ThroBak Leesona-102 Vintage Guitar Pickup Winder
ThroBak P.A.F. electric guitar pickup reproductions wound on the Leesona 102 and Leesona 102B:
Leesona 102 Tonal Summary:
The Leesona 102 and 102B have the distinction of being the only Gibson P.A.F. winders with a lobed cam. This means that in theory it distributes wire much more evenly than their non-lobed counterparts, the LP/KZ-115 and the Slug-101. However due to the Leesona 102’s widely adjustable traverse of 3” to 1/32”, when it is dialed down to the 1/4” traverse of a P.A.F., the internal play of the adjustable mechanism leaves a measurable amount of “slop” in the traverse travel that is inherent to the machine’s design. The result is P.A.F. coils that are evenly wound and rounder in tone than if they were wound on a machine without the signature traverse “slop” of the Leesona 102 and 102B.
The Leesona 102 and 102B have the distinction of being the only Gibson P.A.F. winders with a lobed cam. This means that in theory it distributes wire much more evenly than their non-lobed counterparts, the LP/KZ-115 and the Slug-101. However due to the Leesona 102’s widely adjustable traverse of 3” to 1/32”, when it is dialed down to the 1/4” traverse of a P.A.F., the internal play of the adjustable mechanism leaves a measurable amount of “slop” in the traverse travel that is inherent to the machine’s design. The result is P.A.F. coils that are evenly wound and rounder in tone than if they were wound on a machine without the signature traverse “slop” of the Leesona 102 and 102B.

The Leesona 102: The world’s best known PAF pickup winder.
If you are a P.A.F. enthusiast you have probably heard of the Leesona 102. Once a standard industrial item, the Leesona 102 is now extremely rare with only 3 operational machines in the world left making guitar pickups. Two of these machines are owned by ThroBak, the Leesona 102 and the Lessona 102B.
Designed originally by the Universal Coil Winding Company, the Leesona 102 is just that, a universal fine wire coil winding machine that can wind coils to as large as 3” to as small as 1/32” with just one large adjustable, lobed cam. This large lobed cam distributes wire much more evenly than either LP/KZ-115 or the Slug 101 P.A.F. winders. Original sales records still exist for the Leesona 102 showing companies as diverse as Lionel Trains and Dalmo Victor Radar Equipment purchasing them. But by fate, or happy accident, the Leesona 102 winds great sounding guitar pickups with records showing not only Gibson but also Rowe Industries (DeArmond) using Leesona 102 and 102B machines to wind pickups.
Unfortunately the Leesona 102’s heavy weight and large size meant that in the early 90’s they were worth more as scrap and now Leesona 102 coil winders are extremely rare. The Leesona 102’s value as a P.A.F. winder and marketing tool also means they are now exceedingly expensive when you can find one. When I purchased the first Leesona 102 for ThroBak I was not fully aware of this and was floored when I was immediately offered $10k by a competing pickup winder for my Leesona 102 before it was even rebuilt. Such is the lore that comes with the Leesona 102.
If you are a P.A.F. enthusiast you have probably heard of the Leesona 102. Once a standard industrial item, the Leesona 102 is now extremely rare with only 3 operational machines in the world left making guitar pickups. Two of these machines are owned by ThroBak, the Leesona 102 and the Lessona 102B.
Designed originally by the Universal Coil Winding Company, the Leesona 102 is just that, a universal fine wire coil winding machine that can wind coils to as large as 3” to as small as 1/32” with just one large adjustable, lobed cam. This large lobed cam distributes wire much more evenly than either LP/KZ-115 or the Slug 101 P.A.F. winders. Original sales records still exist for the Leesona 102 showing companies as diverse as Lionel Trains and Dalmo Victor Radar Equipment purchasing them. But by fate, or happy accident, the Leesona 102 winds great sounding guitar pickups with records showing not only Gibson but also Rowe Industries (DeArmond) using Leesona 102 and 102B machines to wind pickups.
Unfortunately the Leesona 102’s heavy weight and large size meant that in the early 90’s they were worth more as scrap and now Leesona 102 coil winders are extremely rare. The Leesona 102’s value as a P.A.F. winder and marketing tool also means they are now exceedingly expensive when you can find one. When I purchased the first Leesona 102 for ThroBak I was not fully aware of this and was floored when I was immediately offered $10k by a competing pickup winder for my Leesona 102 before it was even rebuilt. Such is the lore that comes with the Leesona 102.
From Leesona sales records we know Gibson’s Leesona 102 was manufactured in 1954 and purchased used by Gibson some time later. ThroBak’s Leesona 102’s date from 1944 and 1957. This now iconic machine was available as the Leesona 102 or 102B with the 102B having more durable auto stop counters than the 102. We know Gibson had the Leesona 102 with less durable counters leaving the question open as to whether they failed at Gibson and whether they were repaired. From my own experience owning both a Leesona 102 and 102B, the 102’s counters required an upgrade to modern digital counters whereas the Leesona 102B still has the original 1957 counters that work flawlessly today in 2015.

From Leesona sales records we know Gibson’s Leesona 102 was manufactured in 1954 and purchased used by Gibson some time later. ThroBak’s Leesona 102’s date from 1944 and 1957. This now iconic machine was available as the Leesona 102 or 102B with the 102B having more durable auto stop counters than the 102. We know Gibson had the Leesona 102 with less durable counters leaving the question open as to whether they failed at Gibson and whether they were repaired. From my own experience owning both a Leesona 102 and 102B, the 102’s counters required an upgrade to modern digital counters whereas the Leesona 102B still has the original 1957 counters that work flawlessly today in 2015.
With it’s easily adjustable traverse and 3 station design the Leesona 102 was likely used for not only P.A.F.’s but other Gibson pickup models that did not already have dedicated fixtures and machines. The only down side to the Leesona 102 from an operator’s standpoint is it takes most of the day to change the turn per layer gears. However the standard gears that came with the machine have the perfect combination for putting 42awg wire most efficiently on a P.A.F. bobbin. Right out of the box the Leesona 102 was more production friendly than either the KZ/LP-115 or the Slug-101 winders.
With it’s easily adjustable traverse and 3 station design the Leesona 102 was likely used for not only P.A.F.’s but other Gibson pickup models that did not already have dedicated fixtures and machines. The only down side to the Leesona 102 from an operator’s standpoint is it takes most of the day to change the turn per layer gears. However the standard gears that came with the machine have the perfect combination for putting 42awg wire most efficiently on a P.A.F. bobbin. Right out of the box the Leesona 102 was more production friendly than either the KZ/LP-115 or the Slug-101 winders.