Epiphone Pickup information

[Paruwi]

Some (corporate) facts about Epiphone pickups..

Epiphone ProBucker™ Pickups: You'll Love The Way They Sound

In an effort to continually improve quality, Epiphone has introduced new features over the years like our wiring harness Quick Connector for unequalled reliability and ease of service, an All-Metal Toggle Switch to ensure years of reliable service and performance, the LockTone™ Tune-o-matic/Stopbar that auto-locks the bridge and tailpiece in place with no tools needed, Full-Size 1" Diameter Potentiometers for better "throw," longer life and reliable service and proprietary Non-Rotating Output Jacks that feature an improved contact shape and heavy-duty spring steel... just to name a few.

Now we are proud to announce the introduction of the Epiphone ProBucker™ pickup. Currently offered in various models including the Les Paul Standard PlusTop PRO, Les Paul Ultra PRO, Les Paul Standard Quilt Top PRO, Les Paul Custom PRO, Les Paul Ultra-III, and other models coming soon. These pickups are an inspired version of Gibson's BurstBucker, featuring unevenly wound coils and Alnico-II magnets that replicate that "Patent Applied for" airy tone. You'll love the way they sound!

ProBuckers feature:

18% Nickel Silver unit bases and covers: This is the same alloy used by Gibson. The use of Nickel Silver reduces the occurrence of eddy currents due to low conductivity and provides a more transparent and crisp output.

Bobbins manufactured to Gibson specifications and dimensions: The size and shape of bobbins has great impact on tonal response. The bobbins used on these pickups duplicate the size and shape of the gold standard in the industry, Gibson humbuckers.

Elektrisola magnet wire: The same wire used by Gibson. Single build (thickness of coating on wire) high quality magnet wire manufactured to NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) standards.

Pole screws and slugs: Manufactured to Gibson specifications, using the same metal alloys.

Also: ProBucker pickups feature Sand cast Alnico II magnets, high quality 4 conductor lead wire and are Vacuum Wax potted to eliminate microphonics.

 

[Paruwi]

Introducing Epiphone Ceramic Plus™ Humbuckers

Epiphone introduces the new Ceramic Plus™ humbucker, the next step in the House of Stathopoulo's ongoing crusade to merge the tone of the past with the tone of the future. Like Epiphone's critically acclaimed ProBucker™ pickups, new Ceramic Plus™ humbuckers feature 18% Nickel silver unit bases, bobbins tooled to exact Gibson specifications, Elektrisola Magnet wire, but instead are powered by Ceramic 8 magnets.

Where as ProBucker pickups emulate the rich and subtle tones of hand-wound humbuckers from the late 50s, Epiphone's new Ceramic Plus™ humbuckers are high output modern pickups designed to provide a tight low-end response with both a smooth mid-range and a slightly more pronounced cut on the top end. Ceramic Plus™ pickups provide high output while still maintaining clarity and focus that's perfect for metal and hard driving rock. Ceramic Plus™ pickups also shine with incredible sustain, drive, and harmonic content at high volume. Modern hi-wattage amps are an especially good match with Ceramic Plus™ pickups, providing all the color and character of a classic humbucker but with the cutting drive that can keep up with intense volumes, fast and super articulate players, and more efficient modern amps.

The first generation of humbuckers used Alnico magnets for the simple reason that they were dependable, available, and gave any guitar that used them tremendous power and subtlety. By the late 60s and early 70s, ceramic magnets became more readily available and as guitar-based rock became harder and edgier, the top players in all genres-- especially in the emerging genres of "metal" and "hard rock"--began looking for ways to step ahead of the competition. Ceramic pickups—then and now—provide an excellent alternative to Alnico pickups with their with their sharp, articulate, and more saturated tone.

Early ceramic pickup designs were often poor sounding. Very little research or experimentation had yet taken place to discover how best to use ceramic magnets. They were typically used as a substitute for more expensive Alnico magnets. Even today, the mixed reception of those early designs gave ceramic magnets a bad reputation for almost a decade. But as custom pickup designers discovered the unique characteristics of ceramic magnets, players began taking notice and pickups that used ceramic magnets started improving--and selling--in a big way.

Modern rock's need for volume, drive, and for hi-wattage amps that could maintain crunch for long shows without losing punch and clarity created an ideal need for ceramic magnets in new custom pickup designs.

"The physics dictates that when the impedance of a pickup increases the high end frequency response of the pickup decreases. As the need to drive amps further into saturation became desirable the use of Ceramic magnets to compensate for this loss of frequency response became a perfect fit." remarked Richard Akers, head of Epiphone Research & Development. "Simply increasing the impedance of a pickup while maintaining the use of Alnico magnets in most cases creates a muddy sounding pickup that lacks clarity. The use of ceramic magnets helps to compensate for this and adds clarity and focus to high output pickups"



And the new Ceramic Plus™ humbuckers are not just for high volume either. Get acquainted with cutting edge tone of Epiphone's new stellar Ceramic Plus™ pickups with the new Les Paul Classic-T, which also introduces the breakthrough Min-ETune™ system to the "king of electric guitars" without breaking the bank. The Les Paul Classic-T has all of the Les Paul's trademark features including a Mahogany body with a AAA Flame Maple Veneer top, a combination that has made hundreds of hit records over the last six decades. And with Epiphone's Ceramic Plus™ open coil humbucker pickups, Epiphone once again puts a new twist on the legendary Les Paul sound.

There are more Epiphone instruments on the way with soon-to-be legendary Ceramic Plus™ humbuckers. Check out the new Les Paul Classic-T and visit your Authorized Epiphone Dealer for details.

 

[Paruwi]

The Sound of Innovation: Introducing Epiphone's Premier Pickups

12.22.2014

Boutique sound anyone can afford with the ProBucker™, P-90 PRO™, and CeramicPlus™

In 2014, Epiphone celebrated its 141st anniversary as the world's #1 maker of professional and affordable instruments. And though today's Epiphone reaches more fans around the globe than even founder Epi Stathopoulo himself could have imagined possible, at its core the "House of Stathopoulo" is not so different than it was in the 1930s. Back then, Epi transformed his family business into one of the great instrument companies of his era and put Epiphone on the same path it's on today, innovating with the same adventurous spirit.

Today, Epiphone gives its fans--both pros and pros at heart--not only beautifully crafted instruments but also incredible sounding instruments with pickups that match or rival any of the boutique manufactures. If you just think of Epiphone as "affordable" or a "classic name," get ready for a big surprise when you fire up an Epiphone Les Paul, Wilshire, or Casino and compare it to vintage models that cost ten times as much.

In 2014, Epiphone introduced three incredible new pickups, the ProBucker™, the single coil P-90 PRO™ and the CeramicPlus™ that for the first the time have made the sound of hand-made boutique pickups affordable to everyone. Whether you're looking for a classic tone or something new, Epiphone's new line of premier pickups can take you there.

ProBucker™ Humbucker

Epiphone's ProBucker™ humbucker has quietly become one of the most talked about pickups in the industry. It has fooled experts, vintage purists, and even luthiers who have worked with the best vintage examples from the late 50s and early 60s. Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers are the real deal--made with 18% Nickel Silver unit bases and covers, the same alloy used by Gibson at the Kalamazoo factory when the humbucker was first invented. The use of Nickel Silver reduces the occurrence of eddy currents due to low conductivity and provides a more transparent and crisp output. The size and shape of the bobbins also has a great impact on tonal response. And the bobbins used on ProBucker™ pickups duplicate the size and shape of the gold standard in the industry, Gibson humbuckers. Epiphone ProBucker™ pickups also feature sand cast Alnico II magnets, high quality 4 conductor lead wire, and are vacuum wax potted to eliminate microphonics.

But what really counts is the sound, and Epiphone's ProBucker™ pickups have delighted and puzzled some of the toughest critics around, who are always on the hunt for the elusive and impossible-to-define tone of the "Patent Applied for Pickups" that first found a home in Les Paul Standards in the late 50s.

The first generation of Kalamazoo-made humbuckers (often called "PAF" or "Patent Applied For" for the telltale sticker found on the back) has acquired a mythical status among guitar players. Originally hand-wound, each vintage example sounds different but share the same combination of a smooth tone with colorful, edgy overtones that are as expressive as violin or viola. The humbucker pickup was really invented, in fact, to "buck the hum," the annoying "buzz" that amplifiers and electric guitars picked up in poorly grounded bars and nightclubs. Add to that noise the powerful signal of AM radio stations coming in and out of one's amplifier and you can understand why "bucking the hum" was a such a concern in post-war America where bands were having to turn up louder and louder to be heard over a Saturday night crowd in a honky tonk.

Inventor and Gibson/Epiphone staff technician Seth Lover, who first applied for a patent for his humbucker pickup in 1957, had a mission to give guitar players a pickup that brought down the noise without sacrificing tone. Coincidentally, Gibson/Epiphone owner Ted McCarty, who put Seth onto the task of making the humbucker, was also looking for a way to perk up flagging sales of the company's flagship electric, the Les Paul.

Initially the Les Paul Standard and its new humbucker pickup didn't take off and were made in low quantities. In fact, the Les Paul Standard as we know it today was actually discontinued for most of the 1960s.

But the humbucker and the Les Paul Standard did not go quietly into the night. As music fans know, guitar heroes like Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield, Duane Allman, and Peter Green took to the "P.A.F." sound as the ultimate blues guitar tone. Their inspiration? Probably Keith Richards, who played a late 50s Les Paul Standard (with a Bigsby™) on the T.A.M.I. Show film which also featured James Brown in one of the great performances in rock and roll history. (Just before the show, Keith had put aside his Epiphone Casino, his main axe for a dozen early Rolling Stones hits including "Satisfaction."

Today, there's hardly a player in the world that doesn't regard the prospect of owning (or just playing) a late 50s Les Paul with those rare humbuckers as the ultimate electric guitar experience. Prices for a late 50s Les Paul Standard are close to $200,000. And then there are a few out there (rare left-handed models, artist owned, and even a few un-played Les Pauls that still have hang tags) that easily approach the cost of a house in a city of your choice.

For Richard Akers, Epiphone's Director of Research and Development, securing Epiphone a place in the crowded race to produce a great Patent Applied For-style humbucker was the ultimate design challenge.

"The new ProBucker™ pickups are not just slight improvements over previously produced pickups. They were completely designed here in Nashville and tooled from the ground-up at a new factory dedicated to high end pickup production," said Akers. "These pickups use only the highest quality components and are based on the most sought after humbuckers of Gibson's history. I spent many, many hours making sure these came out great and I am really happy with the results. They sound fantastic."

With the new ProBucker™ pickups, Epiphone now gives its players the confidence that any instrument they purchase with ProBucker™ pickups will have that classic rock and roll patent applied for ("P.A.F.") tone.



Epiphone ProBuckers™ got their official debut in July 2013 during Epiphone's 140th birthday celebration during an open house that saw many --including some of the top guitar magazine editors in the US--take the "humbucker challenge" and pick Epiphone over many other fine boutique challengers. While every pickup sounded fantastic and the differences were slight, Epiphone's ProBuckers were chosen as the preferred pickup by a majority (61%) of the players. Check out the video to see the challenge in action and some of the surprising results (and guests)!

Alnico Classic PRO™
If you’re looking for the traditional tonal charteristics of Alnico pickups but with a higher output and a slightly more modern sound, check out our critically acclaimed Alnico Classic PRO™ humbuckers. Alnico Classic PROs are found in nouvo classics like the Epiphone ES-339 PRO, the G-400 PRO, and the Les Paul Traditional PRO™. Alnico Classic PROs are similar to ProBuckers in construction except they use Alnico-V magnets, making them higher in output for enhanced mids and highs.

Epiphone P-90 PRO™ Pickup

Following in the footsteps of the ProBucker™ is the new single coil P-90 PRO™, a rebirth of one of the greatest and most versatile pickups in popular music, also invented by Seth Lover. The original single coil P-90 pickup was inspired by the now legendary (and super rare) "Charlie Christian" pickup used by the revolutionary jazz guitar player from Oklahoma who plugged in with the Benny Goodman band and transformed the guitar from a rhythm instrument to a solo instrument.

Just like originals P-90s, the Epiphone P-90 PRO™ is an extremely sensitive pickup that easily bends to a player's unique touch. With its distinctive growl and wide range, it's great for rock and roll, pop, jazz, country, or anything you want to throw at it.

The creation of the Epiphone P-90 PRO™ once again followed the same principles used to create the ProBucker™. "Just like a good chef uses science and art to create unique dishes, a good pickup designer is able to use ingredients in unique ways to create sound," continues Richard Akers. "All the ingredients are available to anyone willing to look but you have to know how to combine them and what is important. Knowing the ingredients in a fine family recipe and how they combine is very similar to how I went about producing these pickups that are synonymous with what our ears have evolved to know as the sound of Rock and Roll."

The P-90 pickup not only powered the earliest Les Pauls but were also the engine behind the almighty Epiphone Casino, which has hardly ceased production since its debut in 1961.

In the 60s, the Casino was heard on an incredible variety of hits including the Kinks "You Really Got Me" and virtually every Beatle recording made from 1965-1969 including "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Paperback Writer," "Revolution," and "Get Back."

Today, the list of Casino devotees –both new and vintage--include GRAMMY winner Gary Clark Jr., Thom Yorke of Radiohead, U2's the Edge, and Paul Weller. The new Epiphone P-90 PRO™ single coil pickups are also made with 18% Nickel Silver covers and have been designed and tooled from the ground up with new bobbins manufactured to historic dimensions, Elektrisola magnet wire, sand cast Alnico V magnets, and pole shoes manufactured using correct alloys and to Gibson dimensions. And for you sticklers to detail, the new Epiphone P-90 PROs™ also have tin plated brass base plates like used on 50's and 60's era Gibson P-90 pickups.

"What we perceive today to be a great sounding pickup is partially great because that is the sound we grew up hearing as the definitive sound of Rock and Roll. It's what our ears want to hear," said Akers. "There is also a lot of truth to the fact that through some very intelligent engineering and also some just plain old luck, Seth Lover and Gibson created fantastic sounding pickups that worked extremely well in the guitars they were producing at the time. Our modern manufacturing procedures certainly give us a higher degree of consistency but it's hard to top the sound produced by the best examples of the golden era."

Ceramic Plus™ Humbucker

New for 2014, the Ceramic Plus™ humbucker is the next step in the House of Stathopoulo's ongoing crusade to merge the tone of the past with the tone of the future. Like Epiphone's critically acclaimed ProBucker™ pickups, new Ceramic Plus™ humbuckers feature 18% Nickel silver unit bases, bobbins tooled to exact Gibson specifications, Elektrisola Magnet wire, but instead are powered by Ceramic 8 magnets.

Where as ProBucker™ pickups emulate the rich and subtle tones of hand-wound humbuckers from the late 50s, Epiphone's new Ceramic Plus™ humbuckers are high output modern pickups designed to provide a tight low-end response with both a smooth mid-range and a slightly more pronounced cut on the top end. Ceramic Plus™ pickups provide high output while still maintaining clarity and focus that's perfect for metal and hard driving rock. Ceramic Plus™ pickups also shine with incredible sustain, drive, and harmonic content at high volume. Modern hi-wattage amps are an especially good match with Ceramic Plus™ pickups, providing all the color and character of a classic humbucker but with the cutting drive that can keep up with intense volumes, fast and super articulate players, and more efficient modern amps.

The first generation of humbuckers used Alnico magnets for the simple reason that they were dependable, available, and gave any guitar that used them tremendous power and subtlety. But by the late 60s and early 70s, ceramic magnets became more readily available and as guitar-based rock became harder and edgier, the top players in all genres-- especially in the emerging genres of "metal" and "hard rock"--began looking for ways to step ahead of the competition. Ceramic pickups--then and now--provide an excellent alternative to Alnico pickups with their sharp, articulate, and more saturated tone.

Today, modern rock's need for volume, drive, and for hi-wattage amps that could maintain crunch for long shows without losing punch and clarity created an ideal need for ceramic magnets in new custom pickup designs.

" The physics dictates that when the impedance of a pickup increases the high end frequency response of the pickup decreases. As the need to drive amps further into saturation became desirable the use of Ceramic magnets to compensate for this loss of frequency response became a perfect fit," said Epiphone's Richard Akers. "Simply increasing the impedance of a pickup while maintaining the use of Alnico magnets in most cases creates a muddy sounding pickup that lacks clarity. The use of ceramic magnets helps to compensate for this and adds clarity and focus to high output pickups"

And the new Ceramic Plus™ humbuckers are not just for high volume either. Get acquainted with cutting edge tone of Epiphone's new stellar Ceramic Plus™ pickups with the new Les Paul Classic-T, which also introduces the breakthrough Min-ETune™ system to the "king of electric guitars" without breaking the bank. The Les Paul Classic-T has all of the Les Paul's trademark features including a Mahogany body with a AAA Flame Maple Veneer top, a combination that has made hundreds of hit records over the last six decades. And with Epiphone's Ceramic Plus™ open coil humbucker pickups, Epiphone once again puts a new twist on the legendary Les Paul sound.

Visit your Authorized Epiphone Dealer soon and check out the Epiphone line of solidbody and archtop guitars that feature the ProBucker™, single coil P-90 PRO™ and CeramicPlus™ humubuckers. And get ready for even more surprises in 2015.

 

[Paruwi]

 

[Paruwi]

Take the Epiphone ProBucker™ Challenge

08.01.2013


That classic "P.A.F" sound is closer than you think

Over the years, the first generation of Kalamazoo-made humbuckers (often called "Patent Applied For" for tell-tale sticker found on the back of the pickups) have acquired a mythical status among guitar players. There's hardly a player in the world that doesn't regard the prospect of owning (or just seeing) a late 50's Les Paul with these rare, impossible to find humbuckers as the ultimate electric guitar experience. Prices for a late 50's Les Paul Standard with early humbuckers are close to $200,000 and then there are a few out there (rare left-handed models, artist owned, and even a few unplayed Les Pauls that still have hang tags) that easily approach the cost of a house in a city of your choice.

So to achieve those near-mythical tones out of a modern guitar, many players think they have to either switch out their factory installed pickups for "boutique" pickups (an expensive and time consuming process) or instead save up for the more serious investment of buying a vintage guitar that's far out of the typical Epiphone price range.

For Richard Akers, Epiphone's Director of Research and Development, securing Epiphone a place in the crowded and formidable race to produce a great--not just good--but great Patent Applied For-style humbucker was the ultimate challenge.

"These ProBucker pickups are not just slight improvements over previously produced pickups. They were completely designed here in Nashville and tooled from the ground-up at a new factory dedicated to high end pickup production," said Akers. "These pickups use only the highest quality components and are based on the most sought after humbuckers of Gibson's history. I spent many, many hours making sure these came out great and I am really happy with the results. They sound fantastic."

With the new ProBucker pickups, Epiphone now gives its players the confidence that any instrument they purchase with ProBucker pickups will have that sound, the elusive classic rock and roll patent applied for ("P.A.F.") tone.

That vintage sound may not be for everyone (which is why we make more than one kind of humbucker). But for devotees, having a Les Paul or archtop with ProBucker pickups provides a player with a tonal palette unmatched by any other pickup. The ProBucker humbucker gives players the ability to seemingly erase any barrier between your imagination and what you play. They can sound stark, grungy, clean, shimmery, creamy, bold, round, skinny--the list goes on and on. Today, the ProBucker humbucker pickup makes Epiphone not just a near-contender but also a real contender, in fact, a bona fide option for those seeking the classic late 50s humbucker sound.

But don't take our word for it. Naturally, we thought the finished ProBucker pickups were serious contenders. The real test came when Akers set up a "humbucker challenge" station during Epiphone's 140th open house in July 2013.

We set up two sets of three Les Paul Standard PlusTop PROs--in Vintage Sunburst and Heritage Cherry Sunburst--and encouraged visitors to check them out. Both groups of Les Pauls were set up with new Epiphone ProBucker pickups as well as two other very fine boutique humbuckers.

Many guests participated in the "blind" challenge including pros, guitar magazine editors, and guitar collectors. While every pickup sounded fantastic and the differences were slight, Epiphone's ProBuckers were chosen as the preferred pickup by a majority (61%) of the players. Check out the video below to see the challenge in action and some of the surprising results (and guests)!



But just what is this so called "P.A.F." humbucker? The first humbuckers were installed in Les Paul Standards in 1957 at the Kalamazoo factory in Michigan and at the time were not considered to be a tonal breakthrough as much as they were a practical breakthrough.

The humbucker pickup was invented--in fact--to "buck the hum," the annoying "buzz" that amplifiers and electric guitars picked up in poorly grounded bars and nightclubs. Add to the noise the powerful signal of AM radio stations and you can understand why "bucking the hum" was a concern. Sometimes the buzz from guitars, amps, and PA systems could be as loud as a Saturday night crowd.

Inventor and Gibson/Epiphone staff technician Seth Lover, who first applied for a patent for his humbucker pickup in 1957, certainly recognized that the humbucker had a unique sound. But primarily, his mission was to give guitar players a pickup that brought down the noise without sacrificing tone. Coincidentally, Gibson/Epiphone owner Ted McCarty, who put Seth onto the task of making the humbucker, also needed something to perk up flagging sales of the company's flagship electric, the Les Paul.

Initially the Les Paul Standard and its new humbucker pickup (with a "Patent Applied For" sticker on the back) didn't take off and were made in low quantities. In fact (gasps from the audience), the Les Paul Standard, as we know it, was actually discontinued for most of the 1960s.

But the humbucker and the Les Paul Standard did not go quietly into the night. As music fans know, guitar heroes like Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield, Duane Allman, and Peter Green took to the P.A.F. sound as the ultimate blues guitar tone. Their inspiration? Probably Keith Richards, who played a late 50's Les Paul Standard (with a Bigsby) on the T.A.M.I. show which also featured The Beach Boys and James Brown in one of the great live television performances in rock and roll history. (Just before the show, Keith had put aside his Epiphone Casino, his main axe for a dozen early Rolling Stones hits including "Satisfaction.")

Thanks to Clapton, Allman, and Bloomfield, the Les Paul Standard and the P.A.F. humbucker became legendary--and due to its low production numbers--virtually impossible to find. And of course, there were more legends within the legend, like the one about the P.A.F. humbucker being assembled by part-time housewives and retirees who made each pickup slightly different, depending on their machinery and their whimsy.

"Just like a good chef uses science and art to create unique dishes a good pickup designer is able to use ingredients in unique ways to create sound," said Akers. "All the ingredients are available to anyone willing to look but you have to know how to combine them and what is important. And for us here at Epiphone it is crucial that we do so in a way that provides the greatest value for our customers. Knowing the ingredients in a fine family recipe and how they combine is very similar to how I went about producing these pickups that are based upon pickups synonymous with what our ears have evolved to know as THE sound of Rock and Roll, the 50s era Gibson P.A.F.."

Before coming to Epiphone, Akers started in the Gibson pickup division and became a keen student of the sound of a P.A.F. humbucker, which he first heard about when he began playing guitar as a teenager.

"I've got a degree in Electrical Engineering so I appreciate the science but I also understand the subjective nature of sound and the nuances of pickup design," said Akers. "There are certain aspects of the design that are critical to insuring a quality product. It all starts with the dimensions of the bobbins. The shape and size of the bobbin are critical to how the pickup is going to respond. As I mentioned, the sound of Rock and Roll has been defined in large part by the early Gibson made humbucker pickups. We tooled up our bobbins for our Pro Series pickups to the exact dimensions of these classic Gibson pickups. Another key ingredient to produce a top quality pickup is the use of Nickel Silver unit basses and covers. This is crucial to achieving the transparency and high-end sparkle needed for a great pickup. This is the one aspect of pickups used in Asian built guitars that most manufactures don't want to pay for. It's more expensive than using plated brass but it makes a real difference. We also use the highest quality magnet wire available, Elektrisola. The thickness of the insulation on this wire also plays a part. We use the thinnest available, single build. Every aspect of these pickups was considered. We specified the correct alloys of metal for the pole shoe, screws, and slugs. The magnets are sand cast Alnico magnets. All these seemingly insignificant parts add up. The Pro Series pickups are extremely well made, high quality pickups."

"Of course the sound is subjective," continued Akers. "There is a reason there is more than one flavor of ice cream and more than one pickup on the market. People like different things. But before you automatically assume you need to rip your pickups out of your new Epiphone Pro Series guitar and spend another couple hundred dollars give the ProBuckers a chance."

The new Epiphone ProBucker pickups are only a part of the larger story of Epiphone's piece-by-piece re-evaluation of its guitar making processes over the last decade. But certainly creating not only a viable but necessary choice for those wanting the "P.A.F." humbucker sound was an exciting and daunting task. But the results, as you can see from the video, will rock your world. As Akers notes, some of the greatest inventions were the result of part inspiration, part science, and part accident. So when it comes to achieving a "P.A.F." sound that can be replicated on a regular basis--as Epiphone has now done with the ProBucker--the arrival of the ProBucker is cause for serious celebration for Epiphone Les Paul fans especially.

"There's a great quote from Seth Lover, the inventor of the humbucker pickup at Gibson, who when asked how he figured out how many turns of wire were needed on each bobbin said something to the effect of "as many as they would hold." Same with the wire gauge. 42 gauge was just the economical choice at the time. What we perceive today to be a great sounding pickup is partially great because that is the sound we grew up hearing as the definitive sound of Rock and Roll. It's what our ears want to hear. There is also a lot of truth to the fact that through some very intelligent engineering and also some just plain old luck Seth Lover and Gibson created a fantastic sounding pickup that worked extremely well in the guitars they were producing at the time. Our modern manufacturing procedures certainly give us a higher degree of consistency but it's hard to top the sound produced by the best examples of the golden era."

Epiphone ProBuckers feature 18% Nickel Silver unit bases and covers, the same alloy used by Gibson. The use of Nickel Silver reduces the occurrence of eddy currents due to low conductivity and provides a more transparent and crisp output. The size and shape of bobbins also has a great impact on tonal response. The bobbins used on the ProBucker pickups duplicate the size and shape of the gold standard in the industry, Gibson humbuckers. Epiphone ProBucker pickups also feature Sand cast Alnico II magnets, high quality 4 conductor lead wire and are vacuum wax potted to eliminate microphonics.

So if the Epiphone ProBucker pickup can now be considered a contender for those looking for an affordable no-fuss choice in a classic humbucker sound, what's next?

"There's always new ground to break. That is what got us the humbucking pickup in the first place," said Akers. "Smart people trying to solve problems. I think there will be a prominent place for these classic pickup designs for many years to come but there is also room for exploration and experimentation. It's hard to predict where technology will take us but I'm certain people will keep trying to improve upon what came before."

 

[eS.G.]

WOW great info!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for posting this!

 

[bloc]

Wish there was still info on my Elite's USA 50SR & 60ST pickups. I've read that they are pretty much 57 Classics but I'm not sure.

 

[LucilleNoir]

thanks for the effort in posting this, Paruwi!

 

[Tsquared]

Missed this the first time around. Excellent info. Thank You!

 

[wlewisiii]

I just wish I could figure out where the P90s of my Casino Coupe fit into these listing.

 

[Juke Box]

People don't ask what the bobbins and base are made of. They ask the gauge of the wire. Epiphone hides these specs.

 

[Alty]

People don't ask what the bobbins and base are made of. They ask the gauge of the wire. Epiphone hides these specs.

The originals were: [And it does mention in the above article]

"The six adjustable screws thread through the bobbin and a soft iron rod resting against the South side of the magnet whilst the six non adjustable poles were in contact with the North side. The two bobbins were firmly held in place with four brass screws on to a nickel silver bottom plate. A metal cover enveloped the unit and was soldered to this bottom plate to completely insulate the entire assembly according to the Faraday principle.

Thus, what could be called the "original Humbucking pick-up", was characterized by a relatively weak Alnico magnet --- Alnico II or IV --- and two coils of 5,000 turns each."

And once again Seth Lover named only as being the 'inventor' when it wasn't just him.

These might be close and nice but will never sound like original PAF Humbuckers, different materials, different assembly, different expectations and as I would have thought not many people have actually heard a real original PAF....

 

[Juke Box]

The originals were: [And it does mention in the above article]

"The six adjustable screws thread through the bobbin and a soft iron rod resting against the South side of the magnet whilst the six non adjustable poles were in contact with the North side. The two bobbins were firmly held in place with four brass screws on to a nickel silver bottom plate. A metal cover enveloped the unit and was soldered to this bottom plate to completely insulate the entire assembly according to the Faraday principle.

Thus, what could be called the "original Humbucking pick-up", was characterized by a relatively weak Alnico magnet --- Alnico II or IV --- and two coils of 5,000 turns each."

And once again Seth Lover named only as being the 'inventor' when it wasn't just him.

These might be close and nice but will never sound like original PAF Humbuckers, different materials, different assembly, different expectations and as I would have thought not many people have actually heard a real original PAF....

Why did they go to all the trouble of matching bobbins and baseplates to get the precise makeup of the original pickups and then use wire of a different gauge which negates everything they just gained?

 

[Alty]

Why did they go to all the trouble of matching bobbins and baseplates to get the precise makeup of the original pickups and then use wire of a different gauge which negates everything they just gained?

I suppose a lot to do with marketing as any mention of PAF seems to evoke some sort of mystical aura when in fact each original PAF was different, so it's hard to replicate something that was so inconsistant:

Now, it looks as though, the winding machines Gibson had in the 1950's were, not fitted with an automatic stop counter and this does explain why there are so many variances in the older pick-ups.

For this reason, it appears that the coil of the first Humbucking pick-ups can vary considerably from one unit to the other. Certain pick-ups have up to twice 5,700 turns, and even, according to Gibson engineers twice 6,000 turns! Naturally the DC resistance was modified and from 7.8 KΩ for a regular pick-up (2 x 5,000 turns), it can reach up to 9 KΩ for an overwound unit.

In another respect, when creating the Humbucking pick-up, Seth Lover (and Walter Fuller) had first resorted to using the magnets Gibson kept in stock for single coil pick-ups, in particular those known under the reference M-55, with the dimensions of 0.125" (h) x 0.500" (w) x 2.5" (L) In order to facilitate the mounting of the different components used in Humbucking pick-ups, Gibson starting around 1960, used a slightly smaller magnet -- less long and less wide -- designated M-56, which could have modified somewhat the tonal response.

Later on the intensity of Alnico magnets used for Humbuckers pick-ups actually reached grade V while the number of turns was temporarily reduced during the 1960's, marking a new drift from the original design.

Lastly another important change around 1963 must be mentioned as it involves the quality of the wire. The gauge of the wire delivered to Gibson remained the same (number 42) but it was given an insulating sheath slightly thicker than before which had a fractional influence on the capacitance and the inductance. The "old" wire can be recognised by its dark marroon color while the "new" one is black. Furthermore it seems that Gibson also changed the way of winding its pick-ups at that time undoubtedly due to the adoption of new machines.

 

[Juke Box]

I suppose a lot to do with marketing as any mention of PAF seems to evoke some sort of mystical aura when in fact each original PAF was different, so it's hard to replicate something that was so inconsistant:

One winder who had tested many of the Gibson P90s made today claimed that Gibson today had tried to copy every detail of the early P90 so much so that they were even copying the inconsistancies in winding DC resistance. Another words the variations in current P90s dc resistance from coil to coil is deliberate(number of turns). Gibson was even copying the flawed aspect.

 

[Alty]

One winder who had tested many of the Gibson P90s made today claimed that Gibson today had tried to copy every detail of the early P90 so much so that they were even copying the inconsistancies in winding DC resistance. Another words the variations in current P90s dc resistance from coil to coil is deliberate(number of turns). Gibson was even copying the flawed aspect.

The only thing I currently know about P-90's is that they had two flat rectangular Alnico -- II or IV -- type magnets with a coil of 10,000 turns of number 42 wire and the poles to each string were adjustable, all the info above relates to Humbuckers as I've not got to P-90's yet.

Although not sure how that works, 'consistantly make a pick-up that was inconsistant' you never knew if it was going to sound good, to you, or not, don't think that is even possible.

 

[seanwhattingham]

Yeah,more info on each model, ive got a riveara p93 custom ,with 3 p90 s,they say they have anlico magnates, but not which part or the output ,would be nice to know

 

[igor4444]

I own a Epi Standard Plustop "PRO". It 's advertised Probucker pickups in. I just to measure DC:
Probucker neck = 9,10K DC
Probucker bridge = 13,30K DC

Sounds like Alnico Classic DC according to above pic. Is it correct?

 

[old mark]

Thanks...finally got around to reading this. I have both Gibson and Epiphone guitars with their respective P90's, and have owned both with their own humbuckers, too.
For the P90's I rank Epiphone's dog ear version as the best...Gibson's dog ear's #2, with Gibson soap bars a little off from either of the dog ears.
I LIKE the gibson 490's, and the new Epiphone Alnico Classic Humbuckers and their newer '57 Classics a lot, too, with Epi's very improved over the last 10 years or so.

 

[wildeman]

Cool read, interesting stuff. I think most people have their own version of "classic paf tone" in their heads. I have actually heard and played real vintage pafs and the Epi '57 CH does that sound for me. T top Gibson buckers sound alot like pafs to me too and i really think most folks couldnt tell the difference. Oh yea the pafs i played were in a '58 Explorer! I know right? A '61 SG Les Paul, a '60 Super 400 and a '59 EB 6..... Pretty cool stuff huh? We own a '78 SG with pat# T tops in it and it has the SOUND. All just my opinion, naturally.