What are EVH Wolfgang pickups like?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rex Rocker
  • Start date Start date
Rex Rocker

Rex Rocker

Well-known member
Always wondered what these pickups are like? Anyone who can describe them and perhaps compare them to a JB/Jazz or something more common?

I'm kinda curious about dropping a set in one of my LTD's to go with my EVH amps.
 
They’ve always sounded like a more well mannered/cleaner output tonezone to my ears.
 
Balanced but less mids/more bass & treble in a good way. Full & thick sounding.
They are decent w/a nice bite.
 
Would you guys recommend them? I'm loving Fishman Fluence Classics right now, but I also like the Duncan JB. Am I to expect something along those lines or not at all?
 
Would you guys recommend them? I'm loving Fishman Fluence Classics right now, but I also like the Duncan JB. Am I to expect something along those lines or not at all?
61qaPrz2uKL._AC_SL1200_.jpg


As for the JB yeah in that genus species in kind. As for the Fishman Fluence Classics they have become my newest favorite pup as i snagged a Satchel Charvel Pro Mod w/FFC's and in my humble opinion the Fishman Fluence beat EMG/Duncan/DiMarzio combined for rock guitar. FFC are outstanding.
But again the Wolfgang are decent, its not hard to see why Ed could make them talk.
 
I’ll buck the system here and say not to get them. I’ve owned two Wolfgang’s from the original era and honestly I prefer Gibson pickups over them these days. There’s just something off on the EVH peavey pickups that I don’t like. I don’t own a guitar with them in it now and don’t plan on getting a pickup again in the future. It’s not to say they are bad sounding, but that there’s likely better out there.
 
I’ll buck the system here and say not to get them. I’ve owned two Wolfgang’s from the original era and honestly I prefer Gibson pickups over them these days. There’s just something off on the EVH peavey pickups that I don’t like. I don’t own a guitar with them in it now and don’t plan on getting a pickup again in the future. It’s not to say they are bad sounding, but that there’s likely better out there.
Thats funny ive never had a Gibson pup i could mesh with.
OP said EVH Wolfgang i was under the impression he meant the current Fender era and not PV.
Its no surprise Peavey stuff is not up to par.
 
I can only comment on the MIM Wolfgang Special, which has the overseas-made EVH "spec", so its my understanding it's not what would come in a USA, or MIJ Wolfgang, (or Peavey, for that matter). I found them somewhat abrasive, and extremely hot. I personally didn't bond with them. I didn't find them "musical", just aggressive. No real character, just hot, if that makes sense.

There's FAR better aftermarket pickups out there. I'd narrow down what you are looking to achieve, tones, etc., and look for that flavor, vs. buying blind.
 
Not a fan. I put Wolfetone Marshallheads in one of mine. The other one is pretty much a couch plinker at my folks' house when I visit them. I didn't like the pups when I had the guitar at my house and plugged in. But that guitar has the volume and resonance of an acoustic when playing unplugged, so it's fine for that. When I had a Peavey Wolf Std, I actually had a woman my mom's age come up to me at a gig and ask why my guitar sounded so fizzy. I was playing through an SLO with no effects on, so that made me really blush.
 
They sound perfect if you are going after the late EVH era tones. That's the key. I still gravitate back to my Charvel MIJ So-Cal which came loaded stock with the Tone Zone and I love it, and think it's a little more versatile for the style that I play...which is mostly rock/hard rock.
 
Not sure my opinion. I had one the original Pat. Pending Peavy Wolfgang. That thing sounded amazing to me.

The Peavey Wolfgang pickups are some of my all-time faves. Really unique sounding guitars
 
Last edited:
The Peavey Wolfgang pickups are some of my all-time faves. Really unique sounding guitars
+1

USA Peavey Wolfgangs are really great sounding guitars in stock form. One of the rare guitars that I never felt the need to change.
 
The Peaveys had A5 magnets. I posted a long thread a while back about Eddies rewound 61 PAF would have had a short A5 magnet since those were standardized by 61
 
The Peaveys had A5 magnets. I posted a long thread a while back about Eddies rewound 61 PAF would have had a short A5 magnet since those were standardized by 61
Eddie_Van_Halen_at_the_New_Haven_Coliseum.jpg


Thought Ed's original Frank had an overwound Gibson A2 wound by Seymour himself from an old ES-335 least thats what i always heard.
 
Eddie_Van_Halen_at_the_New_Haven_Coliseum.jpg


Thought Ed's original Frank had an overwound Gibson A2 wound by Seymour himself from an old ES-335 least thats what i always heard.
The rewind was because of a coil that went bad. The same pickup was used before that and was in the overwound PAF range. It is not typical to change magnets during a rewind. I don’t trust anything Duncan has to say. He released the custom in 79 I think touting it as the EVH recipe and it’s a ceramic pickup. I think the A2 was a later preference with his signature stuff. The standard long A5 and short A5 don’t sound the same. To my ears the short A5 warmer and less harsh than a standard A5 but without the looseness of an A2
 
The rewind was because of a coil that went bad. The same pickup was used before that and was in the overwound PAF range. It is not typical to change magnets during a rewind. I don’t trust anything Duncan has to say. He released the custom in 79 I think touting it as the EVH recipe and it’s a ceramic pickup. I think the A2 was a later preference with his signature stuff. The standard long A5 and short A5 don’t sound the same. To my ears the short A5 warmer and less harsh than a standard A5 but without the looseness of an A2
Well ive heard my A2 version for over 30 years and never heard your version til now so i don't know. VH tone is easy to get for me, i don't need to get hung up on "who wound what" stuff.
 
Back
Top