Humbucker
Chow Chow
An Alnico 2 PAF set with the unmistakable warmth and sweetness of the classic late-seventies voice. Rich mids, smooth highs, and natural compression make single notes bloom and chords stay full and balanced.
Specifications
Type
Humbucker
Magnet
Alnico 2
Positions
neck, bridge
Lead wire
Vintage braided (2-conductor) or 4-conductor (coil split)
DCR
7.6k–8.3k
Inductance
4.4H–5.3H
Potting
Unpotted or Potted
String spacing
49.2 mm
Pole pieces
Nickel
Cover
Optional (nickel, black or gold)
Bobbin colours
Neck & bridge
Chow Chow · Neck
Alnico 2 · DCR 7.6k · 4.4H
Delivers the unmistakable warmth and sweetness associated with classic Alnico 2 PAF designs. Rich mids, smooth highs, and natural compression create an expressive and musical response. Single notes bloom with harmonic complexity while chords remain full and balanced. Particularly well suited to vintage rock, blues, and melodic lead playing.
View the neck pickupChow Chow · Bridge
Alnico 2 · DCR 8.3k · 5.3H
Expands on the classic Alnico 2 character with additional midrange presence and sustain. The tone is rich, smooth, and harmonically dense, delivering the iconic vintage rock sound of legendary late-seventies and early-eighties recordings. Dynamic and responsive, it cleans up beautifully with the guitar volume while staying powerful enough for soaring leads and punchy rhythm work.
View the bridge pickupRelated pickups
More from the bench
From the workshop
Further reading
Jun 20, 2026 · 5 min read
The Language of PAF
Exploring the harmonic texture, compression behavior, and musical dynamics of vintage-output humbuckers.
Jun 20, 2026 · 5 min read
Scatter Winding, By Hand
A look at the bench process behind hand-wound coils — and why the irregularities matter more than the average.
Jun 20, 2026 · 5 min read
Aging an Alnico Magnet
Vintage magnets sound different because they are weaker. We unpack why that matters, and how we approach aging.