Need helping dating Gibson Pickup!!!

[Hat Trick 101]

I have a Gibson pickup with that an old guitar tech gave me years ago and I want to find out its age and type if possible. Its uncovered, both rows of pole pieces are adjustable, single conductor wire with metal mesh sheathing covering the clothed clad conductor. Finally, its stamped with 'PAT NO. 2,737,842'. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.

[Elias Graves]

I've never dated a pickup before, but I would imagine the same principles that apply to dating any woman would apply. Though a Gibson is an expensive pickup, so plan on spending money for a nice dinner and maybe dancing.

 

EG

[GuitarNoobie]

http://home.provide.net/~cfh/paf.html

[clay sails]

I've never dated a pickup before, but I would imagine the same principles that apply to dating any woman would apply. Though a Gibson is an expensive pickup, so plan on spending money for a nice dinner and maybe dancing. EG

 

If you're lucky, you might get a blumpie out of it.

[jamdogg]

 

I have a Gibson pickup with that an old guitar tech gave me years ago and I want to find out its age and type if possible. Its uncovered, both rows of pole pieces are adjustable, single conductor wire with metal mesh sheathing covering the clothed clad conductor. Finally, its stamped with 'PAT NO. 2,737,842'. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.

 

 

can you post a pic? i know the dirty fingers pickups have adjustable pole pieces in both rows.

[Hat Trick 101]

Don't have a camera at the moment but I put it on a volt meter and it rated at 16.28K Ohms. Hot as hell!

[BG76]

After PAF pickups were gone, the patent# pickups were next and used from 1962 to 1965. Then from 1965 to 1975 (note overlap) the next Gibson humbucker is known as the "T bucker" or "T top". They are called this because of a "T" that is part of the molding on the front of the two pickup bobbins. These also had the decal with "Patent No 2,737,842" (still the patent number of Les Paul's trapeze tailpiece). The only way to see the "T" is to remove the pickup cover. A small change in late patent# pickups was white PVC bobbin wires instead of black (black was used on pre-1965 humbuckers). Also T buckers can use either slot or phillips head screws to hold the bobbins to the base plate. From 1976 to the 1980s they still used the "T bucker" but now they had the correct patent number stamped in the metal bottom plate (no decal).

 

When buying used Gibson pickups, many people will buy the "Patent No." style with an unopened nickel-plated cover. This pretty much guarentees you'll get a "good" pickup at a fair price (opposed to buying a PAF pickup with the "Patent Applied For" decal intact, which sell for more money). Sonically the nickel plated covered patent# pickups are excellent values, as they are very similar in sound to a real PAF pickup (but are much less expensive). Note if you buy a chrome covered Gibson pickup, it's a crap shoot as to what's inside - it could be either a T-bucker or not (but chances are good it will be a T-Top). For this reason I would generally avoid chrome covered Gibson humbuckers (unless they are really inexpensive), as the odds are against you in hopes of finding a non-Ttop.

 

The pat#s made in the '80s could also have been Shaws or P490s (predecessor to 490T/Rs). The Shaws usually have an ink stamped code on the back, until '85 or so when they stopped doing that, IIRC. Shaws are highly regarded pups. The P490s, not so much. So, depending on when it was made, you might have a t-top, or if it was in the '80s, I'd say you most likely have a P490 or if you were lucky, a Shaw.

 

Patent numbers on baseplates were used into the early 90's. I've seen them used on 500t's, 496r's in early Les Paul Classics. On a 335, they may have been 490t,490r in the early 90's. I see alot of Ebay sellers selling them as 70's or as t-tops! Even, when there is no t-top bobbin, for outrageous prices aswell.

[Hat Trick 101]

Its an uncovered pickup that does NOT have the 'T' top. It does have some numbers inked stamped on the back. It looks like '403' and '485'