A more accurate PAF and patent sticker timeline (nickel and chrome covered)

[AlienVintage]

For nickel and chrome covered humbuckers (not gold):


Pre-decal PAFs: February 1957 through mid/late 1957

PAFs: Mid/late 1957 through late 1962 (obviously first were long magnet, then short magnet change occurred around the second half of 1960).

Patent number humbuckers with “PAF specs” (plain enamel wire and double black leads): late 1962 through mid 1965

Patent number pickups with poly wire and white and black leads: later part of 1965 through early/mid 1967.

Patent number pickups with plain enamel wire and white and black leads: second half of 1967.

T-Tops: late 1967 or early 1968.

 

[Gtarzan81]

Paging @cooljuk to the double white bobbin PAF courtesy phone please.

 

[AlienVintage]

The main points are:

“PAF spec” humbuckers (plain enamel and double black leads) shipped *way* later than the mainstream guidance will tell you. *Way* later. Deep into 1965.

T-tops started shipping a couple of years later than the mainstream guidance says. 1965? No way - not even close. It wasn’t until a couple of years later than that.

There was a brief window in 1967 when plain enamel was *again* used. This was during the white-and-black leads era, so these pickups have the combination of plain enamel and white-and-black leads. These pickups have been sold for years and years as “transitional” pickups from 1963(ish). Not true. These pickups were shipped in 1967.

 

[AlienVintage]

While I’m at it:

The earliest six-string Gibson humbuckers weren’t shipped on “certain steel guitar models” starting in 1956.

Totally incorrect.

You’ll read that in books and all kinds of supposedly authoritative sources online, but it is just wrong.

It *is* true that the first Gibson humbuckers shipped in late 1956, but those were *eight-string* humbuckers, not six-string humbuckers. These eight-string humbuckers can be seen on the Gibson Console steel (which was actually still called the Consolette in 1956 despite the fact that it had been totally redesigned in 1956 to the laminated maple body style, following the korina body style).

The eight-string humbucker had bobbins very similar to six-string humbuckers, but no bar magnet underneath - instead, they had individual magnetized poles.

The first *six-string* humbuckers (that today we would refer to as pre-decal PAFs) shipped starting in February 1957. Across the board - this is a true statement for all Gibson models. Nothing before February 1957 for six-string humbuckers. I am talking about production model six-string humbuckers, as opposed to any prototype examples.

All of this info also includes the two steel guitar models often mentioned in the PAF timeline: the Ultratone lap steel and the EH-610 pedal steel. Yes - it is true that both the Ultratone and the EH-610 had six-string humbuckers - but not until after *February 1957.* Not before that.

 

[ReWind James]

Paging @cooljuk to the double white bobbin PAF courtesy phone please.

Yes, there's certainly more misinformation about vintage Gibson pickups online than there is accurate information.

There's not much more I can contribute about early Gibson humbuckers here, beyond what I've published with Mario in our PAF history book.

I did also bust some of the most common myths from a terribly inaccurate and often quoted website, using my own photos, here: "guitarhq" site: Full of Errors About Vintage Pickups

Often, a picture really is worth much more than a thousand words. I've shared a fair amount of extremely detailed vintage Gibson pickup photos from my repair and study work, sorted by era/date. You can basically watch history happen, here: ReWind Electric Vintage Pickup Repair Photo Gallery

Of course, McCarty-era Gibson never fails to stop delivering surprises. I regularly find something that throws a curve into what I thought I knew. An early one-side-ground-flat-only long A3 magnet in an original sealed late 60's humbucker, for instance. Keeps things interesting!

 

[AlienVintage]

Yes, there's certainly more misinformation about vintage Gibson pickups online than there is accurate information.

There's not much more I can contribute about early Gibson humbuckers here, beyond what I've published with Mario in our PAF history book.

I did also bust some of the most common myths from a terribly inaccurate and often quoted website, using my own photos, here: "guitarhq" site: Full of Errors About Vintage Pickups

Often, a picture really is worth much more than a thousand words. I've shared a fair amount of extremely detailed vintage Gibson pickup photos from my repair and study work, sorted by era/date. You can basically watch history happen, here: ReWind Electric Vintage Pickup Repair Photo Gallery

Of course, McCarty-era Gibson never fails to stop delivering surprises. I regularly find something that throws a curve into what I thought I knew. An early one-side-ground-flat-only long A3 magnet in an original sealed late 60's humbucker, for instance. Keeps things interesting!

I totally agree. You are absolutely right about that - never say never when it comes to McCarty era Gibsons! There will always be exceptions to the rule. There were also definitely periods of transition.

That being said, I believe that the timeline I included at the start of this thread is definitely the best general-rule timeline anyone can find when it comes to nickel and chrome covered humbuckers. For anyone out there, if you follow this timeline above as a guide, you will be correct many more times than you will be incorrect.

Also, there is a niche industry out there for PAFs and patent sticker humbuckers, as we all know and see everyday. It is in these pickup dealers’ interest for most people to believe that T-tops started in 1965 etc. This way, they can sell 1965 guitars with T-Tops they installed from a 1971 guitar etc. And they can buy a 1966 guitar for relatively cheap when the owner incorrectly assumes there are T-tops in it (without checking).

 

[AlienVintage]

I totally agree. You are absolutely right about that - never say never when it comes to McCarty era Gibsons! There will always be exceptions to the rule. There were also definitely periods of transition.

That being said, I believe that the timeline I included at the start of this thread is definitely the best general-rule timeline anyone can find when it comes to nickel and chrome covered humbuckers. For anyone out there, if you follow this timeline above as a guide, you will be correct many more times than you will be incorrect.

Also, there is a niche industry out there for PAFs and patent sticker humbuckers, as we all know and see everyday. It is in these pickup dealers’ interest for most people to believe that T-tops started in 1965 etc. This way, they can sell 1965 guitars with T-Tops they installed from a 1971 guitar etc. And they can buy a 1966 guitar for relatively cheap when the owner incorrectly assumes there are T-tops in it (without checking).

Those dealers are hoping this thread gets no replies and nobody sees it

Their bread and butter is buying 1966 and 1967 ES-335-12s and ES-175Ds, not to mention mid-1965 Gibsons that still had PAF-spec patent sticker pickups (even after the change to chrome covers, you will find PAF specs deep into 1965).

 

[GUITARFORCE Pickups]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[el84ster]

I thought I was pretty good on the timeline, but I’m confused about what is being claimed here about the black and white lead pickups. Are you saying that there were no enamel wire early 60s pickups with black/white leads?

 

[AlienVintage]

I thought I was pretty good on the timeline, but I’m confused about what is being claimed here about the black and white lead pickups. Are you saying that there were no enamel wire early 60s pickups with black/white leads?

Correct. Double black leads (and also plain enamel) through deep into the middle of 1965.

 

[AlienVintage]

There might be an exception here and there that someone can point to, and I’m not doubting there are exceptions that happened, but the truth is that, for probably 95%+ of pickups from the era, “PAF specs” (combination of plain enamel wire, and double black leads) were used deep into 1965 - including into the early part of the chrome cover era (mid-1965).

 

[ReWind James]

I thought I was pretty good on the timeline, but I’m confused about what is being claimed here about the black and white lead pickups. Are you saying that there were no enamel wire early 60s pickups with black/white leads?

I think you mean "plain enamel", which I know sounds like I'm being a nit picking lunatic, but in the case of the context here, it's relevant.

See, polyester (or other plastic) insulated wire, that we commonly call "poly" around here, usually bright red, pink, copper color or, in the case of modern Gibson and some Duncan, deep purple (no pun) IS presently being marketed on modern and vintage pickups as "enamel wire" wound ...because, technically, it is a type of enamel insulation. Just not the varnish-like "plain enamel" (dumb name) insulation that we expect to see on PAFs, 50's P-90s, 50's and 60's Telecaster pickups and late 60's and early 70's Strat pickups.

Some sellers use the ignorance of this little details to their advantage, marketing poly wire pickups in such a way as to make a buyer assume (wrongfully) that they are plain enamel wire by just stating them as "enamel wound." Actually, I take that back. It's NOT to the seller's advantage to do that. To educate customers on truth and deal in honesty would truly be to their advantage. It's to "their customers disadvantage" to be perfectly clear.

 

[el84ster]

Hmmm.
move owned several supposedly early 60s pat number pickups that definitely don’t have the later bright poly wire, but looked to have plain enamel, but had the white/black leads.
so I just happened to own the exceptions in all those cases? Is that what you guys would be saying?

 

[ReWind James]

Hmmm.
move owned several supposedly early 60s pat number pickups that definitely don’t have the later bright poly wire, but looked to have plain enamel, but had the white/black leads.
so I just happened to own the exceptions in all those cases? Is that what you guys would be saying?

No. That's not what I'm saying.

I was just clarifying the difference between two types of wire and how they are both called "enamel wire" (and that's technically not incorrect, though just not the typical culture of terminology among those discussing vintage PAFs).


Here's a chrome covered humbucker from a mid-60's guitar, which has T bobbins and black and white leads.

It's also got the later style wobbly keeper bar, not nicely machined and ground flat like earlier ones. ...also, not sheared off into a bent end like the earlier ones. Take your pick of flaws, I guess.

 

[ReWind James]

...and here's a PAF-bobbin, plain enamel wire wound, patent number decal humbucker, with black and white leads, from a 1967 serialized SG.

The nerdiest among us might notice that the white leads are the coil starts, NOT the coil finishes, AND they are also not run through the bobbin windows on the bottom of the bobbins but just come out between the coil and bobbin like a 90's Gibson or Duncan humbucker. ...yet, it's absolutely dead stock.

Obviously chrome.

 

[ReWind James]

I don't really care what color jumper wires are between the coils and the hookup lead/baseplate. I certainly don't think that defines anything significant about a humbucker. The type of coil wire isn't even absolutely determinative of the voice of the pickup, considering all the other variables that can be at play in 50's and 60's Gibson humbuckers.

Similarly, "PAF spec" is hardly a spec, but a range of possibilities with varying options and probabilities of each for different periods.

I wouldn't pay a dime more for the 1967 PAF-bobbin patent number decal pickup above than I would a 1968 T-Top, other than for resale value. Those two pickups will near-certainly sound far more alike (though not exactly, of course) than, for instance, a 1957 PAF and a 1960 PAF are likely to.

 

[ReWind James]

These are also late 60's, though I don't have a headstock serial on file for them.

PAF bobbins, B&W leads, clear poly insulated copper color coil wire.

You can still see some hairs from that bright copper color poly wire on the bobbins, after the original damaged coils were removed.

My favorite part of this photo is the tooling marks in the mold you can see the impressions of, to the left of the "CF" in the upper bobbin. Not too many folks get to enjoy this sort of view of a PAF bobbin. Enjoy!

Chrome screws.

Last photo is post-repair, FWIW.

 

[AlienVintage]

...and here's a PAF-bobbin, plain enamel wire wound, patent number decal humbucker, with black and white leads, from a 1967 serialized SG.

The nerdiest among us might notice that the white leads are the coil starts, NOT the coil finishes, AND they are also not run through the bobbin windows on the bottom of the bobbins but just come out between the coil and bobbin like a 90's Gibson or Duncan humbucker. ...yet, it's absolutely dead stock.

Obviously chrome.

Great photos! I’ve seen many of these in 1967 Gibsons as well. This was the brief return, in 1967, to plain enamel (with black and white leads).

Prior to this, there was a solid 1+ year (more or less, very late 1965, all of 1966, into early 1967) of poly wire with the black and white leads.

 

[el84ster]

Thank you cooljuk! Fascinating stuff.

 

[AcVox]

Excellent thread. Having covered nickle and chrome, is there any purpose in addressing gold covered humbuckers from the same period ?

I may have been misinformed but I've heard that as the number of Gibson guitars requiring gold plated humbuckers were so few in number, this has some baring on the timeline of pat# to T Top transistion. Does this resonate with you?