Need help with identifying pickup

[Schmeer]

Hi everybody!

I know there's a lot of people with a ton of knowledge regarding pickups in here, so I was hoping someone might be able to help.
I was recently going through some of my dads old stuff, and came across this thing. It's really not in the best shape, the cable is cut waaay short, the tape is coming loose and it looks like someone might have tried potting it at some time.
Now, I have no idea what guitar this came out of, I just found it laying around. The old man has been gone for years, so asking him is not an option.

I tried measuring it, and the output reads 9,16k.

Now, on to the pictures

 

[Lusus]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

This definitely looks like a Gibson PAF (Patent Applied For) pickup.
I wouldn't be able to tell you if it's the real deal or not. Since I'm pretty sure these are commonly faked / reproduced

I'm not an expert on them but I know they are regarded as the best pickup by certain people who are into the vintage era. It's worth looking into or waiting for someone more knowledgeable to respond.

 

[Discharged]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

That's probably either a '57 Classic Plus or a Burstbucker III.

/Peter

 

[Schmeer]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

This definitely looks like a Gibson PAF (Patent Applied For) pickup.
I wouldn't be able to tell you if it's the real deal or not. Since I'm pretty sure these are commonly faked / reproduced

I'm not an expert on them but I know they are regarded as the best pickup by certain people who are into the vintage era. It's worth looking into or waiting for someone more knowledgeable to respond.

Yeah, kind of what I was thinking. I’m aware that there are lots of fakes around, so this might very well be one of those.
I can’t really remember my dad ever owning a Gibson, so I’m really wondering where it came from.

 

[Schmeer]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

That's probably either a '57 Classic Plus or a Burstbucker III.

/Peter

When were those released though? My dad switched to bass, and pretty much quit playing guitar in the mid 80’s. I can’t recall him ever tinkering around with guitars after that. Besides, he died in 2002 so the pickup is at least that old

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

The regular '57 Classic was introduced in 1990

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

It looks like a more modern production pickup to me.

Any chance you could post a picture showing the bottom of the mounting feet? They got cut-off in the last picture.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

the bobbins dont look right to be a real 57-62 paf and 9.1k is really hot for a paf too, not that there arent rumors of them out there but its very rare. 9.1k is bb3 territory

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

I don’t know which pickup, maybe a 490,
But it used to have a cover on it from the solder marks on the bottom.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

I don’t know which pickup, maybe a 490,
But it used to have a cover on it from the solder marks on the bottom.

Pretty sure it's not a 490. All of the 490s I've ever seen have 'Gibson USA' baseplates with no PAF sticker. I'm with jeremy on it being a BB3.

 

[Schmeer]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

It looks like a more modern production pickup to me.

Any chance you could post a picture showing the bottom of the mounting feet? They got cut-off in the last picture.

Yep, I'll try to get it done after work today.
Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't seem to have those toolmarks associated with "real" paf's, but I'll post a pic.

 

[Schmeer]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

the bobbins dont look right to be a real 57-62 paf and 9.1k is really hot for a paf too, not that there arent rumors of them out there but its very rare. 9.1k is bb3 territory

The bb3 was also introduced in the early 90's, am I right? That would fit with the timeline I've established

I don’t know which pickup, maybe a 490,
But it used to have a cover on it from the solder marks on the bottom.

Pretty sure it's not a 490. All of the 490s I've ever seen have 'Gibson USA' baseplates with no PAF sticker. I'm with jeremy on it being a BB3.

Also, it sounded nothing like a 490 when I tried it. A lot less "aggressive", in lack of a better word to describe it.
It sounded kind of bland to my ears. Cleans were pretty good, but anything post AC/DC levels of gain didn't sound very good to me.

 

[Schmeer]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup



A couple of pics of the feet

 

[David Garner]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

When were those released though? My dad switched to bass, and pretty much quit playing guitar in the mid 80’s. I can’t recall him ever tinkering around with guitars after that. Besides, he died in 2002 so the pickup is at least that old

Something to consider is he might have gotten that in a trade, planned to do something with it and never did, etc. Both the Burstbuckers and the 57 Classics were introduced in the 1990s. I'd bet your pickup is one or the other.

 

[Schmeer]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

Something to consider is he might have gotten that in a trade, planned to do something with it and never did, etc. Both the Burstbuckers and the 57 Classics were introduced in the 1990s. I'd bet your pickup is one or the other.

Yep, probably. Seems to be a little too hot to be a 57 classic though, those typically measure around 7,5, if I'm not mistaken. The bb3 and the classic+ are closer at around 8,3-8,4. I know some variance is to be expected, so perhaps a "hot" bb3?

 

[Artie]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

But it used to have a cover on it from the solder marks on the bottom.

Yup. And once you get it figured out, I'd put it's clothes back on. That's one fugly pickup.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Need help with identifying pickup

That's definitely not a real PAF. Bobbin holes, feet/markings, etc are all wrong based on pictures I can find

Looks like BB3 is a good bet: