T-Top Clones

[cheapmadman]

Hey guys, I am working on an ESP Explorer a friend sold me for next to nothing. Its missing all the electronics and hardware so I am trying to decide what to do for everything. I am thinking hard about putting some t-top clones in it. The guitar will likely be mostly used for stuff like 80s metal and thrash at the heaviest. I know people usually use hotter pickups for that, but I am curious about t-tops as I have never used them before.

So, what do you guys recommend for t-tops? I am seeing quite a few makers of them and cant begin to decide which direction to go.

 

[lunchbox]

Ummmmmm......what about just buying some T-Tops?

 

[winexprt]

Mick at Manlius wound me a T-Top for the bridge in my 2011 Trad Plus.

Excellent pickup, great price and stellar customer service. I can't recommend him enough.

T-Top Replica from Manlius Pickups – Manlius Guitar

 

[LtKojak]

Bill Megela of Electric City Pickups is THE MAN to contact about anything T-Top.

Contact Us

HTH,

 

[kakao]

Get originals .. .why copies?

 

[ARandall]

Because copies will be cheaper - T-tops are getting silly expensive.

 

[bassmannlespaulman]

Throbak new pre t 301 sets. ..I think they are more patent # sticker style pickups. ...either way I'm buying the short 2 & 5 set for my sg custom & a long alnico 4 set for my es-335

 

[SWeAT hOg]

Because copies will be cheaper - T-tops are getting silly expensive.

I like my copy better than the original T-Top it replaced. Craig at Vineham Pickups will wind you a sweet clone he calls a '6070'. I got mine in a week and I have not seen anybody price as low as Craig (US$75-delivered to your mailbox!). Highly recommended.

"6070's"

These recreate the classic tones of the late 60's and 70's and of course, all the modern tones you love so much. We use a custom short rough-cast Alnico 5 magnets and SPN magnet wire with matched coils to recreate the classic t-top tone in the neck position. The bridge pickup has a hot, heavy and punchy tone to push into overdrive more easily. Who doesn't like AC/DC or Black Sabbath crunch?

Bridge 8.8k - Neck 7.8k

Humbucker_pickups

 

[cheapmadman]

Wow looks like I have a ton of options, thanks for the recommendations guys!

 

[Coldacre]

James @ ReWind does a mean T Top. got one in the bridge, sounds stellar in my '13 Trad.

first 50 seconds - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se1Ijr4_XM4

 

[TM1]

I've got six original "stickered" T-Tops. the problem with original T-Tops that I wish I knew about 40 years ago was the inconsistency of the magnets. You never knew back then if you got a weak A-II or a strong A-V until it was in the guitar. Aftermarket Magnets? Not back then. I ended up putting long A-IV magnets in all of mine and the tone is wonderful. Very clear, great note detail and articulation, sound great clean or cranked.
But I never knew back in the early `70's why some sounded good and other didn't. I do know that the red Polysol wire was pretty much all that they used and the Swiss made Meteor Winder are two key parts to why they sound like they do.
I do have to give Jon Gundry/Throbak a big Plug here as he shared alot of info with me on T-Tops.
The Throbak Pre-T-301's are incredible if you are looking for that sound of the post PAF pickups. I put a set in my `63 Block Reissue ES-335TDC. It sounds exactly like all the ES-335's made between `63-`early `66. I've played (and owned) a few of them over the last 45 years.
To me there are 3 distinct Gibson sounds from the humbuckings: PAF's, Pre-T's and T-Top's. Each have their own unique sounds.

 

[kakao]

Because copies will be cheaper - T-tops are getting silly expensive.

Nor really, I've got 4 T Tops pups recently, all in the range $80-$90 each

 

[Progrocker111]

To me there are 3 distinct Gibson sounds from the humbuckings: PAF's, Pre-T's and T-Top's. Each have their own unique sounds.

Totally agree on this.

How would you describe the difference between Pre-Ts and T-Tops?

 

[jbash]

Got a set of Rewind T tops. Bridge is from his JPPOST72 set, neck wound to match. Excellent pickups. Highly recommended.

 

[ARandall]

Nor really, I've got 4 T Tops pups recently, all in the range $80-$90 each

Then you've stolen them.

They usually sit in the $200-250 range apiece.

Are you sure you've not just got 490R or T's??

 

[thrashmetl]

I second contacting James at Rewind. I've got his T-Top in the bridge of my LP and it's amazing. All T-tops were the same, so just buy two of them, they were all wound to roughly the same spec.

Highorder pickups also do some T-top clones too.

I hate to say that the Vineham's mentioned above don't resemble T-top specs. T-tops were usually wound to an average 7.5k each, but sometimes varied between 7.2k and 7.8k tops.

 

[SWeAT hOg]

I second contacting James at Rewind. I've got his T-Top in the bridge of my LP and it's amazing. All T-tops were the same, so just buy two of them, they were all wound to roughly the same spec.

Highorder pickups also do some T-top clones too.

I hate to say that the Vineham's mentioned above don't resemble T-top specs. T-tops were usually wound to an average 7.5k each, but sometimes varied between 7.2k and 7.8k tops.

Vineham winds his bridge '6070' a little hotter, but his neck pup is right there. Sort of like a 'T-Top+', the way the 57 Classic+ is wound. I've owned both and feel like I know what I'm talking about, rather than speculating through numbers on a screen. I like the Vineham copy better than the vintage T-Top it replaced. When I sold that T-Top (for a ridiculous $200, who said 'there's a sucker born every day?') I had a feeling like I had done something very wrong. How delighted I was to receive an even better pup for less than half the price of what the original fetched.

 

[thrashmetl]

Vineham winds his bridge '6070' a little hotter, but his neck pup is right there. Sort of like a 'T-Top+', the way the 57 Classic+ is wound. I've owned both and feel like I know what I'm talking about, rather than speculating through numbers on a screen. I like the Vineham copy better than the vintage T-Top it replaced. When I sold that T-Top (for a ridiculous $200, who said 'there's a sucker born every day?') I had a feeling like I had done something very wrong. How delighted I was to receive an even better pup for less than half the price of what the original fetched.

Different strokes for different folks. Winding a T-top hot defeats the entire point of a T-top FOR ME. I love the lower output of a regular old T-top, it adds detail that I love over a hotter wound pickup. I've heard lots of great things about Vinehams, I'll probably end up picking up one of his P-90's once my tax refund comes in. Not trash talking, just my opinion on T-tops. If it ain't broke…. I'm sure he'd wind a regular one too.

 

[OldBenKenobi]

Different strokes for different folks. Winding a T-top hot defeats the entire point of a T-top FOR ME. I love the lower output of a regular old T-top, it adds detail that I love over a hotter wound pickup. I've heard lots of great things about Vinehams, I'll probably end up picking up one of his P-90's once my tax refund comes in. Not trash talking, just my opinion on T-tops. If it ain't broke…. I'm sure he'd wind a regular one too.

I have a Manlius Vinyl, which is a T-Top wound to 8.2k. On 10 it's strong with more lower frequencies but if I roll the volume back a notch those frequencies get filtered out and I get the classic T-Top sound with more clarity and detail.

 

[kakao]

Then you've stolen them.

They usually sit in the $200-250 range apiece.

Are you sure you've not just got 490R or T's??

What do you think?