pickups on Tokai ls85

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DP

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I see that the ls85F has PAF pick ups and the ls85S has p90 pickups
The ls85F is more expensive, does this indicate that the PAFs are better
Could someone enlighten me
Cheers
DP
 
DP said:
I see that the ls85F has PAF pick ups and the ls85S has p90 pickups
The ls85F is more expensive, does this indicate that the PAFs are better
Could someone enlighten me
Cheers
DP
PAF is Humbucker...P90=single coil... chalk and cheese and a matter of preference
 
Hi There

As said above they are different sounding pick ups and do not determine the price difference between the two models you are looking at.

The LS85F features a flamed vaneer top on top of the maple cap which is where your extra ?50 goes in the main.

The LS85s (used to be LS75S) is a solid block colour with mahogany back and maple cap.

A direct comparison to the LS85s (taking our shops example for model codes) would be the LS75 with PAF. This is around ?50 cheaper than the P90 model in actual fact.

Tokai change their model numbers very regularly and we try and stick with what comes through on the end of the boxes in terms of model number. Tokai UK order in "old money" so the guitars often come through with older model numbers on them.

To give you a rough idea

Price asceding order for the vintage range up to c?629

LS75 - Solid Block Colour
LS75S (Also called LS85S) As above but with P90s
LS80 - As LS75 but with see through sunburst colour
LS85F - As above but wtih vaneer flame top
LS90Q - addition of quilted vaneer top
LS90QZ - addition of open zebra PAF
LC85S - Les Paul custom spec

Hope that makes it clear? I'm aware i might have gone a bit of a rant here and ended up confusing you. Let me know if you need anything else.
 
Like Ozeshin said, PAF's & P90's are chalk & cheese...

P90's are single coil pickups, commonly referred to as "soapbars" (because they resembled bars of soap). Prior to 1957, when the PAF's became the standard pickup, P90's were used in all Gibson electric guitars, and have been used in numerous models since then. It's a thinner sound than that of a humbucker, but fatter sounding than a Fender single coil because of the way it's made. Typical for a single coil, it tends to hum in the single pickup switch positions, but this generally stops when you select both pickups (the two pickups together cancel any hum).

A PAF is a humbucking pickup, like the name suggests, cancels any single coil hum (it "bucks" the hum) in the single pickup switch positions. Basically it has two coils, wound in oppsite directions to get a clear, hum free sound. Most humbuckers are more "powerful" than single coil pickups, and give a fatter sound. "Hot" PAF refers to pickups which were overwound, and subsequently gave a fatter, hotter signal. This in turn drove the front end of valve amps a bit harder, and mixed with power valve distortion, gave birth to the phenomenon we call "rock" music. ;)

Most aftermarket pickups are "wax potted" to avoid any microphonics (squealing), though most PAF-a-likes are not, including the Gotoh mkII's and Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers.
 
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