Which PAFs??

Evilmags

Bulldogs are also excellent. I had a set of their Hot PAFS in an Eggle Vienna Pro and it was a drastic improvement  

mgaw

OX4 pickups, havent heard better

Dominic

Plus 1 for the OX 4 ........really awesome but not for very gainy stuff as they will squeal as they are unpotted

Nick

You MUST check out Jaime from The Creamery in Manchester - the sound and build quality of his pickups are stunning. He's a one man operation and manufactures his own bits and bobs... http://www.creamery-pickups.co.uk/

Skipped

Buy in the Classifieds. (you have a healthy used market right here).

You won't lose money and you can experiment.
Until you have figured out if you can hear the nuanced differences between a BKP Stormy Monday and a Duncan Antiquity, in your guitar, with your rig and with your playing style, I would say that buying new is a bit risky.
You might detect huge differences. Or you might not.

If you read through about 5 years of posts on LesPaulForum you may notice that lots of people are very disappointed with their long search for their dream pickups. That may be because they have basically purchased the same pickup, with the same magnet type, and the same output......10 times on the trot.
Like Groundhog day.

strat84

Yeah that's probably a wise move to buy used as I doubt I'll get it right the first time and there is just so much choice.. Some of the companies above look really great but apart from the choices between those there are also the magnet strengths, unpotted or potted, output levels etc. I only have the one humbucker equipped guitar which I really like the look and feel of, it actually sounds good acoustically as well so I want it to sound the best it can plugged in 

p90fool

Wisdom @Skipped ;

Everyone makes pretty much the same thing in the PAF world, yet their adherents claim the last pair they bought is absolutely the best, well for a few months anyway, then the merry-go-round continues. 

Personally I'd bung a tenner's worth of alnico 3 magnets in your current pickups, wire the bridge volume 50s style and the neck modern style with a treble pass cap. 

If it's a naturally good sounding guitar as you say, that combination will bring it to life and balance it out at the same time. 

StuartMac290

mgaw said:

OX4 pickups, havent heard better

Me neither.

Danielsguitars

Pafs are very subjective imo

I personally don't like mules, in fact I had the neck one rewound and it was night and day difference, it is fantastic now
I don't find them very paf like tbh

I like Marc at mojos, can't go wrong, he'll wind anything you want at a good price

I also like montys pafs

These 2 sets have been compared to real pafs in a 58, that's my benchmark

It's down to personal taste, listen to you tube clips and gauge what you like the sound of first and your budget

There is alot of b.s. out there too 

matone

Skipped said:

Buy in the Classifieds. (you have a healthy used market right here).

You won't lose money and you can experiment.
Until you have figured out if you can hear the nuanced differences between a BKP Stormy Monday and a Duncan Antiquity, in your guitar, with your rig and with your playing style, I would say that buying new is a bit risky.
You might detect huge differences. Or you might not.

If you read through about 5 years of posts on LesPaulForum you may notice that lots of people are very disappointed with their long search for their dream pickups. That may be because they have basically purchased the same pickup, with the same magnet type, and the same output......10 times on the trot.
Like Groundhog day.

This!

hotpickups

I've got these in my LP. Silver covers though:-

http://www.montysguitars.com/products/humdinger-humbucker-pickup-set

Danielsguitars

hotpickups said:

I've got these in my LP. Silver covers though:-

http://www.montysguitars.com/products/humdinger-humbucker-pickup-set

Great pickups, Matt's a nice guy too

xchrisv

Of all those I've tried, Monty's are probably the closest to a good original PAF. Tyson Tone also very, very good. There are numerous elements to the recipe but a lack of potting is essential. Your Les Paul will feel alive, almost like a massive microphone, and the extended high-end and harmonic content that comes with it is something to behold... 

Danielsguitars

Mojo beast buckers are bloody close too

We did back to back comparisons of the beast buckers, montys and a real 58 that was in fantastic condition

There wasn't alot in it 

Haych

David Allen P51 Mustangs are the BEST humbucking pickup I've ever had the pleasure to play.  They really are the mutt's nuts.

Incredible sound and clarity and they sound just as good clean as they do dirty.  Just gotta find a guitar to put them in now since I sold my PRS on the weekend.

Wolfetone Dr. Vintage come a close second.  I also had some Monty's PAFs and I gotta say they didn't sound all that special to me.