Pure P.A.F.
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.
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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.
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 |
| Bridge Ohm Reading (Stock): | 8K |
| 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 |
**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
Sizing
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:
2-Conductor Lead:
3-Conductor Lead:
4-Conductor Lead
Pure P.A.F. Questions And Answers:
Notice:
Have a question about our Pure P.A.F.? Ask it here. Your Question will be publically visible. If you want to ask a Private Question, please contact us through our Contact Us Form.
If you have multiple questions, please call us at (804) 358-2699.
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Hello, are the pure PAF regularly wax potted? Is it optional to get them non-potted? Thanks
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Q Hello, are the pure PAF regularly wax potted? Is it optional to get them non-potted? ThanksA
Hey Christopher, yes they are wax potted. You may specify no wax potting, but it will void the 10 year warranty if one or more of your coils die from corrosion. We can "light pot" the pickups for you, if you'd like which won't void the warranty. Simply request what you'd like in the "notes" field on the checkout screen.
I'm interested in buying a set of pure PAF pickups, but I'd like to have the neck with a raw nickel cover, and the bridge with no cover. Is there a way to order them this way? Or would I have to order them with the covers and remove them myself?
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Q I'm interested in buying a set of pure PAF pickups, but I'd like to have the neck with a raw nick...... Read moreA
Hey Jeremy, yes - simply add each pickup to the cart separately, and you can choose your options separately.
Hi, I want to replace the pups in my Epiphone 60’s standard LP with Pure PAF’s. Can I order these with the Gibson/Epiphone quick connect system?
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Q Hi, I want to replace the pups in my Epiphone 60’s standard LP with Pure PAF’s. Can I order these...... Read moreA
Hey Daryl, as it turns out, we do not have the Quick Connect system available. We normally recommend removing the Quick Connect system as trusting your pickup's signal to a plastic connector isn't the best idea. It's quite simple to remove the system and replace the pots with a fully-soldered harness - you'll get better tone and reliability from it.
I’m wishing to replace the neck pickup in my Heritage Golden Eagle guitar. My guitar only has one pickup and it’s a neck pickup. I play 50/60’s jazz guitar. I’m thinking about a Lindy Fralin Pure PAF neck pickup….underwound?
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Q I’m wishing to replace the neck pickup in my Heritage Golden Eagle guitar. My guitar only has one...... Read moreA
Hey Alan, thanks for your question. I would recommend the Stock Output of our Pure P.A.F. (7.5K) for 50's / 60's Jazz.
Hello, would a set of Pure PAF with Gibson spacing and stock output fit well a D’Angelico Excel Mini DC guitar? Thanks
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Q Hello, would a set of Pure PAF with Gibson spacing and stock output fit well a D’Angelico Excel M...... Read moreA
Hey Stefano, yes - absolutely. Expect a warm, articulate tone with pretty highs and a soft midrange.
I think most of us guitar players are “Tone Chasers”.
Amps, pedals, guitars….and PICKUPS of course!
Not a cheap or easy journey sometimes.
And we all know that feeling when you finally hit it….it’s a feeling only guitar players understand.
After installing a Pure PAF in the bridge of my 335…the perfect tone alarm sounded!
What a great moment hahaha!
I would recommend these pickups to anyone! Fantastic!
Seem like cool people too…….The search is over….gonna load up my Strat with the Blues specials now…….
Lindy has installed his Pure PAF pickup sets in several of my Epiphone Les Pauls (Standard Pro, Juniors, Specials). In every case dramatic sonic improvements were heard. To my ears my Epiphones now sound better than equivalent Gibson Les Pauls, at least the ones I have played. Lindy has done other work on my guitars such as special wiring, new pots, setups, etc. His work is always done right the first time. He has performed work on over a dozen of my instruments and I have yet to encounter any problems with any of his work. In addition he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. He has freely given me very helpful advice that has greatly expanded my understanding of how guitars work and what can be done to improve their sound. I now consider him a friend.
Put a set of Pure P.A.F. (7.8/8.2) in my ’82 Les Paul Heritage Series. Already sounding good, original PUs and some other “classic” replacements never seemed quite capable of converting the guitar’s great acoustic properties into electric signal (always a bit muted like listening through a closed door). The Guitar has really opened up now, neck PU gives a swet & balanced tone, bridge PU is well defined and articulate. Feels like hearing what the guitar is really capable of for the first time, glad I bought ’em. Thanks to Lindy & the whole team an Fralin Pickups!
Hands down my favorite PAF style pickup. I have tried these in may different guitars from vintage Gibson’s to inexpensive imports and the Pure PAF’s have dramatically improved tone in all. Absolutely no mud here… just clear and pure vintage PAF chime. Cannot recommend them more. Bravo Lindy!
HOLY MOLEY these Pure P.A.F. pickups sound amazing! After researching the forums and shootout videos I noticed Fralin Pure P.A.F.s were consistently at the top of people’s lists. Warning-the reviews and online videos just can’t capture the tone and fullness coming from my amp right now. Clean, articulate, balanced and extremely responsive are just a few words that come to mind. Seriously, I was thinking about selling my Gibson es-347 because I was tired of fighting my amp to dial in the tone I wanted. But I really love the way it feels in my hands so I decided to swap out the pickups – so glad I did. I jacked straight into the amp and strummed an open E chord that buckled my knees…THIS was the lush tone I’d been searching for.
I’m not famous…just another gigging sideman but whether you have hundreds or thousands of dollars wrapped up in your gear please don’t overlook what Fralin Pure P.A.F. pickups will do for your tonequest.
Peace,
I received my Pure PAF pickups a few weeks ago and had them installed by Harry Eibert. When i picked up my Les Paul, Harry said he thought my set of pickups were some of the best he’s heard in a long time. Well…, the Les Paul in which they were installed was my backup…..Not any more! They sound fantastic. They are full, round and with just enough bite for commanding leads. I want Lindy to know how happy I am with the purchase and congratulate him on his good work.
I bought a set of hum cancelling P90s in 2010 and am very happy with them. So, I thought maybe a new set of pickups could help my old horse guitar. It certainly did, and now the old horse is in the main stable. Thanks again
Cheers,
Matt
excellent advise and super fast service – GREAT pickup!
thank you very much – keep up the fine work!
Bruce – guitar player for Modzilla, a Philadelphia legend for over a decade
I upgraded an old Mexican Strat I had with a Pure PAF in the bridge, and a couple of Vintage Hots in the middle and neck positions. This thing totally sings now. Nice and glassy, but still with a nice bottom end. Before the upgrade, I felt like I could only really use the bridge or bridge mid setting on the guitar. The mid and neck pickups by themselves were too muddy. But now, every pickup position offers tone as clear as a bell. So much more versatile than it was before. Thanks guys!
Amazing pickups!!
Replaced a set of P.A.F (Neck 7.5k & Bridge 8k) in my ES-335.
The sound is really awesome…
more clear, more chime, more singing, more sensitive!!
After I heard this P.A.F’s sound…
I think…I really have to order a P.A.F(Neck 7.8k & Bridge 8.2k) for my Les Paul Standard too!!
Can’t wait!!
I just put a set of these in a 2011 Les Paul Traditional–I replaced a set of Gibson’s ’57 Classics–My favorite pickups. But I put the Pure PAFs in–8.2K in the bridge, 7.8K in the neck–Sounds like Classic ’57s with a 4-barrel! The guitar used to scream–But the Pure PAFs allow it to sing–I like singing much more than screaming.
Are the Fralins expensive? Sorta, yeah. But how do you put a dollar sign on tone? If you can’t get your tone, you don’t play as well. I’ll spend a few more bucks, to get a little closer to the tone I hear.