The Magic of the PAF: How a Humble Humbucker Shaped Rock Music

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The Magic of the PAF: How a Humble Humbucker Shaped Rock Music
Exploring the History, Tone, and Legacy of the Classic Humbucker
By David Flepherd
Published September 8, 2023

PAF pickups—short for “Patent Applied For”—hold a mythical status in the world of electric guitar tone. While often credited as the first humbucking pickups, the truth is a little more nuanced. Just like Edison didn’t truly invent the lightbulb, PAFs weren’t the absolute first—but they certainly made the biggest impact.

Let’s dive into the history, tone, and timeless appeal of the PAF pickup—and why it continues to inspire players and builders decades later.

A Patent, a Pickup, and a Bit of Luck

In 1955, Gibson engineer Seth Lover filed a patent for what would become the company’s first humbucking pickup. Meanwhile, Ray Butts of Gretsch had been working on a similar idea—eventually creating the Filter’Tron pickup for Chet Atkins.

So who got there first?

Although Gibson filed their patent earlier, it was Gretsch’s design that got approved first, thanks in part to recorded proof of Chet Atkins using the pickups as early as 1954. That twist of legal fate is why we call them “PAF” pickups—the patent was applied for, but not yet granted. Guitar history, it turns out, was shaped just as much by bureaucracy as by brilliance.

Why PAFs Changed Everything

Before humbuckers, guitarists relied on single-coil pickups like the P-90, which were notorious for picking up 60-cycle hum—a buzz that became unbearable at higher volumes. As rock music got louder, that noise became a major problem.

PAF pickups solved it.

By using two coils wired out of phase with reverse polarity, Lover and Butts discovered they could “buck” the hum without sacrificing tone. This breakthrough opened the door for louder amps, higher gain, and eventually the birth of hard rock and heavy metal.

In other words, without the PAF, we might never have heard the thunder of Zeppelin, the punch of AC/DC, or the shred of Van Halen.

The Tone of a Legend

PAF pickups are known for their clarity, warmth, and musical sensitivity. Unlike many modern humbuckers, they weren’t potted—meaning the coils weren’t sealed in wax—which made them more microphonic and responsive to subtle vibrations. While this could create challenges at extreme volumes, it also added a unique harmonic richness and touch sensitivity.

Compared to single coils, PAFs are less bright but fuller. Compared to modern humbuckers, they’re more open, dynamic, and—some would argue—more soulful.

With warm lows, woody mids, and sweet top-end chime, PAFs deliver a tone that feels alive in your hands.

PAFs vs Modern Humbuckers

One of the key differences lies in output. Original PAFs had fewer winds and weaker Alnico magnets, resulting in lower output and less magnetic pull on the strings. This translated into greater articulation and note bloom—especially at lower volumes.

Modern humbuckers, by contrast, are often overwound and use stronger magnets to drive more gain and push amps harder. They’re also wax-potted to avoid microphonic feedback, which became a must-have as distortion levels skyrocketed in the '70s and beyond.

Today’s pickups are more consistent, more powerful, and more feedback-resistant—but that also means they’re a bit more predictable. PAFs, in all their imperfect glory, remain gloriously human.

The Human Touch: Why PAFs Are Irreplaceable

What makes PAFs so magical isn’t just the specs—it’s the mystery. Back in the 1950s, Gibson used step-pedal winding machines operated by workers who were talking, laughing, and probably not counting every turn of wire. That means no two PAFs were exactly alike.

Stories from players like Billy Gibbons tell of visits to the original Gibson factory, where he discovered that much of what made PAFs special came down to feel, not formulas.

And that’s the heart of it.

In an era of digital perfection and factory precision, PAF pickups remind us that tone has a human element. They have just enough imperfection to keep things interesting—like a great tube amp pushed into just the right kind of sag.

So What’s the Best PAF Pickup Today?

Many have tried to replicate the original PAF magic. Some have come close. The truth is, the best PAF-style pickups don’t just copy the specs—they chase the feel. At Mojotone, we’re particularly proud of our ‘59 Clone PAF, crafted with painstaking attention to detail and vintage-correct materials.

But even we’ll admit: there’s no magic number of winds, no single Alnico grade, no perfect wire gauge that makes a pickup great. It’s the whole picture—the materials, the winding, the imperfections, and the way it makes you feel when you plug in.

Why PAFs Still Matter

PAF pickups didn’t just solve a technical problem. They defined the sound of an era and gave rise to a new language of expression in electric guitar. They’re not just tools—they’re time machines, transporting you back to the birth of rock and roll while still sounding at home in modern music.

If music is emotion, and tone is how we express it, then PAF pickups are one of the most soulful ways we’ve ever found to turn feeling into sound.