Paf Pickups

[thewongster]

Hey can someone tell me how decent these pickups are? I just wanna know if this will imporve my pickups by the slightest or might it worsen it?

PAF Pickups

I was gonna plan to use those to replace the pickups on my guitar. I aint expecting amazing quallity, but im reallllly on a budget. I think that they will look freat. but the question is that if it will worsen the guitar :S

My Guitar (Red Sunburst)

Its basicly a starter guitar for about 199$ canadian.

[thewongster]

bump?

[unclej]

well..they will probably change the sound of your guitar for sure but whether or not they'll "worsen" your guitar? i couldn't say. what i can say is they are not PAF. PAF's do not "peel paint" nor are they hot. none of dimarzio's PAFs have a resistance over 8.5 ohms. PAF's are low output, mellow, bluesey sounding pups.

that being said..the pups in that ad are nice looking, have a descent output and may be just what you're looking for. but i've never bought any so i can't say what they sound like and since i haven't played your guitar i don't know what it sounds like either.

flip a coin?

[guitar2005]

flip a coin?

... or just go with DiMarzios and know what you're getting. I love the PAF Pros.

[Mitja]

I wouldn´t spend my money on those. PAF Pros are very nice indeed. As are Duncans Alnico II humbuckers.

My favourites for a "vintage vibe".

[crafty]

If you're just doing it for the look, go for the GFS. If you want the better sound, the Duncan '59 or Dimarzio PAF series is tough to beat for the money. You can order a bunch of different pickups with covers, too, you know?

[GregP]

Well, if it's REALLY just the look, buy some separate covers instead of pickups.

[winger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5UjzmwMu8A

Found this pickup demo video. The GFS models are also in there.

Hope this helps.

[biliousfrog]

What sort of sound do you want, how does the guitar sound at the moment & what would you like to improve?

I ask because lots of people seem to think that hot pickups equal a heavier sound but generally they only equal a muddier sound caused by the lack of treble & high-mids. That's not to say that hot pickups aren't any good just that higher output means less treble so less "cut". Unfortunately what one person calls "hot" another will not & some pickups don't actually sound any raunchier despite the higher resistance. I've tried a Dimarzio PAF Pro (9k), MightyMite motherbucker (18k) & a Lace Sensor Gold single coil (9k I think) in the same strat. The Dimarzio has the punchiest sound but the Lace is close & cuts through a mix better than the others.

I expect that those pickups will be an improvement on the stock ones but there might be a better choice for the same price.

[Robert_the_damned]

What sort of sound do you want, how does the guitar sound at the moment & what would you like to improve?

I ask because lots of people seem to think that hot pickups equal a heavier sound but generally they only equal a muddier sound caused by the lack of treble & high-mids. That's not to say that hot pickups aren't any good just that higher output means less treble so less "cut". Unfortunately what one person calls "hot" another will not & some pickups don't actually sound any raunchier despite the higher resistance. I've tried a Dimarzio PAF Pro (9k), MightyMite motherbucker (18k) & a Lace Sensor Gold single coil (9k I think) in the same strat. The Dimarzio has the punchiest sound but the Lace is close & cuts through a mix better than the others.

I expect that those pickups will be an improvement on the stock ones but there might be a better choice for the same price.

This is true to a degree, when you overwind a pickup the addition inductace that causes will make the pickup loose some high frequency output. I disagree about higheroutput pickups being muddyier though...they have more midrange and bass output yes but that can be advantageous...I guess it depends what you're plugging your guitar into really. oh and lace sensor pickups the resistance isn't comparable with a standard pickup as they're configured completely differently (think they used differant gauge wire too so you defenatly can't compare using resistances).

[erikbojerik]

Do you know what a real PAF sounds like?

"Cheap Sunglasses" by ZZ Top.

First solo is a bridge PAF, second is neck PAF.

[biliousfrog]

Do you know what a real PAF sounds like?

"Cheap Sunglasses" by ZZ Top.

First solo is a bridge PAF, second is neck PAF.

No, that's what that particular pickup sounded like in a particular guitar (Les Paul?), through a particular amp (JCM 800?), recorded by a particular microphone, through a particular desk & recording equipment, most probably post processed & double tracked & finally delivered through whichever stereo equipment you're using.

I expect that the same pickup installed into a cheap alder bodied superstrat & played through a practice combo in a bedroom might sound different.

[crafty]

No, that's what that particular pickup sounded like in a particular guitar (Les Paul?), through a particular amp (JCM 800?), recorded by a particular microphone, through a particular desk & recording equipment, most probably post processed & double tracked & finally delivered through whichever stereo equipment you're using.

I expect that the same pickup installed into a cheap alder bodied superstrat & played through a practice combo in a bedroom might sound different.

A PAF in a Les Paul isn't going to sound THAT much different in a superstrat. I'm pretty sure erik was simply trying to demonstrate the general example of the PAF sound. Now, if you want to be even more picky about it, you're not going to sound like Billy F. Gibbons no matter what you put into that guitar unless you ARE Billy F. Gibbons.

Having said all that, PAF-style, vintage-output pickups will probably give you the cleanest sound and headroom of any pickup out there--besides actives. However, you'll need a monster of an amp or a good overdrive pedal if you're looking to thrash.

[thewongster]

Thank you very much for your info. Is there any other alternative cheap PAF's out there? roughly the same price?

[SwedishLuthier]

Are you on a budget? Get two of these

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_p..._Coil_Wire.html

and some of this

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_p...bucker_Kit.html

Two kits for 21.70 and wire for 24.95 = 68.35$

Two of those cheepo “PAFs” 69.90$

This means that you save a buck but most important you can make something that you are really proud of. Read up some and you will be able to get exactly the sound that you are after. And if it really doesn’t sound like you want: Rewind it till you get it done. All you need is the kits, the wire, a soldering iron and a power drill (can even be done with a hand drill).

[guitar2005]

A PAF in a Les Paul isn't going to sound THAT much different in a superstrat. I'm pretty sure erik was simply trying to demonstrate the general example of the PAF sound. Now, if you want to be even more picky about it, you're not going to sound like Billy F. Gibbons no matter what you put into that guitar unless you ARE Billy F. Gibbons.

Having said all that, PAF-style, vintage-output pickups will probably give you the cleanest sound and headroom of any pickup out there--besides actives. However, you'll need a monster of an amp or a good overdrive pedal if you're looking to thrash.

Listen to David Lee Roth's Skyscraper. That's PAF Pro with Steve Vai on guitar. Sounds very different compared to an LP with PAF Style Pickups.

[crafty]

Listen to David Lee Roth's Skyscraper. That's PAF Pro with Steve Vai on guitar. Sounds very different compared to an LP with PAF Style Pickups.

Yeah, maybe. I bet it would've sounded very similar if Steve had used a Les Paul instead of his superstrat, though.

[guitar2005]

Listen to David Lee Roth's Skyscraper. That's PAF Pro with Steve Vai on guitar. Sounds very different compared to an LP with PAF Style Pickups.

Yeah, maybe. I bet it would've sounded very similar if Steve had used a Les Paul instead of his superstrat, though.

Actually, It does sound way different than a LP. I have a 1987 Ibanez Jem with Dimarzio PAFs and compared to the LP with the T-Tops (Boosted PAF like the DiMarzio - similar specs) the sound is night and day.

I'm not going to get into an argument as to whether they sound different. I know what I hear and I could tell the guitars apart blind folded