Pure P.A.F.

The Ultimate PAF Replacement

$160$320

  • Hum-Cancelling
  • Clean & Articulate
  • Traditional Appearance
  • Vintage Output

Click For New Soundclips

( 228 genuine reviews)

Experience what a humbucker should really sound like and get inspired by the Pure P.A.F’s beautiful tone. Lindy’s favorite humbucker, the Pure P.A.F. is a 50’s P.A.F. clone, using real Butyrate Bobbins and all USA-Made parts. Featuring a clean, clear tone with incredible versatility and dynamics and expertly crafted using 100% USA-Made materials, we guarantee the Pure P.A.F. will inspire you for years to come.

 

 

Options

Select options for our Pure P.A.F.:

Select Options Above To Display Add-Ons

Humbucker Cover

Further customize the look of your pickups by adding a USA-Made Nickel Silver cover.

Lead Length

You may need long leads if you have an Archtop guitar, like an ES-335. Check this box below, and we’ll give you some extra lead length.

Bone White Humbucker Bezel

We have Bone White Humbucker Bezels in stock, if you would like your humbucker bezel to match the Bone White bobbins. Bezels are standard Les Paul sizing.

Partial Split Resistor

Coil Splitting? Grab one (or two) of our Partial Split Resistors. They will give you a stronger single coil tone when split. Installation Instructions Here. You need 3-Conductor or 4-Conductor Lead for this mod to work.

Gold Screws

Check here if you want to include Gold Pole Pieces & Mounting Screws for your pickups. Not necessary if buying gold covers.

SPEED UP YOUR ORDER

Since you're buying a single pickup, we might need more information from you. To avoid unnecessary delays in your order, please choose one of the options below:


Notice

Due to the nature of Raw Nickel, Raw Nickel may contain slight cosemetic defects or abrasions.

Recommendation

We recommend using 2-Conductor With Shield Lead when purchasing a single pickup. 2-Conductor lead allows you to reverse the phase should you have phase issues. Learn About Lead Choice

Notice

While we do our best to match double-white bobbins, there may be subtle differences in color due to different dye lots from the manufacturer.

Upgrade To A Prewired Pickguard

Express Checkout

Skip the checkout and buy now. Purchases made through Express Checkout are bound by our Terms and Conditions.

More Payment Options Offered At Checkout:

The Ultimate In Vintage PAF Tone

Want to learn more about our Pure P.A.F.? Here's all the information you'll need:

Pure P.A.F. FEATURES:

Are you ready to cut through in the mix? The Lindy Fralin-designed Pure P.A.F. is our best-selling humbucker. Based on the specifications of the original 50’s Gibson® P.A.F. pickups, this model features a clean, articulate tone that’s incredibly versatile.

The Pure P.A.F. is a lower output humbucker, which is more dynamic and expressive than higher output pickups. It’s more articulate and cleaner than our Modern P.A.F., but beefier than our P-92. Lindy’s passion for the sound of vintage 50’s humbuckers led us down the road to design and create the Pure P.A.F., and it’s easy to see why – this pickup sounds incredible.

Features:

  • Our Best-Selling Humbucker – low output, vintage tone
  • Original Gibson PAF® specifications: low output, with modern clarity
  • Clean and clear, smooth grind and a sharp attack
  • USA-made Alnico 2 Magnets for vintage tonal balance and output
  • Compensated Overwound Bridge for even volume across all pickups
  • Hand-wound with our “Sectioning” technique for unique, dynamic tone
  • Hand-built for unrivaled quality control
  • 10-Year Warranty on manufacturing defects

Sound

How does it sound? Clean and articulate!

The Pure P.A.F. stays clean and features a late break-up and a smooth grind. This pickup is perfect if you’re trying to restore life to your guitar. Don’t let the term “vintage” fool you – you’ll find that it’s loud and versatile enough to play with modern-voiced pickups; it just features more clarity than modern humbuckers.

Built with USA-Made AlNicCo II and 42-gauge Plain Enamel wire, the Pure P.A.F. pickup is a gateway to instant vintage tone. When playing without distortion, you’ll find that this pickup sings what you put into it: it’s dynamic and warm. Highs are accentuated with a medium attack. With distortion, you’ll find that the grind is nice and smooth.

Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control. When Lindy designed this pickup, he wanted it to be as close to the originals as possible. Pure P.A.F.’s consist of USA-Made Butyrate bobbins, baseplates, magnets, and wire. We wind each pickup by hand, one at a time, using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique. Doing this gives the pickup a sweet, clear tone, reminiscent of the early Gibson Humbuckers.

Finally, we assemble each pickup one at a time, by hand, which allows us to achieve unbeatable attention to detail. After assembly, we wax-pot the pickup to prevent microphonics and preserve the pickup for years to come.

Sound Samples for Pure P.A.F.:
Compare Outputs

We have 2 outputs of our Pure P.A.F.. Compare them below.

About these Sound Clips:

All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.

Tonal Graph For Pure P.A.F.:

The tonal graph below for our Pure P.A.F. features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.

HIGHS
MIDS
LOWS
OUTPUT

Attack: Soft & Round

Videos for Pure P.A.F.:

Humbucker Lead Color Codes

See below for our Humbucker Lead color codes. For help with matching to other manufacturers, check out this resource here.

Gibson Braided Lead:

Gibson-Style instruments

Phase Reversible

Coil Splitting

Gibson Braided Lead
Only select Gibson Braided Lead if you install these pickups as a set into a Gibson-style instrument. Examples of a Gibson-style instrument include a Gibson Les Paul, 335, or Telecaster Deluxe, or any guitar with two Volume Pots and two Tone Pots.

Note: This lead is not intended for Telecasters with a Control Plate. If the braiding touches anything, it will short it out.

3-Conductor Lead:

Phase Reversible

Coil Splitting

3 Conductor Lead Fralin Pickups
Select this lead if purchasing a Single Pickup, wiring this pickup to a Blade Switch (Fender-style Instrument) or need coil-splitting. This lead allows you to reverse the phase and coil split.

4-Conductor Lead:

Phase Reversible

Series Parallel Wiring

Coil Splitting

4 Conductor Lead Fralin Pickups
Only select 4-Conductor lead if you need Series / Parallel wiring. This lead allows you to reverse the phase, wire in series / parallel, and coil split.

Tech Specs

See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Pure P.A.F..

SPECIFICATION VALUE
Neck Ohm Reading (Stock):7.5K 1
Bridge Ohm Reading (Stock):8K 1
Neck Polarity:Reversible with 3-Conductor or 4-Conductor Lead
Bridge Polarity:Reversible with 3-Conductor or 4-Conductor Lead
Magnet:USA-Made Alnico 2
Wire:USA-Made 42-Gauge Plain Enamel
Bobbin Material:USA-Made Butyrate
Baseplate Material:Nickel Silver
Cover Material:Nickel Silver
Slug / Pole Piece Material:Steel
Recommended Pot Value:500K*
Baseplate Leg Depth:6mm
Recommended Cap Value:0.02mfd 2

More Information:

1 Ohm Readings can vary due to a multitude of factors, including ambient temperature, multimeter calibration, different wire batches, and other factors. Due to this, ohm readings are approximate. Learn more about Ohm Readings here.


2 We recommend a 0.02mfd Cap Value on most guitar and bass pickups. The exception is a Magic Cap, which Lindy prefers on the Bridge Pickup of Fender® guitars only. Learn More about Caps Here.


* You can experiment with pot values for a different tone. This pickup will sound dark and warm on 250K pots

Pure P.A.F. Dimensions:

Fralin Humbucker Dimensions

Pure P.A.F. FAQ's

General FAQs

Here are quick answers to common questions we get:

  • What Ohm Readings does your Pure P.A.F. have?

    Navigate to our Tech Specs Tab for complete Ohm Readings and more useful information.

  • Will this pickup fit my instrument?

    Check our "Sizing" tab for the size of the pickup. No Sizing tab? Check under the product image gallery for dimensions.

  • Is your Lead Time of 3-4 Weeks accurate?

    It really depends on the shop capacity at the moment, and the size of your order. Feel free to give us a call for an accurate lead time. We always try to underpromise and overdeliver.

  • What pickup height do you recommend setting your Pure P.A.F.s to?

    Our recommended Pickup Height is 1/8" (3.175mm) on the Bass Side and 1/16"( 1.5875mm) on the Treble Side. Measure by holding the corresponding side down at its highest fret and measure from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece.

Get It Prewired

Get our Pure P.A.F. prewired into a Prewired Pickguard!:

Customer Reviews

228 Genuine Reviews for Pure P.A.F.

  1. Scott MacPhee

    Verified Purchase

    These give just the humbucker tone I wanted for my Gibson Les Paul. The potted stock pickups (Wildwood-spec PAFs) were fine, but a little dark and thick. The unpotted Pure PAFs from Fralin give me all the top end and note separation I was missing, while still providing some grit and growl.

    I would definitely use Pure PAF pickups on another project. In fact, I am thinking about pulling the ’57 Classics from my ES-335 and replacing them with Fralin Pure PAFs.

  2. Bill Coleman

    Verified Purchase

    I vowed in my previous review to install a Fralin PAF in each of my arch tops. This latest PAF went in my Benedetto Americana and it has truly transformed the guitar- just excellent tone and response. The PAF has really brought out the potential of this guitar.

  3. Dennis Hoffman

    Verified Purchase

    Dear Mr.Fralin,
    I am writing to express my gratitude for your work. I have been buying pickups and building/assembling guitars for many years, and I am still amazed at the depth of your knowledge on the subject. I believe bragging rights are available. Anyway, the point is to say thanks for your efforts.

  4. Silver Fanning

    recently picked up a second hand 1992 Gibson Les Paul Studio that had a pair of gold Pure P.A.F. pickups installed by the previous owner, at first I was a little skeptical as I was wanting the original pickups for the most original sound to this guitar, however I have been overwhelmingly pleasantly surprised. These pickups have a beautiful warm, full tone that handles all types of effects very well and works great for the kind of music I play, which is predominantly punk rock. I had never heard of Fralin before acquiring this guitar, but I wish I had sooner. more guitarists need to know about Fralin pickups!!

  5. Gianni / Pietrella Guitars

    I put a set of Pure PAFS in my personal 25th Anniversary Hamer Special.
    What a difference. These pickups sound great in all the areas you want for a 2 HB guitar.
    Articulate in both clean and overdriven, smooth without the open air of some neck position pickups.
    The tone is dynamic and right in the sweet spot.
    Highly recommend the 5% overwind. It really is a GREAT sounding pickup.

  6. Bill Coleman

    Verified Purchase

    Finally the tone I have been looking for in my arch top. Have tried so many other pickups to no avail. The Fralin PAF is just right, warm and defined from low to high. These will go in every arch top I own now!

  7. Adam Battersby

    Verified Purchase

    Very nice, smooth, warm, clear.

  8. John Plomondon

    Verified Purchase

    I’m very happy with the “Pure P.A.F.” pickups. They are clear and warm-sounding. The response of each individual string is distinct and perfectly balanced. I got exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks.

More Reviews:

Add a review

Leave a review for our Pure P.A.F.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

STAY IN TOUCH