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Just bought this pickup from annother member, and put it into my Alvarez Dana Scoop. The pickup looks like this for those not famalier, and I'll post a pic of the guitar at the bottom of the post.The PATB-1 replaced the 59TB that had been in this guitar. The Alvarez is a basswood body with either a flamed maple or alder top, not sure which. Very, very light guitar with a licenced Floyd. The 59 was a great pickup in this guitar, but ultimately lacked the thickness and beef that I wanted in the bridge position...especially now that I have been playing Les Pauls so much.

What an immediate difference. Thick fat chunky bass tones, smooth mids and even smoother highs. The eq curve is quite different from the 59. If the 59 is 8-5-7 (low, mid, high) then the PATB-1 is 9-6-5...as a rough guess. I was worried that it would be too hot at just over 15k, but it's just what the Dr. ordered for this guitar. It pushes my marshall just right. Total vintage 80's rock and metal tones, from the intro riff of quot;In My Dreamsquot; by Dokken, to quot;Lay It Downquot; by Ratt...even a little gratuitous Poision...it's all there. It also does vintage rock like AC/DC and Free very well, with the pre-amp gain at only 2.5 - 3. I do have to back off of my pre amp gain about a full notch from the settings I use for the Lesters, because it is hotter. It totally compensates for the thinness inherent in light, Floyd equipped guitars. The clean tones are suprisingly good as well, I do have to back off the volume knob on the guitar just a touch, but it has a nice warm voice that is not too harsh.

I had wanted to try the Blues TB, but really didn't feel the need to spend almost $100 for a pickup to put in a guitar that I rarely play, and not to mention that you NEVER see them used. This one came along at $35 shipped and I couldn't pass it up. It's from the early 90's, and the member I bought it from says Seymour gave it to him at one of the NAMM shows....so it has a little extra SD mojo.

Anyhow, really cool pickup...I think the whole PATB line is overlooked, and can make a huge difference in the tone of your Floyd equipped guitars. The look is a little different, but really cool. Dare to be different.

Here's the best pic of the guitar that I have at the moment. 3rd from the left. Configuration is H/S/S. The singles are destined to be Vintage Flats, but I have to take off the trem claw to install them, so I'm waiting until I have a couple of hours to devote to installation and complete setup of the Floyd all over again.
I'm glad you dig ot man. I've never heard anything but good about those pickups.

Nice review, Jeff. I've wondered what those sound like. One more for my GAS list.

btw - you may also want to consider SSL-6's for the singles. I've been going through several pups in my Strat, and those, so far, top the list. They have a nice quot;beefyquot; character, to keep up with a 'bucker, but still maintain a SC chime.

Great pups. Glad you like your PAT.

Artie

Is this pickup is alnico5 or ceramic ?


Originally Posted by fab.regnautIs this pickup is alnico5 or ceramic ?

from : localhost//website/tonechart.shtml

Ever since I bought one a few months back I have had nothing but good things to say about it. It's definately one of the best options I've found for a middle output strat-style guitar bridge pickup. I'm glad you like it too, Jeff!I put one of these in an Ibanez USA Custom in around 1991 or so. I do recall it was a good pickup, although that guitar went down the road pretty quickly.

I put the Blues Trembucker in my Jackson Dinky last weekend and I love that pickup. I don't really care if it is a popular choice, or if I see them in other people's guitars. All I really care about is tone.....and the Blues has tone to spare. I may sell the Jackson, but the pickup stays with me.....

Mike

I want to try both the original TB and the patb2...........too bad they are only available in black...................

The Tonechart says the Original PA is A5 15.7K The Blues Saraceno PA is A5 9.8K

I'm wondering which one I'd like better, because I'm overhauling all the pickups in my Gamp;L Legacy Deluxe. The C-5 trem/2 Fat 50's is alright, but I'm going to put hot pickups in that guitar, so I'm probably going to a Custom or PAB-1 along with JB Jr's or Hot Rails.
Still deciding. I know I like hot A5 pickups, so I may have to check out the PAB-1

Joe, If you want nice and fat without the extra harshness of the Custom, the PATB will fit the bill. I've been playing this guitar and then switching between my LP Standard. I really, really like the tone the more I use it. It probably would have a different tone in a really heavy guitar, or one with a vintage trem, but with the Floyd it really adds sooooo much beef and character.

It takes a lot lately for me to put down the Lester and pick up something else....this is really doing the trick.

I don't find the Blues lacks any balls due to it being a less hot pickup. It has a very smooth tone and is just a kick ass, rocking pickup. And, I am getting rid of the Jackson. I am going to put the Blues in my Charvel this weekend and see if I like it better than the Tone Zone that is in there.....

Mike

The spec page says that this humbucker comes in both the parallel axis bar type and also regular polepieces. What I really want is maybe the original trembucker with regular polepieces, rated at 15.7K Wouldn't that be like an overwound C-5? ......or a tone in between a C-5 and JB?

I really don't care for the look of the PA bars.....I'd much rather have the same thing with the traditional look.