SD T-Top Replicas

[Chistopher]

I got an email from the SD Research Lab and I saw a good idea. This isn't very common from the SDRL, but nonetheless, it was there.

Seymour Duncan has covered basically every type of pickups from the Antiquity Pafs to The SLUG. The only thing they haven't covered is the perfect set of late 60s T-Tops. Take how the Seth Lover was designed as the perfect PAF but make a perfect set of T-Tops. Make a set somewhere from ~7.5k to ~8.5k with short bar roughcast A5s, maybe even put a little "T" on em, if Gibson doesn't have a trademark on it.

Who else would get behind this?

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

Don't know if it's necessary. T-Tops were much maligned when they were in production. A knowledgeable forum member once posted that you can put a short bar A5 into a Jazz neck wind and get pretty close to a T-Top.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

Don't know if it's necessary. T-Tops were much maligned when they were in production. A knowledgeable forum member once posted that you can put a short bar A5 into a Jazz neck wind and get pretty close to a T-Top.

But that doesn't have a T on the top, now does it?:laugh2:

But seriously, why can't they put it into production? Change the Jazz wind just enough that it gets closer to the original T-Tops and put a short bar roughcast A5s? I know I'd by a set.

 

[jeremy]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

all t-tops should be right around 7.5k, things were pretty consistent by then

 

[Mincer]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

I am sure the Custom Shop has made them before. But yeah, people used to hate those pickups. They might have been the first pickups people realized 'Hey, I should change these'. Maybe the memory has to fade a bit before they become cool again, as I don't see many other companies offering those either.

 

[Riley]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

As Dave said, the Custom Shop could make a replica set for anyone who was interested... Personally I like T-Tops for certain applications, and would love to see a repro version. I think to do it right though we'd have to make a new humbucker mold with a "T" on it!

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

I am sure the Custom Shop has made them before. But yeah, people used to hate those pickups. They might have been the first pickups people realized 'Hey, I should change these'. Maybe the memory has to fade a bit before they become cool again, as I don't see many other companies offering those either.

People are asking stupid money for original T-Tops on eBay.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

People are asking stupid money for original T-Tops on eBay.

Yeah, it always starts there. Then companies notice it and start offering reissues. It happened with the Tube Screamer, too.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

Mick Manlius supposedly does a T-Top replica. Other winders do too. I have no idea how close they are.

On a side note, Larry Dimarzio probably has the "T" trademarked ...

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

Mick Manlius supposedly does a T-Top replica. Other winders do too. I have no idea how close they are.

On a side note, Larry Dimarzio probably has the "T" trademarked ...

But only in cream.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

But only in cream.

I wouldn't count on that trademark being only in cream. LOL.

 

[AlexR]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

Vineham 6070 pickup, or Brandonwound if you want the T on there already.

But Duncan and Dimarzio got their start as aftermarket replacements for T-tops. Not sure what level of hideous irony it would be to release a T-Top clone.
Even then, there are the occasional T-tops which are reasonably priced still - you just have to look for them.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

I wonder if the custom shop would make me a T-top with double-latte bobbins?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

I wonder if the custom shop would make me a T-top with double-latte bobbins?

I prefer double khaki myself.

 

[dystrust]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

all t-tops should be right around 7.5k, things were pretty consistent by then

The T-Tops in my '77 LPC were 7.5K neck / 7.7K bridge. I wasn't crazy about them, so they were replaced by a CC / Jazz set. I put the stock pickups back when I sold it.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

I always chuckle when I see sellers asking crazy money for pickups that no one wanted when they came in the guitar. Mid to late '70's flat pole strat pickups were awful and you see people asking $1k for a trio.

Far too many great pickup options out there to pay inflated prices for junk simply because it is old.

 

[AlexR]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

^ late 50's bursts also fit that category.

I always chuckle actually when people who took them out for things like the Super D suddenly find the lower output pickups like Shaws and T-tops actually can work better with modern amps. There is SO much preamp gain on tap now that you (and I mean generally decent players able to coax good tones out of responsive pickups) can make anything get to metal levels of drive.
Plus with age you learn about tone much more.......like the young bull/old bull story. Thats when players start to come back to great pickups like T-tops and minihumbuckers.

 

[Aceman]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

I have (practically) 3 70's Gibson, with a total of 7 pickups in them. Only one T-Top remained in the neck of one guitar. I have came close to pulling that on a couple of occasions.

Why on Earth would you want a Custom Shop T-Top, let alone a regular one. The "Replace the pickups" revolution? Guess what the predominantly replaced pickup was....

 

[Darg1911]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

Not total relevant here but wasn't it Sykes who, at one time, had a T-Top in the neck and a Dirty Fingers in the bridge of one (or more) of his LP's ?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SD T-Top Replicas

I have (practically) 3 70's Gibson, with a total of 7 pickups in them. Only one T-Top remained in the neck of one guitar. I have came close to pulling that on a couple of occasions.

Why on Earth would you want a Custom Shop T-Top, let alone a regular one. The "Replace the pickups" revolution? Guess what the predominantly replaced pickup was....

People also forget that people didn't like the original PAFs at first either. Some did end up being the magical spools of wire we all know and love, but many were junk. For every magical pickup, there were 20 some odd sets of garbage. I got the chance to play a '60 Les Paul and the owner had to switch the neck and bridge, then eventually replaced them with Pearly Gates and kept the originals so they could increase in value.