Kim talks Vintage Guitar Parts

The hollowbody jazz guitars often used a slightly different PAF in the neck position which had different (narrower) string spacing, where the bridge position jazz PAF was identical to the neck & bridge PAF in say a Les Paul Standard. The models that used this narrow spacing neck PAF was the Byrdland, ES-350T, L-5CE, S-400CE and some Barney Kessel models. The distance on a narrow PAF from center to center of the two “E” adjustable poles is 1 13/16″, compared to 1 15/16″ on the “normal” spaced PAF pickup. Also since most of these models had gold plated parts, the narrow spaced PAFs would be gold plated (except on some Barney Kessels). If the pickup cover is removed from a narrow spaced PAF pickup, the “normal” pole position tooling marks can be seen on the narrow spaced PAF pickup.

A narrow spaced neck position PAF on a 1959 L-5CES

A “normal” spaced bridge position PAF on a 1959 L-5CES.

The internals of a narrow spaced neck position PAF pickup. Notice the tooling marks (circled in red) where the “normal” spaced poles would be.

Pic by D.Paetow