closest thing to the a PAF

[Christopher Caruana]

other than the antiquity and the Seth Lover, which SD humbucker is closest to the Gibson PAF's. I have both the A2pros in my LP right now and I am consdering changing them out. would the PG's or '59s be the way to go.

[ganzosrevenge]

the '59 for a true PAF tone, PG for a PAF with some more bite / nastiness.

what's wrong with the antiquity and the seth?

[Christopher Caruana]

the '59 for a true PAF tone, PG for a PAF with some more bite / nastiness.

what's wrong with the antiquity and the seth?

well i dont want to spend $160 for the antiquity and the seth lovers are said not to be played through a high gain amp 50 watts and up.....and im pretty sure my valveking is considered a high gain amp and its 50 watts. but I want something that can be sweet and warm, but can handle some dirt at the same time

[Christopher Caruana]

lets see..... really like the PAF tones of jimmy page and angus young. just to name a couple

[ganzosrevenge]

hmm.... pearly gates, the '59.... if you want a monster '59 style, the custom 5 (14.4k though of 43 awg wire)

Brobucker NAILS the angus tone for $160, (which ya said was expensive). I'd also look at what boutiques have, WCRguitar.com, bareknucklepickups.co.uk, both have amazing PAF replicas that'll get you where you want as well.

[Christopher Caruana]

hmm.... pearly gates, the '59.... if you want a monster '59 style, the custom 5 (14.4k though of 43 awg wire)

Brobucker NAILS the angus tone for $160, (which ya said was expensive). I'd also look at what boutiques have, WCRguitar.com, bareknucklepickups.co.uk, both have amazing PAF replicas that'll get you where you want as well.

ya about the C5, Is it the same as a '59 only with a hotter wind, or are the two just similar?

[the guy who invented fire]

Ants, Seths, 59's and PG's are all based on PAF and are all very close to real PAFs...

[Christopher Caruana]

Ants, Seths, 59's and PG's are all based on PAF and are all very close to real PAFs...

what about the A2pros? where do they fall into the PAF category? if at all?

[ganzosrevenge]

the A2pro is kinda like a modernized seth lover

the seth lover is like a new-looking antiquity

and the A2Pro is considered a PAF-style... the C5 is great with the '59 because it is basically an insanely overwound '59 for intents and purposes

[Christopher Caruana]

the A2pro is kinda like a modernized seth lover

the seth lover is like a new-looking antiquity

and the A2Pro is considered a PAF-style... the C5 is great with the '59 because it is basically an insanely overwound '59 for intents and purposes

how about the PG's? i heard they are a replica of the old PAF's that came in the old '59 LP standards

[C-Martin]

how about the PG's? i heard they are a replica of the old PAF's that came in the old '59 LP standards

its suppose to replicate those from Billy Gibbons '59 Les Paul he called "Pearly Gates".. hence the name of the pickup

[ErikH]

If you want the tone of how an old PAF would sound now, get the Antiquities.
If you want the tone of how an old PAF would sound brand new back in the day, get the Seths, or the '59.

Just because an amp is 50 watts or more doesn't mean it's high gain. Take the Fender Twin for example. Really clean amp and more than 50 watts. You mean high gain as in heavy breakup. The Seths should be fine so long as you're not using Metallica type gain levels. If you do, the '59 would be the better choice.

[Christopher Caruana]

If you want the tone of how an old PAF would sound now, get the Antiquities.
If you want the tone of how an old PAF would sound brand new back in the day, get the Seths, or the '59.

Just because an amp is 50 watts or more doesn't mean it's high gain. Take the Fender Twin for example. Really clean amp and more than 50 watts. You mean high gain as in heavy breakup. The Seths should be fine so long as you're not using Metallica type gain levels. If you do, the '59 would be the better choice.

ya i play everything from BB king to van halen to metallica.

[Hellion]

I'd recommend a '59. They're just a nice sounding pickup. When you switch to the heavier stuff, let the amp do the heavy lifting.

[Christopher Caruana]

its suppose to replicate those from Billy Gibbons '59 Les Paul he called "Pearly Gates".. hence the name of the pickup

were his pickups modded or something? cuz wouldnt they just be the same as anyother '59 LP? so the PG's would be the closest thing......or would the '59s be better. I like page's tone from his #1 LP, kinda bright, but not brittle sounding, but still kinda warm and dirty sounding. I know gibson puts their burstbuckers type 1 and 2 in their '59 LP reissues. but the BBers are like $120 each

[C-Martin]

ya i play everything from BB king to van halen to metallica.

i would say try a 59 in the neck and a pearly gate bridge, classic paf tone in the neck with a slightly edgier bridge tone yet still very much a paf tone


btw you could also consider finding some used burstbuckers on ebay, i personaly think they're realy good pups for the classic paf tone ala page and such, the best pickup gibson has made since the original paf imo

[ErikH]

Chris, back in the early days of the PAFs being made, there were loads of inconsistencies. One could sound like gold and another sound like crap. There just wasn't the consistency that there is today. That, and there were no bridge and neck versions. They were all wound to approximately the same number of turns and one got slapped in the neck and one in the bridge.

In the case of the Rev's '59 LP Standard, he got lucky that his LP had great sounding PAF's from the start. Those are the gems.

For what you play, a set of '59s or a set of Pearly Gates will get the job done. Flip a coin.

[C-Martin]

were his pickups modded or something? cuz wouldnt they just be the same as anyother '59 LP? so the PG's would be the closest thing......or would the '59s be better. I like page's tone from his #1 LP, kinda bright, but not brittle sounding, but still kinda warm and dirty sounding. I know gibson puts their burstbuckers type 1 and 2 in their '59 LP reissues. but the BBers are like $120 each

the original pafs back then all had slightly different amount of turns when wound, they used to wind em up aproximetly "until they where full" and thus making some pafs slightly different then others, all sounded similar but some where just little hoter then others, the ones in his pearly gates must've been one of the hoter ones hence giving it a little more edge or output or something

[Christopher Caruana]

Chris, back in the early days of the PAFs being made, there were loads of inconsistencies. One could sound like gold and another sound like crap. There just wasn't the consistency that there is today. That, and there were no bridge and neck versions. They were all wound to approximately the same number of turns and one got slapped in the neck and one in the bridge.

In the case of the Rev's '59 LP Standard, he got lucky that his LP had great sounding PAF's from the start. Those are the gems.

For what you play, a set of '59s or a set of Pearly Gates will get the job done. Flip a coin.

thanks man. good info, now who has a quarter?

[cheezemaster]

in the Duncan line, you can't go wrong with the '59. It's a good versatile classic rocknroll pickup. Pearly Gates are cool too, but to me they're a little particular to the guitar they're in - in the wrong axe they can be a bit to shrill/squanky (I'm talking bridge position here, they seem to always sound good in the neck).

I also recently put a Gibson 57 classic in a Les Paul and it's great too.. a different sound (a little thicker and creamier) but still nails those classic rock tones.