PAF Specs?

[PoorMan]

I read another thread that stated Burstbuckers bobbins share the same specs as original PAFs...I was working on some last night and discovered the pickup cover from the Burstbucker doesn't fit my AllParts 50mm bobbins. The covers have a wider spacing.

So what spacing are these Burstbuckers/PAFs anyway?

[Stan H]

I think they are 49.2mm but I'm not positive.

[PoorMan]

I think they are 49.2mm but I'm not positive.

Judging by my bobbins, it appears the Burstbuckers are wider than 50mm (or my bobbins aren't the advertised 50mm)

[Stan H]

Sorry, I read your post backwards...or something. I always heard that old Gibsons were 49.2mm. I don't think AllParts sells anything but 50mm. I have no idea what the Burstbuckers are supposed to be.

[PoorMan]

Sorry, I read your post backwards...or something. I always heard that old Gibsons were 49.2mm. I don't think AllParts sells anything but 50mm. I have no idea what the Burstbuckers are supposed to be.

No worries. I thought I read somewhere PAFs were 49.2mm also. I guess that's why I was so surprised to find the Burstbucker spacing wider than 50mm.

[SteveJ]

53mm maybe?
http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com/item.asp?pid=581158&pg=11200&id=2115250

[PoorMan]

These are NOT PAF spec bobbins. The opening in top of the bobbin is a circle...there is no square. There may be other differences, but I'm not a PAF expert.

[Possum]

PAF pole spacing is 1 15/16" they didn't use metrics back in '59

[PoorMan]

PAF pole spacing is 1 15/16" they didn't use metrics back in '59

To compare apples to apples, 1 15/16" = 49.2125mm. I don't have the ability to measure the Burstbuckers precisely, but the spacing is wider than my 50mm AllParts bobbins. So these clearly aren't PAF spec.

[SteveJ]

And 53mm = 2.09''.

[Norcal_GIT_r]

Gibson has been using F spaced bridges lately.
The SG I bought recently had an F spaced bridge.

[PoorMan]

And 53mm = 2.09''.

Granted, I'm just eyeballing them, but they don't look that wide. I think they are 51.3333 1/3mm or something. ;)

[David Schwab]

I have a Tim Shaw humbucker here (which I've been putting off rewinding... )

Supposedly he used the original bobbins as a guide when they retooled.

They are 1.939" (49.26 mm). I think that's close enough to 1-15/16". The difference might be how I measured it (using a digital caliper).

[NightWinder]

I have a Tim Shaw humbucker here (which I've been putting off rewinding... )

Supposedly he used the original bobbins as a guide when they retooled.

They are 1.939" (49.26 mm). I think that's close enough to 1-15/16". The difference might be how I measured it (using a digital caliper).
Do they have white spacers, or wood??

[Spence]

Watch Possum's video. He's wearing a pair of PAF specs that are way bigger that 1 15/16".

[PoorMan]

Watch Possum's video. He's wearing a pair of PAF specs that are way bigger that 1 15/16".

Spence, you're on a roll today! LOL!

[Possum]

Its the lenses that make the spacing look bigger Spence, fooled ya :

David what is the coil height and how thick is the center post on the bobbins? Curious. I have a Shaw I busted the wire on also but haven't unwound it yet, maybe never will :-)

[David Schwab]

Do they have white spacers, or wood??

I'll have to take a look (I'm not home at the moment). I'm pretty sure they are wood though.

The old patent label pickups I had used mahogany spacers.

David what is the coil height and how thick is the center post on the bobbins? Curious. I have a Shaw I busted the wire on also but haven't unwound it yet, maybe never will :-)

I'll check that out too. Right now it still has wire on it, but I need to remove that anyway.

This belongs to a friend of mind that has a ridiculous collection of Les Pauls... like 10 or 12. I happen to have had a Shaw laying around that he bought from me, and it replaced this broken one, which I'm going to rewind for him.

[Electricdaveyboy]

Hello !
I rewound some of the shaws and still have a a set in on of my Les Paul.
The shaw pickups did use two white plastic spacers and it has a spacing of 49,2 alike my Burstbucker and the same as my Stewmac bobbins.

cheers
david

[Possum]

the wire on the Shaw's is special, try to save it and rewind with it. Shaw said the insulation is slightly thicker because thats what he found on PAFs. I measured it once and I think it was .00275" Its not your regular Mom's magnet wire, so if you rewind it and want it to be correct you need to reuse his wire.

[David Schwab]

Well that's good to know. I might actually be able to unwind part of one of the coils to find the break, which appears to be near the outer wraps.

Oh, and it has white plastic spacers.