Peoples PAF Journey - Experiences

meltedbuzzbox

There is no such thing as an accurate paf.
They all vary massively 

soma1975

Bought some cheaper ones.

Then bought some Ox4s.

End of journey.

TTBZ

thegummy said:

Nerine said:

Even though the guitar isn’t of typical LP construction; this is semi-hollow swamp ash and roasted maple, the guitar really sounds so Les Paul like, it’s uncanny. 

My "PAF copies" are in a Fender Strat and it sounds like a Les Paul to me.

If anyone could tell it wasn't a Les Paul (without seeing it obviously) I'd be impressed. I wouldn't put money on it that no one could but it would impress me if they could.

Yeah I agree re a strat with humbuckers if they have the right voicing. I've just been re-mixing some lockdown recordings which were done on either my SG with a BK Warpig or my strat with a Custom 5. I honestly can barely tell which were done on which guitar now. Ok not quite a PAF Les Paul but still. Even if I isolate the tracks and lower the gain on my plugins they're so similar, splitting hairs I may actually prefer the ever so slightly tighter sound of the strat - the Gibson feels a bit sloppier and looser. As a long time die-hard Gibson player this doesn't sit right with me

Seziertisch

FelineGuitars said:

I've played a great number and they all differ slightly and it can be down to a good match for the guitar they are in - that counts for something .

But from memory these stood out from the boutique offerings

BKPs - mules, and PG Blues get my vote (like others but they stray a bit from the PAF recipe)

Oil City - love the Beano and the PAT 63(for the PAF with an A5 twist)

Monty's - PAF (sounded simply on the money- not overly hot)

Cream T - still tinkering with these but the Whiskerbucker, BFG Banger  and Scan2 (Bernie Marsden Beast clone)

3rd Power _ really liking their MagFrag PraxXIS set ...these live in my Feline 20th Anniversary

Also the Throbaks and Tom Holmes ones we have fitted sounded great

Would be interested in hearing more about the Cream T and 3rd Power pickups.

Both use technology/techniques which some would say are snake oil 

https://reverb.com/news/a-pickup-masters-oracle-machine-reveals-the-secrets-of-handwound-pickups

Dan

Funnily enough I was planning on doing a thread about my PAF 'journey'.

Honestly not sure where to start with this. Ive got one of the forum 2017 R8's. I never really loved it and thought I was maybe just not a LP guy, even thought about selling it...until I got some Throbak SLE101s and its hard to put down now.

Not really that fussed with whichever is the most vintage accurate or the best PAF or whatever, they just what works for me in that guitar with my amps and I like the sound. They probably wont work for everyone. Likewise, ones that ive tried work for others but didnt quite work for me for whatever reason.

Had a few I really liked but still moved on. Anyway here is a list of the ones i can remember....

Throbak SLE-101 Plus (These were very very good - fairly happy with these but now got the SLE-101. Gas ever present)

Custombuckers

Montys (Liked these)

Mojo x 2

SD antiquities (Liked these too)

OX4

SD59 Neck and Pearly Gates Bridge

SD Jazz Neck and A2Pro Bridge

BK Stormy Mondays

Bulldog Cool PAF

Biggest surprise of all....the pots held out!

andy_k

This isn't so much a rabbit hole, as a rabbit warren.
Anything that reads 7.5-8.5 is considered a PAF, and most of the boutique stuff is sticking to that with variations on magnets, wire and materials as things to tinker with.
I think I have tried every flavour of Duncan, well almost.
I have Timbuckers, Wizz, Shed and Throbak in my Les Pauls, I think Throbaks win there.
I haven't got the patience to A-B them in the same guitars, but I think the Throbaks are slightly hotter, which works better for my tastes.
In my Teles, I have tele size PAF styles, and I quite like the Duncan 59, which splits well.
I think the Duncan JB is the ultimate modern PAF really, the Pearly Gates and Screamin Demon are different flavours, and with the 7.5-8.5 rule, it really comes down to the amp you use.
Weaker pickups, mean you are getting the amp to work harder, which I think is the secret.

Logie

I bought a Les Paul Studio to refinish and tried a few different sets of pickups including PRS's fabled 57/08's and the SD JB/59's. I left the SD's in purely for cosmetic reasons as the zebra bobbins went well with the finish I'm sure there must have been some sonic differences but I'm buggered if I could hear it. I've played guitars with Bareknuckle, Catswhiskers, Creamery, Custombuckers etc but I'm more than happy with the BB's in my Les Paul. 

Cirrus

I really like SD Alnico II Pros - used them for several years and never felt like they limited me. But, I decided I'd like covered p'ups in that guitar, and when I did that they became too mellow sounding - especially the pick attack. So after trying a few different things I ended up with a pair of Burstbuckers - 1 & 2. And they sound great covered. They're more raw sounding - more of an edge to the sustain, and more midrange than the A2Pros, but enough girth that they don't get honky sounding. I really like them, and am of the opinion that it's possible for a PAF to be too polite and controlled.

Slash'N'burn

'91 Custom with the early '57 Classics PAF (not '+' version)  sound great and vintage to me so no plans to experiment with others.

Original 300k tone pots, I still find the bridge pickup a bit bright so always have the tone rolled back to 7, regardless of the amps I've used so far.

SteveRobinson

Cirrus said:

 I ended up with a pair of Burstbuckers - 1 & 2. And they sound great covered. They're more raw sounding - more of an edge to the sustain, and more midrange than the A2Pros, but enough girth that they don't get honky sounding. I really like them, and am of the opinion that it's possible for a PAF to be too polite and controlled.

I've settled on covered Burstbucker 1 & 2 in my Les Paul too and agree with what you say.

Hoarasaurus

I've always found this an amusing subject, for all the reasons as listed above, the historical variations in the originals, and also that we all play in our own unique ways. Me playing on my guitar, will sound drastically different to someone else. I may love the sound of Claptons 335 on Sunshine of your Love, but I doubt that I would sound like him if I played through his setup. 

One thing I do know though, is that @Van_Hayden makes very, very good pickups!

skippy76

I’ve been lucky enough in the last 10 years to have owned and or played late 50s PAFs, early 60s Stickered PATs, Mid 60s T Tops, Wizz, BKP Mules, OX4s, Throwbaks, Custom Buckers, Burst Buckers. none of them sounded “bad”.

I only wish I had them all at the same time to try with the same LP, that would be a great way to find a good fit for a particular LP.

timmypix

FelineGuitars said:

I've played a great number and they all differ slightly and it can be down to a good match for the guitar they are in - that counts for something .

But from memory these stood out from the boutique offerings

BKPs - mules, and PG Blues get my vote (like others but they stray a bit from the PAF recipe)

Oil City - love the Beano and the PAT 63(for the PAF with an A5 twist)

Monty's - PAF (sounded simply on the money- not overly hot)

Cream T - still tinkering with these but the Whiskerbucker, BFG Banger  and Scan2 (Bernie Marsden Beast clone)

3rd Power _ really liking their MagFrag PraxXIS set ...these live in my Feline 20th Anniversary

Also the Throbaks and Tom Holmes ones we have fitted sounded great

@FelineGuitars what do you make of the Scan2 set? I've got Mules in my Bernie at the moment but they do seem like they'd be somewhat appropriate. Though from what I can read about the original Beastbucker replicas done a few years ago, they're not too different in spec?

Seziertisch

timmypix said:

FelineGuitars said:

I've played a great number and they all differ slightly and it can be down to a good match for the guitar they are in - that counts for something .

But from memory these stood out from the boutique offerings

BKPs - mules, and PG Blues get my vote (like others but they stray a bit from the PAF recipe)

Oil City - love the Beano and the PAT 63(for the PAF with an A5 twist)

Monty's - PAF (sounded simply on the money- not overly hot)

Cream T - still tinkering with these but the Whiskerbucker, BFG Banger  and Scan2 (Bernie Marsden Beast clone)

3rd Power _ really liking their MagFrag PraxXIS set ...these live in my Feline 20th Anniversary

Also the Throbaks and Tom Holmes ones we have fitted sounded great

@FelineGuitars what do you make of the Scan2 set? I've got Mules in my Bernie at the moment but they do seem like they'd be somewhat appropriate. Though from what I can read about the original Beastbucker replicas done a few years ago, they're not too different in spec?

The Beastbucker replicas were wound by Marc at Mojo Pickups. He is offering PAFs of his own to the public again as well, so I’m sure he could sort you out.

FelineGuitars

I like them but the jury is still out.

I had put them in a guitar that was newly built  so it is still settling in 

I think they are a bit more RAW sounding than the Mule which seems a little more composed 

To be fair I need to give that axe another play as it's had time to settle now

timmypix

FelineGuitars said:

I like them but the jury is still out.

I had put them in a guitar that was newly built  so it is still settling in 

I think they are a bit more RAW sounding than the Mule which seems a little more composed 

To be fair I need to give that axe another play as it's had time to settle now

Cor you do know how to make a pretty guitar! Rawer than the Mule sounds rather perfect!

Danielsguitars

I've had mules and a few sets of beast buckers, no contest for me, beast buckers are superb

I even had a customer from the states get a set then email me raving about them and he's been through a load of boutique pafs, he said the only other set that was as good was in his yaron

Vintage

I've tried many PAF builders.

The problem on the PAF sound, is that there isn't ONE paf sound.  The PAF is a mix of components like, materials, age, winding, ecc. 
One paf is different from another. 
We can speak only about some typical aspects of PAF sound.

Articulate, airy, crispy, snappy, dinamic, microphonic.

In my experience I have found some great PAF builders.

Wizz: very close to the original but in my opinion not very constant in his production....some great set, some minus. The best wizz PAF are the pickup with NOS wire, but are discontinued and very rare to find.

Flametone: another good builder, more constant in production so every sets I've tried, sounds good.

Monthys: good pickups, but in my opinion they are on T-Top Side than PAF.

Sigil: in my opinion, the best PAF replica at lower price. Sounds great, and very close to the original. His philosophy on build pickup, is the right guise in my opinion. He propose a PAF replica based on a specific sound. Take a look at his web site.

Stephens Design: ok, this are in another league. Dave is a mad guy.....he have an obsession for the PAF, he build every parts on his specs for recreate the PAF magic. For me the best PAF replica. Very rare on the market due the waiting list for buying directly from Dave....over 24 months...
If you can and you have a guitar that is your favorite, put his PAF on it.....magic.

Cirrus

Vintage said:

Stephens Design: ok, this are in another league. Dave is a mad guy.....he have an obsession for the PAF, he build every parts on his specs for recreate the PAF magic. For me the best PAF replica. Very rare on the market due the waiting list for buying directly from Dave....over 24 months...
If you can and you have a guitar that is your favorite, put his PAF on it.....magic.

There's a guy selling a pair on the classifieds - you should pick them up!

Vintage

Cirrus said:

Vintage said:

Stephens Design: ok, this are in another league. Dave is a mad guy.....he have an obsession for the PAF, he build every parts on his specs for recreate the PAF magic. For me the best PAF replica. Very rare on the market due the waiting list for buying directly from Dave....over 24 months...
If you can and you have a guitar that is your favorite, put his PAF on it.....magic.

There's a guy selling a pair on the classifieds - you should pick them up!

They are mine, is the third set that I have buy