Opinions on Gibby T Top PUs

[dogfood]

Lead Up:  So I finally bought a Lester, 77 custom, see New Acquisitions for a couple of bad pics.  She is in sore need of some pick ups.  I'm nearly certain one of the previous owners saw how much T Tops are selling for on ebay and cashed'm in.  Can't be certain of the exact story of how they don't exist in this guitar but the pick ups in it are NOT original T Tops.  I've yet to pull them and figure out exactly what they are.  I knew when I paid for her I would be replacing the pick ups.  The price of the guitar accurately reflected the current condition of the beaut (it is a sweet chunk of wood). 

Question:  Who's got an opinion on the T Top pick ups, they were factory and I've found a pick up builder (Manlius, yes MANLIUS) who builds a T Top clone (also a hot rodded T Top).  I COULD put these in or buy some originals off of fleabay and she'd sound just like she was meant to which could be very very cool.

1) I'm not dead set on T Tops.  Could be the greatest thing since Tracy Lords...or not.
2) I really liked the PAF exact clones I got from JS Moore (think Sweet Home Alabama) that I had in my last fiddle but am not going to buy these exact pick ups again.  I do dig a PAF, maybe from a different company?  Maybe with something other than an alnico 2 design this time, variety being the spice of life and all.
3) Definately looking for something that was a near to the PAF/T Top design.  I like to hear wood from time to time. Pearly Gates/Tres Hombres perhaps...

[Instant Dan]

What up, Dogfood.


RAGER is a big user of T-Tops in his LP's into a Marshall NMV.

When I think of T-Tops, I think of Angus on everything up to Highway to Hell. Brash/Abrasive.

[Baltar]

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Vintage-59-Nickel-Classic-Alnico-V-Humbucker-_c_169.html

I have one of these in the bridge of my Eastwood SG. Beat the hell out of the stock 498 that was in my '92 Studio too.

[Jake]

I've got a Seymour Duncan Antiquity humbucker that is fairly low output with a really nice sweet spot that I might recommend. It's hard to go wrong with any SD though.

[Baltar]

^^^Yep.

[dogfood]

ok took both out last night.  Both have the correct pat # on the base plate.  However, neck pu obviously has a new bananna colored cover.  No T top lived this long with a cover that does not show wear.  And, the bridge pick up doesn't even fit in the hole correctly and has the narrow spacing ala es335 correct spacing.  Looks like someone had the bridge pick up swapped and when they went to sell the axe they bought what they thought was a standard t top and the seller didn't bother to mention it wasn't.  Most likely the the owner found a correct standard t top without a cover on ebay, bought it, bought a new gold cover and made them one.  God only knows what that poor guitar had in it?!  DiMarzio Super Distortions?  Duncan Invaders?  EFUCKINGMGs?!  Oh the humanity!  Still working on the pick up discision.  I installed the Faber locking bridge and locking tail piece last night.  I couldn't get my normal GHS Boomers so I had to get DR strings which sound simuular.  The combo brightened up the sound a lot.  I think I'm going to begin experimenting with differnt strings, I have been playing Boomers for so long now I can't remember what other strings do for a sound.  Quest to be continued.

Jake, is there anyway I could hear a good recording of the SDs clean dirty?  you got my attention.

[Drama]

I never really liked T-Tops personally. I've flipped a couple sets and held on to a couple, you never know, right?

For my money, the absolutely greatest pickups for a Les Paul are the Suhr Doug Aldrich pickups. I run them in several LP's and if it weren't for needing a few different configs I think I'd have them in them all.

They really do it all, and do it all so well.

[dogfood]

https://www.kleinpickups.com/p-320-epic-series-wicked-paf-humbucker-pickups.aspx

Found these guys on the googles.  I like doing business with local cats and these guys are in Denton.  I like the hot rodded PAF sound they are capable of (probably not far off of those Suhrs). 

I should post the pics of the eletronics cavity!  Holy Shit someone fucked up the wiring but good.  So I'm fixing to remove the TTops and have the lead wires replaced with the correct shit by these Klein dudes.  I think I might be able to keep the neck TTop with the Klein PAF in the bridge.  If'n it don't sound like nothing good I'll pull the neck TTop.  After I get that bridge TTop (spaced for a 335 not a Paul) fixed I'm going to sell it to finance the Kleins. 

And just ordered a Fulltone Clyde tonight to go with the new guitfiddle.

[dogfood]