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Is this a real long PAF magnet?

blewsbreaker

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 29, 2003
Messages
1,113
Is this the real deal?
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Forgive me if I don't want to take apart one of my PAF's from my 60' 345 to compare....
 

v-verb

Active member
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
1,515
Yep - I've seen some that have one edge bevelled.

HOWEVER, I'm far from an expert - I'm hoping the real experts will chime in.
 

jwalker

Les Paul Forum Sponsor
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
2,592
I was at an old Gibson employees repair shop in Kalamazoo a couple of weeks ago to get some bridge pins for a vintage Epiphone Texan. When leaving I asked if he had any old Gibson PAF Magnets. He then proceeded to pull a bunch of magnets from his metal work bench that were holding up notes. I ended up getting several Alnico bar magnets some short, some long and some long but narrower that I assume are for mini humbuckers. All were sand cast. The magnets that were the correct size for a PAF looked like yours. Some were partially ground on one side like yours. Others had only the long north and south edges ground smooth. All of the magnets were without question from the old Gibson Kalamazoo factory.
 

davware

New member
Joined
Nov 29, 2002
Messages
110
It looks like one to me. My recollection is that my 59 PAF magnet was not real smooth, similar to the one you are showing.
Dave
 

jwalker

Les Paul Forum Sponsor
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
2,592
FWIW the old PAF magnet of mine and a modern rough cast magnet I found a supplier for both have a better top end response when compared to the same magnet that is not rough cast. Interestingly enough both the modern and old rough cast magnets have a higher pitched mechanical ring when you tap them compared to the same non rough cast Alnico magnet. Even though the dimensions are the same. There is something different about the rough cast magnets. Both the low and high notes have a bit more bite to them with rough cast magnets.
 

RickN

New member
Joined
Feb 12, 2002
Messages
7,143
Thanks Guys!
I just bought it....
Let's hope it "sounds" good...

Those pictures you posted look like they were taken by Kim at VintageCheckout. That's his standard background material. If that's where you got it, you can be assured it's the genuine article.

Now whether it sounds 'good' is iffy, and not because of where you bought it. PAF magnets vary as widely as modern magnets do, and they're not going to some 'silver bullet' like everyone hopes and thinks they will. Not to piss in your Wheaties, but without even knowing what pickup you're going to install this in, I'd say you have a 50/50 chance of that magnet making your pickup sound 'better'. Depending on the pickup, it has just as much chance of sounding worse. :hmm

Here's hoping for the best. :salude
 
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