# Mystery paf pickups wizz scam



## Simastic

Hey everyone,
I’m not much for posting online but wondering if the guitar community could maybe help out here.

So approximately 6 weeks ago there was a KIJIJI ad for some aged wizz pickups for sale in Edmonton. I messaged the guy and everything seemed ok(minus original box, covers and rings that are usually included with wizz paf sets) No big deal as they’re technically used anyway.
I decided to go ahead as he made me to believe he was a trust worthy guitar building fellow as he was also selling some claim to be “Bartlett” parts(which were fakes too)and other guitar building materials.

Etransfer sent, pickups arrived. All is good.
Put them in a guitar, sound good but nothing revolutionary.
Fast forward a week or two and I did a large trade involving a few guitars and the “wizz” pickups as the guy wanted them to close the deal.
A week later the guy I did the deal with asks if I want the pickups back. He sold them to a respected forum member who claimed they were not wizz pickups.

I was pretty shocked and didn’t totally agree why he would think they weren’t real wizz pups but, I agreed to purchase them back as I knew the pickups didn’t sound half bad and also put out the fire of the failed transaction between the two forum members.
I felt I was somewhat in the middle of this and thought it was the right thing to do, as well my curiosity was to inspect these myself and try to identify what they actually are.

I received the pickups again & paid cash twice for these mystery paf so I’m out a $1k+ for them for the record.

I looked closely at the pups for the forum members reasons










































of claiming they’re fakes but it didn’t show it’s 100% evidence.
When I took a closer look, the pickups have 3 strand braided pushback wire and not 2. ALARM!!!
That was the most evident reason right there so I emailed [email protected] and he confirmed with me that these are not of his making.

So long story long,
I for the life of me cannot figure out what I have here, I’ve scoured the internet for hours on end trying to figure out what these pickups are with no solution.
I emailed the less than fine chap who sold me these pickups asking what they are, can I have my money back etc.

It escalated to a bad point as this guy is a known scammer and it didn’t go in my favour. I got some help from Tom Bartlett to confirm who I was dealing with as he’s the guy who started the whole Bartlett fake LP fiasco that’s still going on as far as I know.

So in conclusion, I got scammed for some mystery paf I paid out of pocket for twice but what bugs me the most is not knowing what the heck I have here.

If any pickup guys can help identify these that would be greatly appreciated. I’m into them for wayy too much money and I would like to get a rough idea of market value.
Thank you and sorry for the novel of a story!!!


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## tomee2

I hope some experts can chime in on this, but thanks for the headsup on this scammer.
Do you have a pic of the end of the braided cable?


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## Simastic

tomee2 said:


> I hope some experts can chime in on this, but thanks for the headsup on this scammer.
> Do you have a pic of the end of the braided cable?


Yep, hoping the same thing here.
I put some Throbak covers on the pups but here’s a closer pic of the end of the wire.


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## Simastic

Simastic said:


> Yep, hoping the same thing here.
> I put some Throbak covers on the pups but here’s a closer pic of the end of the wire.
> View attachment 376844


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## knight_yyz

I'm not an expert but they look to me to be a typical Gibson "patent applied for" sticker. Not saying they are genuine Gibson pickups either but the sticker appears right and the braided wire is correct. The "P in "Patent" and the second "P" in apPlied should be lined up perfectly if they are genuine Gibsons. Also the "F" in "For" lines up with the second "T" in PatenT. See the second pic


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## Simastic

knight_yyz said:


> I'm not an expert but they look to me to be a typical Gibson "patent applied for" sticker. Not saying they are genuine Gibson pickups either but the sticker appears right and the braided wire is correct. The "P in "Patent" and the second "P" in apPlied should be lined up perfectly if they are genuine Gibsons. See the second pic
> 
> View attachment 376842
> 
> 
> View attachment 376843





knight_yyz said:


> I'm not an expert but they look to me to be a typical Gibson "patent applied for" sticker. Not saying they are genuine Gibson pickups either but the sticker appears right and the braided wire is correct. The "P in "Patent" and the second "P" in apPlied should be lined up perfectly if they are genuine Gibsons. See the second pic
> 
> View attachment 376842
> 
> 
> View attachment 376843


Right, that’s the info I’ve come up with too.
I have some aged custombuckers which look like the same in the pic you provided. Same decal, base plates etc.
I’ve had real early 60s pat# pups too.
Only thing is this is 3 strand braided wire which makes it the big mystery. Only 3 strand wire Gibby used was on the T-tops if I’m not mistaken.
Nothing is showing they’re gibson pickups and I haven’t found any aftermarket builder that used 3 strand braided wire on paf clone/replicas.


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## knight_yyz

i must be blind. I see the braided wire which is the ground and the hot black wire (covered in black cloth). Is there a red wire I'm not seeing? or white?
Or are you talking about the weave of the braid? Gibson went from 2 strand to 3 strand at some point. The wire is made by a company called Gavitt. They changed the braid sometime in the 60's to the "post vintage" as seen below


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## Simastic

knight_yyz said:


> i must be blind. I see the braided wire which is the ground and the hot black wire (covered in black cloth). Is there a red wire I'm not seeing? or white?


No you’re not blind lol. That’s all there is. Good ol 2 conductor wire. 
My custombuckers are 2 strand braided wire, as well as any aftermarket pups that are trying to recreate a vintage paf have used 2 strand wire. 
Other companies not trying to nail the exact look etc have used 3 strand which is completely ok.
These were supposed to be Wizz pickups which they are not.


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## knight_yyz

Maybe they have been repaired and the person who fixed them could not find genuine 2 strand wire. I looked it up and only found one place in Germany selling 2 strand. I buy the stuff Gavitt sells for all my harnesses that require Gibson braided wire. 

If they are PAF they are not vintage. Yours are missing the tooling marks on the bottom of the legs. I have no idea how to tell a modern PAF fake from a real modern made PAF replica


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## Simastic

knight_yyz said:


> Maybe they have been repaired and the person who fixed them could not find genuine 2 strand wire. I looked it up and only found one place in Germany selling 2 strand. I buy the stuff Gavitt sells for all my harnesses that require Gibson braided wire.
> 
> If they are PAF they are not vintage. Yours are missing the tooling marks on the bottom of the legs. I have no idea how to tell a modern PAF fake from a real modern made PAF replica


That could be a possibility they were repaired. The leads were as new when I received them although somebody removed the said covers as there were existing solder markings.
I know they’re not a real paf because they still seem like a “new” faux aging set of pickups.
Bobbins are butyrate, copper is purple-ish, slugs have the tooling marks, screws are proper spec, maple spacers etc. Tape looks new, brass base plate screws look new with the faux oxidizing(making them black-ish)and the base plates have this fresh patina to them. Who ever made them did a very good job minus the wire.
One pickup is zebra and the other reversed zebra. Both pickups measure right around 9k.
Magnets are roughcast and sound like A3s to me with the possibility of being full strength A2s.
Mystery paf replicas for sure!


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## StevieMac

I'd call on @CheopisIV if you want an _expert_ opinion on those pickups. He's certainly the most informed person I'm aware of when it comes to this type of thing. 

Remind me though, who was that goof involved in the Bartlett scam & this fiasco?


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## Simastic

StevieMac said:


> I'd call on @CheopisIV if you want an _expert_ opinion on those pickups. He's certainly the most informed person I'm aware of when it comes to this type of thing.
> 
> Remind me though, who was that goof involved in the Bartlett scam & this fiasco?


That would be much appreciated, thanks! Haha am I allowed to say who it is?? I’m new to the forum “rules”.
This scumbag says he was gonna sue Tom B and I for slander and doxxing but I’m sure that’s what every sociopathic scammer says lol


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## Squawk

It’s not slander or doxxing when it’s someone breaking the law and selling counterfeit goods. It’s a warning to others. That’s a nice attempt at deflection on douche canoe’s part to get you to stay quiet.


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## RBlakeney

Oh Christ is it Nikkisixx


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## tdotrob

The guy selling all that stuff listed on Kijiji Edmonton has kijiji name Jeff and always has stuff like that or vintage guitars etc listed


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## JethroTech

I'm no help when it comes to helping you identify these pickups but kudos for taking the (expensive) high road and making it right for the person that bought the pickups from you. It sucks that you had to take a $1K hit, but sometimes it's what you have to do in order to keep your reputation, sleep schedule and mojo intact. I feel for you.


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## Simastic

JethroTech said:


> I'm no help when it comes to helping you identify these pickups but kudos for taking the (expensive) high road and making it right for the person that bought the pickups from you. It sucks that you had to take a $1K hit, but sometimes it's what you have to do in order to keep your reputation, sleep schedule and mojo intact. I feel for you.


Haha I appreciate the kind words. It was a tricky situation but I wanted to know for sure. 
Regardless, at least I got something sent to me.
I have a friend out east who got completely scammed out of an amp. Sent to the guy and got nothing. Fortunately he’s an Rcmp officer but it still didn’t help him that much cuz the guy got away with it.


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