T Tops - Did We Forget these Pickups?
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- Опубліковано 24 тра 2022
- In this video, I spend some time exploring the history of one of Gibson's best pickups, the T-Tops.
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Really liked the History and Those sound really really Good !!!
Awesome, thanks so much!
I bought a 335 in Nov. 23! It has the t tops on it! I will not be changing these pickups, as they are indeed fantastic!👍
t tops are hands down my favorite pickups.
T-Tops were produced right up into the early 80's. Also Gibson never hand wound PAF's. They were inconsistant because of human error concerning # of winds on machines that didn't have auto-stop or programmable winds. Also the wire they ordered had inconsistencies throughout it's length in dimension and Ohm rating. Nice sounding pickups either way.
A little known fact about the Patent Number Pickup. Gibson did not want anyone to figure out how to build the PAF or Patent Number Pickup so hen they decided to put the Patent Number Sticker on the base plate the Patent Number they used was not the correct patent number. It was the patent number for a trapeze sting catch from an early Les Paul guitar so when anyone tried to look it up at the Patent Office they still could not find the plans to build the pickup in the archives. I got this information from a recorded interview with Seth Lover.
Recently bought myself a set of t tops from 1975. They really are a nice pickup, both clean and overdriven. What I look for is clarity in the neck position especially and these pickups have it in spades.
So awesome! I’m pumped you found a good set and have been enjoying them!
T tops were made from like 66 to 68 to about 80. And there's like 3 versions of t tops and they used short alnico 2 and short alnico 5... sometimes even long alnico 4... they're more jangly and brighter than PAFs and PAT#
I have a set dated March 1980 in my black custom and they just sound phenomenal. The purists will say the earlier ones sound “better” but these are just killer and do everything well.
Great info Cam!
The dynamics response and subtly of the R tops was really impressive. Love the video and the Gibson lore 👍🏻
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
I love T-Tops. My favorite pickup style yet i do not own an original or clone. Played a 67 SG Standard and I was informed the original pickups were still in the guitar and I just loved it. Clean was so pristine and of course having some dirt gave me that rock n roll sound I love. Need to get me some t-tops. I hesr brandonwound and manilus do some t-tops as well.
Randy Rhoads had stock T-Top Pickups in his Les Paul. I don't understand why they stopped making them. I recently read there's a newer "T-Type" which is supposed to be the successor to the T-Top. No one has made a video to compare the two as far as I know. I'm incredibly curious to see if there's major differences in sound. Great video and Info!
This is a great idea and definitely worth exploring! Also, if memory serves correct, they weren’t a model that had a beginning or end, they were simply evolving specs.
I have a set of T tops in my 1980 LP custom silverburst (built in the Nashville factory) and they are some of the best, most beautifully responsive pickups I've ever heard. Some of that has to do with the guitar itself but I've also played a 1975 SG standard, and it too had such an amazing resonance and response. I like to play both very clean sounds and extremely high distortion chugging and leads, sometimes drop tuning, and they handle all of that in a way that to me seems so much more full of life than any Seymour duncan or dimarzio. I know this seems like a long, biased opinion but i just had to express my love for these pickups. I played for about 7 years before i got my hands on my Les Paul and it absolutely blew me away
I’ve got a set in my 1980 custom as well. (Black with nickel hardware) the TTOPs are dated March, 1980.
@@Paquette011 i believe mine are dated April of 1980
Thank you
Thank YOU!
Great video man. You’re right, lots of emphasis on everything but the pickups.
It’s such a shame too, because there are so many incredible builders out there!
Everyone overlooks the pickups and if they do change them, they don’t spend the money to get a quality upgrade they just take it up a little instead of really advancing their tone.
Have decal style ttop humbuckings in my 1974 tobacco sunburst les paul standard reissue also a decal style one in my fender strat(bridge) ,they are the sht!,,!❤
Love it!
As I am on a search for vintage voiced humbuckers for my new guitar, your video came in handy. And I must say that that is a very well informed and non-biased video about all the mythology sorrounding PAFs pups and "T Tops". Thank you dude. All the best!
Thanks! Very kind of you to say and I’m happy I could help!
Hey I just put up my Tim Shaw on reverb, look for the listing made in Sweden. 😊 It's the less expensive than the other listings.
TTops were definitely still used after 75. My LPC came with them. Too bad you didnt play actual TTops in a video about Ttops
Pat No stamped T-tops were made till 1980. Now the real question is - is there a different between the earlier Pat sticker and later Pat No baseplate stamped T-tops? Some people suggested yes, because they used different magnets.
Excellent video - very well done
Thanks, Jack! Appreciate the kind words!
Great video!
Whats your opinion on how the patent number 65-75’ T-tops compare to something like the Seth Lover SH-55 set?
T tops have cleaner/clearer highs and more articulate
I have a set of t tops from my 76 gibson lp standard like everybody i put demarzio paf's in it anayway ive had these in my puckup box forever now i find out thay are cool again ha ha gonna put them in my epiphone korena 58 flying v ans see if they sound better than the jb bridge and 59 neck do they are overpowering the sound of the guitar i dont have to pay is the best part i own them ps im 69 so this was the standard gibson pickup on all guitars in the line cheers
What pickups are in the Trini?
Those in ears seem like a better deal than my 64s!
I read on a blog by Iron Man pickups that T Tops were made until 1980 and not 1975 as stated in this Vid. I also have an early first year 1981 Dot 335 reissue with stamped patent number base plates that are highly likely to be Tops ( i have no wish at this time to risk the stability of the pickups with attempting to unsolder the covers to check). Can anyone give any further clarity on this? Thanks.
Try reaching out to Carter Vintage in Nashville. Those folks are awesome.
It could be a Tim Shaw as well. Does it have short legs?
You would have to take them off to really tell, but the early dot neck 335 reissue usually have the early Tim Shaw PAF reissue humbuckers. The Shaw PAF reissue was many ways timed for ES-335 Dot Neck Reissue. The Shaw started appearing in late 1980 and basically replaced the T-Top in many Gibson guitars until the 86 or so. The next time you change strings, you could simply take one of the pickup rings off. The early Shaw PAF reissues often have a rubber stamp date code on the pickup bottom. The Shaw stamp will have a rubber stamp of 6 to 8 numerals depending on the guitar they were going into and month the pickups were made. The last of the T-Top also have a date stamp, but it will have a month, date and year. Gibson started doing the rubber stamp in 78 or so.
Unless the pickups have been changed, I would think your guitar has Shaw pickups. My 85 335 has pickups with 6 numeral date stamps while my 83 Howard Roberts Fusion II had a 8 numeral stamp Shaw in the neck and a tarback "Super Humbucker" in the bridge(original to the HR II model. The bridge was really dull sounding). That guitar now has a set of T-Top pickups from the early 70's which are more flattering. Some people really love the Shaw PAF. I don't like them in a Les Paul, but think they sound great in an ES-335. If a guitar from 81 has later T-Top pickups, it would one of "The Paul" guitars that usually sported uncovered T-Top pickups with black bobbins.
PAF, Patent # then T-Top
there are t tops in 1979 gibson the paul
Great point. This is why I couldn’t be specific!
I had a 76 Les Paul standard with T tops
I tried many guitars back then. The T tops weren’t terrible, but I didn’t like them.
After listening to you play them, I’m still don’t like them.
I’d Never use a potted pickup.
Potting kills harmonics and doesn’t let them breath.
Potting is a pickup killer
T tops aren't wax potted
I have the modern Gibson version of the T-Tops in my 335. I like them, but confess I like the Trini better. Maybe a case of eternal lust? :)
You’ll ALWAYS have a case of the lusts when it comes to the Trini!
Early bird gang!
Nice!
Wait, so you’re doing a topic about T tops, but you’re using an aftermarket pickup that “does their own take on a T top” for the demos? I really wish people would stop doing this in their videos. Sorry for the criticism, but just yesterday I was watching a video about the uniqueness of the Gretsch Filter’Tron pickup, except they were using a Lollar pickup in the demo. This is kind of like doing a video about the Stratocaster, but using a PRS Strat copy in the demo.
Jeez🔥
First step is to actually get an electric😂The pickups will have their place after even more saving
Good luck and thanks for watching!
$200 for the R top bridge pickup!? Lol no f'n thank you. Plenty of builders that make them for under a hundred.
brandonwound t tops are awesome