DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniversary Neck Humbucker Pickup – Black, Cream, Nickel Cover

DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniversary Bridge Humbucker Pickup – Black, Cream, Nickel Cover

Experience the warmth, clarity, and expressive dynamics of a classic vintage humbucker with the DiMarzio DP103 PAF 36th Anniversary Neck Pickup. Inspired by the legendary late-1950s PAF humbuckers, this carefully developed pickup combines vintage tonal character with modern DiMarzio technology for outstanding articulation and musical versatility.

Introduced in 2008, the PAF 36th Anniversary Neck was developed using Larry DiMarzio’s own 1959 cherry sunburst Gibson Les Paul as a tonal reference. Rather than simply replicating the construction of an original PAF pickup, DiMarzio refined its magnetic field, winding techniques, and internal design to capture the exceptional balance of warmth, clarity, and responsiveness associated with outstanding vintage humbuckers.

One of the pickup’s defining characteristics is its weaker magnetic field, which reduces magnetic string pull and allows the strings to vibrate more freely. This contributes to natural sustain, expressive dynamics, and improved note articulation. The result is a warm, smooth humbucker sound that retains an almost single-coil-like level of definition.

Equipped with Alnico 5 magnets, the DP103 produces warm high frequencies, clear bass, and a balanced midrange response. Its manufacturer-rated 250mV output delivers vintage-style sensitivity, allowing players to move naturally between delicate clean passages and rich overdriven tones simply by adjusting their picking strength.

The pickup uses computer-controlled winding with custom-coated 42-gauge wire to achieve a consistent tonal response. It also receives specialised treatment to reduce unwanted squeal and microphonic feedback while preserving its open, musical character.

Designed primarily for the neck position, the PAF 36th Anniversary Neck delivers smooth leads, articulate chords, and clear low strings without excessive muddiness. However, its versatile voicing also makes it suitable for bridge installation, particularly when paired with compatible guitar electronics and other pickup configurations.

The DP103 is an excellent choice for blues, classic rock, jazz, fusion, and vintage-inspired guitar performances. With clean amplification, it produces warm, balanced chords and expressive melodic passages. Under overdrive, the pickup maintains clarity while delivering rich harmonic character and natural sustain.

Featuring four-conductor wiring, the pickup supports additional tonal configurations, including coil splitting and parallel humbucking when installed with compatible switching electronics. Its fully passive design requires no battery.

Available in Black (DP103BK), Cream (DP103CR), and Nickel Cover (DP103N), the PAF 36th Anniversary Neck offers a choice of traditional open-coil aesthetics and elegant covered styling.

Whether you’re upgrading a Les Paul-style instrument, restoring a vintage-inspired electric guitar, or building a custom instrument, the DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniversary Neck delivers a refined combination of classic humbucker warmth, exceptional clarity, and responsive musical performance.

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