software

Can someone please explain the difference between PAF's, humbuckers, single coils and P-90's.

TV.

A true PAF is gibson's original humbucking pickup from the late 50's. PAF stands for quot;Patent Applied Forquot; which is what the sticker said on the bottom of the pickup. I know one of the first guitars they came in were the Burst Les Paul Standards from '58, although something tells me they were introduced in '57. In the Custom?

Most full size Humbuckers now are the shape and size of the original Gibson PAFs. Single coils only have one coil (duh) as opposed to two, and they come in sizes from a strat/tele up to the P90 that was in GIbson solid bodies prior to the PAF. Think the Les Paul quot;Goldtopquot; or Les Paul Junior.

A humbucker consists in 2 coils using a common magnet. The coils are wired so that their phase cancel out the hum that you normally get with single coil. They also have more output and a smoother, warmer tone than single coils.
PAF stands for Patent Applied For. It was what Gibson stamped on the back of the first ever humbuckers, invented by Mr Seth Lover. The pickups you find on Les Pauls usually are PAFs. SDs PAFs are the Pearly Gates, the Seth Lover and the '59. I guess the Screaming Deamon could be seen as an overwould PAF but I'm not too sure if the sound follows. PAFs have a very warm tone and go hand to hand with LPs.
The P90 is the bastard son of a humbucker and a single coil. It has a huge sound, but still with hum. Just a huge single coil.
I hope that helped a bit?

Would the APH's qualify as PAF's?What about the JB?

Tv.

I beleive the APH would be. But I don't think the JB is.

If you go here: from : localhost//website...mbuckers.shtml

I beleive all under quot;vintagequot; are quot;PAF'squot; and thats it.

I assume PAF's breathe better under high gain (for classic rock, funk, and Ramp;B) as opposed to non-PAF's

Tv.

If you really wish to get into it...

DiMarzio has a trademark or whatever on the use of the term quot;PAFquot; so the correct way to refer to an early Gibson humbucker is a quot;Patent Applied Forquot; humbucker.


Originally Posted by The Golden BoyIf you really wish to get into it...

DiMarzio has a trademark or whatever on the use of the term quot;PAFquot; so the correct way to refer to an early Gibson humbucker is a quot;Patent Applied Forquot; humbucker.

Quite ironic isn't it

IMHO PAF's are the best all arond HB PUP that I have had the experience playing. I work closely with a Luthier here in NY who specializes in restoring vintage guitars and I have played many PAF equipped guitars. I have also had the oppurtunity to compare them against just about everything else out there. What makes them unique is good and bad. Back in the 50's most PUPS were wound by hand, some would have more windings than others and this caused them to be inconsistant. This is not always bad, but I have heard some PAAF's that were not very good. Some PAF's were amazing..... probably the best sounding bridge PUP I have ever played or heard is a PAF in a 1960 335 Stereo that is owned by a friend of mine. PAF's will run $1500.00 to over $2000. depending on the configuration. The PUPS that I feel sound the closest to the real PAFS are the Duncan Alnico2 Pros. Some may say the Antiquities, some may say the Seths, and I have even heard people who feel that Holmes are very close, but IMO the Alnico2 nails the PAF pretty well. I have also played PAF's in a variety of guitars and Amps. Super 400, 335, 61 SG LP, and a few other archtops. I have played them thru Blackface Fenders and 60's Marshalls as well as other Amps. They sound very good in all situations.

I've never tried a Dimarzio so I won't even comment...

Tv.