What are T-Top pickups
- Thread starter JB6464
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sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: What are T-Top pickups
Not bad-sounding pickups at all, IMO.
Not bad-sounding pickups at all, IMO.
marvar
New member
Re: What are T-Top pickups
You know, I was just thinking about this the other day- there should be thousands of these pickups around. Back in the day, everyone was replacing their stock pickups with Dimarzio super distortions, I always wondered what happend to all those T top pickups.
They were the stock pups for most gibson's of the era. I didn't think there was anything really special about them. Just a stock Gibson pickup.
I also wonder what happend to all the guitars that people routed out for Kahler and Floyds from that era.
You know, I was just thinking about this the other day- there should be thousands of these pickups around. Back in the day, everyone was replacing their stock pickups with Dimarzio super distortions, I always wondered what happend to all those T top pickups.
They were the stock pups for most gibson's of the era. I didn't think there was anything really special about them. Just a stock Gibson pickup.
I also wonder what happend to all the guitars that people routed out for Kahler and Floyds from that era.
Franluthier
New member
Blue_Fingers_Jay
New member
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: What are T-Top pickups
Kahler was a little later. I think Tim Shaw pickups were the predominant pickups to be replaced by Super Ds.
In general, these pickups were probably thrown away. Even if people realized pickups could have value these were not PAFs, so into the trash they go after the wife complains for a couple years about the clutter (sorry, but it's true).
Or they end up in random guitars. I got a 1976 piece of what is probably an epoxied Ttop in a 1980 Ibanez Blazer, essentially with no up-price for the Blazer.
Kahler was a little later. I think Tim Shaw pickups were the predominant pickups to be replaced by Super Ds.
In general, these pickups were probably thrown away. Even if people realized pickups could have value these were not PAFs, so into the trash they go after the wife complains for a couple years about the clutter (sorry, but it's true).
Or they end up in random guitars. I got a 1976 piece of what is probably an epoxied Ttop in a 1980 Ibanez Blazer, essentially with no up-price for the Blazer.
SAVAGE DISTORTION
New member
Re: What are T-Top pickups
I always loved micheal schenkers tones when he used them with UFO
I always loved micheal schenkers tones when he used them with UFO
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: What are T-Top pickups
My '60 ES-355 had one original paf for the bridge pickup and a 70-something T-Top for the neck that a previous owner had installed. It was a stock 70's T-Top and was the best Gibson humbucking neck pickup I ever used! I had some 50's pafs and installed one in place of the T-Top to make the guitar "original" again. Didn't sound as clear or as as lively as the T-Top. Surprised the heck out of me and I put the non-original T-Top back in again.
Lew
My '60 ES-355 had one original paf for the bridge pickup and a 70-something T-Top for the neck that a previous owner had installed. It was a stock 70's T-Top and was the best Gibson humbucking neck pickup I ever used! I had some 50's pafs and installed one in place of the T-Top to make the guitar "original" again. Didn't sound as clear or as as lively as the T-Top. Surprised the heck out of me and I put the non-original T-Top back in again.
Lew
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: What are T-Top pickups
is there a comparable pickup being made by the well-known companies so that I could do a mental comparison?
is there a comparable pickup being made by the well-known companies so that I could do a mental comparison?
W
WGTP
Guest
Re: What are T-Top pickups
Wow, I was there and didn't know why they were called a T-top. I'm sure there are lots of them laying around. I gave my guitar tech a gold plated pair out of a Les Paul Custom that I had put SD's in.
It's sort of funny, that Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio both sort of got started by bashing the stock '70's Gibson pickups as not sounding as good or having as much output as the '50's pickups due to smaller magnets and different wire. That is when aftermarked PAF/'59 pickups took hold, to get that old Les Paul sound like Clapton, Page, Beck, etc. The JB's, Customs Distortions, etc. were to make up for the lack of output of the stock Gibsons. Since amps didn't have master volumes at the time, a hotter pickup was the answer. They didn't contribute noise like the BOOSTERS of the day and had a fatter/bigger tone.
Thanks to SD and DM, sharing info, we all know way more about pickups now than we did in the '70's. I still think the T-top has sort of a whiny tone compared to aftermarket pickups, but I'm sure some folks will like it. I wouldn't trade it for a Full Shred or Pearly Gates. IMHO
Wow, I was there and didn't know why they were called a T-top. I'm sure there are lots of them laying around. I gave my guitar tech a gold plated pair out of a Les Paul Custom that I had put SD's in.
It's sort of funny, that Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio both sort of got started by bashing the stock '70's Gibson pickups as not sounding as good or having as much output as the '50's pickups due to smaller magnets and different wire. That is when aftermarked PAF/'59 pickups took hold, to get that old Les Paul sound like Clapton, Page, Beck, etc. The JB's, Customs Distortions, etc. were to make up for the lack of output of the stock Gibsons. Since amps didn't have master volumes at the time, a hotter pickup was the answer. They didn't contribute noise like the BOOSTERS of the day and had a fatter/bigger tone.
Thanks to SD and DM, sharing info, we all know way more about pickups now than we did in the '70's. I still think the T-top has sort of a whiny tone compared to aftermarket pickups, but I'm sure some folks will like it. I wouldn't trade it for a Full Shred or Pearly Gates. IMHO
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JeffB
Let it B
Re: What are T-Top pickups
GREAT pups- as stated, small mag, lower wind- in the 7.5K range.
Amazing in the neck, depends on the guitar for the bridge- Tends to sound much better in a Explorer or V than a Les Paul or SG.
Nothing all that close in the Duncan lineup-cross a Jazz with a Seth and that would be about right :smash:
FYI- there were TONS more T-tops produced than Shaw's. Shaw's were very limited use in the very late 70s, very early 80s.
GREAT pups- as stated, small mag, lower wind- in the 7.5K range.
Amazing in the neck, depends on the guitar for the bridge- Tends to sound much better in a Explorer or V than a Les Paul or SG.
Nothing all that close in the Duncan lineup-cross a Jazz with a Seth and that would be about right :smash:
FYI- there were TONS more T-tops produced than Shaw's. Shaw's were very limited use in the very late 70s, very early 80s.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: What are T-Top pickups
I liked the neck T-top in my '60 ES-355 a lot...but that was before the Seymour Duncan Company even existed.
Now that I've owned Duncan Jazz and Pearly Gates neck pickups, I doubt I'd prefer the T-Top over those. First time I plugged in a Hamer that came with the Jazz neck my impression was that I was hearing the clearest neck humbucker, with the most extended harmonics, I'd ever heard! I was very impressed.
Lew
Wow, I was there and didn't know why they were called a T-top. I'm sure there are lots of them laying around. I gave my guitar tech a gold plated pair out of a Les Paul Custom that I had put SD's in.
It's sort of funny, that Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio both sort of got started by bashing the stock '70's Gibson pickups as not sounding as good or having as much output as the '50's pickups due to smaller magnets and different wire. That is when aftermarked PAF/'59 pickups took hold, to get that old Les Paul sound like Clapton, Page, Beck, etc. The JB's, Customs Distortions, etc. were to make up for the lack of output of the stock Gibsons. Since amps didn't have master volumes at the time, a hotter pickup was the answer. They didn't contribute noise like the BOOSTERS of the day and had a fatter/bigger tone.
Thanks to SD and DM, sharing info, we all know way more about pickups now than we did in the '70's. I still think the T-top has sort of a whiny tone compared to aftermarket pickups, but I'm sure some folks will like it. I wouldn't trade it for a Full Shred or Pearly Gates. IMHO
I liked the neck T-top in my '60 ES-355 a lot...but that was before the Seymour Duncan Company even existed.
Now that I've owned Duncan Jazz and Pearly Gates neck pickups, I doubt I'd prefer the T-Top over those. First time I plugged in a Hamer that came with the Jazz neck my impression was that I was hearing the clearest neck humbucker, with the most extended harmonics, I'd ever heard! I was very impressed.
Lew
SonofaMitch
New member
Re: What are T-Top pickups
love mine took the original bridge out of my les paul custom, and threw it in the neck of my Explorer, sounds awesome in the neck position in both my Paul, and explorer...too weak for the bridge tho IMO
love mine took the original bridge out of my les paul custom, and threw it in the neck of my Explorer, sounds awesome in the neck position in both my Paul, and explorer...too weak for the bridge tho IMO
