Favorite PAF Replica

Re: Favorite PAF Replica

My vote goes to the Electric City Pickups RD-59 Hybrid set.

You can pay a lot more for other brands, but I just can't imagine any other actually sounding "better", although obviously "better" has a different meaning to every one and each of US.
HTH,
 
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Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Aceguy said:
Not limiting it to Duncan.
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I use the Schaller Golden 50 pickups in many of my guitars. I think they are one of the best kept secrets as far as pickups are concerned. Used ones can also be found as really nice prices.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

synzzzer said:
I use the Schaller Golden 50 pickups in many of my guitars. I think they are one of the best kept secrets as far as pickups are concerned. Used ones can also be found as really nice prices.
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I like their Parsons Street PAF's best. Great specs: nickel/silver baseplate and cover, unbalanced coils, correct wire, wooden spacers, etc.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Some good/interesting info in the responses here. Of the PAF type humbuckers I've used I have greatly enjoyed the pearly gates and the 57 classic. In strats/strat copies...


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Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Kac said:
Some good/interesting info in the responses here. Of the PAF type humbuckers I've used I have greatly enjoyed the pearly gates and the 57 classic. In strats/strat copies...
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Yes, they sound much better in those guitars. I've had them in Gibson-design guitars and they were pretty lackluster.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

I like 57 classics in semi hollows, but I think they can be prone to mud in the neck of a solid. Right now, I have 57s in a 339 and Seth's in my Les Paul, and I couldn't be happier.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Throbak looks great, but man, not at that price.
I offer my full adventure in a thread I posted today. As Lt. Pepe would say "HTH".
Of all the Duncan's, Gibson's I have tried, and I have been trying them to death since '01-'02, The Seths and Antiquities are the closest to the real Paf sound I know. I personally had to change both mags to A4's to get that sound, after trying many different magnets. The Seths and Antiquities came so right on I did not feel bad about finally selling my PAF. To a friend. Who is a great Luthier here in Tacoma, Wa. His name is Joe Riggio. Great Guy and Luthier.
SJ
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

El Supremo said:
Dimarzio PAF 36th Ann.
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I'll second this. At the DiMarzio tech's suggestion I just put an F-spaced neck one in my Strat at the bridge. Then to get more Tele twang, I put a steel mounting ring (found on ebay) around it on top of the pickguard. It's a great pickup.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

You can't go wrong with a set of Fralin Pure PAFs especially after you talk to Lindy and get it straight what exactly you want in the set. Mine are overwound 5% and I can do anything from crystal clean to metal with my 335.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Oinkus said:
You can't go wrong with a set of Fralin Pure PAFs especially after you talk to Lindy and get it straight what exactly you want in the set. Mine are overwound 5% and I can do anything from crystal clean to metal with my 335.
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Great PU's. Incredible clarity and articulation.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

We have been really impressed by the Antiquities. Absolutely fantastic. The lack of the wax-potting really gives them a genuine tone
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

I'm a big Duncan fan. The two boutique sets I've played were disappointing compared to Bonamassa for the same price or less.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Chocklit_Thunda said:
Aren't pickups like the pearly gates, 59, WLH, Bonamassa and others meant to emulate the sound of a specific PAF or pat no. pickup? They're copies of those pickups using modern methods and materials? So they are PAF replicas in what they're copying but not replicas in terms of actual construction
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The blurb for the 59 is that they take the specs for what the PAF should have been in 59 and make it using modern tolerances so is more consistent. It;s not based on a particular one just the blueprints. PG and Bonamassa are based off specific PAF in specific guitars (Billy Gibbons Pearly Gates LP and Bonamassa is obvious). The WLH is based on a rewind that Mr duncan did to a specific set of pickups that I can only assume for legal reasons never mention the individuals name or band of a metal airship.

I like the 59s but cant really compare them to any proper PAFs as I've never tried any.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

The very things that made the PAF such a great pickup are the things most often NOT copied. By making the pickup regular pattern wound with balanced coils, potting etc takes away the liveliness and sparkle. The pickups become much better at adapting to more styles, but lose the ability to really shine in the one area where the originals did - clean/low drive.
But the real/original PAF pickups are often VERY temperamental. In the wrong guitar they can sound atrocious, as has been seen with many first-hand accounts. The whole idea of a big company like Duncan is to have a product that can consistently sound good in a variety of guitars. So the product has to become a 'jack of all trades' by very definition.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Antiquities and WCR Crossroads.

APH for a "modern", cutting variant.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

I'm not sure what qualifies as a PAF any more.
Even the so called ' replicas ' vary enormously.

I have however just got a Lollar Imperial and its fantastic.
Tight and defined on the wound strings and bright but sweet on the plain ones.
It also eases into musical feedback better than any of my others but its much lower in output.

its so good, I'm actually re-evaluating my entire approach to humbuckers.
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

PG's are my faves far and away.

I am partial to the DiMarzio PAF as well.

Also a fan of the BB 1/2's
 
Re: Favorite PAF Replica

Aceman said:
PG's are my faves far and away.

I am partial to the DiMarzio PAF as well.

Also a fan of the BB 1/2's
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See, that's why I'm confused.
To me those are vastly different pickups and yet all are classed as PAF's.
 
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