PAF is a phenomenal pickup that we at Kinetic Pickups hold in high regard. We knew we would eventually try to develop our own version of humbucker.
I came of age during the golden era of heavy metal, a time truly ruled by Metallica and Megadeth. Those hard-hitting, infectious riffs fueled my youthful drive and filled me with belief in a great tomorrow.
It's bittersweet to remember that first goodbye with my long-distance ex. That long ride back home was tough, but playing “Youthanasia, 1994” on loop in my car was exactly what got me through it.
It takes me back to an era before online tabs and video tutorials. As teenagers, we were constantly hunting for those hot licks and catchy riffs.Decoding them entirely by ear was the only way to learn, to show off and boast about our skills to our neighbor friends.
Without a doubt, a part of my soul lives inside these humbuckers I’ve developed. My hope is that they will be truly appreciated, continuing to radiate inspiration long after I eventually join the majority.

Capture the authentic sounds of the early 1950s with the Classic PAF Set. Whether you are upgrading your current setup or crafting a custom instrument, this set delivers the legendary PAF magic you're after. Expect a thick, full-bodied tone loaded with vintage soul, aggressive bite, and the raw, touch-sensitive dynamics that define the best humbuckers.

A traditional humbucker features one bobbin with adjustable screw poles and another with fixed slug pole pieces. From an engineering standpoint, this asymmetrical design is fundamentally the wrong approach if your primary goal is to eliminate noise.
At first glance, it seems remarkably straightforward: make two identical bobbins, and there's no hum or noise. However, two elements come into play. First, the signal enters one coil and exits the other, resulting in a timing discrepancy as it travels a particular distance. Second, two coils capture not quite similar vibrations from strings. The coils are placed side by side, allowing them to pick up vibrations from different zones of the string. You may observe that when you pluck a string near the neck pickup, the sound is fuller and louder than when you pluck the same string at the bridge.
Our approach to producing Strat and Tele singles, in which we match coils for hum elimination while preserving the full spectrum of desired sound, has proven its efficiency. We decided to match the coils in various combinations and realized we could adjust the sound spectrum and noise levels. However, there's one significant disadvantage to this technology: it's very tedious and time-consuming work. Electronic measurement tools are of no use here. Only human ears can pick up the right balance. The product has to be made by hand and then meticulously ear tested and matched. This is craftsmanship at its finest.

Our humbucker version is not another PAF imitation. Our experience creating Strat, Tele, and P90 pickups that proved to sound very similar to vintage originals from the era helped us build an awesome sounding PAF-style pickup. Most guitar lore is fraught with mystery and haze regarding the vintage sound. A game changer insight was to uncover differences between modern pickups and prime vintage examples.
We believe that vintage PAF pickups sound open, warm, balanced, and natural. They "breathe freely" with "the full sound" going forward, thus helping a player to create good music. On the contrary, modern pickups sound mainly harsh, unmusical, and with that feeling as if something is pulling backwards.
We've completed thousands of tests to understand how magnetic fields work in the vintage pickups and the ones we tried to develop. It might be audacious to say, but we've made our best to provide products that sound "in your face", open, musical, and capable of providing that feeling of "free full breath advantage".
Handcrafted Kinetic Pickups feature the art of shaping the sound based on vintage tone and innovative hum cancelling technology.
We drew inspiration from the late 1950s PAFs to create a genuinely vintage voicing with an open, pleasing, and dynamically broad sound. A lot of effort was put into eliminating the 60-cycle hum and noise, making them more user-friendly for modern players. They are excellent for any style of music, but they excel in classic old rock, blues, and jazz, as well as heavier styles like hard rock and modern metal.
Kinetic PAFs can deliver the sweet, airy openness that vintage PAFs are known for, with pleasant treble frequencies, punchy mid-range, and well-defined low end. A tempting choice for players seeking vintage tones with improved dynamics so that open chords and lead work all ring out with plenty of resonance and amazing clarity.

Sound: breathing woody voice, throaty midrange, crystal clear top-end sparkle, vocal-like response, great note sustain that swell out with rich harmonics.
Distinctive Feature: massive dynamic headroom; guitar's natural acoustic resonance dictates the tone, adding hollow percussiveness
Flutey and Woody Mids: the midrange is complex and slightly scooped; airy, hollow "woodiness" that makes notes bloom.
Exceptional Clarity: string-to-string note definition; chords ring out clearly without turning to "mud" even with heavy gain.
Sweet, Uncompressed Highs: the treble is crisp and articulate but never shrill; smooth attack that allows lead lines to sing freely without harshness.
Touch Sensitivity: very dynamic in a musical way, responding instantly to all the nuances of pick attack.

Sound: tight lows, thick, punchy and woody midrange, pronounced bite, smooth and harmonically rich top-end without harsh fizz.
Distinctive Feature: pristine cleans and natural string bloom.
Sweet Top-End Bite: sweet, stinging treble response that cuts through a mix without being piercing.
Woody, Articulate Mids: the midrange is balanced, slightly scooped, highlighting the natural acoustic "woody" resonance of the guitar’s wood.
Touch Sensitivity & Dynamics: incredibly touch sensitive, translating picking dynamics into harmonic richness.

We paid significant attention to sound quality because we genuinely love the pickups of the past.
Here's the problem with cheap modern magnets. They provide harsh sounds and unappealing high-end frequencies. They don't let the strings vibrate freely or breathe. We use special order magnets that replicate the chemical metal fusion found in vintage pickups, manufactured at extra expense.
The right amount of wire on a coil is crucial. Modern pickups tend to overwind coils for greater output, but this reduces high-end clarity. Hotter pickups provide better response and make playing easier. But they have increased impedance which acts as a low-pass filter, reducing treble response and compressing your sound.
Vintage pickups have lower output because they have fewer turns of wire. That lower impedance produces a cleaner, more dynamic sound with greater touch sensitivity. This is the defining characteristic of vintage tone. This is the key to that magic you're searching for.
Kinetic Pickups produce output similar to antique models, offering authentic sound as close as possible while providing excellent playability.

599

$

.00

Vintage Tone

Reduced Noise: The primary advantage is the reduction of hum, making them great for use with high gain, fuzz, or distortion applications where single coils can be extremely noisy.
Higher Output: Humbuckers have a larger output level due to the two coils, making them perfect for heavier styles because they can drive amplifiers more efficiently. When you want your amp to really sing, these pickups deliver.
Tone: They give you a fuller, warmer, and rounder tone with an emphasis on the midrange, compared to single-coil pickups that are sharp and bright. If you want that thick, creamy sound that fills up the mix, this is where you find it.
Musical Genres: Their powerful, full, and warm sound makes them ideal for hard rock, heavy metal, blues, and jazz. Basically, any genre where you want your guitar to command attention.
Sustain: Humbuckers have more sustain due to their stronger and wider magnetic field. Singing is an appropriate description of a good humbucker. Notes just keep going, crying out with emotion.