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anyone can help me identify PAFs?

mica59

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Joined
Jan 29, 2015
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33
hello guys,

I finally recovered my password here and can post about my life ahahah

Well, soon I will try to introduce here a conversion I have just got, I told the story on the other forum, but I feel like I should also share here because you are all passionate as I am and I love to read other stories and findings.

So, going back to the current matter, I was looking at PAFs and pre t-tops and found one pair from a friend of a friend but before I pull the trigger, I wanted to know 2 things:

1) how much should I pay for a set of 58-60 PAFs coming out of a 335, double blacks, with covers??

2) is there anyone that would accept to receive pictures of those to identify if they are real or not... I am no expert and prefer to have experts double-check.

3) is it dangerous to buy PAFs that are on the low 7k, like 7.1-7.2k??

Thanks guys !!!
 

kerryboy

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Jun 20, 2002
Messages
1,199
If you have got pics then post them here and there are lots of folk who will help you.
 

Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
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20,853
"Dangerous" to buy PAFs with low numbers? Not really what made PAFs the stuff of legends. The whole reason they became popular is that the pickups became weaker after the early 60s and they couldn't push amps hard enough. You want high 7s and into the 8s.
 

mica59

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Jan 29, 2015
Messages
33
"Dangerous" to buy PAFs with low numbers? Not really what made PAFs the stuff of legends. The whole reason they became popular is that the pickups became weaker after the early 60s and they couldn't push amps hard enough. You want high 7s and into the 8s.

I know and I prefer pickups below 8k, in general I like to put something around 7.7/7.8k in my special LP.

But those one are in the lower 7k range as I said, and I was bit of worry because I have never seen pickups with less than 7k for example, there is a limit to the weakness which is desirable, right?
 

zappa1777

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Jun 23, 2015
Messages
37
I've had quite a lot of early patents and a couple of '61 pafs. I've had everything from 7.1k to 8.7k. I still have a 7.2k which sounds fabulous but its very clean in a les paul. Nice clean and almost strat like on high gain setting but it doesn't do the thick overdrive that we love. I would say that as a neck pickup it's workable but not in the bridge. Neither of the '61 pafs I had sounded as good as some of the way cheaper early patent numbers. Some early patents are wound well over 8k and contrary to popular belief, they also have mismatched coils like the older ones. Definitely better bang for the buck in my view
 

marshall1987

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Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
Be careful of relying solely on the DCR measurements on PAFs. DCR doesn't really tell you that much about how a pickup will sound. Plus the measurements can be affected by temperature, wiring harness, and the multimeter you use.

The PAF marketplace can be a slippery slope if you're not careful. I would probably go with Rolph, ThroBak, Holmes, Timbucker, or one of the other highly regarded PAF brands, rather than blow a huge amount $ on used PAFs.
 

Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
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I know and I prefer pickups below 8k, in general I like to put something around 7.7/7.8k in my special LP.

But those one are in the lower 7k range as I said, and I was bit of worry because I have never seen pickups with less than 7k for example, there is a limit to the weakness which is desirable, right?

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the classic mid-7s like most of the pre-T sticker pickups. I even love the pat sticker T-Tops for the same reason. Modern amps are made to break up whereas the amps of the 70s were made to stay clean. With that, All these mid 7k pickups sound glassy and great. The last PAFs that I sold were 7.6 and 7.7.

Low 7s for PAFs is almost unheard of in rarity (IME)

And as mentioned, DCR measurements will be low if measured in a cold climate. I think the measurments are usually very telling as all else is usually equal. Long magnets make a difference in how the pickup can sound. I like to add a long magnet to T-Tops, for instance.

Did someone say strat like? Check out the tones I wrestled from my Les Paul on this normally strat tune: Sultans of swing
 

latestarter

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Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
4,173
Let's start with the legitimacy of the pickups - can you post a photo of the rear, the top....covers too? We can then make a call.

If they're real, and the seller is indeed your friends friend, you could try them out first to see whether those lower value winds are your thing.

Personally, I prefer higher wind PAFs. I find even 8 to be very clean sounding, when compared with say a modern pickup in a similar range. My experience at least. Good luck.
 

mica59

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Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
33
You can see them here:

https://reverb.com/item/3823760-gibson-paf-pickups-1960

I heard some 60's PAFs have short magnet, can you tel from the photos, is it tat revelant to the sound??

BTW, thanks to all the comments, shey surely help to take a good decision, maybe I could just throw 1K and buy good t tops, or pre t-tops for a little more.
 

djd100

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Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
232
This is my experience as well.

Mine are supposedly 59's from a 345 or so I was told way back when? I bought them already removed from their original host without covers back in the 70's. The bridge is roughly 8K, and the neck is roughly 7.6K.

I've never seen a PAF below 7.4K personally, though of course that doesn't mean there aren't any?

The pictures look legit in my opinion, though my opinion is not as valid as many others here LOL!


Yeah, I'm a big fan of the classic mid-7s like most of the pre-T sticker pickups. I even love the pat sticker T-Tops for the same reason. Modern amps are made to break up whereas the amps of the 70s were made to stay clean. With that, All these mid 7k pickups sound glassy and great. The last PAFs that I sold were 7.6 and 7.7.

Low 7s for PAFs is almost unheard of in rarity (IME)

And as mentioned, DCR measurements will be low if measured in a cold climate. I think the measurments are usually very telling as all else is usually equal. Long magnets make a difference in how the pickup can sound. I like to add a long magnet to T-Tops, for instance.

Did someone say strat like? Check out the tones I wrestled from my Les Paul on this normally strat tune: Sultans of swing
 
Last edited:

El Gringo

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
Be careful of relying solely on the DCR measurements on PAFs. DCR doesn't really tell you that much about how a pickup will sound. Plus the measurements can be affected by temperature, wiring harness, and the multimeter you use.

The PAF marketplace can be a slippery slope if you're not careful. I would probably go with Rolph, ThroBak, Holmes, Timbucker, or one of the other highly regarded PAF brands, rather than blow a huge amount $ on used PAFs.
You are a very wise man . I was just thinking about this the other night that what if I had f you money to blow and if I could get my hands on some vintage PAF's I would want them at least 8 on the DCR meter and I would want some double whites or some zebra stripes .Then I told my self to keep dreaming because if I could find them it would cost me $10K for a pair . I kill my self for this because back in the mid 90's I could have had one PAF for $ 500 and I was to cheap to buy it from a very reputable person .Dumb move not buying it .
 

Bouldergold

Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
70
My bandmate has a 52-57 Conversion.
One pickup is an original PAF. Sounds fantastic.
The other is a Rolphs rewind.
Close your eyes and open your ears and you can't hear the difference.
Be careful paying big bucks on "original PAF's "
Many of them are rewinds , undisclosed.
 
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