Changing out my T-Tops

[your idol]

you can check the value of the caps on a meter, they can some times drift away from original value over time

Pickups often get blamed for an out of spec cap... In especially suspect when one pickup is good and strong and one is weak.

 

[pmonk]

Totally... I also dont know if his pickups are covered or uncovered but uncovered they have a deadly sound when theyre chraged...i play aggressive music and theres waaaay more than enough throttle and bite there uncovered. I understand now that theyre getting older people are less apt to rip the covers off due to value or just general looks but if you wanna get em crankin thats my first suggestion

+1. My 1975 LPDS has plain plate t-tops that just sound sooooooo 70's!

 

[Progrocker111]

I am going to change out my T-Tops for something with more power and wax potted... my Custom has never been touched.... Do you think it's a bad idea? Will it take some value away breaking the original solder welds? I am getting a sweet set of MHD's... I think it will be a great move.. I LOVE the neck pickup in my Lester, but the bridge is just lacking...

I would never consider to swap the T-Tops out of early 70s Custom. They are great match and overall these guitars have fairly original voicing, bright, articulate but still kind of vintage, ideal for old school rock and hardrock. Dont do it.

 

[horand]

I would never consider to take my T-Tops out, if its weak there must be something wrong with it - then get the magnet recharged as Hot-Brit said.

 

[HOT-BRIT]

yup the covers are still on them, the guitar is "virgin".. Never been touched.. I did swap the black plastic to cream plastic, but thats the only change i have ever made to her...

the covers will have to be removed to recharge the magnets s

 

[HOT-BRIT]

yup the covers are still on them, the guitar is "virgin".. Never been touched.. I did swap the black plastic to cream plastic, but thats the only change i have ever made to her...

the covers will have to be removed to recharge the magnets so you can leave them of or have them put back on

 

[Billy Porter]

I'd change the post to new CTS 500k and re-wire 50s style - I'd guess they're 250k-300k and choking the sound

It brought my 73 LPC back to life.

If that doesn't work no harm really done - you'd probably want to do this with new pickups anyhow

 

[blakem]

I'd change the post to new CTS 500k and re-wire 50s style - I'd guess they're 250k-300k and choking the sound

It brought my 73 LPC back to life.

If that doesn't work no harm really done - you'd probably want to do this with new pickups anyhow

Yes!! Thats exactly what I decided today! I think that will help big time

 

[mcbattle]

pffsh, don`t listen to any of us: Get them outta there!

Old t-tops in the bridge don`t work when you play loud. If the pots don`t make noise, don`t change them. Here`s what I tried:
Original T-top in the neck, and a SD Dimebucker in the bridge position. It looks damn ugly, but holy crap it rocks.

The ol`HCB ain`t the prettiest either...

 

[79standard]

they get discharged over time and it is quite easy to get them recharged, ask Rayne at MHD I'm sure he will do it for you, if not there are other winders on the forum who can do it for you

Good idea, Brittanicus. I have 2 t-tops (from a 1980 Firebrand Lester) that have just become less... interesting... over the 29 years that I have owned them, regardless of which guitar I put them in. I dig the patina on those slug poles, though! The visual mojo is strong, plus I have one of them in a Triple Shot ring and I've found that parallel mode sounds good, and the slug coil has soul.

I'd like to keep them, and bring some joy into their little lives.

What about a magnet swap? Lots of talk about that on MLP, but not so much about swapping mags in t-tops.

I've been toying with A3 (like in a Beano VOS) and A4 (like in a Fralin PAF) as well.

Thoughts?

 

[79standard]

...Anyone?

 

[pmonk]

...Anyone?

I have a supposed 1980 Les Paul that would be a nice home for them

 

[HOT-BRIT]

Good idea, Brittanicus. I have 2 t-tops (from a 1980 Firebrand Lester) that have just become less... interesting... over the 29 years that I have owned them, regardless of which guitar I put them in. I dig the patina on those slug poles, though! The visual mojo is strong, plus I have one of them in a Triple Shot ring and I've found that parallel mode sounds good, and the slug coil has soul.

I'd like to keep them, and bring some joy into their little lives.

What about a magnet swap? Lots of talk about that on MLP, but not so much about swapping mags in t-tops.

I've been toying with A3 (like in a Beano VOS) and A4 (like in a Fralin PAF) as well.

Thoughts?

the T-tops come with short Alnico V magnets, I would recommend to swap a full size Unoriented Alnico V as used in Shaw's for the neck and a full size Alnico v in the bridge

 

[79standard]

the T-tops come with short Alnico V magnets, I would recommend to swap a full size Unoriented Alnico V as used in Shaw's for the neck and a full size Alnico v in the bridge

Many thanks for the advice! What would you do if one of the pups was in the middle position of a 3-pickup teak-bodied bolt-on? Not a trick question: one of my t-tops is sitting on my desk and the other is installed with a Triple Shot ring in the middle position of the aforementioned bolt-on. I'd be leaning towards choosing the big UAO5 you mentioned.

 

[79standard]

I have a supposed 1980 Les Paul that would be a nice home for them

They're been messed with: rewired for 4-conductors and shield.

 

[HOT-BRIT]

Many thanks for the advice! What would you do if one of the pups was in the middle position of a 3-pickup teak-bodied bolt-on? Not a trick question: one of my t-tops is sitting on my desk and the other is installed with a Triple Shot ring in the middle position of the aforementioned bolt-on. I'd be leaning towards choosing the big UAO5 you mentioned.

Yes the big UOA5 for middle position

 

[79standard]

Yes the big UOA5 for middle position

Thank you, my friend, for the Good and Useful advice.

Even as-is, with the fading magnet, the t-top sounds good, but my coil-swap DiMarzios are giving it stiff competition, so "good" is no longer sufficient.

I am surprised at how good it sounds split. In fact, sometimes in full humbucker mode I get this harsh midrange bark that seems to be Gibson's baritone answer to the Fender icepick frequency, i.e., not as devastating as the Fender Icepick tone but kind of annoying in its own special way.

It's like the difference between being poked with a needle or hit with a fist.


Not a common phenomenon... I've heard it 5 times in maybe 30 years. Maybe the result of the pup being too close to the strings...

Is this just me?
... or have you experienced this, too? (I notice this most through my excellent little Vox Pathfinder, and not consistently, so I am willing to concede that it may be ear fatigue or something.)

 

[Satch0922]

Sorry you knew this was coming....

T-Tops can't be played loud....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEzwREmdBM]Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Know (lyrics) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[79standard]

Sorry you knew this was coming....

T-Tops can't be played loud....

Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Know (lyrics) - YouTube

Randy and Ozz were a great team, no doubt.

For the record, I never said t-tops lacked balls.
Pepe (LtKojack) did.
He's never been a fan of t-tops, and he's not afraid to say so.

I have played my t-tops stupendously loud, and with proper waxing, they gave me the good stuff without tea-kettle shriek.