Favourite PAF Humbucker

[Stone]

Stone wants to Know what your Fav PAF Humbuckers are and why ?

Discuss

Cheers
Mike

 

[Stone]

No Love for PAF's?

 

[la szum]

Need to check the Active Pickups thread!!

 

[Jarick]

Stone wants to Know what your Fav PAF Humbuckers are and why ?

Discuss

Cheers
Mike

I've had so many it's hard to keep track. Here's what I have now:

Suhr Thornbuckers - great for a modern take on PAF's. The bridge is a little bit hotter and more mid focused and the neck is a little clearer. Sometimes I do think they are a bit boring but usually they solve whatever issues PAF's might have (neck too fat or bridge too bright). I have them in and out of my PRS CE-24. Currently out but about to go back in.

Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 Pro - nice modern version of early PAF's. These have A2 magnets like Seth Lovers but with things like short legs, 4-conductor wiring, and wax potting. They don't have as much mojo but I like them a lot in my Les Paul. A2 PAF's that are wound too hot in the neck are mud city but these are more mellow and keep some clarity. And the bridge isn't overly bright, although it leans that direction. Seth Lovers and Antiquities are in the same ballpark I think.

Dimarzio PAF 36th - another modern take on PAF's. Bridge is hotter and tweaked a bit so it sounds great for rock all the way up to higher gain. Pickups have the air technology so especially in the neck it's less prone to being muddy in darker guitars. They're just really good all around pickups especially for anything rock (classic to heavy). I also have the PAF Master neck which is similar but I believe lower wind, so it's a little brighter and clearer.

Friedman Classic - Dave Friedman describes them as PAF's with more balls. I have the one with the "Plus" bridge. It's in the same ballpark as the Dimarzios but more classic construction. Not as scooped and bright as Duncan 59's. Just a little hotter than vintage.

P.S. if you're looking for a pair and don't need things like original boxes, I'm not using the Friedmans and can give you a nice price for them.

If there's specific ones you're interested in, mention them and I might have tried them. I've been through a lot (outside the boutique ones).

 

[jellodog]

Lollar Low Wind Imperial Humbucker, especially if your guitar is dark.

You probably already noticed that I'm all about the "lower winds and lower output means more beautiful and complex tone" thing?

Well... that.

Way better than the stock Gibson pups, anyway. It fixed a dark flubby neck pickup in a Gibson Les Paul that we used to have here, before we went all Strat-slutty.

 

[Stone]

P.S. if you're looking for a pair and don't need things like original boxes, I'm not using the Friedmans and can give you a nice price for them.

Ahh no have a pair of tone rider 59 classic PAF they sound really good was just curious as to what else everyone likes uses or has used

 

[metropolis_4]

I haven’t experimented with humbuckers as much, but I am about to begin this journey.

I’ve found a way to make the Burstbucker 61r/t pickups in my LP at least bearable… but it’s time to replace them.

One thing I do know I love is a Duncan Jazz in the neck of an LP!

I’m looking at low wind Imperials, Stormy Mondays, Dr Vintage, Lambertones, and maybe Throbak… but I’m not sure which to go with

 

[Blix]

Best I've tried are Monty's and Wizz.

 

[DrewJD82]

I don't know how truly PAF-like they are, but I'm a huge fan of the Dimarzio PAF Pros. They used to come in all the JEMs before the Evolution was a pickup and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some for my JEM because I'm tired of only touching that guitar for leads. I used that guitar for my high school metal band and jazz band and those pickups worked great in both settings. (Because I never would have brought my Metal Zone to jazz band..... )

 

[jellodog]

If you noticed me mentioning Lollar a lot on this forum:

Every single time I buy pickups from another manufacturer I regret the purchase, and end up with Lollars anyway. I probably seem like a total fan-boi, I know.

 

[duzie]

I’ve only got these in my SG so…
I’ll say these are my favorite

 

[Blix]

I don't know how truly PAF-like they are, but I'm a huge fan of the Dimarzio PAF Pros. They used to come in all the JEMs before the Evolution was a pickup and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some for my JEM because I'm tired of only touching that guitar for leads. I used that guitar for my high school metal band and jazz band and those pickups worked great in both settings. (Because I never would have brought my Metal Zone to jazz band..... )

PAF Pro's aren't all that PAF'y, but they sound great! I have one in the Ibanez in my Avatar at the moment.

 

[Stone]

Lollar Imperials are often mentioned on many places always get stellar reviews by the users
other ones are the Slash Alnico II, Dimarzio 36 Seth lovers as well
certainly no lack of different flavors

 

[la szum]

I don't know how truly PAF-like they are, but I'm a huge fan of the Dimarzio PAF Pros. They used to come in all the JEMs before the Evolution was a pickup and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get some for my JEM because I'm tired of only touching that guitar for leads. I used that guitar for my high school metal band and jazz band and those pickups worked great in both settings. (Because I never would have brought my Metal Zone to jazz band..... )

In 1990 I put a Pink one of those in my Ibanez RG750---because Satriani.

That's when I realized it was not hot enough for this guy not named "Joe Satriani."
I recorded plenty with that guitar so can still hear me struggling with it. It wasn't as
hot as the Ibanez FZ I took out---and still can recall my regret.

Was purdy, though.

 

[la szum]

PAF Pro's aren't all that PAF'y, but they sound great! I have one in the Ibanez in my Avatar at the moment.

As I related above, it was too PAF-y for me back in the day. Slightly overwound PAF vibe
as I recall. I know for sure it was NOT super hot. Not the way I remember it. Less than 9K
and probably in the 8.5 range. Just guessing.

 

[la szum]

Lollar Imperials are often mentioned on many places always get stellar reviews by the users
other ones are the Slash Alnico II, Dimarzio 36 Seth lovers as well
certainly no lack of different flavors

We have had 65 years of guys loving PAFs, and then hating PAFs, and then loving them again. So yeah,
no shortage of recreation attempts, improvement attempts, and recreations of improvement attempts.

 

[Blix]

As I related above, it was too PAF-y for me back in the day. Slightly overwound PAF vibe
as I recall. I know for sure it was NOT super hot. Not the way I remember it. Less than 9K
and probably in the 8.5 range. Just guessing.

Listed at 8.4k, output at 300. Their PAF 36th is 8.6k and have an 285 output. Listening at DLR ETAS, which has PAF Pros all over it, Vai hasn't all that much gain going at times, scary chops! :)

 

[Stone]

That's when I realized it was not hot enough for this guy not named "Joe Satriani."

 

[la szum]

Listed at 8.4k, output at 300. Their PAF 36th is 8.6k and have an 285 output. Listening at DLR ETAS, which has PAF Pros all over it, Vai hasn't all that much gain going at times, scary chops! :)

I was young and dumb and naive, and it is what Joe Satriani said he was using (Flying In A Blue Dream maybe?).
That pickup kicked my ass. I just remember thinking, "Where is the sustain?"

I didn't know anything about pickup output and PAF this or PAF that back then.

 

[Blix]

I was young and dumb and naive, and it is what Joe Satriani said he was using (Flying In A Blue Dream maybe?).
That pickup kicked my ass. I just remember thinking, "Where is the sustain?"

I didn't know anything about pickup output and PAF this or PAF that back then.

That reminds me of my first tries at getting Blackmore and Malmsteen tones from a strat, how the fuck can you get killer tone from these weak-ass singles?