Gibson Series 2

[LCW]

As expected… it’s happening…

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/p/Pickup/1959-Humbucker-Collector%E2%80%99s-Edition-Series-2/PU59S2ZBANC2-SET

 

[norminal]

Interesting. Good for Gibson. It’s a market they should’ve gone after before.

It’s like a boutique pickup winder saying their “PAF is the closest to the original PAF,” and Gibson coming in saying, “naw man, sit down, I got this!”

 

[FuzzyAce]

 

[Alex Kenivel]

View attachment 38776

 

[Eagle]

The funny thing is Throbak have Gibson’s winding machine and cover mold from the 50s and their 101 is made from parts sourced from the same materials and manufacturers if they are still in business. It’s also a lot cheaper.

 

[State of Epicicity]

This kind of thing makes me sick. People romanticizing these epic parts like they're fine art itself. It was musicians and engineers who discovered good tone, and there are so many ways today to achieve good tone. This to me is like buying parts so you can talk about them. If you play, write, or perform in way that moves someone, other people will talk about you. This turns guitar into something discussed with other outrageously priced commodities at the country club, and the last thing on this ever loving earth it is is rock n roll.

 

[James Freeman]

No way shitty PAF pickups sell for that price.
Terrible sounding humbuckers, weak, thin, screechy and noisy.
Why people keep buying these?

 

[Eagle]

This kind of thing makes me sick. People romanticizing these epic parts like they're fine art itself. It was musicians and engineers who discovered good tone, and there are so many ways today to achieve good tone. This to me is like buying parts so you can talk about them. If you play, write, or perform in way that moves someone, other people will talk about you. This turns guitar into something discussed with other outrageously priced commodities at the country club, and the last thing on this ever loving earth it is is rock n roll.

It is a separate thing, you’re right.
But as a tech for a lot of collectors I see the pleasure they get out of owning some of these things so I understand that too. TBH why do any of us need more than a Mexican Strat to be a great musician?
Some of my collectors are great players but many are not but just get pleasure from owning the things they coveted in their youth.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

No way shitty PAF pickups sell for that price.
Terrible sounding humbuckers, weak, thin, screechy and noisy.
Why people keep buying these?

Different strokes dude. I don't play music heavier than STP or Tool so don't need an overwound monster of a HB. A paf style like a bareknuckle mule suits me fine, they're don't sound weak, thin or screechy to me. The noise isn't too bad most of the time either and they're not even potted.

That said anyone who buys these from Gibson needs their head checked. If you want historical accuracy I can think of a few different builders who can get you as close as these or in some cases closer for a lot less money.

Also what's are you going to do with the case after you fit your pickups?

 

[Eagle]

No way shitty PAF pickups sell for that price.
Terrible sounding humbuckers, weak, thin, screechy and noisy.
Why people keep buying these?

This is just wrong.
So many awesome sounding recordings made with pafs.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I get the appeal of wanting good PAFs, but I don't get wanting $1000 ones. I doubt it adds any overall value to the guitar except something on an emotional level. Which is fine, people should spend their money they way they want. Tonally, there are too many great choices already for under $350 a set. Although paying high prices for an actual 50s or 60s set I can at least understand from a value and investment standpoint.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I get the nostalgia thing but what I don’t get is people wanting parts made the way they did back then when they chose the cheapest and/or availablest parts with less regard (probably a lot less) to quality.

I mean, do you really think that if Jimi Hendrix was alive today that he’d be playing vintage gear? I fully doubt that. He’d also be telling us, “Why would you want to sound like me? Try sounding like you.”

 

[TJontheRoad]

View attachment 38776

Whatever they're smoking, I'll partake in that

 

[HomespunEffects]

This is just wrong.
So many awesome sounding recordings made with pafs.

Maybe, but it wasn’t the pickups alone. I’d say if they were great sounding, it was despite the pickups.

Listening back with nostalgia turned off, a lot of those recordings sounded like hot poop. For example, I just listened to Can’t You Hear Me Knocking this morning and thought “these tones are garbage”. It’s like that a lot with tunes from that era. (that’s a tangent, not specifically about PAFs … )

 

[Stone]

Uhhh hard pass, probably good for blues lawyers

 

[Eagle]

Maybe, but it wasn’t the pickups alone. I’d say if they were great sounding, it was despite the pickups.

Listening back with nostalgia turned off, a lot of those recordings sounded like hot poop. For example, I just listened to Can’t You Hear Me Knocking this morning and thought “these tones are garbage”. It’s like that a lot with tunes from that era. (that’s a tangent, not specifically about PAFs … )

I play real pafs often and they sound really good.

 

[Eagle]

Maybe, but it wasn’t the pickups alone. I’d say if they were great sounding, it was despite the pickups.

Listening back with nostalgia turned off, a lot of those recordings sounded like hot poop. For example, I just listened to Can’t You Hear Me Knocking this morning and thought “these tones are garbage”. It’s like that a lot with tunes from that era. (that’s a tangent, not specifically about PAFs … )

Almost all classic rock.
Lots of early VH .
Brothers in arms solo.
So many to choose from.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I play real pafs often and they sound really good.

I use them from time to time but always end up replacing them in the bridge position. They can be good in the neck position.

 

[Eagle]

I use them from time to time but always end up replacing them in the bridge position.

I’m talking 57~ 62 original ones.
There are plenty of shitty low and high output pickups but that doesn’t make the output the problem.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I’m talking 57~ 62 original ones.

Yeah, i have a set of PG Blues. They are pretty authentic. Replaced the bridge with a Holy Diver. As stated above “weak, thin, screechy” but not “noisy” as they are improved. BK has a pride in their work that wasn’t available in the original PAF.