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Your cart is empty.Here are the characteristics that make a great vintage humbucker: a soft magnetic field, sweet tone, perfect balance between warmth and clarity, the ability to go from clean to distorted by pick attack alone. For our PAF 36th Anniversary Bridge we wanted to continue in the path of pioneers such as Seth Lover (designer of the original Patent Applied For humbucker) and create pickups that combine all of the characteristics of great vintage humbuckers. These pickups are not merely clones. We re-engineered the PAF using our patented technology and Larry DiMarzio’s own 1959 cherry sunburst Gibson Les Paul as the reference. Larry’s Gibson Les Paul has a uniquely amazing sound and it’s not only due to the pickups — it’s the total fusion of many elements of the guitar itself. Although the pickups have a weak magnetic field, the sound is well defined — almost like a single-coil. We duplicated the weaker magnetic field in order to allow the strings to vibrate longer, as well as focus and articulate the attack and output. We use computer-controlled winders to consistently layer the 42-gauge custom-coated wire, achieving the exact frequency response we want. Then it’s dipped in our custom formula to eliminate squeal and microphonics. The cover is made from nickel-silver and our new plating makes it more magnetically transparent than the originals. The PAF 36th Anniversary Neck is smooth but not muddy. It performs equally well in the neck or bridge, just as the best humbuckers from the 50s did. The PAF 36th Anniversary Bridge is hotter than the Neck. It is not only for set neck 24¾” scale guitars, but it’s also an excellent bridge pickup for trem-equipped bolt-ons. We’ll build the PAF 36th Anniversary any way you want it. Choose the bobbin style — vintage glossy or modern matte, the type of base — traditional, long-legged or standard, short-legged, and the type of cable — vintage single-conductor or 4-conductor. The PAF 36th Anniversary Bridge is available uncovered, and we also offer three types of covers — standard polished and plated, buffed with no plating, and our vintage worn cover that looks so authentic and broken in that you’ll swear it’s been hanging around since 1959.
Customer
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2024
I got this one for a guitar with a dead vintage hotter PAF to try to match somewhat. It does sound good and I enjoy the tone, but it's not quite as aggressive as the other reviews indicated. I didn't expect it to be a super distortion or anything but I basically always need a boost pedal with it, where the pickup it replaced did not have that requirement before its untimely end. Still sounds good and I'd recommend it, but if you want a hotter vintagey sound I actually think the super distortion does better for that if you keep it far from the strings.
FaurySimon
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2019
it is low output PAF and that's precisely what I like. you have a ton of harmonics too and it really gives a ton of tone to my les paul. It sounds better than the Gibson Burstbucker 2 in my Les paul HP, also better than the SD SH5 that it is replacing which was a great pickup but I think the DMs have more depth and more true Les Paul sound.
Miguel Defazio
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2017
This is by far the worst humbucker pickup I have ever tried. The high E string was completely muted, and the tone was empty. You would be better off with some GFS humbuckers of some type. Do some research.
JC
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2016
Great sounding pickups and a better deal than some others I considered.
RTF
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2016
I'd never played a guitar with true PAF's in it, so I can't say that this a good copy or not. But what I can say is, I've played Duncan's exclusively for many years and decided to give this a try and I'm glad that I did. I just love this Pickup. Plenty of power to overdrive a amp and articulate to picking your style. I've got a pair of these in a Epi Les Paul and it's sounding like a more expensive machine. Thanks Larry.
HRJ
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2013
I try every pickup known to man, and still for immediate satisfaction find myself coming back to DeMarzio's good 'ole vintage type offerings. Well balanced and versatile, always natural and authentic sounding, always brings out the individual character of the particular instrument. Good in both positions, like the sign sez... Excellent for those who actually know what guitars are supposed to sound like ;)
Starlover
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2013
I have been playing guitar for 45 years professionally. I have owned many quality guitars and occasionally done my own repairs and upgrades to my instruments. But generally leave it to the real pros for my guitar work. This is just to let you know I am not an amateur, that my experience and expertise is extensive.I recently purchased a PRS Single cut SE for playing live. Not the quality of my Gibson Les Paul Custom, but a less expensive quality guitar that could take the rigors of live performance and still sound good.I decided to upgrade the stock pickups to get a better quality sound. I heard the Gibson 57' Classic, Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan were all about the same. (NOT! Read on.)I looked at the price of all 3 brands and decided on the Dimarzio DP103 and DP223. The Gibson's were twice price. I then had the best guitar work guy in the state install the new Dimarzio pickups.I soon discovered why there was such a price difference between Gibson and Dimarzio. And it is NOT just the name brand thing. The Dimarzio DP 103 and DP 223 pickups are poor at best. And that's being way to kind.The pickups are very thin sounding, no warmth, no bottom end, no roundness! They were so trebly and "twangy" sounding that the guitar sounded more like a really cheap single coil Squire Stratocaster than a PRS with Humbucker's. Frankly, Dimarzio pickups do not rate the one star.But it gets worse. Read on.One of the reasons I chose the Dimazio was they have an "exchange" program. Supposedly if you are unhappy with the product they will exchange for a different pickup. Yeah right!So I called Dimarzio and spoke to their "tech support" guy. I politely explained the pickups were just not the sound I expected and would like to exchange them for one of their other pickup models. From the start, he was extremely rude. I was told there was nothing wrong with the pickups and there was no way Dimarzio would exchange them. Period!I politely asked again, saying that I really needed to exchange them and was there someone in management that I could appeal to for an exchange. The Dimarzio "tech support" guy replied NO! "Not going to happen". Period! Without a doubt this was the rudest and worse support I have ever encountered in my musical career. (I suspect they only have one "support guy" too. I finally advised him, I would probably have to return them to the retailer then. He said "You do what you have to do", And then he hung up on me.So that's just what I did. I returned them. The retailer was awesome. I had no such problems with them and an exchange. They happily exchanged them for the Gibson 57' Classic and Classic plus no problem. And WOW! What a Difference. Pay the extra amount for the Gibson 57' Classic's. They have an incredible sounding pickup that just keeps giving. Worth every penney. Just go read the reviews on the Gibson 57's. They are all true.Avoid Dimarzio products like the plague. Trust me. This is THE review to read if you are considering Dimarzio pickups. Buyer beware, you get what you pay for.
tubeampplayer
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2013
I replaced Gibson '57 Classics in my solid body Guild with the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF's and couldn't be happier. The sound of these pickups is rich and is very sensitive to the tone controls. I also split the coils and although I wouldn't say it sounded quite as good as my Strat, it does sound good and can pass in a pinch. The matched set works best in my opinion. Both have a unique tone.
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