Broken T-Top pickup?
- Thread starter Burnin_UP
- Start date
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
I think your measuring something wrong. Both coils of a T-Top should only be around 7.5k. 1 coil at 8.2k is way out of whack. Where are you putting the probes to take your readings?
I think your measuring something wrong. Both coils of a T-Top should only be around 7.5k. 1 coil at 8.2k is way out of whack. Where are you putting the probes to take your readings?
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
I'm pretty sure there were T-Top bobbin Dirty Fingers too. 8.2 would be within range for a DF coil, and 3.8 would be within range for a T-Top PAF coil. Maybe you have a one off mistake hybrid, haha.
Probably you're measuring one coil and then both, instead of the other. 8.2 would also be about right for a T-Top PAF.
Have you played it? Are you sure it doesn't work?
I'm pretty sure there were T-Top bobbin Dirty Fingers too. 8.2 would be within range for a DF coil, and 3.8 would be within range for a T-Top PAF coil. Maybe you have a one off mistake hybrid, haha.
Probably you're measuring one coil and then both, instead of the other. 8.2 would also be about right for a T-Top PAF.
Have you played it? Are you sure it doesn't work?
Burnin_UP
New member
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
I disconnected the coils from the hookup wire to get those measurements. The screw coil is indeed 8.2K and the slug is 3.8K. The meter does not fluctuate on either, so I think they are good coils, just the screw coil, despite the T-Top marking, is not a T-Top. It's a dirty fingers coil.
Some kind of really old 59/Custom style hybrid made from a dirty fingers and a T-Top?
It has an old sandcast magnet, which seems very weak, and is short - barely reaches across the screws. Shorter than any of my other magnets from other pickups.
Is it possible gibson was doing this? That's braided THREE conductor wiring.
The slug black wire was soldered to the baseplate. The slug white wire was broken off, but had apparently been tied to the hookup red wire I fixed that. The screw coil black was on the hookup blackwire, and the white on the hookup white wire.
I had connected it using the white and black wires - so it was screw coil only.
Pictures:
I disconnected the coils from the hookup wire to get those measurements. The screw coil is indeed 8.2K and the slug is 3.8K. The meter does not fluctuate on either, so I think they are good coils, just the screw coil, despite the T-Top marking, is not a T-Top. It's a dirty fingers coil.
Some kind of really old 59/Custom style hybrid made from a dirty fingers and a T-Top?
It has an old sandcast magnet, which seems very weak, and is short - barely reaches across the screws. Shorter than any of my other magnets from other pickups.
Is it possible gibson was doing this? That's braided THREE conductor wiring.
The slug black wire was soldered to the baseplate. The slug white wire was broken off, but had apparently been tied to the hookup red wire I fixed that. The screw coil black was on the hookup blackwire, and the white on the hookup white wire.
I had connected it using the white and black wires - so it was screw coil only.
Pictures:
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King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
Haha, amazing. You can tell it's a different guage of wire just by the coil size, looks about right to be 8K of 44. What does it sound like?
Haha, amazing. You can tell it's a different guage of wire just by the coil size, looks about right to be 8K of 44. What does it sound like?
Burnin_UP
New member
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
You don't miss much; I didn't even notice that before. Yes, the screw coil is bigger wire.
Maybe now with the slug coil connected right I should connect it.
I think it would be solder the braid to the pot, connect the black wire to hot, tie the red & white together and tape them.
That would be a very odd 12K pickup. With one coil 2x the other.
You don't miss much; I didn't even notice that before. Yes, the screw coil is bigger wire.
Maybe now with the slug coil connected right I should connect it.
I think it would be solder the braid to the pot, connect the black wire to hot, tie the red & white together and tape them.
That would be a very odd 12K pickup. With one coil 2x the other.
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
42 awg is larger in diameter than 43, 44 etc. The Slug coil looks like the bobbin is fuller in the pics.
There's several different ways you could wire that, just remember what you put where. I have no idea what stock was, I'd do something like slug black to black, slug white to white, screw white to red, screw black to baseplate. You would then tape off white & red together, black would be hot, braid would be ground.
42 awg is larger in diameter than 43, 44 etc. The Slug coil looks like the bobbin is fuller in the pics.
There's several different ways you could wire that, just remember what you put where. I have no idea what stock was, I'd do something like slug black to black, slug white to white, screw white to red, screw black to baseplate. You would then tape off white & red together, black would be hot, braid would be ground.
Burnin_UP
New member
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
Oh I see - I thought you were referring to the hookup wires in the photos. The slug coil is indeed fatter. Thanks for the info!
Original wiring is posted above with the photos. So I put it back to that, and fixed the slug-white to red connection, which was broken.
SLUG - black to baseplate, white to red hookup wire
SCREW - white to white hookup wire, black to black hookup wire
BRAID - connected at same point as SLUG black wire, to baseplate
So maybe somebody had a guitar with a dirty fingers t-top and a regular t-top, and swapped the coils?
Oh I see - I thought you were referring to the hookup wires in the photos. The slug coil is indeed fatter. Thanks for the info!
Original wiring is posted above with the photos. So I put it back to that, and fixed the slug-white to red connection, which was broken.
SLUG - black to baseplate, white to red hookup wire
SCREW - white to white hookup wire, black to black hookup wire
BRAID - connected at same point as SLUG black wire, to baseplate
So maybe somebody had a guitar with a dirty fingers t-top and a regular t-top, and swapped the coils?
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
Thats what it looks like. Its interesting to say the least... Might actually sound decent. Hook it up and let us know.
Thats what it looks like. Its interesting to say the least... Might actually sound decent. Hook it up and let us know.
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
Yep, you're right, the way I said would have split to the slug coil, original will split to the screw.
Where did you get this thing from? It's possible that it was previously modded, but I think the hybrid thing is still fairly new, and I'd be kinda surprised if someone was making hybrids from T-Tops. But you never know.
Maybe it's a rewind or other repair job.
Yep, you're right, the way I said would have split to the slug coil, original will split to the screw.
Where did you get this thing from? It's possible that it was previously modded, but I think the hybrid thing is still fairly new, and I'd be kinda surprised if someone was making hybrids from T-Tops. But you never know.
Maybe it's a rewind or other repair job.
Burnin_UP
New member
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
I just finished the swap - hooked it up to a plexi and:
It sounds like a Tele, sort of. Compared to the SD antiquity that was in there, it is thinner with lots of twang and sparkle, less mids, rounder bass, but lower output overall, not a good match with the neck pickup (another SD ant) which it is seriously out of balance with. And that's without the coil split.
It doesn't sound like a humbucker, let alone a T-top.
I just finished the swap - hooked it up to a plexi and:
It sounds like a Tele, sort of. Compared to the SD antiquity that was in there, it is thinner with lots of twang and sparkle, less mids, rounder bass, but lower output overall, not a good match with the neck pickup (another SD ant) which it is seriously out of balance with. And that's without the coil split.
It doesn't sound like a humbucker, let alone a T-top.
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
calling them hybrids is relatively new but dimarzio has been doing it a long time (dual resonance) and plenty of people did what it looks like some one did to this pup, put two coils from different pups on the same baseplate to make a working pup. a friend of mine did it back in the early 80's cause a pup died and he didnt have money to buy a new one. he said it sounded crappy lol
calling them hybrids is relatively new but dimarzio has been doing it a long time (dual resonance) and plenty of people did what it looks like some one did to this pup, put two coils from different pups on the same baseplate to make a working pup. a friend of mine did it back in the early 80's cause a pup died and he didnt have money to buy a new one. he said it sounded crappy lol
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Broken T-Top pickup?
Hmmm, sounds like maybe it's not wired right. Try reversing the wires from one of the coils before you give up on it.
Looking at the picture again you can see the white and black wires are in opposite places, that doesn't necessarily mean that white is start on one coil and black on the other, but your description of what it sounds like makes me think so. Try switching the wires around, it should sound anything but thin and weak compared to an ant. What mag is in it now?
Hmmm, sounds like maybe it's not wired right. Try reversing the wires from one of the coils before you give up on it.
Looking at the picture again you can see the white and black wires are in opposite places, that doesn't necessarily mean that white is start on one coil and black on the other, but your description of what it sounds like makes me think so. Try switching the wires around, it should sound anything but thin and weak compared to an ant. What mag is in it now?
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