What does PAF mean in guitar pickups?
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What does PAF mean in guitar pickups?
Patent Applied For
A: Pretty much every guitar player has heard about the legendary “Patent Applied For” – or “PAF” – humbucking pickups that first appeared on Gibson guitars in 1957.
When did Gibson stop using PAF pickups?
The PAF lasted to about 1962 to 1965. Nickel plated part models transitioned away from PAF pickups first around 1962, since these guitars were sold in greater numbers. Gold plated part guitars can often be found with PAFs (or one PAF and one Patent# pickup) as late as 1965.
Are all humbuckers PAF?
A P.A.F. or simply PAF (“Patent Applied For”) is an early model of the humbucker guitar pickup invented by Seth Lover in 1955….PAF (pickup)
| P.A.F. | |
|---|---|
| Period | 1956—1975 |
| Type | Passive Humbucker |
| Magnet type | 1956-1960: Alnico 2, 3, 4, and 5 1961-1975: Alnico 5 |
| Output specifications |
What is a PAF humbucker?
P.A.F. is an acronym for Patent Applied For and is a nickname given to the original Gibson humbuckers designed in 1955. These pickups had a sticker on the bottom that had “Patent Applied For” on them and years later the name was shortened by musicians to P.A.F.
What is better ceramic or alnico?
Magnetically speaking, ceramic magnets produce a stronger field than Alnico. The result is a slightly hotter sounding pickup with more treble response. A lot of people automatically say that Alnico is superior to ceramic in pickups. Alnico tends to produce a very musical pickup in most setups.
What’s the difference between alnico 3 and 5?
The obvious difference is going to be tonal characteristics, but different magnets allow for higher output pickups. The highest output alnicos are Alnico 8, but Alnico 5 is higher output than Alnico 3. I think Alnico 3s have a smoother top end than Alnico 5s which have a more grating sound.
What is a PAF tone?
A P.A.F. or simply PAF is an early model of the humbucker guitar pickup invented by Seth Lover in 1955. The PAF is an essential tonal characteristic of the now-famous 1957-1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitars, and pickups of this type have gained a large following.
What are T type humbuckers?
The “T-Type” pickups are a replica of Gibson’s “T-Top” pickups built from 1965-1980 (but only used on SGs until 1974). Those models were then sold through Gibson’s Demo Shop on Reverb with various modifications and included a certificate of authenticity. In 2021, a new Oxblood finish option was added.