British electric guitar pickup and repair specialist Monty’s Guitars has added a new humbucker to its range, the UnderSpun PAF.
As the name suggests, the model recreates the tonal characteristics of Gibson PAF humbucking pickups, but reads lower in DC than an average PAF: approximately 6.8k in the bridge and 6.1k in the neck.
“PAFs historically came in all shapes and sizes,” Monty’s says. “We have all heard the stories of the Gibson winders spinning at different rates due to the number of machines running or from someone just putting the kettle on. The winds were often measure by time and not turns so if the machine slowed they would get less copper.
“This is why the fluctuating electricity supply would lead to a wildly inconsistent output, but at the same time, this is the reason why there were some really magic pickups made.
“One thing we have noticed is that some of the more unique and tasty PAFs would read lower than average. These examples have increased clarity, sparkle and depth, with a less aggressive, sweeter midrange. To use our tired-old analogy, they lean more on the Tele and less on the ‘roids.”
“The lower wind also allows the guitar's natural resonance to shine through, chords ring out and arpeggios really sing,” the company adds.
"We wanted to highlight a new flavour of PAF, something a little different, but equally awesome," founder Matt Gleeson tells MusicRadar. "We work with a lot of pro players to help tailor their sound and have had the opportunity to have this set road tested with great results and felt it was now time to offer them to the guitar community at large."
Each set of UnderSpun PAF pickups are made with high-quality silver hardware, butyrate bobbins, 42-gauge plain enamel wire and a set of Alnico magnets: an Alnico-4 in the bridge pickup and Alnico-5 in the neck.
They are available as both a pair or as individual neck and bridge pickups, and come in an extensive range of options, including braided two-conductor wiring or four-conductor for coil-splitting, as well as black, cream, zebra color options.
Pricing varies depending on configuration, but a set of standard black UnderSpun PAFs costs £270 (approx. $320). For more info, head to Monty’s Guitars.
