Gibson PAF

I am reviewing two original PAF pickups, which were stock in my Gibson Les Paul-SG 1961.

The original owner of this Les Paul-SG 1961 first removed the pickup covers in the early 70s, and then swapped the original alnico magnets to Alembic ceramic magnets in the mid 70s. Modding old Gibson guitars was cool back then. He wanted a more aggressive sound, and, jeez, he got it. When I purchased the guitar from him in the mid 70s the sound had an attitude, it was mean and aggressive, pinch harmonics jumped out of it, it was Billy Gibbons all the way. I kept the guitar like that for almost 30 years and liked it a lot. However, I lately started to get bored of the sound. It was great for heavy blues rock, but slightly harsh for all other kinds of music. I talked to "my" guitar tech about having the original magnets put back in, and the original covers back on, and he made that change. Now I have played the guitar for some weeks. The change back to original PAF specs then is made in the same guitar, and the change of sound is interesting, so I now write a short review about it. The original magnets seems to one of each: one was long and one short. Perhaps the long is a alnico 2 and the short a alnico 5. The longer was much stronger so I put it in the bridge. The transition period in early 1961 for PAF pickups is difficult: the official date of change to alnico 5 magnets is 1 July 1961, and this guitar was according to Gibson shipped from the factory in Kalamazoo in March 1961, but I??ve heard that some guitars were equipped with one pickup each in 1961-62, and perhaps this happened with this guitar too? If so the neck pickup, with the shorter magnet, will be closer to a PAT pickup. Doesn??t matter for me: they both sound great and fit together perfectly.

I expected the output level to become much lower. Alembics ceramic magnets were VERY strong: when they were put on the table after they had been removed they were attached to each other and it was difficult to separate them again. The original magnets were weaker, but the output level is still quite high. The sound is not so aggressive anymore. The neck pickup has a smooth character, it??s middy and has a balanced bass, and there are less and smoother highs compared to when the pickup had ceramic magnets. With the neck pickup alone, this old SG can sound almost like a jazzy ES 335, which surprised me. The bridge pickup is very trebly; the position of the bridge pickup is very close to the bridge on early SGs so it??s no surprise. There still is a more balanced sound compared to when it had a ceramic magnet, and it sounds like something I want to call "organic". With distorsion the sound in the bridge pickup alone is very rough and gives lots of pinch harmonic, but it??s not harsh - like it sometimes was with the other magnet type. Before the guitar was screaming, now it sings.

I??m very happy with these pickups now. It??s the best "mod" I??ve ever done. Can??t really understand why the original owner decided to put ceramic magnets in a guitar that sounded like this from start. Fortunately he kept the original magnets and pickup covers so it was a mod that could be reversed. I??ve been playing this guitar for more than 30 years now. Recently I purchased a semi-hollow Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion, since I had a need for a smoother and jazzier sound. If I instead had put back the original alnico magnets in my Les Paul-SG I could have used it for jazz and jazz fusion. It of course does heavy rock too, but that will perhaps not surprise anyone. This guitar now can sound smooth and jazzy, rough and nasty, and everything between. The change Gibson made of the Les Paul model in 1961 definitely resulted in a versatile guitar.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.4 kOhms neck/7.6 kOhms bridge

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul DC Pro
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: '57 Classics
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: Big, long list...
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to get richer sound at high and low volume, good
harmonics and middle frequencies. These '59 PAFs came out
of a ES 175.

Perceived output level: Output level lower than '57 Classics, other PAF style pickups
Tone: balanced over all frequency ranges
Sonic evaluation: Older pickup with shrunk plastic bobbins, weaker alnico magnets, less
string pull, windings a bit loose = fantastic sound at low and high
volumes, responds well to instrument vibration at high volume, good
feedback/sustain. Used with EL34 / 6L6 / 5881 tube amps, dropped these old things into a Les Paul DC Pro, gives a real pleasing tone.
The Classic '57s are great pickups, and might end up sounding like these pickups in 20-40 years time. No potting on the original PAFs, so you can get feedback, but not much microphonic. They are weaker
sounding compared to contemporary pickups, due to magnet decay. Can
compensate for this by using Z. Vex Super Hard On -- makes the PAF sound like a Tommi Iommi.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good Rock pickup, I don't think any position is bad.

Comments: These pickups are pricey, but you're buying a rare tone. Great for any rock or blues music; not a metal or thrash/punk pickup. None of the reissue PAFs beat these things; I do love the '57 Classics for their higher output but the PAFs blow them off the stage.
You need to check polepiece spacings on these, as neck/bridge are the same spacing on nearly all PAFs, but not so on modern humbuckers, which may have different neck/bridge polepiece spacings. Nothing worse than spending several hundred dollars on a pickup that isn't centered under your strings, eh? Also some Gibson models (was it the ES 350T?, I can't recall which model from the '50s) had a different polepiece spacing that will not fit the string spacing on ANY modern Gibson guitars. Bring a ruler with you or at least the pickup covers from your old pickups when you decide to spend the $$ on these. The ohm ratings on the '50's PAFs tend to be weaker (< 8 kOhms, usually in the mid 7 kOhm range) than the early '60's; I think this is not due to age differences as much as Gibson switching to different alnico magnets during that time. I've seen PAF and Pat # pickups from '61 - '63 that were nearly 9 kOhms! But again, the DC resistance isn't an indicator of the tone.
Also, PAFs sound different in different guitars; they can bring out the best or the worst in an instrument. I do find that semihollowbody guitars (ES 335, EB6, etc) tend to sound very good with a PAF; solidbodies, it depends on the quality of the wood (so don't expect a Fender Squier Strat to sound awesome with a set of PAFs). Again, there's nothing worse than spending money on these babies and finding out that your Samick doesn't sound like Page's Les Paul. Rule of thumb: put quality parts into quality wood...
Also, be careful of "fake" PAFs: these usually have an "aged" "Patent Applied For" label, tarnish covers, the whole works, and look real. The only way to save your ass and your money is to either buy a set from a reputable dealer or individual or pull them out from a Gibson which you know for a fact has NEVER been tampered with.
I've seen these things for sale on Ebay but God help you there's no way to tell from a digital photo whether or not they are real or fake.
Even the ohm rating can't be used as a guide. Internally, there are things to look for in a PAF, but this requires removing the covers and checking things like the maple spacer, the bobbins, the kind of magnet wire,...I actually damaged a real PAF years ago doing this so I don't recommend it to anyone who is not savvy around a soldering iron or just plain clumsy.
Also, don't expect that the resale value of your PAF equipped guitar will skyrocket; not every one likes these things, and, it is hard to prove to anyone that you have a real set unless you take them out and tear them apart (and at that point, who would buy the friggin' thing off you, anyway?). Only a player would care for these things; collectors don't give a shit that your beater '54 Telecaster sprayed in Earl Schieb green has a real PAF in it (although it might sound better than a stock '54 blonde Tele!)
If you are interested in buying a pair and need some advice, contact me and I'll tell you what I know about these things and what to look for. Even then, when you are ready to plunk the money down, it's always best to have someone come with you who knows these things inside and out to check them over.
One final warning: The PAF got its legendary sound due to aging. I have no idea what they will sound like in 20 or even 5 more years. The plastic bobbins, magnet, and magnet wire/coating were not meant to last forever. Lots of old Fender Strat and Tele pickups from the same era have been rewound due to changes in the pickup which caused the original pickup to short out. These things were made cheap back then, just as new ones are being made cheap today. Chances are, the magnets will get weaker, the bobbins may eventually crack or distort, the magnet w

Pickup features: Humbucking, double blacks
Impedence or other specs: 7.6K and 8.2K

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Historic 59 Reissue Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: 57 Classics
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Allman, Betts, Page, Bloomfield, Green, Clapton
You musical style(s): Blues and Rock
Reason for pickup change: Looking for something sweeter than the 57 Classics which although punchy were way to harsh.

Perceived output level: Very low for a humbucker, do not expect them to overdrive an amp like most modern humbuckers including so-called PAF replicas
Tone: Warm, hollow, open, sweet, complex character
Sonic evaluation: Using a 59 reissue Les Paul through a Matchless Chieftain with the band and a 1983 Rivera designed Fender Deluxe for home. First I had the stock 57 Classics, then tried Duncan Alnicos, 59s, Pearly Gates, Seth Lovers, then Van Zandts, then Tom Holmes and finally Antiquities. Many of these pickups sounded great and improved the guitar's tone drastically. But when I saw an ad for real PAFs, I had to try them and Im telling you, no bull, there is no comparison. There is no new pickup on the market that comes close. The complex character, incredible clarity and sweetness is unsurpassed. They do take some getting used to though if like me you've never had a guitar with them. They are much cleaner, brighter and less overdriven than any new pickup out there I tried (except maybe for the Duncan Antiquity which comes close, but still doesnt have the warmth of a real PAF). I used to think that I was nailing Page's, Clapton's, Allman's, etc. tone but I wasn't. These pickups with an amp just pushed over the edge is the ONLY way to do it.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Allmans, Zeppelin, Peter Green, Bloomfield, etc.

Comments: Cant say enough about them. Again, dont expect huge bottom end or volume. Do expect incredible tone, clear bottom end, sweet sustaining top end. Extremely wide range of tone from neck to middle to bridge position and as you move up and down the neck. And although they are not distorted, pinch harmonics are easily achieved. They really are not that much money when you consider they are highly collectible, easily resellable and will continue to go up in value. Be careful of counterfeits and look for good readings, most people agree high 7s to low 8s. Tits, tits and more tits.