Collings I35-LC - Lollar Imperials vs Throbak SLE101plus pickups

Comparing the stock Lollar Imperials to the Throbak SLE101plus pickups in my Collings I35LC
Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue
Shure SM57 into Presonus AudioBox 22VSL
Pedals:
Dirty Little Secret
EP Booster
Hall of Fame Reverb

[@michaelgurlea9752]

Great good demo thanks! Great playing and a very good comparison. I like the way you played the same piece for each pickup. I know it took a lot of effort to do this, and the result is one of the best comparisons between these two brands I have heard. In my head I wanted to like the Throbaks more but my ears give the nod to Lollars. Both are great picks ups and it is a matter of personal preference.

[@timwhite5562]

THIS is how a pickup shootout demo should be. Different pickups but in the same guitar. Typically the first would be in the semi hollow Collins but then they'd play the other ones in a completely different guitar. Many times the guitars wouldn't be in even similar types of guitars. If you don't have any experience with one or both guitars you'd have no benchmark to really judge them by.

[@bennettmatte]

Lollars sound like a more modern pickup, more defined and "sharp" sound. ThroBaks sound more vintage, with lots of harmonics and a warm open sound. Love the ThroBaks!

[@spumagu5225]

Hello Charlie Mac, These two were the options for a Collings build, and this video helped in deciding which set to order. Thank you for this.

[@johndefoe4584]

The Comparison was really good, but the blues playing was freaking great, and I'm going to copy it all! Hope your still around and post some more.....

[@MrCopperthwaite]

That's my kind of guitar-playing. Plenty of guts. The Lollars for me. And that guitar, just beautiful.

[@wendelllanders8439]

Lollars!!Hands down.Much better clarity and tone!!

[@fourthofseven]

Extremely well done comparison! To my ears the Lollars are best

[@donmarco5364]

Great playing! Lollar are the best for me!!!

[@TheNego]

I really prefer the Lollars, they are much more clear and decisive. The Throbak's get really muddy into some gain for some reason I like to hear each individual note. But that's my opinion.

[@petergraham9267]

Jason Jorgensen really interesting! Given the reputation Throbak have (and the price!), I’ll take the Lollar please! Much clearer and more articulate IMHO 😊👍

[@luckyrocks1]

Love the Throbak's

[@chrismcmahon7917]

I have Overwound Lollar Imperials in one of my guitars. Amazing

[@EricCraigMusic]

Lollars are more modern and compressed. I have both. Both sound great. I prefer the Throbak personally. But I know a lot of guys like the Lollars. I like the openness of the Throbaks.

[@timwhite5562]

The Imperial Low Winds have more of that open tone.

[@Joska43]

Absolutely! Remeber first time i played LW, "clarity like Strat" ,richnes of harmonics, never before heard overtones ++++++WINER!!

[@drewbarries]

Eric Craig I’m with you Man, apparently we’re in the minority. I own an I35 Deluxe with Lollers, they’re wax potted and sound good but I am likely going to swap them out for the more vintage unpotted SLE101s eventually.

[@rhum66]

lollars over throbak, no doubt for me.

[@PeachEater81]

Wow, those throbaks!

[@jcroopjr]

While I have the lollar Imperials in my 1970 Les Paul, I am really a Lindy fralin fan at heart. I've had fralins in a couple of other Les Paul's and in my Strat and in my 1973 ES-335. They are really hard to beat and you can get Lindy to wind them anyway you want so he is really open to suggestion and he's got a lot of fantastic suggestions himself.

[@finoroverato7640]

Yes to Lindy!

[@cgavin1]

Throbak neck, Lollar bridge. Although I have to say that every guitar is differently voiced with its own EQ bias. Very few are 'neutral', so you can always tweak things like pots, magnets, caps etc.

[@jessicasimmons4932]

Wow - I completely disagree with the comments here. I expected to like the Throbaks better, but the Lollars sound better in this guitar. There is more "air" in the Lollars and they sound more open. The Throbaks sound slightly boxy in comparison. Lollars for the win.

[@thesjkexperience]

I agree. It does seem like the Throbaks have more output and I think that is what the people who like the Throbaks enjoy. I prefer to hear the wood with the Lollars. I need to figure out how to build one of these as they sound so great.

[@MrSonicAlchemy]

I'm with Jessica on this. The Lollars are more articulate and less boxy. I'm really surprised at all the comments that favor the Throwbacks.

[@treatb09]

At times i thought the lollars were sterile and the throwbacks to be thicker and creamier. At times the lollars were hotter and the throwbacks weaker. For the neck i liked the throwback more. I am neck position guy. But as far as neck sound my 59 es 125's p90 is amazing. Dont hardly even touch my les pauls anymore.

[@shred5]

I have really liked what I've heard from Throbaks, but I haven't seen anything to justify them being $200 more than Lollars which sound every bit as good and arguably better. I've heard other comparisons, and thought the same. With OD, the Lollars do take a clear win or me.

[@davidfellows6250]

Yeah what you said. I listened first thinking that pup 2 had the lollars as i was thinking of getting a set of thobacks. But yeah lollar wins as more paf sounding. Tho backs are over wound... i think

[@jonathanmartin7003]

I can't really tell the difference. I'd be happy with either. You can make one sound more like the other by playing with tone controls and the amp.

[@paulcowart3174]

I like the Lollars for PAFs but Throbak has an early reincarnation called the DS55 that have no pole pieces Sorta the missing link between P90s and PAFs Pricey but I think I'm going to try them What I heard I really liked

[@B2Rockin]

Love the BlackBerry Smoke at the end!! 🤘🏻🔥😎🔥🤘🏻

[@tim2468]

Channeling Billy G so well!

[@TheNego]

Great feel man, you have some real talent! Thanks for sharing your video!

[@BwanaTube]

The Lollars consistently sound clearer, more detailed and complex than any other PAF style pickup in every demo I've heard (and I've heard a lot). That suits my style perfectly. The fact the the Throbacks sell for over $200 more than the Lollars is laughable to me, as they sound really murky to me.

[@JAW114]

Throbaks sound awesome but I just love the clarity, clear sound and percussion of the Lollars. I think the Lollars are a bit more versatile since i can add some gain with a pedal if I want a hint of grit that the throbaks - so i;d rather have the Lollars as my baseline tone. But cant go wrong with either and it defintiely depends what kind of music you play. If i was all rock then Throbaks might be the easy decision.

[@Bluefinger]

I love the lollars. Do you know if they are the regular ones or the low winds? I assume they are not overwounds thanks!

[@shred5]

The biggest difference is the middle position and it's not in overall tone, it's just the Lollar bridge is louder in contrast to the Lollar neck. Turning the bridge down to about 8 would make it sound much more like the Throak (or same by turning the neck on the Throbak down to 8). I prefer the more bridge heavy sound of the Lollars generally though.

[@BrazosP]

If you want a throaty sound Throbacks. I personally liked the Lollars better

[@patshep68]

that's the tune that made me start to play guitar, nice job with it....

[@gerardmanjoue]

Throbak are awesome, perfect paf "sensation" Lollar are too bassy and too definite. Throbak win ! Thks for posting, very interesting test

[@jeremiahmccann83]

Crazy, I thought for sure Id go Throbak but I like the Lollars much better!

[@joskal1965]

Clarity & explosively of Lollars are light year ahead

[@gibson3798]

Did you specify Low Wind or Reg. Wind Lollars?

[@chrisandjessicalonn4351]

Both are good pickups but I vote for the Lollars as having the edge in tone.

[@danbelladonna792]

Clean neck lollar was really good

[@SIXSTRING63]

Well, comparing the price of $165 for a Lollar and $265 for the Throbak I would go for the Lollar. Sounds as good if not better. I wind my own pickups and to be honest, average Joe playing into a Line 6 or similar amp with heavy distortion could not tell a Throwbak or Lollar from a real '59 PAF to a $35 GFS. Seasoned players with a lot of experience with good gear and amps are the ones who can tell the difference. Both of these sound great but the hefty price of the Throbaks is tough to justify.

[@101xaplax101]

SIXSTRING63 i totally agree. if you are playing rock with distortion then there is no difference between those pickups. guitars are a lot like cars and motorcycles. people enjoy "upgrading" parts and personalizing them.

[@rom661]

I kind of doubt that the guy contemplating these is running into a line 6. I am and have a Carr Rambler and Skylark and a Sky King Tone King. Play mostly clean. Funny how I like the Lollar better on neck, Throbak better on both...

[@bonnivilleblackcherry9745]

With your comment you have let the world know you're ummmmmm lets find the word... oh i found it...DUMBASS.

[@anaxi7090]

Marvellous pickups : Virgil ARLO 1959 Model P.A.F.- Humbuckers replacement Set

[@Rich915]

Most seem to prefer the Lollars. I think if you were use the Thro-Bak SLE-101’s, rather than the ‘Plus’ model, the clarity would become more apparent with the orig SLE-101’s ~ just sayin’…?

[@klepetar]

very interestind..thanks for going through the trouble ..

[@acoustic61]

Do most prefer the LC vs the solid wood model?

[@jcshirke]

Were the stock pickups Lollar low winds? Also, for all the hair-splitting comments about which pickups are better, couldn't some of the supposed differences people are perceiving be due to slightly different mic placement or amp settings? Or are they 100% identical? Even slight changes on the tone or volume pots on the guitar will make a difference on each pickup. Great demo overall. I just don't think there is an obvious "winner".

[@anaxi7090]

KZbin Pre-T-301 Humbucker pickups played by Tyler C.Powers. ThrõBak Pre-T 301 pickups with short A5(bridge) and short A2(neck) magnets in a 1968 ES-335.

[@claudecarrier5463]

I prefer the Lollars

[@TheVigilantStewards]

On the neck pickup, I like the string definition and clarity in the low end, the attack, the upper mid range punch, and woodiness of the Throbaks. It sounds like though especially for Alnico V they are a bit treble dominant but not necessarily in a bad way....... it made me wonder if they should have been a bit closer to the string? That would bring back a bit of hotness and mids in comparison to the Lollars.

[@lawlaw1]

Throwback are def. brighter and more articulate

[@levispaargaren]

Did you listen to the same thing as i did :P ?

[@Mark70609]

Agreed I listen to the first chord over and over again. The Throbak neck pickup is brighter than the Lollar. The Lollar does sound as you'd expect from a low output humbucker, I did notice a hint of honkiness in the Throbak neck pickup which some may not have liked. It is brighter and more articulate.

[@todd.goslin6190]

Blue jean blues needs a strat....which pickups do you prefer?

[@worldwide_will]

What a nice guitar and playing!

[@CenCalPlayer65]

Both are good pickups...prefer the Lollars in the LC guitars...think the Throbaks sound better in the solid wood guitars...have an I35 Deluxe on the way with the Throbaks......Throbaks in a City Limits are flat stunning,....next purchase :)

[@kennethkillion7275]

Which Throbaks did you put in your I35 Deluxe? How did it work out? Thank you.

[@yjm100playloud]

Awesome demo. What is the first song did you played

[@CharlieMac1977]

Blue Jean blues by ZZ Top. RIP Dusty

[@aaronbrown0417]

The throbaks have just a hair bit more air n snap to them. ... but it's not very noticeable. .... both really good pickups. ...throbak are better though

[@paullazarus790]

Lollars by a mile! A lot clearer note definition and character. I assume the throbaks are overwound and that probably adds to the lesser clarity.

[@yobhsiFehT]

Everything sounds SUPER dark to me, for one thing. Throbaks sound very slightly more open or "natural," I think, but A.) it's negligible, and B.) I could be totally biased since they're made like a mile from my house and I love my city O:) lol Anyway, great playing regardless, and thanks for posting!

[@spirit-thieves47]

He's playing with a coiled cable, which darkens the tone considerably. Something I just learned, oddly enough, wondering why my Louis Electric KR12 was sounding so muffled. Read about the coiled cabled sucking highs, swapped it out, lo and behold, tone came alive. For reals.

[@philleatham3670]

Beautiful playing! What is the first song?

[@CharlieMac1977]

+Philip Leatham ZZ Top - Blue Jean Blues

[@ro307805]

Great playing . Nice guitar

[@bobbymack12]

Throbaks definitely the superior sounding bucker. Lollar makes great P=90s and Strat sets Dirty Blondes) but Throbaks rule the aftermarket PAF style humbucker world imho...

[@G5Hohn]

Lollars sound great, throbaks even better...

[@Woolecox]

Throbaks

[@wesleypruett2154]

It's all subjective to the player/listener, but given that the Throbaks are now $529 a pair, the gap widens even further. For what you are playing in this guitar, to me the Lollars are the better fit. Both bridge pickups seem pretty thin in the highs, the Throbaks slightly less so. Throbaks always seem darker and muddier to me no matter what the application. Over the years I've tried them in numerous guitars and found them to be.... uninspiring. Having given up on Gibson ever being able to build a quality guitar even at the RIDICULOUS money they are now charging, I pretty much exclusively play Collings CLD's and I-35 Dlx's and in the end Bare Knuckle Mules win every time. BTW... nice chops! Love.Me.Some.ZZTop. :)

[@ChristopherFreedom]

Wesley Pruett You are spot on!

[@LfunkeyA]

oh come, you're acting like the custom shop Rx's from Gibson are garbage. almost all of them are great guitars, sure R9s and R0s are overpriced, but R8s, 7s or earlier are often just as good. any boutique redesign of the les paul can be superior, but if you want a 'real' les paul, Gibson Custom does its job.

[@jcroopjr]

Personally I think the Lollars sound much better than the Throbak's. They seem to be more even across the spectrum of tone. I have them in my 1970 Les Paul and I couldn't be happier.

[@TheDavey700]

THROBAKS ALL THE WAY

[@AllenPinchloaf]

Check out the Lindy Fralin Pure PAF.

[@joeschmoe1301]

Throbaks sound muddy. Lollars sound MUCH nicer in this application.

[@bonnivilleblackcherry9745]

Both sound fucking great. But like pick ups its what sound you are looking for over all. I bought a cheap ass $199 (NEW) strat looking chinese made solo guitar 8-10 yrs ago with unknow pickups and to this day it is the best sounding guitar I own. The body is basswood with a mystery veneer lol. I think rock maple when I stripped it down from a gay blue to paint it a deeper blue. I'll be learning a new tune on my 5th ave or tele and I'd be thinking fuk I need my chinese doll (nicname on her) for this but sometimes Im to comfortable/lazy to get up lol. The sound we like is the sound we like. And that can change from song to song. As for a waste of money a collings? Dam a DOT sounds as good. has the same sound and unless you baby your guitars, an epiphone holds up better. Sold my collings to buy a gun and DOT and had enough for a few rounds of ammo. Sounds just as good if not better. Sold the dot though to help go towards a 5th ave uptown :D sound better than either.

[@bonedar333]

throbaks sound too muddy

[@deej19142]

34,278 views and only 82 likes? Are people that lazy to push a button? Wow

[@firstname_rene]

lmao, both sounds great... pretty much splitting hairs

[@chrismcmahon7917]

The Throwbacks sound like Jimmy Page LOL

[@Tonetwisters]

I wish people would tune their guitars before they turn on the camera. The Lollars def have more highs, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

[@klepetar]

after listening this in my headphones..i would say the lollars are much better..with my 'trained ear'..it seems that the throbak sound like the seymour duncan alnico pros.. you need a 'bright' character guitar wiht those

[@timwhite5562]

Plus the Collins semi hollow is brighter than a 335. Closer to a 339. So if someone putting them in a 335 they'll be darker. I don't know how the tone pots are wired either, 300k or 500k.

[@Earlvis]

Well since I wind my own PAF’s, I actually like mine better 😁

[@stephenfeldman8104]

Are you building PAFs as a hobby or a business?

[@Earlvis]

A little of both.

[@AGC828]

Collings guitars...electric or acoustic...seem to "sing" more than most others jto my ears. More even than a Martin acoustic. Other brands might be able to give you the tones and have good biuild quality. But for me lack the "musicality" and don't "sing".

[@Joska43]

Keep stock one

[@daijones101]

The Lollar sounds better

[@hyperben1985]

Throbak might be more like an original PAF, but even a real PAF might not sound as good as the lollar. Extreme rarity and high value doesn't equal great tone in all applications and playing styles.

[@azguitar]

Throbaks by a mile.

[@ChristopherFreedom]

Both of these pickups are mediocre pickups at best.. In this demonstration the Lollars offer a broader spectrum of tones with better articulation and note definition than the Throbaks do.. however if you really want the best sounding pickups for your money go with either Bare Knuckle, Tom Holmes or SD (Stephen Design) pickups they are all three in a league of their own and in honesty the Lollars and Throbaks pale in comparison!

[@Ganache30]

Christopher Freedom I’ve owned unpotted Bare Knuckles in a 339 (with upgrades electronics - 500k pots etc) and they were too brittle and ice pickups sounding. But in another guitar a different story.

[@rcnation8910]

Pickup height is obvious different just in the video, Just another pointless comparison. Thanks for nothing.