Gibson Patent Number Pickup

[Searcy]

Gibson Patent No. Humbuckers

 

Early Gibson humbucking pickups had a sticker on the bottom that read “Patent Applied For”. Gibson got the patent for its humbucking pickup in July 1959 but the PAF sticker stuck around until late 1961 or early 1962. At this time a new sticker started showing up on the base plates of the Gibson humbucker. It read “Patent No 2,737,842”. Humbuckers with this sticker from 1962 till 1965 are called “Patent Number” pickups and are starting to become very sought after. Interestingly enough, Patent 2737842 is not for the humbucking pickup but is actually a patent for a Gibson trapeze tailpiece. It's speculated that Gibson did this to try to hide information on how the pickup was made. The earliest Patent No. units are identical to the more famous PAF pickups in every way.

 

In late 1962 Gibson started using black jumper wires at the end of the coils and white jumper wires at the start instead of the all black ones of the PAF.

 

In Late 1963 they started using Polyurethane coated magnet wire to wind the bobbins instead of the dark colored plain enamel of the PAF.

 

The magnets are sand-cast Alnico 5 magnets and the maple spacers are just like the earlier PAFs.

 

 

 

[bluezguy]

Searcy .. old topic, I know but I'm really interested in these Patent Number pickups. I see the one had a measured DCR value of 7.08k. Were they normally all 'low' like that. I have 4 Burstbucker 1 pups in 4 different Gibbies of mine and the lightest wind comes in at 7.86k. Your note states that up until 1962 (or so), they were very much continued from the original PAF builds.

 

Now, can you tell me if the coils are wound with equal windings or, are the amount of winds still approximated by sight?

 

Would you be kind enough to give me the individual coil DCRs?

Also, are the magnets the short or full length Alnico 5s?

 

I'd like to match up a set of Patent number style pickups like the Custombuckers that are in the 50 year Anniversary ES335 Historic for my ES-335 (even though it's a 2006. I'm doing a Bluesbreakers/Cream/Clapton tribute cover band. My LP Standard is handling the Bluesbreakers side of it with it's BB1 & BB2. My SG Standard (without the 'Fool' paintjob) nails Cream's tones with a BB1 neck and BB3 Bridge. My ES-335 is the missing link as Gibson will not sell the pickups for that Anniversary Historic model and I most certainly cannot afford to buy it.

 

I wound my own Firebird pickups for my FBV using Alnico4 mags and plain enamel purple/brown wire for Eric's brief stunt with Firebirds.

 

You can hear the Firebird V pups in action here: https://soundcloud.c...004-with-my-own

 

My Strat's got the '69 CS pups ... but we don't care about that[tongue]

 

I have to tell you ... you WILL get all of Eric's tones with my pickup combinations BUT ONLY if your amplification is right. I was disappointed about this tribute thing when I ran my new pup installs through my Fender DeVille. They all sounded great but, most certainly NOT like the job they were assigned to do. When I got down to my studio and cranked them through my 100W Marshall VM 2466 stack ... I went mental! Then, I ran them through the Marshall 2266 VM stack (50W) .. same thing. Most audiences won't know the difference in tones presented but, the booking agents, other musicians and media most certainly will be able to feel something audibly correct!Gibson Burstbuckers (unpotted for me), and, Marshal heads cranked with Celestian Green back speakers will make you 'Cream' [thumbup]