The highly coveted T-Top returns, capturing the look, materials, and construction details of originals—without the vintage pricing
One of the most influential humbucker™ voices has returned with the launch of the 1968 T-Top Reissues from the Gibson Pickup Shop. Backed by over 90 years of Gibson pickup innovation, these newly launched reissues bring era‐correct details to today’s players, without the vintage price.
The reissues revive the visual character and voice of the T-Top pickups that Gibson originally produced from 1966-1979, when coil forms were stamped with a “T” on top. Originally a simple production mark used to confirm bobbins were oriented correctly, the detail ultimately gave these pickups their now-famous nickname.
Revered for a voice that was brighter, tighter, and more aggressive than late-50s Patent Applied For designs, original T-Tops became a defining ingredient in classic recordings and have been associated with players including Jimmy Page, Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Pete Townshend, Angus Young, Peter Frampton, Nancy Wilson, Randy Rhoads, Mick Ronson, and Tony Iommi, among many others.
Available in Double Black T-Top and Vintage White T-Top bobbins, the 1968 T-Top Reissue humbucker captures the look, materials, and construction details of original T-Tops, including Alnico 5 magnets, period-correct winding specifications, 2-conductor wiring, and an unpotted build for authentic response and dynamics (with an average DC resistance of 7.5k).
Gibson has been crafting pickups since 1935, when it introduced its first electromagnetic pickup, referred to as the “bar,” which first appeared on the Gibson E-150 Electric Hawaiian. The Gibson Pickup Shop offers a generous range of pickups for every player, from historic, highly coveted vintage recreations to modern innovations, and even Artist Collection designs, made in collaboration with legendary Gibson musicians.
Recent Artist Collection sets include the limited-edition Aged Greenybucker Pickup Set, as featured on the famed “Greeny” Les Paul, which was developed with Kirk Hammett’s guidance and built from specifications taken directly from the actual Patent Applied For humbuckers in his world-renowned 1959 Les Paul Standard, better known as Greeny.
Last year, Gibson also celebrated the return of the Tony Iommi Signature Humbucker, a revival of the first-ever Gibson signature pickup from back in the late 1990s, putting the legendary guitarist’s Black Sabbath tone in the hands and guitars of fans all over the globe.
The 1968 T-Top Reissue humbuckers are available worldwide now through the Gibson Pickup Shop online, Gibson Garage locations, and authorized Gibson dealers.
