What Is a PAF Pickup?

The History of the PAF Pickup

In 1954, Seth Lover — Gibson's in-house electronics engineer — began developing a hum-canceling pickup at the request of Gibson president Ted McCarty. Lover's solution was to use two coils wound in opposite directions and wired out of phase. When a hum source (like a fluorescent light or amp transformer) induced noise in both coils, the opposing polarity caused the noise signals to cancel each other out — while the string signal, which didn't need to cancel, was reinforced. Gibson debuted the humbucker on their lap steel guitars in 1955 and introduced it to their electric guitar lineup in 1957, appearing first on the Les Paul Custom and then on the Les Paul Standard.

The 'Patent Applied For' label appeared on the bottom of the pickup baseplate starting in 1957. After the patent was officially granted in 1959, Gibson transitioned to 'Patent No.' labels, though both types overlap during the transition period. The original PAF design was in production from 1957 through approximately 1962.

Why Are PAF Pickups So Valuable?

Original PAF pickups are prized for three reasons: their sound, their rarity, and their association with the most collectible guitars ever made — the 1958, 1959, and 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standards (the "Bursts").

The tonal qualities of PAFs stem from variables in their construction that Gibson didn't control as tightly as modern manufacturers do. Coil winding was done by hand, meaning each coil had slightly different impedance. The Alnico magnets were sourced from multiple suppliers and varied in gauss strength. The bobbins were made from vulcanized fiber and plastic, creating slight inconsistencies. The result is a population of pickups that all sound good but each sound slightly different — with some examples considered transcendent.

The most desirable PAFs have a 'long magnet' (3.00" Alnico V bars) and are wound to specifications that yield a warm, harmonically complex tone with excellent string separation.

How to Identify an Original PAF Pickup

Identifying an authentic PAF requires inspecting several details:

• ›The 'Patent Applied For' (or 'Patent No.') label on the bottom of the baseplate
• ›A maple spacer between the two bobbins (used from 1957–1960, then nylon)
• ›Unpotted coils (PAFs were not wax-potted — squeezing the coils produces microphonic noise)
• ›Alnico magnet — original PAFs used Alnico II (2), IV, or V depending on the year
• ›Individual coil windings that are slightly unbalanced (typically 5.0–5.5k ohms each, but hand-wound variations exist)
• ›A two-conductor wiring harness (later 4-conductor pickups were not original)
• ›The gold or nickel-plated cover, if original, should show wear consistent with age

PAF Pickups and the Burst Les Pauls

The connection between PAF pickups and the 1958–1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard (the "Burst") is inseparable — the pickups are a primary reason those guitars are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Burst's flame maple top, mahogany body, and PAF pickups create a combination that many guitarists consider the apex of electric guitar design.

The market for original PAF pickups is so strong that it has created a robust cottage industry of PAF replicas. Companies like Seymour Duncan (the '59 Model), Lindy Fralin, and many boutique winders produce pickups that attempt to replicate the original specifications. Some of the most celebrated boutique PAF replicas sell for $300–$600 per pickup.

PAF Pickup Values

Original PAF pickups vary significantly in value depending on condition, matching, and whether they retain original covers:

A matched, covers-on PAF pair in excellent condition can sell for $4,000–$12,000. Individual pickups sell for $1,500–$5,000. Pickups with verified Burst provenance (documented as having come from a 1958–1960 Les Paul) command even higher premiums. Covers can be sold separately and are themselves valuable — an original nickel PAF cover in excellent condition might sell for $300–$600.