Krivo Micro-Stealth Handmade P.A.F. Style Humbucker: Humbucking Pickup for Archtop Jazz Guitar

Krivo Micro-Stealth PAF — Handmade Slim-Profile Humbucker for Archtop Jazz Guitar | As Played by Joscho Stephan

Now featured in a new video performance by Joscho Stephan, playing his Emerald Kestrel archtop — which ships standard with the Krivo Micro-Stealth PAF. Stephan is the German virtuoso hailed by Acoustic Guitar Magazine as "the future of the Gypsy jazz guitar tradition," and a frequent collaborator with Tommy Emmanuel, Biréli Lagrène, and Stochelo Rosenberg.

The Micro-Stealth PAF is the most innovative archtop pickup in decades — and at just 6.5mm thick (under ¼"), it's the only true PAF-style 12-pole adjustable humbucker that actually fits vintage and modern archtops without routing the top.

Standard equipment on archtops by Emerald Guitars and Fibonacci Guitars — and trusted by a growing list of boutique luthiers worldwide.

The problem this pickup solves:
Traditional floating jazz humbuckers are too thick for old-school archtops — Gibson L-5, L-50, L-7, Harmony, Kay, Silvertone, Eastman, Loar LH-600, Godin 5th Avenue, and countless vintage instruments. There simply isn't room between the soundboard and the strings. Until now, your only options were a permanent rout (ouch) or settling for a thin, lower-output pickup that lacked the warmth and authority of a real PAF.

The Micro-Stealth changes that. It's as thin as your fretboard — and delivers the warm, clean, three-dimensional "jazz" tone you've been chasing.

The sound:
Custom-manufactured low-intensity neodymium magnets and real hardwood spacers produce a vintage PAF voice with a modern bite — strong attack, sweet sustain, and overtones with genuine three-dimensional bloom. Clean and flattering, but with character. Excellent higher-output alternative to traditional Kent Armstrong–style floaters.

DC resistance ≈ 8.2kΩ.

Press & Player Praise:

"Marvelous pickups, not only wonderful for playing jazz, but for any player looking for a good magnetic pickup for an acoustic guitar."
— Acoustic Guitar Magazine, April 2016

"All in all, these pickups are a great product at a great price and are highly recommended."
— Just Jazz Guitar Magazine, May 2014

"My 1966 Harmony archtop just got new life with a Micro-Stealth PAF humbucker. It has the perfect combination of attack, bite, warmth and gently pushed mid-range that I was struggling to find in other pickups — now I want one for every guitar I have!"
— Andre Temkin, guitarist/vocalist, Chervona (featured on the hit TV series Grimm)

Features & Specs:

• 6.5mm thick — fits vintage archtops with no modification
• 12 individually adjustable pole pieces for perfect string-to-string balance
• Innovative Optimized Microphonics™ design — senses soundboard vibration in addition to string movement, preserving the natural acoustic character of your guitar
• Custom low-intensity neodymium magnets — clarity and brilliance with strong, articulate lows
• Hand-wound with vintage Formvar magnet wire (not the cheap polynylon used in most modern designs)
• Fully shielded, hum-cancelling
• Wired throughout with genuine Mogami™ audiophile-grade cable
• Switchcraft™ connectors
• Real CITES-safe black hardwood finish
• Mounts in seconds with included finish-friendly removable putty — zero modification to your instrument
• Includes 10' integrated cable terminating in standard ¼" male plug — plug straight into any amp, preamp, or pedal
• Optional permanent installation by a competent luthier
• Works beautifully with tube amps and acoustic amps alike (Schertler, Fishman, AER, etc.)
• DC resistance ≈ 8.2kΩ