paf specificiation (details)

[clown_luthier]

Hi, this is my first post here

i would like to start making some nice pafs for my guitars, not to sell, just for fun and a good sound on my guitars
i have handmade lp replika...so tell me guys, i know that the
Distance between the centers of the two far holes is 1-15/16" (49,2 mm)

i know some details i found here:
Wood spacer: 2.128 long x .190 wide x .125 thick

i can make this, is maple ok?

i was thinking about RS guitarworks alnico 4 magnets:
http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore...roducts_id=297

anyone know are this magnetized?
can i found anything better?

Thanx
p.s. nice forum

[clown_luthier]

what do you guys think about tis base plates...wich is better to replicate paf look:

Mojo


stewmac


Montreux


anything better, more authentic?

[voodoochild]

I don't know about the Stew Mac ones but looking at their bobbins I would assume they are the exact same thing that Allparts is using (Gotoh). Stay away from those if you are trying to get "PAF" correct spacing. Allparts ones are 50mm!!!! Totally not vintage correct. I nearly punched a hole in the wall when I couldn't get the 49.2mm bobbins to fit. I had to drill the holes out slightly. Bummer.

[belwar]

allparts and stewmac parts are not gotoh. the are a small japanese maker named Keiyo.

the stewmac base plates are nice but they can sometimes come somewhat aged looking.

any maple is fine for spacer. I use western maple, but many use easter. zero effect on tone.

the rs guitar work A4 magnets come from arnold magnetics and are american made magnets. they do sound nice and they are what lindy fralin uses for his paf replica. they do come charged, but plan on charging them yourself as they are not fully charged. you should always recharge a magnet if you rip it off a block of magnets

[voodoochild]

Hmm interesting, Keiyo pickups are in Tokai guitars aren't they? I'm pretty sure I have seen them before. All I know is that the Allparts baseplates look exactly like the supposed Gotoh ones I got one time. They are nice but you have to use their bobbins. Thats one thing I have learned the hard way is to try and buy parts for one pickup in one place. Especially humbuckers. Maybe Gotoh buys their pickup parts from Keiyo and resells them. Who knows. Anyway interesting.

[Chadheckler1]

I don't know about the Stew Mac ones but looking at their bobbins I would assume they are the exact same thing that Allparts is using (Gotoh). Stay away from those if you are trying to get "PAF" correct spacing. Allparts ones are 50mm!!!! Totally not vintage correct. I nearly punched a hole in the wall when I couldn't get the 49.2mm bobbins to fit. I had to drill the holes out slightly. Bummer.

I have been using the allparts bobbins and baseplates...and the mojo covers. They all claim to be 49.2/vintage. The only thing that i find is sometimes the screws are tough to get into the baseplate. But they seem to fit perfectly into the cover so I thought the baseplate was a little off once and a while.

[NightWinder]

allparts and stewmac parts are not gotoh. the are a small japanese maker named Keiyo.

the stewmac base plates are nice but they can sometimes come somewhat aged looking.

any maple is fine for spacer. I use western maple, but many use easter. zero effect on tone.

the rs guitar work A4 magnets come from arnold magnetics and are american made magnets. they do sound nice and they are what lindy fralin uses for his paf replica. they do come charged, but plan on charging them yourself as they are not fully charged. you should always recharge a magnet if you rip it off a block of magnets

!@#$%^&*(*()_

[J S Moore]

I like the Allparts bobbins better but you can't get them in double cream, at least I can't. Is there contact information for Keiyo?

[voodoochild]

I am pretty sure that none of the "pickup" magnets these days are American anymore. I could be wrong but that is what I have been told from what I consider to be reputable magnet sources. I was told that they all come from Asia now and the American magnet suppliers just oversee the quality standards.

[clown_luthier]

Thanx on helping me guys, i love this forum

what do you think about 49,2 mm spacing on this Montreux products:
http://www.montreuxguitars.com/produ..._parts_us.html

are this parts best for authentic pafs parts on market?

[belwar]

!@#$%^&*(*()_

I second that!

[belwar]

I am pretty sure that none of the "pickup" magnets these days are American anymore. I could be wrong but that is what I have been told from what I consider to be reputable magnet sources. I was told that they all come from Asia now and the American magnet suppliers just oversee the quality standards.

There is only one magnet maker in America producing Alnico. They produce it for the military which requires it be made in America. I cant speak for the quality or tone of the America Stuff, but I will say that there is a big difference in quality and tone from different asian manufacturers

[David Schwab]

Maybe Gotoh buys their pickup parts from Keiyo and resells them. Who knows. Anyway interesting.

Or they are just Keiyo pickups they rebrand. That's the way the Japanese companies work. You'll find Fenders made in the same guitar factories as ESP and other brands.

Speaking of spacers, the early patent label pickups I used to have had mahogany spacers. I'm sure they used what ever scrap wood they had.

[belwar]

Or they are just Keiyo pickups they rebrand. That's the way the Japanese companies work. You'll find Fenders made in the same guitar factories as ESP and other brands.

Speaking of spacers, the early patent label pickups I used to have had mahogany spacers. I'm sure they used what ever scrap wood they had.

My gut tells me that Gibson just used garbage tops from Les Pauls to create spacers. Stuff that was too thin, or had a knot that couldnt be filled and properly turned gold. Either that or it was made from the cut-offs of maple when the top was cut out, but that would be WAY more laborious. Gibson was very practical. The spacer from my PAF was flamed, which lead me to believe it was a garbage top.

b.

[David Schwab]

Yeah, I'm sure they ended up with scraps of wood from guitar bodies, so that's what they used. Even if they aren't from junk tops, you end up with lots of small pieces that end up as trash .... but you know that already.