Vintage Original 1975 Gibson T-Top Humbucker - Black/Gold

Up for sale is a genuine all original 1975 Gibson T-Top humbucker with rare gold pole pieces — a prime example from the mid-Norlin era, celebrated for their consistent windings and that iconic warm, punchy tone found in vintage Les Pauls and ES models. If you know, you know.

The pickup is in excellent condition for a 51 year-old piece: no cracks, no structural damage, no warping, original winding and leads. The double black bobbins are pristine, with the signature molded “T” on both, and the baseplate has typical light patina and sharpie scribbles of some kind but no corrosion.

I dated this to around 1975 based on key features:

T-Top humbuckers ran from late 1967 to about 1980, getting their name from the “T” on the bobbins. Pre-1975 models usually had patent stickers on the baseplate, but this has the patent number “PAT. NO. 2,737,842” stamped directly into the metal — a shift that started in 1974-1975. Later ones (from 1976-1977 onward) often included ink-stamped dates like “Jan. 15 1976,” and the lack of any here under the scribble points to the early stamped period, before mid-1976. The sharpie scribble on the baseplate (added post factory, most likely by the previous owner), makes the stamped Pat. No. hard to see, but I included multiple pictures angled under the light so that you can see the number stamped. Looking under the light is how I determined no ink stamp for the date. The DC resistance reads a textbook 7.71k ohms, right in the 7.4k–8.0k sweet spot for mid-1970s windings. Gold pole pieces seal the deal: they were matched to gold-hardware guitars and show up in a few 1974-1978 examples, but paired with the no-ink stamped patent, 1975 hits the mark. Gibson’s Norlin production was a bit messy, so it could tip into late 1974 or early 1976, but 1975 is my best call.

Why extra rare? Gold poles were limited to guitars with gold hardware options — think Les Paul Custom, ES-355, or SG Custom — making them a smaller subset of T-Tops compared to the standard nickel ones. This scarcity drives a premium for collectors and restorers chasing that factory-matched look. The thin gold plating can tarnish over time, very few survive this clean and undamaged.

I picked this up as a loose part — already pulled from its original guitar, which would’ve pinpointed the exact model (probably a 1975 Les Paul Custom or ES-355 given the gold). No dice there, but it’s perfect for vintage restorations or hot-rodding a gold-hardware Gibson. Delivers that classic T-Top sound: balanced mids, smooth highs, and tight lows — ideal for rock, blues, or jazz.

As a single rather than a matched set, it’d be great for someone needing a bridge or neck position in a gold-spec build. There’s enough lead for both position.

What you see is what you get. No cover unfortunately (it had a gold one originally, was removed) no screws or springs.

If it doesn’t move soon, I’ll track down period-correct gold screws and cover to bundle, and bump the price.

As on all of my vintage items, no return. There is too much risk for me to receive an item like this one in a different condition then I sent it.

Grab it quick.

Thanks.

Shipping: Fast, FREE, and fully insured US shipping via USPS. I pack every item with extra care to ensure it arrives exactly as pictured.

Offers: I research every item before listing to ensure I’m at the absolute bottom of the market. Since my gear is already priced as the lowest on Reverb for its condition, I am no longer accepting offers. I skip the back-and-forth so you get the best deal immediately.

Returns:

• Vintage Items: Sold As-Described with no returns. These items are too rare and risky to ship back and forth.
• Non-Vintage: Returns accepted within 7 days in original condition, subject to a restocking fee.

About Me: I’ve been a guitar technician for over 3 years, and I’ve decided to sell off my collection of rare parts to fund new projects. Let’s Get Guitarded (also on eBay, Craigslist, and FB Marketplace) is my passion project. I eat, sleep, and breathe electric guitar, and I’m always happy to help other players get their rigs where they want them to be. Thanks for checking out the shop—take a look at my other listings for more cool gear!