The company has set up a new shop with due to the back log created from his old shop and other craftsman. The new location feature state of the art shop and a staff of wood workers and painters that are even better than the old staff  in the old location. Basically they cleaned house got rid of the old staff and setup and have optimized the process and have found some amazing talent in Florida to due his makeovers.

The new estimated turn around time is 5 months . i was one of the old customers who waited 12 months for mine to get done and yes the  work was amazing and yes it looks real but 1 2 months killed me . i have two guitars in the system now at the new location and have been guaranteed a 5 month turn around. This new shop  uses the exact same techniques as teh old shop and offers the same attention to detail. Ever guitar is an individual and is delt with in a one on one basis no assembly line no mass production they are creating  a piece of art.

it really is worth taking a moment to checkout this website the work is truly amazing and Gibson guitars themselves has never made anything this good in my opinion . It is not cost effective for a big company to due and the cost of the guitar would it basically out of reach to the general public. We are talking about craftsmanship, a talent that is hard to come by these days . I do not know about you but that fact that these are hand  done one by one and gone over and over until they are perfect is a an art that is almost extinct today.

So if you really want to see the potential of your less paul come to life checkout this site and give them a call. I believe they also offer limited services if you do not want a full make over such as replacing the boards and inlays and such so if money is an object they will work with you . If you need any further info you can also contact me at the partsdrawer

Jim Pasch

I am considering buying a vintage Fender Jazz Bass for my collection and I have been told the holy grail is the 1960-1961 Fender Stack knob Jazz Bass. Is this true and would you recommend this one. Also Is there anything I should look for when buying a Fender Stack knob Jazz Bass. Thank you in advance for your help.

REPLY

I wwould say without reservation this is the one to get. There is such a low production of these basses and they are so desirable even when the vintage guitar market goes down these are always a stable item and retains its value better than most. I have been selling Vintage guitars for over twenty years and if i get one of these a year for sale it is a good year. These are super hard to find and harder to find unmolested.

First I must warn you many have been converted from regular jazz basses of that year and this makes it that much tougher to find and identify. The only difference is the pots and knobs  so you can imagine it is not a tough modification and it is one that Can easily be done to look original.

I really cannot explain how to spot a converted bass if it was done by a professional forger because it Will look good. Many were just done by players who never intended to fool anyone and these are easy to spot. Look under the control plate and see how the solder looks a player could have just redone the solder and you can identify it easily . fender soldering was usually clean and by this time it should have an naturally aged patina on it making it look dull. use common sense if you are not sure look online you an see many pictures of fender bass controls and the soldering as a reference.

The expert forger has figured out how to age solder and use old wire from other original fender basses to make it look perfect. only a pro can tell and many cannot even tell who are not familiar with the original basses. If you are buying form a individual again use common sense judge character etc and ask questions about bass. look for any paperwork or receipts. If it is a vintage dealer go by his reputation and ask if he will guarantee it and put it in writing . An honest dealer will do this . Again these put together basses are so well done it is very very hard to tell.

That said if you find one just make sure al parts are original . in this changing vintage market and the volatile climate only all original guitars and basses hold some value. do not buy a modified stack pot bass unless it is real cheap they are hard to sell for any real money and hold no real value. As always with old basses check the neck many pre cbs basses were used with flat sound strings and the added tension bowed the neck.

I hope this helps and if you have any further questions please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

JIm Pasch

In the vintage guitar and vintage guitar parts world much was the same as the rest of the world gloom and doom with brief glimpses of hope. The vintage guitar market took the real hit and the good news was vintage guitar parts although down significantly still sold on a regular basis and pulled us through. It showed me that even in bad times one needs relief and if you cant buy a vintage guitar restore the one you had seems to be the message i got.Basically with limited funds people put their guitar back to stock rather than buying other more original ones. This solved their vintage guitar jones at a fraction of the price. The result is that parts sold people were happy and now their guitars are worth more a win win situation.

From a business stand point I would be lying to say we rocked and had a great year. The truth is we got by and thank God parts are selling but business was off. around November we got signs of a stronger recovery and it appears to be continuing and as of today sales are still good and we are also still able to buy great parts. I hope this year will be better for everyone.

The other good news for both is prices have come down on parts . This is great news  for the consumer and us as a buyer. We can sell for less because we are buying parts for less. Unlike the frenzy two years ago now seems to be a good time for everyone to buy vintage parts because the prices have settledand there is a good supply around. The fact that great parts are flowing out onto the market again is because people need money and they realized all those parts sitting in drawers are found money. I know from experience that people have been sending us literally photos of piles of parts they have and this has not happened in ages . People were holding on to them like stocks in the frenzy seeing crazy prices but realize now that now is as goodas anytime to sell. So I expect a great year for parts because of this fact.

Thanks again for all you support and help any questions please send me an e mail at THE PARTS DRAWER and i will answer all e mails within 48 hours

JIm Pasch

We are now offering for a limited time until December 31 2009 a 10% discount on all parts orders over $1000.00 and a 15% discount on all parts orders over $1600 . Simply mention this post or cut an paste it in your email to us and we will  deduct it from your purchace.

 People ask why would you write a non glowing post  about the show it would only hurt you and the business. Most told me pump it up lie tell them it was great . But people who know me and respect me know that is not my style if it sucks i will sure not sugar coat it and that is why people actually listen to what i have to say. It was disappointing but not unexpected.

The normal frenzy of the dealer to dealer buying on the post day show was terrible. Usually it is like a shark feed and for 8 hours the dealers buy sell and trade form each other before te public comes in. I know from a personal stand point this is were we usually do 60% of our business at this show. But this year it was like the plague very little movement and very little motivation on the parts of the dealers. Most were not willing to budge on their prices and secondly what little cash was there was saved for buying from the public.

I was a few big deals go down and yes guitar changed hands but it was more than 50% off the normal amount i usually see. Sure things were sold and things were bought but i saw more real cool vintage guitars than ever and none of the high end stuff was moving. the price range i saw that was moving was the $800-$3000 guitar . most clean and original examples either sold or traded hands so there was some action. All the bursts , black guards and other high end stuff just sat . My buddy did sell a burst for $290,000.00 so this is not to say the show did not have its moments.

I was hoping to see a bit more excitement also from the public which was down and which I knew would be down since we are in near depression like economy but it was slow and the shark feed this year was toned down. The whole mood from the economy just brought everyone down and of course with less money at hand it  does not take a genius to figure out that less guitars will be sold. in the end I walked away not surprised but disappointed . I had hoped I would have seen some kind of sign of recovery but I am afraid it will be another long hard year ahead for this business

I have not lost faith I love vintage guitars and Vintage parts but the government, wall street and the greedy bank institutions  really screwed us this time this economy has even taken the wind out of my sails and I am always an optimist !!! I have not given up nor will I just like in the past we Will survive and so will this market we are just going to have to tighten our belts more and take a deep breath . I Will return to Texas as always if for nothing more than a great weekend of camaraderie and for the meeting of great friends but next time I would like to make a few bucks while I ma there

If  you have any comments please e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

JIM PASCH

Here you will find vintage guitars, vintage guitar parts, new guitars, vintage amplifiers, new amplifiers, accessories, guitar memorabilia and a stampede of dealers and a pumped up public all thrown into this one building. There will also be teh sightings of many celebrity’s and rock stars as well as musicians. It is a high energy mix that last for 3 days and on Sunday afternoon if you have survived you Will find it will tale you another 3 days to recover.

The importance of this show is that depending on how sales go it will set the mood for the market for the next 6months or so if it is a great show sales Will boost and the frenzy will be reignited. if the show is average or a abut the market will immediately feel that and could easily offset any growth we have seen in the past 8 months in this business. This show basically is a barometer for our business. This is why this show is so important and the world will be watching for the results come Sunday night.

I have been to the show many times and I always find stuff i have never seen and find the most obscure parts and vintage ite,s i never see anywhere else. If you have the time this is the one show to go to. You can buy a guitar from $100 to $600,000.00 that is how diverse this show is . One bit of advice start at one point and just go up and down isles do not jump around because YOU WILL MISS  many booths it is that packed so get a game plan and enjoy.

I Will report next week on the results of the show so keep an eye out for this blog . I will have a better idea of the market by Monday so stay tuned, Again if you have any questions feel free to e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER .  you can also subscribe to this blog by going to the bottom of the latest news page and click on the RSS button and you Will automatically get all articles

Jim  Pasch

 The vintage guitar community has been rallying behind the website 300guitars.comThat Bill Penn created and runs. The site although does not deal with solely vintage guitar and news . The site has a many great articles and news of the vintage guitar community and its evens . It is a virtual pit stop for information on vintage guitars , vintage amps, new products, new guitar and amp makers, studio recording , recording equipment and guitar repair and maintenance and Bil does it all.

I just bought a 1952 Fender Telcaster I thought was correct and I have brought it to several dealers and they tell me the pickguards is a replacement. It looks original to me is definitely bakelite how can I tell if it is real. The dealer i got it from swears it is real but nobody interested in buying it says real. I am stuck !  and frustrated help!!

REPLY

This is a more common problem than you think. The quality of fake vintage parts or reproduction has reach a dangerous level. They are so good it is even hard for us to tell at first glance. Only our years of experience tells us it is a reproduction.

For example. A great guy named Clive Brown in England makes the best black guard reproduction i have ever seen. I know Clive and he is a gentlemen and a true master at his craft. He sells them as reproductions and his companies parts are for restoration only and he states that. It is not his fault if unscrupulous people tale his product and sell it as real. Clive has even gone out of his way to help people who have been duped. So the problem is not Clive it is the idiot who buys it and tries to rip people off

Another great  company is Retrospec  LLC. they make the best repro parts i have seen and probably the only two company I would recommend due to my first hand experience. I Will not bad mouth any other companies many of the people i know and like but i feel as thought these two are the best and more importantly sell the stuff as repro and no to screw people.

Now as far as your problem goes any legitimate dealer should take the guitar back or make a price adjustment if the guard was not real. Dealers are human and do make mistakes and again some of this repo stuff is amazing. I personally find that it is difficult now lets say like on eBay to buy a guitar that looks correct and has repro parts. That is why we have always suggested but from a reputable dealer or a reputable seller on ebay and make sure you have a return policy and an inspection time period. if the dealer or seller says no run away!!

Sorry to hear about this i hope you can work this out with dealer. If you have any further questions please e mail me at The Parts Drawer

Thanks

Jim Pasch

I heard you ran the New York Guitar Show for 12 years .Will there ever be another New York Guitar Show.

REPLY

Wow that is a blast from the past. Yes I ran the New York Guitar Show from 1991 -2002 . Those were the great times when the business was actually fun. I took over the show from Skip Henderson who was know for his expertize in the vintage guitar business and his charitable work. Skip was one of my mentors and actually got me started in this business. I loved going to his store City Lights you never knew what would be there or who would show up. You could buy everything from a 1954 strat to a human skull and see anyone from Billiy Gibbons to lenny Kravits that is how wide a fan club skip had.

I was laos attracted to his charitable side and when I took over the show I promised it would remain a charity. All proceeds 100% form the door went to the aids resource foundation for children and the Mary help of Christensen’s church on the lower east side. Were still many of my fondest memories still l lie. The problem was too things eBaycame along and people are lazy so attendance went down   secondly  everyone automatically became a guitar dealer at that point . that was the going joke at the time and still rings true today. So the audience became less and less over the years . Today at most guitar  the attendance is pitiful to say the least and no real deals are to be had.

When we were forced to move the show to 31st street in New York the first show was great but soon September 11th came into play and people did not want to go to new york. The year after 911 the show was terrible and i decided to call it quites. I regret that day but i still feel it was the right thing to do. the fun was gone eBay had made so called geniuses overnight so what fun was  it to go to the shows at that point.

I am asked all the time will it ever come back. Well i never say never but if we do have a show one day i Will bring skip back into the picture and throw a hell of a bash.That is a parts of my life i cherish and i miss all the great people over the years maybe someday we will and i hope it Will be thebest show ever . If you have any ideas for thw show you can e mail me at THE PARTS DRAWER

thanks

jim pasch

REPLY:

The correct bigsby for a Gibson ES-335 would be the model B7. This is recognizable by the double roller tension bars and the fact it has a screw hole and mounts to the top of the guitar.  I too have seen many people advertise  that the single roller B3 is correct but I have never seen one on an original guitar.

This is an important question because the bigsby bottom mount may line up and a B3 could be installed but and function but ALL ES-335 models have a B7.  This  because they are semi hollow. and being semi hollow you can screw the bigsby to the top and the screw goes into the center block and is stable. If you were to try and install this on a ES-330 for example it would hold but eventually the top will crack as they are hollow guitars.

Even guitars with the custom made plaque that covers the stud holes form the factory which is common make sure that you see thescrew hole on top of the guitar from the original bigsby if not the bigsbywas added later. Also a vintage bigsby has the string pins going through to the other side of the roller. the newer ones have pressed in pins on one side only the older ones had screw in pins so they went through on both sides this is an important factor because many people age bigsbys but they cannot fake that. I hope this helps

If you have any more question feel free to e mail me .

Jim pasch

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IRC always began with 615 xxxxx  354 . The x’s stood for stock numbers the last three numbers were the year and the week. here is example : 615 34657 334  this is a  IRC pots 1953 and the week is 34th week .

CTS  always started with 137 xxx or 137 xxxx  . The first x or first two were the year the last two x’s were the weeks.  Here is an example 137828     8 represents the year 1958 and week 28th week.  In second example :  1376828  68 represents 1968 and 28 the 28th week .

Central Lab always begins with 134 xxx or 134 xxxx. first example 134521 this dates the pot to 1955 and the 21st week . the second example 1346232 show a 1962 pot from the 32 week.

Remember this that pots can  pre-date a instrument year but never post date it . It was common to have pots 6 month earlier than an instrument but an exact cut off time is impossible to nail down. Usually the earlier the instrument the closer the pot dates are to the instrument manufacturing date. As the companies grew they bought more inventory and pots sometimes were mixed or lying around for a period of time before they were used. In the extreme instance of Fender Guitars in 1966 to cut costs Fender purchased enough pots to last the company for 5 years and so they are found in guitars from 1966-1971

Switches were made by the Switchcraft company and still are to this date . The early switches do not bear the company’s name. but by 1961 all switchcraft switches bear the company name stamped into the switch. Most were three way switches but they also had 5 way switches.

The caps are a very important part of the harness but i would need several full pages to dive into them and their variations . I Will list a few common ones but it is by no means a complete list. The earliest Gibson caps were made by Cornell Dublier or (cd). they were know as grey tigers ( the name found on many ) and were used in hollow bodies and solid body guitars. They were .022 @ 400v . by 1956 they has switched to the Sprague Company. The values were the same but the waxed paper grey tiger caps were now replaced by the Sprauge bumble bee it was black plastic shell with multi colored stripes and is probably the most recognized cap in the world for guitars. There were again a few exception but not many. In 1961 the Sprague caps changed again to the black case with two red stripes one  on each end and they were used up until around 1970.

I was just offered $400 for my 1956 les paul custom guitar tag is this a good deal . Also how much does the tag add to the value of the guitar.

REPLY

Great question. I would say your giving it away but it is you choice. Here is my spin on this and the rest of the vintage paper market. To a collector many times the original paper work is worth more to him that the guitar. It adds a validity and a history to an instrument that for the most parts has none.  I have always argued if it came with the guitar leave it but i know in today market this stuff is worth so much the temptation to sell it is irresistible .Two years ago i fell victim to it at the height of the market when i guy offered me an $8000 guitar  for my burst tag and i sold it and do not regret it at all . That was insane!!!!!

The guy who bought it paid $475,000.00 for the guitar had the original receipt and even a photo of the guitar and owner playing in the 1960′s but he did not have the tag . So he needed the tag and the rest is history. Now this is the most extreme case i know of and it has happened only once in 20 years but this is how crazy it gets. This being said most tags are worth very little $50-$300 and condition is everything. but a receipt with an original see# from the original music store could easily bring an extra $1000 or more to a guitar.

In your case your guitar a 1956 les paul custom is worth about $45,000.00 2 years ago they were $65,000.00 so if you have a real tag that says les paul custom on it and it is from that era i would say it is worth $800-$1000 . so $400 is too cheap in my opinion.  The price of the paper is relative to the price of the guitar . the guy who spent almost a half of a million on a burst $8000 was nothing . So use your brain and value the paperwork by the value of the guitar.

As another note booklets or tags with serial numbers that do not match your guitar are useless. The blank cards like the one i sold to the burst guy is worth the money. Also condition is everything the cleaner the better. so keep these fact in mind also when purchasingpaper or selling it. Also straps case keys original string boxes all this adds to the frenzy so do not throw anything out before doing some research. If you have any questions of paper you have and the values please contact me at  The Parts Dawer and i will try and answer any questions you have.

QUESTION

I have a what I believe to be 1958 Les Paul Jr. but it only has a 4 digit serial number. Is this possible.

REPLY

Great question. Not too many people know this but in 1958 the first run of 1958 Les Paul Jr’s have a 4 digit serial number that is correct. These are usually found of the slab body or thicker body Jr’s and the heel joint is much deeper on the early 1958 double cut Jr’s. I have only seen this serial number example on double cut Jr’s.

Also a cool little known fact is 98% of the ones i have seen also has a soap bar p90 under the dog ear cover. This is to accommodate the deeper neck angle on the slab early body 58 Jr’s . This is so the pickup sits down deeper in the body due to the shallow neck angle a regular dog ear p90 will be too high!! so yes the  serial number is different and also is many little details on that guitar that other people do not know.

So If one is not sure here is list of thing to check. The neck with be almost uncomfortably large in 1958 . will  likely have 4 digit serial number, check pot dates. carefully pull of p90 cover chances are it it is s soap bar pickup it is a 1958. also the heel joint will be deeper on the body. The body will also be a bit more squared off and thicker hence the name slab body.

I hope this helps thank you for  your question

Jim Pasch

Thr Parts Drawer

I see all the hype lately on Brazilian rosewood fret boards. Do they really make a difference. Thank you

REPLY

Ok, let me put on my bullet proof vest first before I answer this one! This is a big controversial question that has been circulating for some time and I an constantly asked about this so this is MY opinion on it bases on my 20 years in the business

I personally cannot hear the difference. Now that said I Will explain why and this is not in any way negating what other people may hear. I have tortured myself many times taking old les paul that are identical and the new ones with Brazilian boards and the new ones without and at the end of it all I am more puzzled than ever.

I feel Brazilian rosewood has a better tone and character than Indian on acoustic guitars. So it has to have an effect on solid bodies. All my favorite guitar have brazilian boards on them. So with that said I guess it does make a difference when combined with ther other structural aspects of the vintage  guitar.old wood is always better than new wood. But I feel the Brazilian rosewood in conjunction with other old wood other old pickups other old glue is what makes the difference not just the brazilian board. So i am a big fan of Brazilian boards but I cannot HONESTLY say you can hear a difference by just replacing the board.

I am sure if you took a 2003 Gibson Brazilian board les paul and compared it to an exact 2004 none brazilian on a sound wave scope you may see a difference. In fact I am sure it is difference, but through a Marshall amp I cannot hear it. Through any amp actually I have tried this test through many amps old and new and to me it is all the same.

So in conclusion. All my favorite vintage guitars have Brazilian boards. I think the board matters but only when it is put in the perspective of the rest of the vintage guitar itself and not alone. can I honestly say buying a Brazilian rosewood board on your new les paul will change what you hear. I would say no . Agian This is from my expieience from selling thousands of vintage guitar over teh years and personally comparimng them all. Maybe you can but I cannot

If you have any other questions please contacet me at  The Parts Drawer

Thank You

Jim Pasch

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QUESTION

All I every hear about is PAF’S,PAF’S, PAF’S never do I hear anyone rave about a T-Top Gibson humbucker. What is your opinion. Are they good pickups .

REPLY

Thank you for question . I am sure this will stir a bunch of controversy up but what the heck.  I Will start by saying they are not my favorites but I Will also add they are good pickups and sound fine and are better than a lot of the later Gibson pickups. Anyone who knows me and who has ready many of my articles and columns will note that the pre t -top Gibson pickups post 1962 are my favorites. I would gladly have a set of those over PAFS  ONLY because I personally feel the pre t tops are more consistent as many PAFS vary greatly. I have never really heard a non killer set of pre top from 63-65 period end of story!!!

Back to the T-top pickups. Just because I do not use them does not mean they are not great pickups. Many of the classic rock albums you have listened to and admired for years the guitars used these pickups. So that alone should silence the disbelievers. But again tone is a relative thing and one of a choice and is a personal thing. What I like you may hate an such is life and as it should be.

I love Gibson Les Pauls so lets take that as a starting point. most 1968-1974 les paul customs rock. They are some of my favorite  mod;es guitar from that era and they have these pickups. And yes an early 1970′s les paul kills if you get a good one. i still own one and think they are very underrated guitar. I still have the original pickups in them and will leave them as such they sound great and are very versatile from rock to jazz to country to blues. So Yes they are good pickups and yes I like them.

I only prefer the pre t tops probably because I played more blues rock and that have that real Billy Gibbons tone out of the box i love. Those pickups, a marshall and a great guitar is all you need .no pedals  no gimmick just turn it up and go , that is what i love. The t-top pickups to me are more middle of te road good for all kinds of music pickup which is probably why Gibson made them . A jazz guy can feel just as at home with them as a blues or rock guy. Gibson I assume was just reaching out to a wider audience at the request of their customers.

Today there is a very strong market for these pickups. And in answer to your question directly yes there is not a lot of buzz about them compared to PAF’S AND Pre T-Tops but in a way that is good. This  way they are still affordable as soon as something  is hyped you know the price doubles. So I would not overlook this versatile pickup try one and I am sure you will not be disappointed. Remember you are the one who has to like it not me or the rest of a forums members. Music is personal and an inner expression of yourself so check them out

Thank you for your question I hope this helps . If you have any more questions just follow the link below and i will be glad to answer them as soon as I can

JIm Pasch

The Parts Drawer

I was recently told my 1961 Fender Stratocaster neck was only worth $1500 because the decal was not original how can that be possible when a regular neck is worth $5000.

REPLY:

That is actually true unfortunately and I will explain why. There are many fake vintage parts on the market these day and that goes for necks and bodies as well. It is easy to relic a neck swap finger boards etc. and deceive the public. I have seen guitar that looked amazing and fooled many dealers but were no more than 6 months old.

Here is the good news for the vintage guitar market. Not for your case in specific but NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FAKE AN AGED FENDER DECAL YET!!! this is the best thing and the reason why the decal weighs so heavy in the equation. I have seen people try and have seen some real close fakes but none good enough to fool a vintage expert.

The thing they cannot fake is one a pre cbs decal the lettering has a greening and an oxidation like texture to it you can feel the decal and the lettering actually gets a raised texture over the years whether the guitar in in the case or played everyday. this natural aging cannot be faked . Unfortunately I am sure soon it will but for now the market is safe. Gibson guitar are easy to fake because the the logo is either a water decal or an inlay ed veneer that is easily changed

So this is why there is such a big difference in price. to me when i look at a vintage fender the decal is the FIRST thing I look at . This is a rule all Fender buyers should apply. I hope this has helped I know this is not good news for you but it is the reality of the vintage guitar market

Any further questions just contact me at The Parts Drawer

Thank you

Jim Pasch

How can I tell if i have a short spaced humbucker from Gibson. I just bought one on eBay and I want to make sure i bought the correct one.

REPLY

Ok I Will tell you the easiest way without having another to judge it by. I could tell you to get a ruler out and measure but I have found out in the past people do not know how to read a ruler correctly. Si here is the deal.

If you have a normal spaced cover just flip it and the Pole pieces should line up it is a full spaced cover. Now not everyone has that ability so this is the guaranteed way. This is the only fool proof way i know.

First you have to take the cover off the pickup. if you do not know how to do this do not do it yourself you could damage the windings especially on an expensive Paf. Have your tech or repair guy do believe me it is worth the time to do it right

Once the cover is off simple look at the top of the bobbins. were the pole piece screws come thought look if at the end screw and see if you can see a half circle, like the drill press stamped the bobbin but the screw is slightly offset.

You will see it as clear as day if you do not see a half circle by the end screw hole you have a full spaced pickup. ALL short spaced pickups look as if the machine that punches the screw holes in the bobbin missed and there is that double stamped half circle.

If you are still not sure i can send you a picture I hope this helps

I am ready to spend some big bucks on pickups is there a difference and what do you recommend. Price is not an option I am looking for tone

REPLY

This is one of the most frequently asked questions i get and is a bit complicated because sound is relative to the person and is an individual taste What I like you ma hate so I will tackle the question in two stages from bother perspectives.

O first of all if you are a collector you need the correct pickup for your guitar no matter how it sounds. As crazy as it sounds a 100% original 1959 les paul that sounds like crap is better than the best sounding modified one in the collectors market. By the way never really hear a bad burst!!.

 Wth that said here we go. I personally think that a PAF pickup has a bite and a sound the pick makes when hitting the sting that a normal pickup does not. Again we are in personal territory here but the attack of the pick of the string for me is more aggressive and yet clean. I like that and yes they are have a great tone but to me that is a trademark. PAF pickups range from 7.7 ohms to 9.0 ohms i have had factory unsoldered double whites that read as high as 10 ohms this is not the norm. around a mid 8.2-8.5 is normal  for  nice one.

Now this is real important I ave heard bad PAF pickups when i mean bad i mean run of the mill sound not horrible. To me the the lower the reading usually the more mid tones and a warmer pickup the higher the output the more treble . But again as pickups age the age differently and i have heard the opposite both  scenarios. but the general rule is the lower the output the more tone.

So if you are a player the PAF range is great and again it is a matter of taste. Not all pickups are killers and the pickups will sound different in different guitars. the higher output ones should  go in solid bodies or semi-hollow bodys that i do know.  This again being said I feel most with like the PAF tone and sound in a solid body guitar and semi-hollow guitar.

Now a little secret that some know . The best pickups Gibson made with a consistent and with a tone were from  1962-1964 in my opinion and are pre-t top pickups. Everyone I have ever heard in an SG sounds like GOD. everyone is a es-335 sounds like GOD. these are monster pickups at 1/3 price.

The first versions of these are pafs with new stickers that have patent numbers on them.They have double black lead wires and all PAF markings on pickups. By 1963 they went to black and white lead wires. FOR ME WHO CARES THEY ALL SOUNDS GREAT . Now collectors will argue and of course you need the correct pickup for te correct guitar and year if  you collect or buy and sell guitar but for a player good new they all sounds great. I never heard a bad 63-64 sg or es-335.

These have that classic sound you loved from Cream, the Beatles, Mc5 and more. I will go out on a limb and say that 99% of the people who buy these pickups will be satisfied. These are my favorite pickups.

So I hope this helps I do not know if you are a player, collector or both but i hope this give some insight into the pickup decision making

JIm Pasch

The Parts Drawer

I have a 1967 Telecaster but according to the book it should have a channel rout to the neck pickup of the guitar in the body and this one does not . Is this possibly a one off guitar from Fender.

REPLY

Well  this is a good question but one with an answer I do not think you want to hear. Never did a 1967 telecaster not have a channel rout. All telecaster up to 1969 have the rout period, no exceptions.

So without seeing your guitar there is two possible scenarios. First which is the better of the two is it is a 69-74 telecaster body and the pats were swapped. This is a big problem with fender guitar or any bolt on guitar parts and body are easily exchanged. If the finish looks correct then this is probably the case. In this  instance your guitar still has value but not real collector  value. Lets hope this is the case.

The second possibility and a hard one to swallow id that is is not a real fender body and someone faked a real finish . At this point you have what we call in the business a parts guitar and the value is put on it for what the real parts are worth not how it looks ,plays or sounds. Don,t shoot me I am only the messenger. This is a sad fact that there are many evil people with no morals who have been doing this for years taking advantage of people who simply do not know. It is not your fault but this is why I am posting these  questions to help educate the public and bring back some kind of respect to this business.

Thank you for your question and I hope everything works out for you. If you want you can always send us the body and we will verify it for free you just pay postage and insurance both ways

Thank You

Jim Pasch

QUESTION

I was on Ebay and am looking for vintage pots for my Fender Stratocaster. Is there something I should look for and how can I tell if they are from a real Fender. Thank you for your time . I will await your answer.

REPLY

Great one. The  one thing to know most of all and that is this if it does not say 250k on the pot it is probably not a pot from a Fender guitar.

I am sure there are one or two examples out there but after 30 years of collecting and playing and 20 years in business I am confident in saying 99.9% of all fender guitar pots  have the 250k designation on them.I have literally sold thousands of Fender and Vintage fender guitars and this is the case period.

  The pots may look and be the same year and made by the same manufacturer but they were probably out of a harmony, kay or other guitar. Yes they will work and yes they will look correct to the untrained eye but they are not.

So on ebay you will see lets say a set of  1960 Fender Stratocaster pots one set may be $1500 and one set $400 chances are the set that is $400 do not say 250k on them if they do and are correct stack pole or CTS  pots grab them that is a steal.

I hope this helps . Also I would be glad to look at an auction for you and tell you my opinion just forward me the link in an email

Jim Pasch

The Parts Drawer

This is a question we received yesterday and feel it is worth posting on the news page.

QUESTION

What do they mean when they say does it black lite ?? I just bought a vintage guitar and want to check my parts out to see if they are real.

REPLY

Thank you for the e mail. Great question not a simple answer. Vintage guitar plastic should glow a certain color when exposed to a black lite in the dark. This is very obviously if you have new and old parts side by side to see the difference it is like night and day. But if you have only the vintage parts to test basically here is what it will  look like.

Again color is subjective to each person so i think it looks like a fluorescent yellowish color with a bit of green to it. But i have seen parts black lite more whitish and more unique tones than i can describe . basically they should jump out!! at you under a black light and really stand out. The newer parts change color but do not jump out at you. If you are still not sure borrow a knob from your friends new guitar and put the new and vintage parts side by side you will see right away.

 Now another note ! all parts do not black lite the same color or at the same intensity. knobs and such black lite strong as do guitar tuner tips. pickguards are not as strong but they will react under black light. Do not panic if you see your knobs black light different from you knobs this is normal!! the same goes for finish but that is a real complicated story we will touch on at a later time.

There are fakes out there and people as we speak are trying to develop new parts that are aged that black lite so this is for now a fairly safe test but it will not be long until some idiot will figure it out and ruin it for everyone.

If you are still unsure you can send us parts and we Will evaluate them for free no charge you just pay shipping both ways.

Thank you again for your question

Jim pasch

The Parts Drawer

 Today The Parts Drawer Has officially launched it’s new website . There will still be a few Additions needed bit this  is in response to our customers who asked for a new format. I would like to personally thank all our loyal customers for their support over the past 20 years. We will continue to bring you the finest vintage and used guitar parts we can find.

Jim pasch