One for the PAF fans (video demo)

PeteC

Great ! - just ordered a pair of nickel Alnico 4   7.5K for my upcoming build.  Looking forward to getting hold of them. 

Rich210

I might be knocking on your door soon! Potentially picking up my first full blooded humbucker guitar, so will be doing some research on variants!

impmann

Ok... update. I’ve fitted a pair to my Epi Dot. They replaced the god awful original pickups... 
I went with A3 magnets and 7k/8k (neck/bridge). 

In short, they sound FABULOUS. Being picky, I think I’d probably either go with either an A5 magnet or higher wind for the bridge if I was buying another to give it a bit more oomph. 

I did a very quick n dirty demo - signal chain is guitar, Dawner Prince Boonar and into my old Vampower combo. No post prod stuff - and excuse the flubs.

https://soundcloud.com/frobisher/old-timer-pafs-epi-dot-mp3/s-YbZC2fEXgmq?ref=clipboard

Recommended!!!! 

Alegree

We've just got in some temporary 8.5k winds in to tide us over until the proper stock comes.

They're different - 52mm pole spacing, short legged baseplates, plastic spacers, zebra/gold cover/chrome cover/nickel cover.
Still made with the USA plain enamel wire, so tonally identical to what a 8.5k would be, without the vintage accurate cosmetics.

We have the matching 7.5k in 50mm pole spacing for these ones too. Contact  directly for these.

punchesjudy

Finally got around to fitting mine today. 
A5 magnets 7.5k and 8k and have to say they are fabulous. I pretty much always use single coils and usually find humbuckers a bit pants. I haven't had experience with PAFs before but these Old Timers are brilliant and I now want another to replace the JB I have in my only other guitar with a Hb. Honestly great. So impressed. 

TTBZ

Has anyone played these alongside any "boutique" PAF style pickups and how do they hold up? Just fancy some decent general purpose no nonsense  pickups without spending a fortune. Want to put my SG back to something a bit more normal and versatile so I'm thinking a pair of A2 7.5k neck + A5 8.5k bridge would do the trick. 

impmann

TTBZ said:

Has anyone played these alongside any "boutique" PAF style pickups and how do they hold up? Just fancy some decent general purpose no nonsense  pickups without spending a fortune. Want to put my SG back to something a bit more normal and versatile so I'm thinking a pair of A2 7.5k neck + A5 8.5k bridge would do the trick. 

Tbh, mate - it’s fair to say that I only ever buy boutique pickups! Most of my guitars either have Mojos in them - my PRS has a Bulldog in the bridge, etc etc... 

Whilst none are low wind PAFs like the Old Timers are, I’d suggest that these hold their own. Genuinely.

columbo2

I've just pulled the trigger on a pair.  They're to go in a bright sounding es335 type.  I've gone for an 8k A2 in the bridge & a 7k A5 in the neck.  I'll let you know how they fair against the SD 59 & Jazz they may or may not replace.  The SD pickups sound good to be fair, just the 59 in the bridge is mega-jangle and slightly tinnitus inducing!

Alegree

columbo2 said:

I've just pulled the trigger on a pair.  They're to go in a bright sounding es335 type.  I've gone for an 8k A2 in the bridge & a 7k A5 in the neck.  I'll let you know how they fair against the SD 59 & Jazz they may or may not replace.  The SD pickups sound good to be fair, just the 59 in the bridge is mega-jangle and slightly tinnitus inducing!

Thanks! (they went out today).
That combination ought to do what you're after.

columbo2

A little follow up on this. I received my Old Timers I was planning on installing these pups in my Eastman 335 copy.  Being an unknown quantity to me I wanted to try them out in a guitar with an easier installation job, so I bunged them in an Epiphone g400 (SG copy).  The guitar sounded pretty crap before the swap, and to be fair strings were old etc. When I did the swap I also upgraded the bridge with one I had laying around, so it wasn't a straightforward comparison.

...to cut a long story short, I do really like what I'm hearing.  The bridge is bright, lively and articulate, without being overly crisp. They don't have a thunderous low end, but I think that's to be expected from a PAF style pup.  They have a nice growl unser overdrive. I find the neck puck a bit dull, but I generally do find neck humbees dull in a mahogany body guitar... but the middle position is really nice. 

I like the aged nickel cover, it's tastefully not overdone.   For the price, I would definitely recommend.  I don't think you can go wrong. I compared them to my Firebird Studio which has a 490 T & R set.  The Old Timers are way more chimey.  The 490s sound muddy in comparison.

My one grumble is that the length of wire to the neck pick up was too short, and made installation a much bigger ballache than it needed to be.

I'll update again when they make it to their destination in the Eastman to see how they compare to the SD's.

marktheharp

Reading through the posts.how did these pickups sound in the epiphone dot,someone mentioned?
Might fancy a set in mine.

impmann

marktheharp said:

Reading through the posts.how did these pickups sound in the epiphone dot,someone mentioned?
Might fancy a set in mine.

Scroll back in the thread - you’ll see the verdict and there’s even a sound file!

Funkfingers

columbo2 said:

My one grumble is that the length of wire to the neck pick up was too short and made installation a much bigger ballache than it needed to be.

The budget 'bucker I removed from the neck/Rhythm position of a Hamer XT Echotone 335-alike had a cable run of 340mm.

The Seymour Duncan '59 that replaced it had approximately 300mm of cable. Thanks to reconfigured controls for a Roland GK Kit installation, the cable only needed to reach to the selector switch.

Alegree

Demo video is now up - link in the first post

saxosim

@Alegree tempted to order a set thanks, how do I specify aged black bobbins and aged nickel covers can I add it into the order notes or something?  

Also do they come with screws and springs or do I need to order separately?  Thanks 

Alegree

saxosim said:

@Alegree tempted to order a set thanks, how do I specify aged black bobbins and aged nickel covers can I add it into the order notes or something?  

Also do they come with screws and springs or do I need to order separately?  Thanks 

The options for the cosmetics are at the top, just select from the drop down menus.
They come with screws & springs.

saxosim

Alegree said:

saxosim said:

@Alegree tempted to order a set thanks, how do I specify aged black bobbins and aged nickel covers can I add it into the order notes or something?  

Also do they come with screws and springs or do I need to order separately?  Thanks 

The options for the cosmetics are at the top, just select from the drop down menus.
They come with screws & springs.

t

Thanks @Alegree ;is it an either or option though as I would like both if possible ie the aged bobbins and also aged nickel covers so if I decide to remove the covers ever I then have aged bobbins on show underneath.  Thanks 

Alegree

saxosim said:

Alegree said:

saxosim said:

@Alegree tempted to order a set thanks, how do I specify aged black bobbins and aged nickel covers can I add it into the order notes or something?  

Also do they come with screws and springs or do I need to order separately?  Thanks 

The options for the cosmetics are at the top, just select from the drop down menus.
They come with screws & springs.

t

Thanks @Alegree ;is it an either or option though as I would like both if possible ie the aged bobbins and also aged nickel covers so if I decide to remove the covers ever I then have aged bobbins on show underneath.  Thanks 

Sorry I misunderstood, it's not typically offered, but there's no reason they can't be aged separately before assembly. Please leave a note against the order to prompt warehouse to do it this way for you.

saxosim

Alegree said:

saxosim said:

Alegree said:

saxosim said:

@Alegree tempted to order a set thanks, how do I specify aged black bobbins and aged nickel covers can I add it into the order notes or something?  

Also do they come with screws and springs or do I need to order separately?  Thanks 

The options for the cosmetics are at the top, just select from the drop down menus.
They come with screws & springs.

t

Thanks @Alegree ;is it an either or option though as I would like both if possible ie the aged bobbins and also aged nickel covers so if I decide to remove the covers ever I then have aged bobbins on show underneath.  Thanks 

Sorry I misunderstood, it's not typically offered, but there's no reason they can't be aged separately before assembly. Please leave a note against the order to prompt warehouse to do it this way for you.

Excellent thanks will do

saxosim

Thanks ordered today but have messaged you a question @Alegree thanks