Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

[Tone Meister]

Have a 1980 LP Custom on the bench. Owner wants info on the pickups. I believe them to be Shaw era, but many of you here are expert on the subject, so we're running it by you.

Bridge 7.59k (April 23, 1980)
Neck 7.57k (April 7, 1980)

Here are some shots

 

[Discharged]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

To be 100% sure you've got to open'em to see the innards, but my 1st impression, based on the satmp is: Not Shaws.

/Peter

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

To be 100% sure you've got to open'em to see the innards, but my 1st impression, based on the satmp is: Not Shaws.

/Peter

What exactly are we looking for inside? The white spacers? I know the DCR readings are in the range, but that's about all. I know very little to nothing about Gibson pickups.

 

[Discharged]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

What exactly are we looking for inside?

Two white plastic spacers and a roughcast magnet which height's .130".

Then it's a Shaw.

/Peter

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

To be 100% sure you've got to open'em to see the innards, but my 1st impression, based on the satmp is: Not Shaws.

/Peter

+1

 

[AlexR]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

Most likely late t tops.
However........in this era the t bobbins (with wire) were running out. So pickups got whatever was left. So I have seen quite a few pickups from 1980 with 1 Shaw bobbin with the 'new penny' copper coloured wire, and 1 t top bobbin with the darker purple wire.
A,so you might get the odd white Spencer in there and the more roughcast magnet too.
Anything with such combinations is called a t-shaw.

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

Thanks fellas. I have enough info to go on now. He's not stopping the presses or anything, but while it was opened up he posed the question.

I'll save it for another day to pull the covers and look under the hood. He's mentioned trying another pickup set, so we'll just wait until then if that day comes.

Thanks again!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

Gotta crack it open. 1980 is a tough year to call.

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

Gotta crack it open. 1980 is a tough year to call.

Now's not the time. But I will if there's ever a pickup change.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

I agree with Discharged; probably T-tops.

In my experience Shaws usually read lower than that - mine range from 6.97K to 7.2K.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

The change came gradually, they used up old parts, but was complete in June/July 1980.

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

The change came gradually, they used up old parts, but was complete in June/July 1980.

The guitar was completed June 17, 1980. Looks like these are T tops with white spacers. The magnet is rough but doesn't look extra thick to my untrained eyes.

Both appear to be built identical. Since they're in such good condition, I'm not planning to peel back the tape to see the wire.

This is as deep as I'm going.

EDIT TO ADD: using precision calipers, the magnet indeed measures ≥ 0.130" thick and is rough, if that means anything.

EDIT II: all four coils have penny copper wire, bright & shiny, not dull purple.

 

[Discharged]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

The penny-copper wire, the TWO white plastic spacers and the thicker, roughcast mag are the main specs that defines what a Shaw p'up is.

In your case, it's a "transition" Shaw p'up wound on T-bobbins, aka T-Shaw, as AlexR earlier said.

/Peter

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

The penny-copper wire, the TWO white plastic spacers and the thicker, roughcast mag are the main specs that defin what a Shaw p'up is.

In your case, it's a "transition" Shaw p'up wound on T-bobbins, aka T-Shaw, as AlexR earlier said.

/Peter

Thanks Peter. The step child now has a name!

 

[ToneFiddler]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

the magnet also looks too long for a regular T-Top with a short A5, no?

 

[Discharged]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

the magnet also looks too long for a regular T-Top with a short A5, no?

Yes. The thicker magnet used in the Shaws is a std, long one. (2.5")

 

[AlexR]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

And the rough end would be another giveaway that it's a Shaw era magnet.

This thread is the first time I've seen t bobbins with Shaw era wire on them. I wonder if te wind pattern is still t top too, or whether the shaw pattern was used.
I've seen plenty of pickups from this time with full t top bobbins but Shaw hardware. My bridge t Shaw is a hybrid.....1 Shaw coil and 1 t top coil. But it's good to see the last combo......where they must have run out of the old wire for a station or two on a winding machine and simply loaded up with the newer stuff.

The second point here is that there were 2 factories. The Heritage series was a Nashville run. But the Customs were the first of the regular guitars to be fitted consistently with Shaws.....but these were a Kalamazoo guitar. So maybe the t shaw pickup had 2 different transitions.

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

I am grateful for the detailed information fellas.

FWIW, the owner will sell or trade this set at a REASONABLE price.

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: Are these Shaw-era or T-Top humbuckers?

And the rough end would be another giveaway that it's a Shaw era magnet.

This thread is the first time I've seen t bobbins with Shaw era wire on them. I wonder if te wind pattern is still t top too, or whether the shaw pattern was used.
I've seen plenty of pickups from this time with full t top bobbins but Shaw hardware. My bridge t Shaw is a hybrid.....1 Shaw coil and 1 t top coil. But it's good to see the last combo......where they must have run out of the old wire for a station or two on a winding machine and simply loaded up with the newer stuff.

The second point here is that there were 2 factories. The Heritage series was a Nashville run. But the Customs were the first of the regular guitars to be fitted consistently with Shaws.....but these were a Kalamazoo guitar. So maybe the t shaw pickup had 2 different transitions.

FWIW, this guitar was built in the Nashville plant.