The DiMarzio PAF Pro Humbucker Pickup has the most transparent sound of the group of Modern Classic Humbuckers.
That's not to say there isnt plenty of aggressive chunk in the bottom-end, because there is a spike in the mid-range that gives the pickup a subtle aw vowel sound, like a wah-wah pedal stopped in the middle. It adds drive to the high note bends and grind to notes on the low E string. The transparency of its sound lets the PAF Pro cut through heavy processing. Other pickups get lost in the mud of the effects chain. The PAF Pro is EQ'd to enhance, not fight, all the gain and processing it's sent through. The high-end is tweaked in a way that lets the pickup's character stand out regardless of how intense the situation gets.
The sound of a PAF Pro combined with a single-coil pickup in the middle position adds the versatility of the traditional glassy twang to any guitar. Using a five-way pickup switch and backing off on the guitar's volume control gives you a range of tone from over the top to slashing funk rhythm.
Recommended For:
The PAF Pro is a dependable choice right across the board - neck and bridge positions, solid-body, semi-hollow and hollowbody guitars are equally effective uses.
Tech Talk:
This is a great building block pickup, because it's effective in many different situations. Try it in the neck position with a hotter bridge pickup - anything from a Norton to a Super Distortion will create a calibrated 2-humbucker matchup. As a bridge pickup, it's really effective with single-coils, because it won't drown them out with too much power, and it's bright enough to blend in tone-wise.