School Me On My Silverburst

[TSJMajesty]

It's time I get my 81 LPC Silverburst back in action. I need to find an original bridge PU and put it back to stock, then get it refretted. How do I determine what used PU I need (my original is toast)?

 

[Achilles]

Dimarzio 36th Anniversary or Suhr SSH.

 

[HotRats]

It's time I get my 81 LPC Silverburst back in action. I need to find an original bridge PU and put it back to stock, then get it refretted. How do I determine what used PU I need (my original is toast)?

You will never know for sure.
Being and early 80s Gibson they might have been the so called Shawn pickups or even T-tops

 

[Eagle]

Pictures !!!

 

[la szum]

I'd get a used 498T with the proper cover and call it good.

Glad to hear you are getting up and running again.

 

[Eagle]

It was probably one of these.

But only if you are restoring it otherwise get something good.

 

[TSJMajesty]

It was probably one of these.
View attachment 11952
But only if you are restoring it otherwise get something good.

No it's definitely not that one.
I have to dig em out, but that much I can remember.

 

[norminal]

Pictures !!!

This. How are you going to make a thread about a Silverburst and not post photos @TSJMajesty?

 

[TSJMajesty]

I'll post em.

 

[greatmutah]

Is your neck pickup original? Post pics of the pickup, front and back. May have some ink stamped numbers in it which may help identify it.

 

[TSJMajesty]

 

[TSJMajesty]

Is your neck pickup original? Post pics of the pickup, front and back. May have some ink stamped numbers in it which may help identify it.

They're both original. It's just that the bridge PU is jacked. I effed it up long ago, but I don't remember what I was trying to do.
Maybe take it apart to clean the rust off the pole pieces...?

So the tiny copper lead from one of the coils is just hanging off. And I may not have those 2 screws that are missing in the pic.

 

[Eagle]

That’s a 79 you said 81 that’s why I posted that one. Get if fixed.

 

[TSJMajesty]

That’s a 79 you said 81 that’s why I posted that one. Get if fixed.

Maybe it was leftover. I could've swore I bought it in 81.

Although I'm pretty sure I bought it when I was 16, so that would've been 1980.

So it can be repaired?
Do you know how I can date the guitar from the S/N?

 

[Achilles]

Maybe it was leftover.

NOS. A Silverburst in 79 could have sat on a store wall for ages. Everyone wanted black (Frampton) or sunburst (Page and Frehley) back then.

 

[greatmutah]

That’s a T-Top. Call or email around to see if it can be repaired or even rewound. Maybe hit up someone like Brandonwound pickups? I mention him in particular because he specialized in T-Tops for a while when no one else would.

 

[DrewJD82]

I’m so stoked you’re fixing it up for me!

 

[Jarick]

That’s a T-Top. Call or email around to see if it can be repaired or even rewound. Maybe hit up someone like Brandonwound pickups? I mention him in particular because he specialized in T-Tops for a while when no one else would.

Yeah that's what I would do, send them in for him to check out, can likely repair or rewind, maybe clean them up for you. A pair of T-Tops are worth $500 and climbing, but because you have the original guitar since new, I'd get them restored and keep them just in case you want to swap back.

If you want similar sounding pickups, get a pair of Seymour Duncan Jazz (bridge and neck). Dean Deleo from STP uses late 70's Les Pauls and his tech found that the Jazz pickups were very similar. Also they are well made, easy to find, affordable, etc. I'd get the 4-conductor versions in case you want to coil split unless you want to stay period correct.

 

[TSJMajesty]

NOS. A Silverburst in 79 could have sat on a store wall for ages. Everyone wanted black (Frampton) or sunburtst (Page and Frehley) back then.

Makes sense. But not me. Man, when I saw the Silverbusrt up on the wall, I absolutely feel in LOVE!! Plus, it was unique! A buddy of mine had a Black Beauty same year, and it beautiful of course, yet boring.

I still get chills when I see them on Reverb, the ones that still look new (silver not faded to green.)

The version they did a limited run of in 03 was terrible compared to the original. The black was much thinner, and the entire back was black, neck and headstock. (But I had one of those too for a while! )

The new std they have now doesn't look too bad, but in a way, it's just not right to take an iconic guitar like a LPC SB, and turn out a std version.

 

[norminal]

I still get chills when I see them on Reverb, the ones that still look new (silver not faded to green.)

So wait, yours hasn’t turned green?