Another one about pickups...

[SG dude]

Hey guys!

I'm looking to put some proper PAF style humbuckers into my Gibson for that real old vintage sound.

I was looking at the Seymour Duncan website and came across two models that claim to be the closest thing to the real deal, these being the Seymour Duncan SH55 Seth Lover model, and then there's also the Antiquity Humbuckers.

Both say that they aren't wax potted, and they are built the same was as the ones Seth Lover designed. But I just don't know what the difference is between them!

Does anyone here know of any differences (other than the antiquities being aged)? And has anyone had any experience with either of them? How do they sound in an SG? And the last question... What are the pro's and con's of humbuckers that aren't wax potted?

Thanks peeps!

Ryan.

[Malchik]

It really depends on what you want out of your PAF humbuckers. Both of those are great pickups. The Antiquity series is more expensive, but they are aged and made to simulate the older PAF pickups as best as possible. Unless I was moding a Custom Shop reproduction, I wouldn't bother putting the extra money into buying the Antiquity versions. Dimarzio PAFs are great alternatives too.

 

PAF pickups weren't waxed back in the day. At best, some were varnished to keep the copper from oxidizing. Exposed coils can cause microphonic feedback. It's when the coils move relative to each other. Potting the pickups seal the coils. If you want that PAF sound, microphonics are apart of the old charm, much like p-90 feedback. You're either a microphonic/60 cycle hum nazi (me) or someone who enjoys the pickups quibbles.

[Dallastx]

My Les Paul has a Gibson 57 PAF in the neck and a Dimarzio SDS1 in the bridge. I love the sound of both. I am growing very fond of the stock pickups of My S G Standard. They don't seem to get as muddy when I overdrive them.

D

[SG dude]

Thanks Malchik! Ah wow, I had no idea the microphonic feedback was similar to the P90's. I'll need to check out a guitar with them in it just to see if i can stand it. If not I'll just keep looking for something else. But thanks very much for the heads up!

 

Also, thanks Dallastx! I hadn't ever heard of the SDS1, so i went onto the DiMarzio website and started having a look around, and I found their 36th Anniversary PAF's, they sound (reading wise) really intersting, I might check these ones out as a set (of 36th Anniversary and 36th Anniversary Bridge). Have any of you guys had any experience with these?

 

I just need to swap out the stock pickups on my new standard. I really don't like the stock ones, and I already have 57 classics in my other one, and a Pearly Gates in the neck of my Burny and I was looking for some new combination that isn't a full out Metal attack as that isn't my style. But yeah, I'm now very interested in the DiMarzio PAF's.

 

Thanks guys, and sorry the response took so long!

Ryan.