GORDON KENNEDY
That’ s what a pickup does. But with the old PAF, you also get a sense of how deep the water is underneath that reflection. There’ s clarity, depth, and air around the sound. David Wilson at the ToneQuest Report said you can close your eyes and convince yourself you’ re playing a‘ 50s Esquire. But roll the volume up and there’ s a growl that the custom buckers and burst buckers and all the great modern pickups simply don’ t have.
I had two of the Gibson Collector’ s Choice reissues. Mine is No. 13. I had the prototype and number 210 from the production run. Fantastic guitars. Fabulous sounding guitars. But you plug in the old one after playing them and there’ s still something here that isn’ t obtainable with anything being made now.
18 | SUMMER 2026