Question about Gibson humbucker (nasal sound)

**Jazz_175** · 02-26-2025, 12:37 PM

Hello everyone,
I haven't been here for a while, so I am now back to ask you a question.
A few months ago I bought a second-hand 1961 Gibson 335 reissue Sixties Cherry.
I ordered from a music shop that also sells online (as many others do nowadays), so I did not have a chance to try the instrument.
I'd say it is a very nice instrument (even though I am not sure it is worth the extra thousands euros paid when compared to a "regular" 335).
At least it is more than a half kilogram lighter compared to my regular 335s.
The pickups are supposed to be Custombuckers Alnico III (unpotted) (which is what read from Gibson website).

I was wondering if anyone else has had experience with these pickups and found a kind of a nasal quality to them, as I do.

**Tal_175** · 02-26-2025, 03:24 PM

I find that ES 335's have a nasal sound in general. Could it be the guitar?
Humbuckers also extenuate this nasal quality as they sound more compressed than single coils.

**Jazz_175** · 02-26-2025, 03:45 PM

Thanks for the reply. I compare it with my other regular 335s that have the 57 Classic pickups and I find that the 61 reissue has that kind of quality. The 57 Classic PUs produce (to my ears) a warmer/rounder sound.
I suppose the Custombuckers Alnico III that are in 61 reissue should be a close replica of the first PAF humbuckers.

Btw, searching the internet I found that someone else asked a similar question on another forum.
Are PAF & PAF-style pickups supposed to be nasal sounding?

**Tal_175** · 02-26-2025, 03:55 PM

I found a comparison video. Based on the video, I agree that Classic 57's sound warmer and smoother:

**omphalopsychos** · 02-26-2025, 04:00 PM

Those are good pickups. Nasal is subjective (to taste) and relative (to other pickups) and dependent on your amps and setup.

They are more "nasal" than vintage PAFs. Less "nasal" than the 57 Classic, which is also an awesome pickup.

**Jazz_175** · 02-26-2025, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Tal_175

I found a comparison video. Based on the video, I agree that Classic 57's sound warmer and smooter:

I see people can have completely different opinions on how pickups sound, especially regarding those original PAF pickups that, as far as I understand, didn't have a consistent sound. However, by reading the comments to that video, it seems that most people find 57 Classic pickups "warmer", "fatter", "darker" or even "muddier".

**omphalopsychos** · 02-26-2025, 08:08 PM

Also remember: nasal at home can mean perfect tone for the gig. I think Christian or someone said in a thread here once that they got a 335 and they found it so honking it was almost ugly, which was the perfect tone to cut through the band. I feel that way about my p90 telecaster. In context it's amazing but on its own not so much.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 02-26-2025, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Jazz_175

I see people can have completely different opinions on how pickups sound, especially regarding those original PAF pickups that, as far as I understand, didn't have a consistent sound. However, by reading the comments to that video, it seems that most people find 57 Classic pickups "warmer", "fatter", "darker" or even "muddier".

Original PAFs can vary wildly in how they sound. There is a middle ground where most seem to fall which is probably the sound most people are hoping for, but there are some straight up crazy outliers and a whole lot that sound different than what’s thought of classic PAF.

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**Jabberwocky** · 02-27-2025, 04:04 AM

The Custombuckers III have that hollow "vowelly" vocal sound that squawks but in a good way. I like them in an Historic Les Paul Standard and ES-33X. Is that what you characterise as "nasal"? "Nasal", to me, implies an NNG colouration like one of those awful lattice-braced or double-Nomex-cored-top guitars; the attack of the note seems to hit a ceiling and flattens off before decaying.

**Jazz_175** · 02-27-2025, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

Also remember: nasal at home can mean perfect tone for the gig. I think Christian or someone said in a thread here once that they got a 335 and they found it so honking it was almost ugly, which was the perfect tone to cut through the band. I feel that way about my p90 telecaster. In context it's amazing but on its own not so much.

Well, that's good to know, even though I haven't gigged for a few years (kind of retired from live gigging), so I play at home most of the time.

**Jazz_175** · 02-27-2025, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

The Custombuckers III have that hollow "vowelly" vocal sound that squawks but in a good way. I like them in an Historic Les Paul Standard and ES-33X. Is that what you characterise as "nasal"? "Nasal", to me, implies an NNG colouration like one of those awful lattice-braced or double-Nomex-cored-top guitars; the attack of the note seems to hit a ceiling and flattens off before decaying.

Hard for me to describe what nasal is. But I was able to dial that down a bit by using the equalizer on my Henriksen. I also have an Empress para Eq, but haven't tried to adjust the sound with it yet.

Another feature that these pickups have, and I wonder if that is due to the fact that they are unpotted, is that if I tap on them with my pick, the noise is amplified through the amp.

**Al Haig** · 02-27-2025, 07:18 AM

Get different pickups and sell these? :P

**tpandela** · 02-27-2025, 08:59 AM

"Another feature that these pickups have, and I wonder if that is due to the fact that they are unpotted, is that if I tap on them with my pick, the noise is amplified through the amp."

Yes, that "pick click" is due to the pickup being unpotted. I have a 1978 Ibanez Byrdland copy with unpotted Super 70's pickups. It had a noticeably vintage tone with the added "feature" of pick click. I grew tired of the click and had the pickups potted. Afterward, the guitar didn't sound the same, the click was gone but so was that vintage tone.

**bluejaybill** · 02-27-2025, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

Original PAFs can vary wildly in how they sound. There is a middle ground where most seem to fall which is probably the sound most people are hoping for, but there are some straight up crazy outliers and a whole lot that sound different than what’s thought of classic PAF.

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This point is made so often that I have often wondered if it's an Internet myth. I have played dozens of original PAF's, owned a 1960 345 with a great pair for 20 years, and have had a pair on a reissue Les Paul for 30. The outliers I have seen are that some are a bit stronger, and some a bit weaker. The overall signature of the majority of the ones I have played seems pretty consistent, that "middle ground" of which you speak. The lead pickup on my R8 is a bit weak, but its tone is still awesome. There are still many who think that a good PAF is really loud, almost overwound. And for many that is probably what they would want. In my experience even a weaker lead pickup will still deliver the goods into a cranked amp, if that's what you are looking for.

For me, I have always looked for tonal range, from warm jazz to bright bluesy, with the twist of a tone knob. Most of them do that exceptionally well, so much so that they are the signature tones of much jazz and classic blues and rock. A good PAF is quite bright without sounding ice picky. It was designed after all to replicate the already popular and bright P90, only with no hum.

I have tried to swap mine out for boutique and highly regarded replicas, but the originals always go back in. I just don't think the metal compositions are the same. YMMV etc.