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Mystery T-Top- Help ID!

gibsonnerd

New member
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Messages
7
This is my first post!

Years ago my father picked up a second hand Heritage H150CM for cheap at our local Guitar Center. It came with a zebra T-Top in the bridge.. Overall the guitar definitely saw a lot of action.. Anyway we swapped out the T-Top for a SD '59 we had lying around, and the T-Top has been sitting on the sidelines since. I'd like to try it in my '61 RI SG or LP Standard, maybe Heritage H535.. For the life of me I cannot figure out what this pickup is exactly. In some ways it has features of a T-Top, PAF, and unlike any pickup I've seen....

Are there any T-Top experts out there? Here are my notes:
  • T-Top imprints on both coil bobbins
  • DC resistance is 8.34 ohms
  • Maple spacers
  • Zebra with adjustable pole pieces on black side
  • No imprinting or sticker on the bottom of the base plate
  • Pole pieces are gold plated
  • Flathead mounting screws on the base plate with some minor indents probably from disassembly at some point
  • The non-adjustable slugs are like... staggered?? Not a bit sunken like a T-Top, and not flush like a PAF. They are raised and at random height, not set the way Fender does for example...
  • Non-adjustable slugs are kind of beveled
  • The sharpie on the back is not my handiwork
Figuring out how to post photos.... One moment..
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,655
I could be wrong , but I don't think it's a Gibson T-Top pickup .
 

gibsonnerd

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Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Messages
7
I could be wrong , but I don't think it's a Gibson T-Top pickup .
I've thought about that. What looks un-Gibson? Did any other manufacturers have bobbins with Ts imprinted on the top? Maybe it's some type of weird Frankenstein homemade thing.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,655
I've thought about that. What looks un-Gibson? Did any other manufacturers have bobbins with Ts imprinted on the top? Maybe it's some type of weird Frankenstein homemade thing.
If I had to venture a guess that is what I Think that it is someones homemade thing . The T on the slug bobbin does not look right , the slugs do not look right , the wire protruding from the pickup does not look right , the L tool ,mark or lack of does not look right . Now having said all of that at the end of the day what matters is how the pickup in question sounds to your ears . If it sounds good then use it and call it a day .
 

gibsonnerd

New member
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Messages
7
If I had to venture a guess that is what I Think that it is someones homemade thing . The T on the slug bobbin does not look right , the slugs do not look right , the wire protruding from the pickup does not look right , the L tool ,mark or lack of does not look right . Now having said all of that at the end of the day what matters is how the pickup in question sounds to your ears . If it sounds good then use it and call it a day .
Yeah, I do remember it sounding pretty good. I'll put it in my SG and see how it goes! Thanks.
 

Sol

Active member
Joined
Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
Gibson didn't gold plate the slugs, just the screws, so that's interesting.

Have you considered loosening or removing the screws to get a look at the magnet and the underside of the coils ?
Could hold the answer to some questions.
Very interesting humbucker no matter what, I'm really interested to know more.
 

gibsonnerd

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Feb 20, 2021
Messages
7
Does it resemble some Schaller PAF in any way? I think that's what came stock on this Heritage. It also came with that horrible bridge with the little rectangular block string retainer things. I don't think I ever went about identifying the neck pickup, but it was all black..

Maybe this guy swapped bobbins with the guts of another pickup because he liked the way the zebras looked. And that's it.. I agree on the tape, and wire..

Is it pretty straightforward to remove the baseplate? I just take off the screws? There isn't any potting or something?

I recall it sounding really nice, glassy and a little hot. Pretty scooped in the mdis. I'm still holding off on installing it into my SG '61 RI or Heritage H535 with Antiquity PAFs (only two Gibon ish guitars I have in my apartment right now) because I'm in the middle of recording a bunch of stuff, but hope to soon
 

Big Al

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Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,531
Gibson made Zebra Ttop coil pup. Velvet Brick on the walnut The SG. This ain't one. Not Gibson, if it ever was, a sloppy rewind, homemade deal.
 

Hamerfan

Active member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
791
Japanese T-Top made by Aria

Bill from ECP Pickups explains it here:

 
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