PAF Pro + ??? (in a mahogany LP guitar) for moderate distortion/overdrive blues/rock styles?

[axe4me]

https://www.throbak.com/paf-pickups.html

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

DiMarzio DP165 The Breed Neck in the bridge.

/end thread

I don't think they make the Breeds anymore.

 

[gregr]

I think they do upon request.

DP165 - The Breed™ Neck - Available from DiMarzio Custom Shop
https://www.dimarzio.com/node/1753

They come up on the used market fairly regularly. With an LP you can go either standard or f-spaced in the bridge so that increases your chances.

EDIT: I just checked, there are new ones on reverb for $80 and a used one for $70.

What’s up with the off-topic PAF videos?

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

What’s up with the off-topic PAF videos?

Blues and blues rock up though hard rock applications makes it on topic. But if you use a PAF Pro in the neck your locked into a high output set.

 

[paul-e-mann]

Hi guys!

I've recently bought a LP - shape, mahogany body, HH guitar, and I'm going to swap it stock neck humbucker for a DiMarzio PAF Pro that I've also bought.

So, the question now to keep improving that guitar would be:
What Bridge pickup would works well with that PAF Pro in the neck in that king of guitar (mahogany, LP shape)?

I've another guitar that I use for "clean" tones, so I'm going to use this new guitar for songs with some distortion/overdrive. What I usually going to play with this goes from "crunchy vintage blues" to "modern hard rock", so I need a "versatile mix", of humbuckers, "balanced" (not to "fat", not too "bright" in that mahogany LP) and that performs well in those different kind of styles that imply some distortion/overdrive, and good for soloing and rhythm section of songs too.

In that guitar and for that kind of music styles, What Bridge SD humbucker do you think would be a good match for that PAF Pro in the neck?

Thanks!

What is wrong with the stock pickups the guitar came with?

 

[axe4me]

What is wrong with the stock pickups the guitar came with?

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390074

 

[paul-e-mann]

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390074

I have high gain and low gain pickups in various guitars and can play clean, blues, metal on them equally. What says you axe?

 

[axe4me]

^^^^^^^^^^

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

These days, I keep things stock.

High gain...............low gain, it's all good.

A big change in me................I prefer low wattage clean instead of wind tunnel 100+ watt stacks.

It's all good.

 

[ampeq]

I think they do upon request.

DP165 - The Breed™ Neck - Available from DiMarzio Custom Shop
https://www.dimarzio.com/node/1753

They come up on the used market fairly regularly. With an LP you can go either standard or f-spaced in the bridge so that increases your chances.

EDIT: I just checked, there are new ones on reverb for $80 and a used one for $70.

What’s up with the off-topic PAF videos?

I really like the Breed, I have it in my E2 neck and it’s great. I paired it with a ToneZone and that guitar rocks. I remember when I was trying to figure out what pup’s to get and I narrowed the neck down to the Breed. Every time I went back to look at DiMarzio it was hit or miss, one day I could find it and the next I could not. Now I think it’s gone but they will make one. If I do another guitar with DiMarzio it will be the first pup I ask for. I never tried it in the bridge but will next time.

 

[gregr]

The hottest pickups I use are the DiMarzio BNIB and AT-1.

I normally use an SD 59, Screamin’ Demon or just hotter than vintage hybrids that I cobble together. Despite the name the Screamin’ Demon is on par with the 59. The neck pickups are calibrated to what I have going on in the bridge. The biggest mis-match that favors the neck is the 59 set where I just drop the bass end of the 59N. There are still others I use. I don’t know if any two guitars have the same pickups other than a couple with a 59N.

Gone are the days of the JB, Custom and EMG 81. I never went hotter than that, which is my only point. I’m with the lot of you about lower output pickups. It doesn’t help the OP though.

 

[Adrian R]

Save yourself allot of time and caustic solder sniffing and just put a JWP Darkburst in the bridge. It blows just about everything away in it's class. PAF style bridge pickup with just the right output...Can do everything..from clean like funk/jazz to metal.. I just put one in my LP and it's insane. The thing just sings...lead tones are killer..warm, yet articulate..super easy pinch harmonics ..awesome sustain! Super clear. I've tried sooo many pups over so many years...and this just kills anything Dimarzio/SD/Gibson put out.

 

[StrummerJoe]

I

Are you fully locked into using the PAF Pro in the neck? The reason I ask is because it's fairly high output, which means that in turn you need a high output bridge humbucker to balance it, and that in turn gives a bridge pickup which is not well suited for blues.

It might work better in the bridge but it's also pretty bright. A bright bridge might be what you want in a mahogany short scale guitar, though?

If you were to swap it for something like the Bluesbucker or AirClassic in the neck then you could use a standard PAF type such as the SD Pearly Gates or 59 in the bridge if as you say you want a Duncan humbucker for the bridge. Or you could use something like the DiMarzio Bluesbucker or Airclassic neck with the PAF Pro in the bridge.

If you stay with the PAF Pro in the neck then your probably going to need the Duncan Custom or the 59/Custom hybrid from Duncan at very least, if you want a Duncan bridge humbucker.

I have a DiMarzio Bluesbucker and Paf Pro combo in two of my guitars, covered and uncovered.

The uncovered pickups sound a little more agressive than their covered counterparts.

It's a great combo AFAIC.

(Bluesbucker in the neck position Paf Pro at the bridge of course)

 

[gregr]

Fuck, I have no self-control. Maybe this thread *is* supposed to be a referendum on using a PAF Pro in the neck. With this constraint very few recommendations have been reasonable so far. I doubt the Darkburst is any different.

 

[Adrian R]

Fuck, I have no self-control. Maybe this thread *is* supposed to be a referendum on using a PAF Pro in the neck. With this constraint very few recommendations have been reasonable so far. I doubt the Darkburst is any different.

Oh, it is by far. I've tried PAF Pros in several different guitars, neck and bridge, all Gibson guitars. I've also tried the 36th Anv..in both positions...as well as one more PAF DMZ pup..forgot the name... Plus, I've used ToneZones for years, one of my favs... I like DMZ pups, moreso then SDs..(better quality imo) and have always loved Gibson's 498t... But..

...the JWPs are on an entirely different level. I tried the Fillmore, Godwood and Darkburst...They're more expensive (bout the same as Gibson) but so much more worth it.. All my guitars now have JWPs....

 

[gregr]

A JWP Darkburst in the bridge with a PAF Pro in the neck???

 

[Adrian R]

A JWP Darkburst in the bridge with a PAF Pro in the neck???

Sure, it'd be fine, but a Drst in the neck would be even better. They're so sensitive to height as previously mentioned...in order to match output without losing much of the pups character.

 

[gregr]

Exactly. Lowering a PAF Pro in the neck absolutely affects its tone. No question. If you want midrange and punch you’re better off getting a weaker pickup and keeping it high. Too bright? Back off on the tone control using a small capacitor. Does it sound or behave the same as a high output neck pickups (or medium output pickup used in the neck)? No.

I know nothing about the Blackburst, but if it has similar output and frequency response, of say a Seth, 59 or even the hotter 36th, there’s no way you’re going to get a balance in output without seriously dropping the PAF Pro. Two PAF Pros in my EBMM was bad enough.

I’m currently working on wiring in a pair of resistors so neck and bridge HBs to be used only when my QPDT switch is in the middle position for optimal tone that sits between the two by themselves. Despite the neck pickup being a fairly lean Full Shred N/59N hybrid it dominates the Screamin’ Demon in the bridge when they are combined. They pair pretty well when switching back and forth between the two with gain in the neck pickup’s sweet spot, however.

 

[Adrian R]

Exactly. Lowering a PAF Pro in the neck absolutely affects its tone. No question. If you want midrange and punch you’re better off getting a weaker pickup and keeping it high. Too bright? Back off on the tone control using a small capacitor. Does it sound or behave the same as a high output neck pickups (or medium output pickup used in the neck)? No.

I know nothing about the Blackburst, but if it has similar output and frequency response, of say a Seth, 59 or even the hotter 36th, there’s no way you’re going to get a balance in output without seriously dropping the PAF Pro. Two PAF Pros in my EBMM was bad enough.

I’m currently working on wiring in a pair of resistors so neck and bridge HBs to be used only when my QPDT switch is in the middle position for optimal tone that sits between the two by themselves. Despite the neck pickup being a fairly lean Full Shred N/59N hybrid it dominates the Screamin’ Demon in the bridge when they are combined. They pair pretty well when switching back and forth between the two with gain in the neck pickup’s sweet spot, however.

I have a Darkburst in the bridge, and a Fillmore in the neck in one of Standards. It use to have a Fillmore in the bridge. Respective outputs: Dbrst bridge: 9.0 kO, 10/11 kO Fillmore neck. All I did was lower the neck pickup..adjust a few pole pieces and found a perfect balance. Both pickups sound stellar, but I prefer the Drkbrst...classic PAF sound but with a more modern twist.. Bar chords in the first 4 positions are just SOOO bad ass evil sounding under high gain...but then single note solos are reminiscent of Schenker UFO era...but with more meat. They BLOW AWAY DMZ pafs...which are good sounding pups.

 

[gregr]

Sounds awesome. I’m curious about some of the details like AWG and magnets. 11k in a humbucker is unlikely to be 42.

 

[Adrian R]

Sounds awesome. I’m curious about some of the details like AWG and magnets. 11k in a humbucker is unlikely to be 42.

Just contact Jim via his webpage. Super cool dude...responds quickly to inquiries... Plus there is a ton of data on his page to begin with. No regrets at all... I have some older pickups now of the Gibson and DMZ make that I have no use for now..lol. The Fillmore to me is like a refined Gibson 498t...similar but soo much better. You turn the volume down and you get all the drive yet and tone as full volume...but with *less volume*..but turn down more and you get nice clean tones... The 498t is not capable of that kind of performance. Plus the single note solo sounds are just so killer... melodic. The Darkburst though SUSTAINs more....amazing to get pinch harmonics so easily with just moderate output. Plus the Drkburst is slightly scaled off in the mid department... but man..staccato arpeggios are so ..chunk, chunk, chunk lol