Questions about Vintage Gibson Humbucker pickups

[Texsunburst59]

This past Sunday I found and put on layaway a '89/'90 Epiphone Sheraton II guitar

 

The guitar is not 100% stock and has 2 hardware upgrades. 

 

1) vintage Gold Schaller M6 mini tuners 

2) vintage Gold  Schaller Model 492 Quick Change Stop Tail Bar w/ fine tuning adjustable screws(removed by previous owner)

 

Here's where Gibson pickup question comes in. 

 

I think besides upgrading the above pieces of hardware, the previous owner upgraded the pickups as well. 

 

On almost all pictures I've ever seen of these older '89 to early 90's Epi Sheraton guitars, the gold plating on these pickups is almost always rubbed off the tops of both neck and bridge pickups. 

 

I've also noticed that almost all the import humbuckers installed in the Korean, Chinese,etc........ imports guitars, all have phillips head screws for the pickups height adjustment. 

 

I'm thinking that the pickups in this guitar might be vintage Gibson humbuckers for thes reasons

 

1) the pickup height adjustment screws on both the bridge and neck are slotted head screws common to older late 60's  and early 70's Gibson Patten Sticker T-Tops. 

 

2) the gold plating wear on these 2 pickups is consistent with the better quality used on Gibson pickups

 

3) I've never ever seen slotted head screws pickup height adjustment screws used on any import pickups

 

Here's some pics of my Sheraton with pickups in question. 

 

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51349940672_efdfe84b16_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51349946297_752a6a2c43_h.jpg[/img]

 

My Gibson 80's guitars with original pickups all use the phillips head screw for the pickup height adjustment as well. 

 

What are your thoughts on this?

 

Thanks in advance.

[jdgm]

Looks very nice.   I also think it is likely that the pickups may have been changed, because - if they changed the tailpiece....(but why did they remove the adjuster screws? Duh!)......

You won't find out until you have the guitar and can remove the pickups to examine them.  What's with the neck pickup though?  Pole adjustment screws are missing.

Good luck with it - keep us posted.

🎸

Edited August 10, 2021 by jdgm

[Texsunburst59]

17 hours ago, jdgm said:

Looks very nice.   I also think it is likely that the pickups may have been changed, because - if they changed the tailpiece....(but why did they remove the adjuster screws? Duh!)......

You won't find out until you have the guitar and can remove the pickups to examine them.  What's with the neck pickup though?  Pole adjustment screws are missing.

Good luck with it - keep us posted.

🎸

I have no Idea why the previous owner removed the fine tune adjustment screw on the Tailpiece.

As to why the previous owner removed the Balance string to string adjustment screws is a mystery.

One possible theory, is he might have wanted the pickup to sound warmer/fatter/ jazzier?

I've heard removing the screws can accomplish this, but then this is all speculation.

I'll post about the guitar once I get it and inspect the pickups.