Wanted - PATB 3 From 80’s or Early 90’s Good Shape

[Leon Of Late]

I would love to find one NOS or close, but I’m not looking to pay collectors prices. I need this to use in a nice guitar I’ve had since 92’. It has a PATB in it now from the 90’s, but it’s just a tad hotter than I really prefer. I have been wanting the -3 for a long time but just never got around to seriously trying to find one.

I don’t care who wound it. It does not have to be an MJ pickup. Doubt she wound PATB’s much anyhow. Just a 7 or better condition pickup, plenty of lead. Not all scratched or gouged. Naturally aged and played in is one thing, abused is....you get the idea.

I’d like my budget to be $60-$65 or so, but not sure how that is for these, I don’t see them much, so you tell me. I have a couple of things I could trade as well:

JB - Black, full lead or nearly. great shape has had a cover on almost always, can come with chrome cover or not
PGn - Zebra, nearly full lead as well, came out of the same guitar as the JB, OEM but cover is gone I think.
SNS - Zebra, NIB, this one might require a nicer pickup or some cash coming back to me
Antiquity Neck - Zebra, with cover or without. This might also not be an even trade for a PATB-3, but we always work things out here.

Messaging me in the thread might be easiest, but if you are shy, I will check PM’s as best as I can. They frustrate me.

Thanks All.

[eclecticsynergy]

Do you think there's a significant difference between 80s/90s PATBs and more recent ones?
I know sometime in the early 80s they changed magnet suppliers for the SH-1; apparently the earliest JBs had different mags too.

Was Duncan even making PATBs in the 80s? I had no idea the design was that old.

[Leon Of Late]

Well, the PATB-1 I currently have is from sometime in the early 90’s. I’m honestly not 100% sure how old exactly the line is, I’m just guessing into the late 80’s, but possibly not. Others would know better. I’m no historian.

At one point about 10 years ago, maybe more, my PATB quit working. I had been messing around with the guitar, putting in different middle and neck pickups, new wiring and I probably did something to it myself. At any rate, I just went and bought a new one. It sounded notably different to me than the one that was broken. Harder, more strident highs, the mids seemed either more scooped or more focused in the lower mids. The bass was tighter. That was not necessarily a bad thing, but taken as a whole, I did not like the new PATB-1 at all. I sent my broken pickup back to Duncan to be repaired, and it was a loose wire inside that needed to be re-soldered and reconnected. Simple fix thank goodness. I think it was $25.

I put it back in and it sounded like I remembered. Now, I have a sample of 2 pickups FWIW. But based on other older SD pickups sounding “arguably” better, I’m willing to spend my time and some money searching for an older model PATB-3, just for my own peace of mind.

[Masta' C]

A new PATB-3 is $109, but that means you're stuck with new production and no cool MJ "magic". There's currently a used one on eBay, newer production, going for $95. The last used one that sold on eBay was back in September and went for around $90, but that one was also newer production.

As chance would have it...

I have a NOS PATB-3 wound by MJ. We're talking early production, chrome baseplate, ink-stamped "3BJ" label and all, still in original box. But, there's no way I'm selling my exceptionally rare example for the same price a new one costs, let alone half of that.

If you are interested at $140 + $5 shipping, we can make something happen. Otherwise, you're stuck waiting for something to come up on the used market and I can guarantee it won't be NOS. On top of that, older PATB-3's a) don't come up often and b) are usually not in particularly nice condition when they do.

Think of the $30 premium I'm charging over a new one as a convenience fee for 30+ years of safe storage. What is that...$1 per year? Sounds like a good value to me and a chance to get EXACTLY what you want!

[Leon Of Late]

I’m all set, thanks everyone.

[ArtieToo]

I have a NOS PATB-3 wound by MJ. We're talking early production, chrome baseplate, ink-stamped "3BJ" label and all, still in original box.

Since LoL is all set, I suppose we can meander off-topic a bit. My PATB-3 also has the "3BJ" sticker on it. Did I get this from you? I know it came from here, but can't remember who I got it from.

P.S. Mine isn't for sale.

[Leon Of Late]

WHAT?? You wouldn’t sell yours Artie? It’s that good huh? I’m looking forward to getting mine and installing it. I’ll have the PATB stack in the neck, which is a great sounding stack pickup, and a SSL-1 in the middle, which is really there just to fill space in this guitar. I haven’t had the opportunity to try an old PATB stack neck, but the new(er) one I have sounds great.

I also bought an ESP arming adjuster (Trem Adjuster) to install to help my licensed Floyd stay in tune better. I need to check my pot valves. I replaced all of the pots a few years ago, but I guess I should make sure I have a 500 at the bridge and a 250 for the middle and neck. Does that sound right Artie? I want Bridge volume, neck volume, master tone.

[Masta' C]

My PATB-3 also has the "3BJ" sticker on it. Did I get this from you?

Yes, that came from me

[ArtieToo]

WHAT?? You wouldn't sell yours Artie? It's that good huh?

I think so. I had one once before, and regretted selling it. Masta' C fixed me up again. I think you're good to go on your pot values.

[ArtieToo]

Yes, that came from me

Sweet. I have the PATB-1 set in one LP. I now have both the PATB-2 & 3, plus one more PATB-1n. I need one more. I want three LP's with the PATB-1/2/3's. All will have the "1" neck.

[Masta' C]

I want three LP's with the PATB-1/2/3's.

Now THAT is a plan! If you were left with those 3 guitars and nothing else, you'd still be set for life!

[ArtieToo]

Yup. I haven't heard the "2" yet. The LP that it's going into is at my luthier's getting a full setup and fret level. Probably won't get it back 'til after the holidays. But that's cool. I have other projects to keep me busy.

[Masta' C]

Oh boy! The "2" is a beast! Punchy bottom, broad and throaty mids, warm but clear highs. I bet you'll like it.

The PATB-2 is like a Distortion that went away one Summer and came back the next school year all grown up with facial hair, bigger muscles, and a deeper voice.

Really nice pickup and would probably get more attention from the younger crowd if SD reissued it with a cool name like "Necromancer". LOL!

[ArtieToo]

Oh boy! The "2" is a beast! Punchy bottom, broad and throaty mids, warm but clear highs. I bet you'll like it.

The PATB-2 is like a Distortion that went away one Summer and came back the next school year all grown up with facial hair, bigger muscles, and a deeper voice.

Really nice pickup and would probably get more attention from the younger crowd if SD reissued it with a cool name like "Necromancer". LOL!

How would you compare it to the Diablo?

[Leon Of Late]

The PATB-2 scares me a bit. The -1 is as hot as I really care for and obviously at times too hot, so I just think the -2 would be over the top, at least for me. I guess it would have to be in the right guitar and be played through the right amp. I guess I need to get my hands on a regular distortion pickup and give that a whirl, to see if it is something I can even like. A lot of music I like was made with the Distortion, but I find the Custom hot enough for most anything I need. Maybe I’m not doing it right, hell........

My amp right now is a DSL 40C with the bright mod done and I have a Creamtone 65 speaker in it. I also have the Creamtone 75, but I really think I prefer the tone of the 65 for this amp.