Gibson releases exclusive new 'historic' PAF: 1959 Humbucker Collector’s Edition Series 1

[NickiC]

Sorry for the late reply.
C20152T
C20152R

Very nice.
Sorry for my late reply. The original plan I had was to replace the Custombuckers in my R8 with, the Series 1. But, the Custombuckers sounded quite good in the guitar. Even better now, with the covers off!

 

[Buzz]

Did they improve the color of the cream bobbins on the 1959 Collectors series PAFS or are they pinkish/flesh colored?

I recently bought a set of double cream Custombuckers directly from the Gibson website, I did not install them after seeing the Barbie doll bobbin color and I intend to get a refund on them.

 

[CS Murphy 'R9]

I do not own any sets of these Gibson P.A.F's but I seriously doubt they are in the same league as Stephens design , Doylecoil or Throbaks
for a P.A.F repro. all of these makers use all accurate parts to make their P.A.F's. I have heard the wire Gibson uses on their P.A.F's is Poly but dyed to look like enamel? If that is true I want nothing to do with their P.A.F pickups!

 

[jb_abides]

I do not own any sets of these Gibson P.A.F's but I seriously doubt they are in the same league as Stephens design , Doylecoil or Throbaks
for a P.A.F repro. all of these makers use all accurate parts to make their P.A.F's. I have heard the wire Gibson uses on their P.A.F's is Poly but dyed to look like enamel? If that is true I want nothing to do with their P.A.F pickups!

False; they use 42 AWG plain enamel wire, as do all CustomBuckers pickups in the Historic Collection.

Everyone can have an opinion on the execution and final result of these compared to boutique repros...

But Gibson has basically done their homework and have given the market their own 'repro' for the 'Series' to be historically accurate using: 3D scanning and materials chemical analysis of vintage examples, replicating tool marks, using historically accurate butyrate bobbins, silver-nickel alloys, and period-correct screws and springs, and finding appropriate rough cast magnet choices.

Fair to say basic CustomBuckers use modern construction substitutes like plastic bobbins, still targeting vintage 'where it matters' like wire.

 

[CS Murphy 'R9]

False; they use 42 AWG plain enamel wire, as do all CustomBuckers pickups in the Historic Collection.

Everyone can have an opinion on the execution and final result of these compared to boutique repros...

But Gibson has basically done their homework and have given the market their own 'repro' for the 'Series' to be historically accurate using: 3D scanning and materials chemical analysis of vintage examples, replicating tool marks, using historically accurate butyrate bobbins, silver-nickel alloys, and period-correct screws and springs, and finding appropriate rough cast magnet choices.

Fair to say basic CustomBuckers use modern construction substitutes like plastic bobbins, still targeting vintage 'where it matters' like wire.

Good to know it was just a rumor about them using dyed poly. BTW for me it was not a deal breaker that they used Poly but advertising they used PE but were really using the poly in place of it. I will not tolerate deceit from a company that wants me to buy their product.

 

[Buzz]

The most important thing to me is the tone, how they respond, how the notes bloom and the amount of low end and all that.
I may have made my questions muddy, I don't own a set of '59 Collectors series, but I am wondering if the bobbins are the same color as the Custombuckers..which is slightly too pink/flesh colored.

I am expecting somebody to remove the covers off a set that cost $1,000 or maybe a bit less if they were used. So, I totally get it if nobody has removed the covers on a set of them. Sure, you can kinda see them if you remove a pole piece from the top but it would be really hard to tell.

But let me expand on these questions about the Collector's series: Are the covers improved or are they the same as the other run of the mill Gibson pickups which have covers which are not like vintage PAF covers which have sharper edges and corners..most of you know what I mean. Throbak makes their own, I have allways been a big fan of the Montreux "Time Machine collection" covers which are made in Japan. I hear the Crazy Parts covers are great too, never had them though.

I guess what I'm saying is that I would expect a $475 set of new Custombuckers to have the run of the mill bobbins and nickel covers but when they ask 1K for set and include a Lifton case and a set of cream M69s I wish they had put all that effort into the bobbins and the covers not on something that you put away and save to keep collectable value.

So far, to my ears, the best pickups I have ever had and I do own about 5 sets of, are Custombuckers which were sold 2nd hand when they were taken out of Historics. I have tried many brands and I presume that if I like the Custombuckers than maybe someday I'll find a good deal on Collector series, the III interests me because they use alnico, have double cream bobbins and they are closer in K. ohm in the neck and bridge like custom buckers. Last week I spent many hours pulling magnets and ended up going back to the stock A3 that came in the Custombuckers.. I go by the actual sound hitting my ears, that's the main thing to me..but I don't want an eye sore either like rounded edges on the covers.

 

[GreenBurst]

Good to know it was just a rumor about them using dyed poly. BTW for me it was not a deal breaker that they used Poly but advertising they used PE but were really using the poly in place of it. I will not tolerate deceit from a company that wants me to buy their product.

It seems everyone lies these days. Just turn on the news and you are inundated with reporting of people that shouldn't be, but are, out right lying.