My Standard matched set uses rough finished Alnico 5 magnets and an average of 8.0-8.2K wind on the bridge and average 7.6-7.7K wind on the neck. Although the originals were never installed in certain positions based on their resistance, this has proven to be the range of the best sounding pickups in those positions. Sets can also be built with your choice of alnico II, III, or IV magnets. Standard set comes in zebra, reverse zebra, or double-black. Pickups come standard with gibson 50mm pole spacing. Don't let those resistances fool you... anyone can wind the crap out of a pickup, but that won't make it sound better. Sheptone tributes were carefully designed for the BEST sound through extensive winding/re-winding and comparison testing...

My pickups are also available with your choice of winds of up to 9K. When ordering custom resistance specify resistance during checkout.

Please listen to Bjorn’s sound clip on my reviews page for a sample of what a 9K pickup sounds like.

These pickups produce the same beautiful sound as original PAF's  at a fraction of the price.
You will spend at least $2000 on a real long-magnet PAF, and if you are lucky it will be one of the good-sounding ones. Why take that chance? Listen for yourself ...this is a complete song recorded with my pickups in a Les Paul R9 Dogeared

Please take the time to listen to the whole thing as there is some GREAT solo work here showing the range and versatility of my pickups. I recommend HIGHLY that you burn this and other sound files to a CD and listen on a real stereo to get the best representation of the sound. I have found most computer sound systems to be quite inconsistent to say the least.

The following are sound clips from songs you will probably recognize, recorded with my Sheptone Tribute PAF pickups. All clips were recorded straight through an early Fender Blues Jr. amp with a Weber Blue-Dog 12" ceramic speaker.

**Make sure your pop-up blocker is disabled**

              Hotel California              All Right Now              Still Got The Blues

              Gimme All Your Lovin

Please also see my reviews page for sound files from satisfied customers...

I have THREE standard sets available, please specify which set you would like when ordering or send me an email through my contact page.

All clips above were recorded with my standard TRIBUTE set.

Sheptone specializes in humbucker pickups modeled after the 1959-1961 long-magnet  gibson P.A.F.
     

First let me say that there is no such thing as a reproduced PAF because they all sounded different.
There were many different sounds, because there were many different variables in the manufacturing process. Some even sounded really bad. What can be done is to duplicate the sound of the "average" good sounding P.A.F. by duplicating the assembly process and materials, to consistently reproduce the tone of the best-sounding original P.A.F.'s

I have owned a dozen of these original pickups and have even gone as far as taking one apart in order to faithfully duplicate the original. That was not an easy task at the time due to the value of an original, untouched P.A.F. but it was necessary so that I can bring you the highest quality pickup possible. Sheptone tribute pickups capture that vintage sound but are versatile enough to use for just about any style of music.

I have also had the opportunity to rewind several of these pickups and I found some important things in the original Gibson assembly process that contribute to the tone of these old pickups. I have duplicated these little known, seemingly trivial items, and found that they really make a difference when trying to achieve that perfect tone.

I have gone to great lengths to duplicate these pickups right down to the maple spacers and the
rough-finished alnico magnets. I have selected winding patterns and magnets that work together to produce the most accurate PAF tone possible. All of the components I use have been tested against real PAF parts to ensure identical magnetic performance. If it doesn't measure up, it doesn't get used. All magnets are gauss tested, or degaussed to levels typical of the best sounding early P.A.F.'s.

The original style#42 AWG plain purple-colored enamel wire is used just as in the original P.A.F.
Some modern reproductions use cheaper poly-insulated wire which changes the sound significantly.
Enamel wire is more expensive and more difficult to work with but the sound difference is remarkable
Coils are carefully mis-matched as the best original PAF's (although they didn't do it on purpose) to add to that vintage character, and full-bodied sound and clarity. The coils are completely wound in a hand wound pattern in order to achieve a true scattered wire orientation. Although the original PAF's were machine wound (except for the prototypes), the scattered coil pattern in the wire seems to be the final difference between modern engineered pickups, and that genuine vintage sound. The original pickups were machine wound but I have found from unwinding these pickups that the wire was far from prefectly laid in the bobbin.

I have taken the best qualities of the best-sounding P.A.F.'s and perfected my own process of winding them to reproduce the sound of the famous Les Paul Gold-Top, burst, and the Gibson ES-335, guitars that are worth $100,000-$450,000+ today.

Even though new materials are used, I have matched the tone through extensive testing with "expert ears" and frequency analysis comparisons to the best sounding PAF's that I own.

Sheptone pickups are consistent. you can buy 10 real PAF's and they will all sound slightly different. I have modeled my pickups after only the best sounding PAF's. My winding process varies little so that you can be assured of a consistent tone from any set.

All pickups are also available aged to your specified level. Click here for information on aged pickups.


I accept PAYPAL online and major credit cards by phone, internet prices include domestic shipping. International orders add shipping on order page.

Please use the drop-down menu's to specify bobbin color and wiring, for custom pickups also specify resistance and magnet choice.


**EVERY pickup is temporarily installed (without solder) in a test guitar and played to ensure proper tone and function**

Due to the high demand and limited hours in the day, please see my "news" for estimated delivery time.


WHEN IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA, stop by Andy Brauer's Showroom to try my pickups side-by-side with real Gibson PAF's!

Tribute Set:$229.00 approx.€175.00              

Tribute Bridge:$125.00 approx.€95.00           

Tribute Neck:$125.00 approx.€95.00