"The SG" pickups

[rockstarpmk]

Two questions-

 

1. What kind of pickups were used in Gibson's "The SG" from around 1979-80?

 

2. Do they still exist (the pickups)?

 

Thanks!

[RStabe]

Two questions-

 

1. What kind of pickups were used in Gibson's "The SG" from around 1979-80?

 

2. Do they still exist (the pickups)?

 

Thanks!

 

The bridge is called "velvet brick" or "super humbucker" depending on the year. Ver y sweet indeed. The neck is just a standard paf I believe. The brick is not made anymore. You can find them on ebay from time to time.

[rockstarpmk]

Thanks for the info... time to hit ebay!

[80LPC]

I thought the neck pickup was called a Dirty Fingers. Could be wrong though...

 

 

 

[rockstarpmk]

Hey, great pictures! See, I thought they were BOTH Dirty Fingers but somewhere along the way somebody told me that was wrong. You just gave me an idea, though. If there is a way to look up that patent number on the bottom of the pickup, we'll find out for sure what it is... I'm dying to find out because I think they are the best sounding pickups I have ever heard. (I have two of the guitars - "The SG". One of which is my original guitar from when I started playing and another that I found on eBay a couple years ago.)

[80LPC]

Thanks ! This was my first good quality guitar, bought in '79 when they were first imported to the UK. I don't know much about the pickups other than the names Dirty Fingers and Velvet Brick. I measured the DC resistance years ago and I think they were both around 7K ohms. This is not particularly hot, so maybe the magnet material was helping. The patent number seems to be the one granted for the humbucker once the patent had been approved in 1962 I think.

[rockstarpmk]

I searched the patent number- they started putting that on the bottom of the pickups in the early 60's but guess what- It's not the patent for the PAF! They didn't want people doing a patent search and copying the pickup design so they put a different patent number on them- it's the patent number for Les Paul's vibrola bridge or something. Google that patent number and you'll find some interesting stuff.

 

I can't find much about the pickups for these guitars using a Google search, either. I wonder if the "Velvet Brick" became some other pickup or if they just stopped making it.

 

I bought mine in 1980, I think, but the serial number says it's from 1979.

[TattooedCarrot]

Dirty Fingers were stock on V's and Explorers in the 80's (not sure of the exact years 83-89 I think).

 

Dirty Fingers are easily recognizable because they do not have pole pieces, they have double rows of screws.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

That's a T-top, you can see the "T" imprint right on the top of the bobbin.

[80LPC]

Just found an interesting site for Gibson pickup info, but the address will not paste. Type: t top history humbucker into google and select the first result.

There is a T Top halfway down. There is also an interview with Seth Lover where he says the 'T' is just to make sure the bobbins are assembled the right way up.

 

Regarding the Velvet Brick, it's been said that the name was a piece of marketing, inspired by the Red Rhodes 'Velvet Hammer' which was a hot replacement pickup.

[Odinson36]

Dirty Fingers were stock on V's and Explorers in the 80's (not sure of the exact years 83-89 I think).

 

Dirty Fingers are easily recognizable because they do not have pole pieces' date=' they have double rows of screws.

 

[img']http://www.gt-parts-supply.com/image/v_pickup004_s.jpg[/img]

 

and they are HOT !

these babys scream .