CajunBlues Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I was dicking around a guitar shop the other day and I noticed they had a used T top humbucker for $80.... I assumed that was a good price ?? Don't know... but anyway I was bored and really had nothing better to do than buy it and put it in the neck position of my ES-137... I switched the neck version of an 80's 57 classic (not a plus) in the bridge... The original bridge pickup was a 498T... I think it made my middle position more desireable... The t-top sounds like a 57 classic but slightly louder... not necessarily better... I assume the t top I have is a neck version ?? the pole spacing is the same as a 57 classic neck pickup... but I have no idea... If I come across another $80 tim shaw, I will try it out in the bridge too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rame Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I've seen them listed on eBay for over $150. Not sure if they actually sold for that but either way I'd say $80 is a good deal. Particularly if you like the sound of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzboy Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I'd say snag them if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 T tops sound good, but this isn't a Tim Shaw pickup - they didn't have the T top bobbins. Shaw's have an inked code and date stamp. 137 is neck, 138 is bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted July 9, 2010 Author Share Posted July 9, 2010 T tops sound good' date=' but this isn't a Tim Shaw pickup - they didn't have the T top bobbins. Shaw's have an inked code and date stamp. 137 is neck, 138 is bridge. [/quote'] hmmmmm this one is date stamped for 1979 ?? but no inked code... I think the confusion is from the fact that every t top on ebay is advertised as "Tim Shaw"... Whatever.. Its a 70's gibson pickup.. and it does sound good... But its good you bring this up, because there is some confusion as to really what a Tim Shaw is... I certainly don't know... and ebay just makes matters worse for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 The Shaw's definitely came in around mid 1980 - my early '80 LP Custom missed out on them. They have the inked code and date, no T top bobbins and slightly larger rough cast magnets (like the original PAF's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzboy Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrplayr1976 Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 The Shaw's definitely came in around mid 1980 - my early '80 LP Custom missed out on them. They have the inked code and date' date=' no T top bobbins and slightly larger rough cast magnets (like the original PAF's).[/quoten't The pups in my 80 LP Heritage series Standard 80 just has a date code on them. Hmmm...may not be Shaws? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted July 11, 2010 Author Share Posted July 11, 2010 The pups in my 80 LP Heritage series Standard 80 just has a date code on them. Hmmm...may not be Shaws? Same as my T Top pickup... it has the engraved PAT NO. and a date stamp with month day and year (1979).... Very nice pickup... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrplayr1976 Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Same as my T Top pickup... it has the engraved PAT NO. and a date stamp with month day and year (1979).... Very nice pickup... I may have to pull the covers to see if they are T Tops.... whatever they are they sound good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 It looks like the coded (137 / 138, 372 / 373, 498 / 499) Shaw's did begin mid 1980, but production might have started prior to this with only the inked date codes. I wouldn't remove the covers, but you could measure the DC resistance (I think Shaw's were around 7.3 K). http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131541 http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153465 "Shaw's PAF reissue debuted on Gibson's new Nashville-made Les Paul Heritage 80 in 1980". http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/pickups/29212-tim-shaw-pickup-info-please.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrplayr1976 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 It looks like the coded (137 / 138' date=' 372 / 373, 498 / 499) Shaw's did begin mid 1980, but production [i']might[/i] have started prior to this with only the inked date codes. I wouldn't remove the covers, but you could measure the DC resistance (I think Shaw's were around 7.3 K). http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131541 http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153465 "Shaw's PAF reissue debuted on Gibson's new Nashville-made Les Paul Heritage 80 in 1980". http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/pickups/29212-tim-shaw-pickup-info-please.html Thanks, I'll do that first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 Hit another pawn shop this past weekend and found a t-top that appears to be late 60's or early 70's... Instead of the engraving of the PAT NO. it has a sticker with PAT. NO. on it... NOT "patent applied for".... It was $60... I installed it in the bridge position of my es-137 with the other t-top in the neck... Unfortunately the pickups were out of phase... So I put the 57 classic (modern neck version) back into the bridge of my ES-137... Back to sounding nice... I may play with this new pickup by doing the same thing... T-Top (neck) 57 Classic (bridge)... I just need to find a guitar to do that to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 $60.....? Nice find ! - it's a '65 - '75 T top. http://home.provide.net/~cfh/paf.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrplayr1976 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 It looks like the coded (137 / 138' date=' 372 / 373, 498 / 499) Shaw's did begin mid 1980, but production [i']might[/i] have started prior to this with only the inked date codes. I wouldn't remove the covers, but you could measure the DC resistance (I think Shaw's were around 7.3 K). http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131541 http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153465 "Shaw's PAF reissue debuted on Gibson's new Nashville-made Les Paul Heritage 80 in 1980". http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/pickups/29212-tim-shaw-pickup-info-please.html Ok. I just measured the resistance and they came out to neck : 7.26k ,and bridge: 7.44k . Shaws ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzboy Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 That is about right for Tim Shaw pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrplayr1976 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 That is about right for Tim Shaw pickups. So, I'm guessing with this data, and the date codes these are most likely Shaws ? Thanks Tazzboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzboy Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Do you have any pictures of the pickup that will help determine for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunBlues Posted July 18, 2010 Author Share Posted July 18, 2010 $60.....? Nice find ! - it's a '65 - '75 T top. http://home.provide.net/~cfh/paf.html I considered putting this into my 99 LP custom... But it is so hard for me to mess with this perfect sounding and playing guitar... If I ever swap out the pickups in this guitar, I should be horse-whipped... So, I may just buy an old Epi LP korean Les Paul just to see how this pickup sounds.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrplayr1976 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Do you have any pictures of the pickup that will help determine for me. This is the one I have. The other pup is dated the same month/year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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