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DimarzioForum.Com => The Pickup Place => Everything you wanted to know about .... => Topic started by: CityofBlindingLights on May 24, 2009, 04:20:59 PM

Title: The PAF Pro
Post by: CityofBlindingLights on May 24, 2009, 04:20:59 PM
This is a pickup that defined the 80s. At the height of aftermarket pickup replacement, the PAF Pro was designed to be able to cut through heavy mixes and send a good tone/signal through large numbers of processors and effects. But the PAF Pro has become a pickup that also gives a great all-around rock tone. Steve Vai cemented this pickup's immortality with the first JEMs, running dual PAF Pros in the neck and bridge, and he was closely followed by the likes of Joe Satriani (his mentor- who else?), Paul Gilbert, and even Ritchie Sambora used these in the bridge of is signature strat. Fender used these as OEM on many humbucker-equipped guitars in the 80s and 90s, and with good reason.

I personally feel that the PAF Pro is a really organic, expressive pickup that allows you to do just about anything- cry, purr, wail, or laugh. Whatever you want your guitar to do, the PAF Pro is there for you.

Also worth noting is that the PAF Pro is a great overall pickup, and it's a great starting point to create a sound/rig on top of.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: buddroyce on May 24, 2009, 09:53:55 PM
I should point out that tonally, the PAF Pro is a relatively bright pickup and works great in both neck and bridge positions. It's a great neck pickup when paired up with a high output bridge pickup like a Tone Zone or Breed or as a bridge pickup when paired up with single coils.

It also sounds great coil cut and parallel. When wired in series (standard) there's a slight vocal like quality that's kinda like a wah when cocked up a little.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: CityofBlindingLights on May 25, 2009, 10:58:02 AM
Also worth mentioning is that 250k pots will really help darken it up a decent bit, and give it an almost mysterious quality (imho), while 500k pots will really open up the top end.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: DocNrock on July 02, 2009, 08:59:24 PM
I love this pickup in the neck slot for clean arpeggios .  It just sounds so open and full.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: mi2tom on July 02, 2009, 10:41:48 PM
It's still one of my favourite pickup of all time, I install this in my cheap Rg in the bridge with a inf 1 in the neck for nightclub playing every friday and saturday and it really is a versatile pickup, switch it into 4th or 2nd position and you can funk like mad :) Will be getting another paf pro to put it into the neck position of my rg350.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: alfaromeo90 on July 20, 2009, 05:38:49 AM
One of the top 5 great pickups of all time in my humble opinion!

VITAL STATISTICS:

alnico 5 magnet, 8.4 dc resistance, 300 mv output.  (comparison: vintage style PAF: alnico 5 magnet, 8.0 dc resistance, 230 mv output)

IN A NUTSHELL:

A tight, clear halfway step between PAF and 1990's+ mid boosted rock monsters.

SOLVES WHAT PROBLEM?

You love your fat, warm vintage PAF sound ala Boston or Aerosmith but after a while you realize that with the gain on 10, a bit of delay, a bit of chorus.....it's really flabby.  It sounds nice, but too nice.  The notes are fairly indistinct and with  more instruments added, the worse it gets.  The PAF pro is designed to preserve the tone you like but clean it up a bit.  The bass frequencies are tightened and the treble jumps out more.

NECK OR BRIDGE?

Either.  Often both.  

CHECK OUT THESE TRACKS FEATURING THE PAF PRO TO GREAT EFFECT:

"Shy Boy" - David Lee Roth.  Steve Vai guitarist.
"Perfect Timing" - David Lee Roth.  Steve Vai guitarist.
"You Give Love A Bad Name" - Bon Jovi.  Richie Sambora guitarist.

BE CAREFUL OF....

Actually I'm not sure because i'm nostalgic for this pickup and always view it thru rose colored glassed.  But i suspect that, with some of the lower mids taken out, if you don't match it well to your amp and guitar, it could sound a bit thin.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: oilpit on September 12, 2010, 03:54:17 PM
Here's a quick demo I made putting the PAF Pro through his pacees in the bridge...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOj_JR7XhwQ

Ignore my awkward camera-shyness and focus on my average playing  ;D

The Fred is next on my demo list if anyone cares...
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: ibanez_boss on September 12, 2010, 04:17:15 PM
I should point out that tonally, the PAF Pro is a relatively bright pickup and works great in both neck and bridge positions. It's a great neck pickup when paired up with a high output bridge pickup like a Tone Zone or Breed or as a bridge pickup when paired up with single coils.

It also sounds great coil cut and parallel. When wired in series (standard) there's a slight vocal like quality that's kinda like a wah when cocked up a little.

I could not agree more with this statement.  When I put the PAF PRO in the neck and the TONE ZONE in the bridge of my ibanez ---- it was like heaven....unbelieveble.  awesome pair. 

If not mistaken--didnt Paul Gilbert have the same setup with RACER X and Mr. BIG?
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: alfaromeo90 on September 12, 2010, 11:41:08 PM
I think that was a bit after Racer X. 
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: bzzdog on September 13, 2010, 12:07:55 AM
great vid oilpit!
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: slugworth on January 15, 2011, 08:50:32 AM
I've been having a hard time finding the right neck pickup for my Dean Cadillac so I finally got around to trying a PAF Pro in there.  Installed it yesterday and I like it a lot.  I'm gonna give it some more time but right now it's feeling like a keeper.

When I first got it installed it didn't seem bright or defined at all.  Quite the opposite actually.  So I dropped the height and raised the neck side poles a bit.  Now it still has the warmth from before but with added clarity, crispness, and just enough growl.  Nice harmonics and grunt when I want it.  And it really lets my hands do the talking.  I can COMMUNICATE with this pickup, if that makes sense.  And it makes me want to ROCK.

I'd read before that the PAF Pro is PAF in name only.  I disagree.  Once I got it tweaked right, it sings with a rich PAF flavor, only clearer.  This pickup walks the line between vintage and modern.  Can go both ways.  It reacts extremely well to control changes, too.  Haven't installed parallel/split coil switching yet, but I plan to.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: Marshall Law on March 24, 2012, 08:29:08 PM
I did a pu shootout this weekend and out of the many pu's that were used for it (JB,DD,custom,59,PG,AZ,TZ,norton, Fred,breed, At-1 and several different PAF clones,) the PAF pro handled it's own quite well! of these others the Pro had the better string to string to string clarity and definition. out of all the pups the paf pro worked best for covering different styles and has the easiest to get pinch harmonics too. the only slight downside is that the pro does not have a big bass end but did work best with single coil in the HSS charvel strat test guitar(alder,all maple neck,floyd) amp was a YJM plexi and a 5153 half stack.
I came out of this little experiment with a lot more respect and love for the PAF pro! ;)
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: LesPaulPlayer on March 24, 2012, 10:53:35 PM
Having never ever dealing with the Paf pro- I was kinda oblivious to it until I bought 2 p'ups from slugworth-- ( thx slug ), the TZ and PP.  I ionstalled them in my frankenstrat after it gave homage to my super 3 and super distortion.
I can say that the PP is an awesome p'up and I will bow to it.... it is an excellent pickup paired with the TZ


LONG LIVE DIMARZIO
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: MarvinMealer on April 24, 2012, 11:54:29 PM
I use the PAF Pro in my bridge position with two area 67's in my standard mim hss stratocaster.  it doesn't over power the area's but still lets me switch easily between quack and crunch.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: JackGriffiths on December 23, 2012, 10:06:51 AM
I've got a PAF Pro in the bridge of a Les Paul and it's exactly what I was looking for - enough grind and punch to give me sustain and power, enough clarity to be articulate and clean up very well and overall, just clean up the sound of my guitar. This pickup is essentially a filter for any nasty frequencies and merely accentuates those that you are trying to put across from your fingers. A very expressive, open, dynamic and responsive pickup. If I was to compare it to the DP223 I have in another Les Paul, it's slightly brighter, more open, with more clarity and response. It will keep you exactly where you need to be in the mix without being overpowering in any sense, particularly in the mid range. In my opinion, a perfect pickup at doing exactly what a great humbucking pickup should.

Jack
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: alfaromeo90 on December 28, 2012, 01:41:31 AM
Quote
This pickup is essentially a filter for any nasty frequencies and merely accentuates those that you are trying to put across from your fingers. A very expressive, open, dynamic and responsive pickup.

That is very accurate!
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: mi2tom on December 28, 2012, 09:47:24 AM
One of the best pickup ever made... Ever
Title: PAF Pro (in the NECK position)
Post by: 123RnR on February 17, 2019, 10:01:52 AM
Something like Dimarzio's take on the Seymour Duncan 59'.
Very balanced, even, with power, can take pedals with ease, and can play a lot of things.
It can be jazzy at times, nice for blues a la Gary Moore, etc. This ain't only for virtuosos!
Believe me, it's good! Even my tech will buy one now (after installing it on my guitar).

If anyone has questions about it (in the neck position), please write!
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: Guitar74 on July 28, 2019, 04:05:44 PM
I wouldn’t classify it as a Dimarzio’s Duncan ‘59. I have a ‘59 and n more than one axe, and have the Pro in more than one axe. Not even in the same zip code, tonally speaking. The ‘59 has a vintage voice going on, and is a much darker sounding pickup. They’re both great, and versatil, but the Pro is a balanced modern vibe.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: gtrjunior on July 28, 2019, 08:37:53 PM
Isn’t the 36th Anny based on Larry’s pickups in his LP?
I’d venture a guess that the 36th is likely the closest to the 59.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: Guitar74 on July 29, 2019, 09:23:16 AM
I would say that or the PAF ‘59.
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: gtrjunior on July 29, 2019, 10:23:07 AM
Oh! I didn’t know there was a PAF 59’.
Clearly I’m out of the loop. Lol
Title: Re: The PAF Pro
Post by: Guitar74 on July 30, 2019, 04:07:06 PM
I just saw it myself so I wouldn’t feel too far out of the loop.