Gibson Tim Shaw PAF

Passive humbucker. DC resistance: 7.8k Inductance: 4.45 henries, resonant peak:10.3khz, Pat#2,737,842.

I originally bought this pickup new in 1985 for $25 to put in the bridge of an `80 Les Paul I had at the time. It made a big difference in the brightness & warmth of that guitar but when I needed money a year later,(I was 21 years old) I took it back out to sell the Les Paul & put it in the bridge of my then year old JV Squier strat(after routing it for an angled humbucker)with the cover removed. Since they are asking, I also had the stock Squier single in the middle & a Jackson J-100 single in the neck. It was my main guitar for 22 years until it was stolen in late 2007. Just before it was stolen, the pickup stopped working & I temporarily replaced it with a Dimarzio PAF. the Dimarzio is a good pickup & was somewhat close but no cigar as they say. To me it just didn't have the clarity & life & breath about it. I still have the Gibson & will send it off to be fixed.

This is my all time favorite humbucker ever on earth! I would call it a medium output I guess, I mean, 7.8k should tell you where it's at. In 22 years I never stopped raving about it. I LOVE THIS PICKUP! It has/had a much smoother bottom & mids than a standard Gibson of the day & the part I really loved was the extra highs. To me, it was like a perfect marriage of a nice warm, smooth vintage humbucker & a good sweet single coil. Depending on your type of attack/muting, you could get everything from surf/twang to hard rock out of it. You could get it to chunk out the "brown" sound & still hear every note ring round & shiny. I used it mostly through a `71 Marshall 50w super lead power soaked through a `68 slant marshall bass top but also for a time through a `62 brown Fender Super with 2-10s. Later when I was gigging much more heavily, I retired the Marshall & used it through a 90s era solid state Peavey express 112 transtube 65w amp which became my regular gigging amp to this day & except for it not being as warm, it still sounded great through solid state. I play a variety of styles & would go from an oldie or even a country song straight into something heavy just using the guitar's volume & it covered everything nearly perfectly.
I don't think this pickup would be unsuitable for any position. I never used it in the neck but I can imagine getting the Sunshine Of Your Love tone out of it pretty easily.

Well, somewhat luckily, this pickup wasn't in the guitar when it was stolen. Even though it's not working at the moment it can be fixed & if it were possible to get them new, yes, I would not only replace it but buy a couple extras for backup.
I have been playing for...God!... 30 years now since I first started to learn to play lead at 12 & the Squier with this pickup in the bridge was my ONLY guitar for the last 22 of them! They're asking again so...I've had a `71 Gibson SG, a `66 Fender Jaguar, a 70s era Gretch Corvette, a `71 Rickenbacker 360, `82 Rickenbacker 330-12, My `80 Les Paul & finally the 84/85 Squier JV 57 strat which was within a year was fully modded & scalloped. Somehow, that guitar with the Tim Shaw in the bridge was just a magical combination & I never wanted another guitar. I never really compared the pickup to anything else. Gibson had just come out with these & the local vintage shop got some in & being always a vintage buff from the cradle, I bought one to try & just really lucked out. I've read descriptions of the Dimarzio EJ custom & the way they describe it, it sounds like it's alot like this one.
I love everything about this pickup & hate absolutely nothing. They aren't asking a reliablility question but I'd have to say for 22 years of gigging in some nasty, sweaty hot conditions, really beating the hell out of it with the cover off, it lasted pretty darn well. I'm sending it to a reputable pickup service who may be able to fix the existing fouled coil(they said it's usually just one that goes bad) & if not, rewind it to match the remaining functional one. It's life isn't over yet! I still have the nickel cover too. And yes, for $25 at the time & having the perfect sound for 22 years I'd say it was indeed a fantastic value!

These are the best PAF reproduction pickups bar none. What I look
for in a pickup is the ability to amplify every nuance of the pick
attack against the strings.

These came stock on my 82 30th anniversary 57' Les Paul

If you listen to early Clapton and
especially Dicky Betts on Live at the Fillmore you will know what I
mean. You will hear the ghost notes of the pick and all the sqeaks and
squawks that a good sounding PAF will reproduce. I own a 82 30th anniversary that I picked from three because of its sound. I haven't
heard any Les Paul sound better... I wish I could leave a track hear
so you could understand what I am talking about.

I would be crushed if this guitar was ever stolen... the sound that
it makes is incredible... I did add the sprague black beauties and
at first they didn't sound good but a few weeks after they charged up
they brought out even more of the pick dynamics...
I see a lot about long tenon, angle of the neck, one piece or 3 piece
neck blah blah blah its all nonsense. I have played real 57' PAF
gold tops that have not sounded as good, each Les Paul is unique, but
I will say the ones that weigh closer to 8 lbs are most likely air dried
not Kiln dried which are heavier and are less resonanant.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker mild Alnico 5's
Impedence or other specs: 7.5 K?'s early version with built-in spacers and connected solder points

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Historic
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Burstbucker 3
Other pickups on guitar: BB1
Artists using this pickup: No idea
You musical style(s): Blues with some early Hard-Rock and later 80's metal music
Reason for pickup change: Heard friends Heritage 80 and wanted the powerfull output with low resistance his had. This makes the pickup go from warm to bright with the tone knob. The pickup is more punchy and not spungey like most PAF copies, or real PAFs when the gain is turned up.
These pickups will do Jazz, Blues, and even metal without a problem because of the characteristic to punch and bite.

Perceived output level: Different than any other pickup I've ever hear. You have to be there to know.
Tone: Punchy Bass, Pushed Mids and smooth brightness. Not sharp or harsh in any way but powerfull.
Sonic evaluation: This setup is Used with a Marshall 50W half Stack. JCM800 with 4x12 of EV SRO's. Very smooth and singing. You wont believe it. Just the right harmonics between and stoutness to sound powerfull like a ceramic pickup, but smooth and clear enough to sound like an AlNiCO powered PAF.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, Metallica, Early Allman Brothers

Comments: I would try to rep[lace them but they get pretty rare from the small production numbers.
I've been playing 18 years. I also own an SG, another LP, 2 fender strats and an old Kay.
For amps I have a 100w MKII- needs work, and a Fender Vibrolux.
100% satisfied

Pickup features: humbucking - passive
Impedence or other specs: 7.5(?) Strong AlNiCo magnet with white plastic spacers

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Burstbucker 2
Other pickups on guitar: Antiquity 8.5k bridge
Artists using this pickup: I Guess anyone that uses an original heritage 80 series or early Custom Shop model
You musical style(s): Blues/Pop/Alternative
Reason for pickup change: needed more strength in the neck tone for thick leads.

Perceived output level: Warm and very powerfull. Punchy and Blues ballad capable
Tone: Puchy Bass, Pushed Mids and mild brightness
Sonic evaluation: Used with Gibson Les Paul Standard into Fender Deluxe Reissue. No pedals for blues and a MS-10 for pop rock and grungy Atlernative.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Very good match for Blues and Alternative Metal

Comments: 12 years of playin and this pickup sounds and responds like I remember a real PAF sounding. I love it's personality. The Money is worth the magnet alone. There is something special about it because I tried it in another guitar and the tone properties followed along for the most part.
I am completely satisfied with this pickups tone and punchy attack. The pushed mids help when trying to cut through any mix. It's the perfect "Live" pickup. Now to find a bridge Shaw.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker with stong Alnico V magnets
Impedence or other specs: Very low 7k-7.5k ohms

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Heritage 80 series
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Duncan 59's
Other pickups on guitar: same as above
Artists using this pickup: Anyone who used a heritage 80. Luther Allison - uses them in latest DVD in paradise
You musical style(s): Blues & Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to restore guitar back to original specs

Perceived output level: Very much like a PAF but very different see below
Tone: Strong responce, and a sense of power without excessive output giving it an almost P-90 feel.
Sonic evaluation: 1985 LP, 18W marshall, Fender Bandmaster, Traynor 80W

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: you need an uballanced set both reading low with equal output if possible.

Comments: They're brassy & ballsy... so much so that they remind remind me of P-90s even when played at low levels. There's nothing mild about these things as the output would suggest. I totally like it.
You know what I mean about the tone?
They have a unique tone for Gibson Humbucker. They are very different in the midrange, and in the right guitar they are an excellent tool of the trade.