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QUESTION
All I every hear about is PAF’S,PAF’S, PAF’S never do I hear anyone rave about a T-Top Gibson humbucker. What is your opinion. Are they good pickups .
REPLY
Thank you for question . I am sure this will stir a bunch of controversy up but what the heck. I Will start by saying they are not my favorites but I Will also add they are good pickups and sound fine and are better than a lot of the later Gibson pickups. Anyone who knows me and who has ready many of my articles and columns will note that the pre t -top Gibson pickups post 1962 are my favorites. I would gladly have a set of those over PAFS ONLY because I personally feel the pre t tops are more consistent as many PAFS vary greatly. I have never really heard a non killer set of pre top from 63-65 period end of story!!!
Back to the T-top pickups. Just because I do not use them does not mean they are not great pickups. Many of the classic rock albums you have listened to and admired for years the guitars used these pickups. So that alone should silence the disbelievers. But again tone is a relative thing and one of a choice and is a personal thing. What I like you may hate an such is life and as it should be.
I love Gibson Les Pauls so lets take that as a starting point. most 1968-1974 les paul customs rock. They are some of my favorite mod;es guitar from that era and they have these pickups. And yes an early 1970′s les paul kills if you get a good one. i still own one and think they are very underrated guitar. I still have the original pickups in them and will leave them as such they sound great and are very versatile from rock to jazz to country to blues. So Yes they are good pickups and yes I like them.
I only prefer the pre t tops probably because I played more blues rock and that have that real Billy Gibbons tone out of the box i love. Those pickups, a marshall and a great guitar is all you need .no pedals no gimmick just turn it up and go , that is what i love. The t-top pickups to me are more middle of te road good for all kinds of music pickup which is probably why Gibson made them . A jazz guy can feel just as at home with them as a blues or rock guy. Gibson I assume was just reaching out to a wider audience at the request of their customers.
Today there is a very strong market for these pickups. And in answer to your question directly yes there is not a lot of buzz about them compared to PAF’S AND Pre T-Tops but in a way that is good. This way they are still affordable as soon as something is hyped you know the price doubles. So I would not overlook this versatile pickup try one and I am sure you will not be disappointed. Remember you are the one who has to like it not me or the rest of a forums members. Music is personal and an inner expression of yourself so check them out
Thank you for your question I hope this helps . If you have any more questions just follow the link below and i will be glad to answer them as soon as I can
JIm Pasch