Here are the characteristics that make a great vintage humbucker: a softmagnetic field, sweet tone, perfect balance between warmth and clarity,the ability to go from clean to distorted by pick attack alone. For ourPAF® 36th Anniversary Neck we wanted to continue in the pathof pioneers such as Seth Lover (designer of the original Patent AppliedFor humbucker) and create pickups that combine all of thecharacteristics of great vintage humbuckers. These pickups are notmerely clones. We re-engineered the PAF® using our patented technology and Larry DiMarzio’s own 1959 cherry sunburst Gibson® Les Paul® as the reference. Larry’s Gibson® Les Paul®has a uniquely amazing sound and it’s not only due to the pickups —it’s the total fusion of many elements of the guitar itself. Althoughthe pickups have a weak magnetic field, the sound is well defined:almost like a single-coil. We duplicated the weaker magnetic field inorder to allow the strings to vibrate longer, as well as focus andarticulate the attack and output. We use computer-controlled winders toconsistently layer the 42-gauge custom-coated wire, achieving the exactfrequency response we want. Then it’s dipped in our custom formula toeliminate squeal and microphonics. The cover is made from nickel-silverand our new plating makes it more magnetically transparent than theoriginals. The PAF® 36th Anniversary Neck is smooth but notmuddy. It performs equally well in the neck or bridge, just as the besthumbuckers from the 50s did. 

There is no reference standard for the sound of a humbucker from the1950s. All of them had variations in output and tone, and thesedifferences could be quite large. Recently, we have focused our researchon making pickups with warm highs and bright lows. This combination isonly found in our favorite vintage humbuckers, and it’s really good for apickup intended for both the neck and bridge positions. It allows thebass strings in the neck position to avoid muddiness, and the treblestrings in the bridge position to be warm and not brittle.

• Recommended For All positions
• Wiring 4 Conductor 
• Magnet Alnico 5
• Resistance 7.31 Kohm