Here are the characteristics that make a great vintage humbucker: a soft magnetic field, sweet tone, perfect balance between warmth and clarity, and the ability to go from clean to distorted by pick attack alone. For the 36th anniversary, DiMarzio re-engineered the PAF using Dimarzio’s patented technology and Larry DiMarzio’s own 1959 cherry sunburst Gibson Les Paul as the reference.

Although the pickups have a weak magnetic field, the sound is well defined – almost like a single-coil. DiMarzio duplicated the weaker magnetic field in order to allow the strings to vibrate longer, as well as focus and articulate the attack and output. DiMarzio uses computer-controlled winders to consistently layer the 42-gauge custom-coated wire, achieving the exact frequency response you could want. Then it’s dipped into a custom formula to eliminate squeal and microphonics. The cover is made from nickel-silver and Dimarzio’s new plating makes it more magnetically transparent than the originals. The PAF 36th Anniversary Neck is smooth but not muddy. It performs equally well in the neck or bridge, just as the best humbuckers from the 50s did.

Specifications

• Wiring: 4 Conductor (1 Conductor optional)
• Magnet: Alnico 5
• Resistance: 7.31 Kohm