Lets Talk PAFs.

[The Rover]

Im thinking of changing out the 57 Classics in my SG. The neck measures 7.95K and the bridge is 7.91K. I want a bridge pickup with a little more oomph, but I still want to keep it PAF style. I might get a 57 Classic Plus, but Gibson pups are sooo expensive. If I got a non-Gibson bridge pup I might get a new neck pickup to match.

So whats your favorite PAF style set? Could be mixed brands. I think something in the mid 8k range is good for the bridge. Lots of choices. Anyone have experience with SD Seth Lovers? Burstbuckers? SD Antiquities? SD Pearly Gates? I value everyone's feedback. Thanks.

[Sheraton]

I'd probably just look to swap the bridge 57 Classic you have for a Classic +. I think the traditional 57 classics are in a little more demand. You should be able to trade or sell and buy and at least break even.

[billybilly]

I have a BG Bucker dark slightly overwound in my Ibanez SZ and it's very PAF but has balls.  Measures just over 10K,  can play anything genre on it.  Its really hard to fault any of Bryans humbuckers.  I've had his BG Bucker regular too but needed a bit more push so I went with the dark.  

[GilmourD]

Like billybilly said, I'd go BGs.

 

However, if you REALLY need to spend as much as a Gibson pickup costs, just order a Duncan '78.

 

Or even better... Just get Bryan to make his version for you. That's what I plan on doing one day. It's PAF style, 42GA, with a bit more wound around the slug coil for a total of about 9Kohm. It's got an A2 magnet in it. And it's potted.

 

So, basically, it's a PAF where somebody wasn't watching the machine and let it get wound a little hot and he got sloppy matching the coils. LOL

[*BLEEP*]

 

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GilmourD wrote:

 

 

 

So, basically, it's a PAF where somebody wasn't watching the machine and let it get wound a little hot and he got sloppy matching the coils. LOL

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The imperfections of scatter winding and slightly mismatched coils can make for a sonic signature that's a wee bit more interesting than a "perfect" humbucker.  But, then again, there are those who like perfection.  I believe the Angus Young signature pickups made by Gibson have a "perfect" style humbucker (with uniform machine winding and equally wound coils) for the bridge position and a scatter wound humbucker for the neck position.  

 

[gdsmithtx]

 

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The Rover wrote:

 

So whats your favorite PAF style set? Could be mixed brands. I think something in the mid 8k range is good for the bridge. Lots of choices. Anyone have experience with SD Seth Lovers? Burstbuckers? SD Antiquities? SD Pearly Gates? I value everyone's feedback. Thanks.

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On the advice of several forum members, I put a Seth Lover set in my Dot Deluxe (along with PIO caps and all new electronics) and literally couldn't be happier with them.  They are the best sounding PAF-type pups I've ever used, and that includes the excellent Dimarzio 36th Anniversary.  

They are unpotted, so they probably won't do very high gain too well (at least mine can't in a semihollow) but that unpotted feature also gives them a classic open, articulate sound that is flat out gorgeous.  I've heard extremely good things about Bryan's BG pickups, but outside of that it's very, very hard to get pickups that approach the beautiful sound of the Seth Lovers near their price point.  

IMO, you'd have to go up to something like Bareknuckle Stormy Monday or Wolfetones to equal them, and those will run you quite a bit more scratch.

[BeanoBoy]

I have a WCR Crossroads in my Les Paul, it's a low output pup, so for a bit more oomph, I got a WCR Darkburst for my Vintage SG clone. Still has that great PAF vibe but adds a bit more prersence. Not cheap though.

[The Rover]

How about a Seth Lover in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge? Ive heard SL's are great neck pickups, but are pretty low output so one wouldn't work for me in the bridge spot. Something about an unpotted humbucker intrigues me.