MacGyverthedog Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Hello, I've not much knowledge of Gibsons proper or their components but I recently purchased a Fender Mustang and found a humbucker in it. I didn't know what it was but thought it might be a Gibson due to the sticker (I've seen it before) so I've tried to do some research. I believe it may be an early 60's 'PAF' humbucker. I was looking for help 100% ID'ing it. Not sure if the wires and components are all original if it is in fact the 60's PAF. Here's what I see so far: -L-tooling marks are present -Patent sticker looks original -Copper-colored coil windings -Square-in-circle holes -What looks to be original tape around coils So I'm pretty sure but that's all I know, and I know very little. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam in alberta Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Sticker says pat no. not patent applied for.While it may be an early Gibson humbucker it is not a PAF humbucker. Not sure what year that changed. will look into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam in alberta Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 On further study it might be a PAF with a pat. no. sticker. google gibson guitar info. There is a lot of info there on PAF's and what guitars and years the came in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 On further study it might be a PAF with a pat. no. sticker. google gibson guitar info. There is a lot of info there on PAF's and what guitars and years the came in. If it has a patent number sticker on it, by definition it is not a PAF, even though it may be functionally identical. This one has had the cover removed as well. There are detailed discussions on Gibson humbuckers of the 50's and 60's on Charlie Gelber's excellent website, es-335.org. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacGyverthedog Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 If it has a patent number sticker on it, by definition it is not a PAF, even though it may be functionally identical. This one has had the cover removed as well. There are detailed discussions on Gibson humbuckers of the 50's and 60's on Charlie Gelber's excellent website, es-335.org. Apparently, according to many sources they refer to Pat. Applied pickups as 'PAF'. The nickname stuck. Thanks for the site suggestion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Apparently, according to many sources they refer to Pat. Applied pickups as 'PAF'. The nickname stuck. {quote] Yes, but once the "PAF" was issued a "patent number", it ceased to be a "PAF", and decreased in "perceived value" by about 90% for the exact same pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam in alberta Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 If it has a patent number sticker on it, by definition it is not a PAF, even though it may be functionally identical. This one has had the cover removed as well. There are detailed discussions on Gibson humbuckers of the 50's and 60's on Charlie Gelber's excellent website, es-335.org. That was the point of my original post. But reading a little more on the subject , the first pat. no were exactly the same. I did not mean His was a PAF but could possibly be exactly the same. Sorry for my confusing post . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 That was the point of my original post. But reading a little more on the subject , the first pat. no were exactly the same. I did not mean His was a PAF but could possibly be exactly the same. Sorry for my confusing post . They may well be exactly the same, but if you want to talk about value, that PAF sticker is worth about 1000 times its weight in gold. I have a pair of early patent numbers on a mid-60's ES 335-12, and they are absolute screamers. But without the PAF sticker, they are just another set of 60's patent number humbuckers. Once could be a $3000 pickup, and the other a $300 pickup. The problem is that without disassembling an early patent number pickup, you can't be absolutely sure if it's identical to a PAF. And once you take the cover off the pickup, its provenance becomes questionable. It's a chicken and egg thing, and it explains why there is a substantial black market for fake PAF stickers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10K-DB Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 All things considered,,the "PAF" pickup is a fantastic sounding pickup,,I have several in many of my guitars,,both Fender style,,and Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobB Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 The "Patent Number" decal was used from mid-1962 - 1975, even though the patent was actually granted back in July of 1959. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beate Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 The "Patent Number" decal was used from mid-1962 - 1975, even though the patent was actually granted back in July of 1959. Which means that a pre mid-1962 humbucker should only show the stamp with the number of the tailepice patent on it, shouldn't it? (i ask because i own such a pickup and would like to learn more about it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Probably only has the PAF sticker on it, look here: PAF specs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merseybeat1963 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Have a pair of PAF's from 1961 which Carlo Greco pretty much gave to us for a token amount on my birthday & put in the guitar he was making for me in 1989. I didn't like the look of those rusty looking screws on that pristine guitar,so my brother unscrewed the originals and replaced them with new versions.. Looked much better... collectors value...I am not a collector... I am a musician ...and those suckers in that guitar is magic. A sticker..being determinant of value can only flourish in a society that has been shorted of nutrition from too many processed foods for too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom Richard Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Some Gold plated PAF pickups appear on mid 63 guitars. As most of the nickel plated pickups are much more used on guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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