlo are new, but they are expensive. Is what it is

I’ve been through 100’s of vintage pickups these last almost 3 years now. Sure they vary and there are some I don’t like (didn’t name them), but I’d still take the less good sounding examples I’ve had of the models I do like over any of these new pickups mentioned. I think this “inconsistent” part is just a lame marketing strategy some of these current winders use to discourage getting vintage pickups like what Wagner says about real PAF’s on his site. Not true at all IME. I compared 6 real 50’s PAF’s in 2 of the exact same guitars and yes there was some variation, but all of them sounded overall very similar and no recent made pickup I’ve tried could hold a candle to them (I did my homework comparing like that too)
 
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I have the American Steele set (Goodwood/crossroads) in my ‘99 Les Paul Classic for a number of years and they’re not coming out. I wouldn’t put them in the PAF zone as they’re hotter than that but they’re fantastic sounding.

I have the Wolfetone Legends in another LP and they sound really good. I also had a set of Wolfetone Dr V’s but found them lacking push for what I want. That’s the thing - it depends what you’re after.

My HSS strat style guitar has Suhr pickups which are yet another flavour still.

Something to consider but only a part of the puzzle - Wolfetone aren’t potted whereas WCR/JWP pickups are. You might prefer potted if you play with a good amount of gain.
 
Bash_Man said:
Thanks guys. Appriciate the feedback. I think you've built a stronger case for me to get it to try.

I'll have to reach out to Jim to see what he recommends with the Godwood for the neck. Looking for something balanaced level wise. Right now I think I have the marshallhead in the neck, and it sounds great. very clean, but the level difference between the neck and bridge and definitly noticable.
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As mentioned, do the "american steele" set with a crossroads in the neck and a godwood in the bridge if you're going to do a Godwood in the bridge
 
braintheory said:
Well the majority of what I mentioned are cheaper than WCR (kind of my point here) and consistent IME. I literally compare them in the same exact guitars to be sure of that (I nerd out about that stuff hard lol) and even so they’re at least consistently great and better sounding and feeling than the new stuff IME. That part IME is at least a safe bet. I find when directly compared the newer pickups just sound bland, sterile/flat/dead, not nearly as inspiring for me to play through. They spoil me lol. They sound and feel so much more alive to me. Tone Specific and Virgil Arlo are new, but they are expensive. Is what it is

I’ve been through 100’s of vintage pickups these last almost 3 years now. Sure they vary and there are some I don’t like (didn’t name them), but I’d still take the less good sounding examples I’ve had of the models I do like over any of these new pickups mentioned. I think this “inconsistent” part is just a lame marketing strategy some of these current winders use to discourage getting vintage pickups like what Wagner says about real PAF’s on his site. Not true at all IME. I compared 6 real 50’s PAF’s in 2 of the exact same guitars and yes there was some variation, but all of them sounded overall very similar and no recent made pickup I’ve tried could hold a candle to them (I did my homework comparing like that too)
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It's definitely true in my experience :dunno:

I've played some really terrible vintage pickups - including an original 1959 PAF that sounded like complete shit, and multiple mighty mites and

Granted, yes the other two PAFs that i've played were amazing, and half of the dearmonds/bill lawrence have been good as well, but "inconsistency" isn't just a meme or marketing speak, it's the literal definition of "only half of them were amazing"
 
Never tried Wolfetones but have used and own many Wagners. My fave bridge pickups are the Darkburst and the Iron Man. But I didn't get along with the Godwood bridge.

For a less-aggressive lower-output approach, the Darkburst bridge is magic. It has a balanced EQ spectrum with a slight boost in the upper mids. And it's plenty tight in the low end. But the Darkburst's best trick is it's character, dynamics and sustain. There's something really special going on with this pickup that makes it one of the most fun pickups to play through a high-gain valve amp.

For all out attack and grind, the Iron Man bridge is king. It's kind of like an EMG-fix-all approach but with far more grind and organic quality than any EMG I've tried. And it still has some of the singing character of the Darkburst bridge for single-note stuff on the treble strings. But the lows and midrange are pure evil. This pickup hits like a sledgehammer. Thick & chewy, and yet percussive at the same time. My fave bridge pickup for metal.

My fave Wagner neck goes to the Darkburst neck.
 
Classic said:
Something to consider but only a part of the puzzle - Wolfetone aren’t potted whereas WCR/JWP pickups are. You might prefer potted if you play with a good amount of gain.
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Yeah the first one I got from Wofltones squealed like a piggy. Wolf him self called me after I emailed him and offered to send me a potted replacement, install it and test it at no cost.. and if I was happy with it (which i was) then I'd send him the original one back. needless to say it did fix the squealing issue.
 
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