Mini Humbucker - Help!

[rbkxiiowe]

Ey up all.

I've just got hold of a couple of mini humbuckers, which are supposedly old (late '60s/early '70s) Gibsons.

I've searched high and low, but can't satisfy myself as to what they are. The dimensions are perfect for a Gibson mini humbucker as is the magnet (which is alnico and exactly the same size as quoted for Gibson's original spec). The resistances are 7.55 and 7.7. They also have the wood shims inside, one thick one thin, the same as the one shown here www.guitarattack.com/winder/minihum.htm .

Here's some clicky pics:







Anyone know anything about mini humbuckers?

Cheers.

[andy]

I can't tell by eye if they are Gibsons or not, but it looks like there is a number on the bottom plate of the pickups- that will most likely be of help.

There MUST be a site somewhere with a list of numbers of Gibson parts, or at least something which might prove or disprove it based on the number configuration. If I come across a site or any info to that effect I'll link to it, but try any 'vintage geek' sites you can, 'cause some folks LOVE their serial numbers! That will probably be your best bet. The only thing is that if it isn't a Gibson part, the chances of finding out what it is fall away rapidly as you move through the bigger brands in the same way.

[rbkxiiowe]

I had no luck on the serial number but I'll try some vintage geek sites.

[andy]

I don't know how much use it will be as it is for PAF pickups, but here is some pretty in-depth humbucker-loving going on!

www.provide.net/~cfh/paf.html

it links from

www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html

so it may be worth having a hunt through there.

Otherwise, so long as they sound good, enjoy 'em!

[rbkxiiowe]

I'm now fairly convinced that they're early Gibson PAF mini humbuckers, but with a stamped PAT. PEND instead of the PAF sticker.

[ChrisK]

early Gibson PAF mini humbuckers, but with a stamped PAT. PEND instead of the PAF sticker

The PAF era occurred when the original Seth Lover patent was in process. The dog-ear mounted mini-humbucker is shown in the Lover patent.



This Gibson link indicates that the Gibson Mini-Humbuckers are actually an Epiphone pickup and design, which doesn't make any sense since, as I mention, the dog-ear mounted mini-humbucker is shown in the Lover patent
www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/Gibson%20Pickups,%20Part%203_%20P-90s/


Your possible Gibson Mini-Humbuckers are likely possible Epiphone Mini-Humbuckers (or seriously not).


The Mini-Humbucker

When Gibson introduced the Les Paul Deluxe in 1969 it borrowed a pickup that had been acquired from Epiphone (which had been purchased by Gibson in the 1950s). The “Mini-Humbucker,” so-called for obvious reasons, is designed along the same principles as the full-sized humbucker and possesses similar hum-cancelling properties, but its smaller size necessitates using coils with somewhat fewer windings, and also presents a narrower magnetic window to sense the strings’ vibrations. These two factors combine for a brighter performance with a little more clarity and definition than that of the full-sized humbucker, along with a slightly lower output, characteristics that many players appreciate.


I'm just confused.

[rbkxiiowe]

Hmmmm... I'm not sure that quote regarding the history of the mini-humbucker is correct. As far as I understand it, Seth Lover was commissioned by Gibson to produce a humbucker that would fit into the P90 mounting, specifically for their Epiphone branded guitars. There weren't any mini-humbuckers before Gibson bought Epiphone.

But then again, that quote is from the Gibson website, so I suppose it must be right.

[lpdeluxe]

Aug 16, 2008 8:45:21 GMT -5 rbkxiiowe said:

Hmmmm... I'm not sure that quote regarding the history of the mini-humbucker is correct. As far as I understand it, Seth Lover was commissioned by Gibson to produce a humbucker that would fit into the P90 mounting, specifically for their Epiphone branded guitars. There weren't any mini-humbuckers before Gibson bought Epiphone.

But then again, that quote is from the Gibson website, so I suppose it must be right.

If you look at Epiphone guitars, the first thing you notice about their electrics is the mini-humbuckers. Gibson carried these over into the '60s Kalamazoo-made Epis along with the Frequensator tailpiece to differentiate them from Gibson. Check out a '60s Epi Sheraton and you'll see minis.

The Seth Lover humbucker is deeper and mounts differently, and will not fit it in the cavity routed for a P90.

The Deluxe came about after Gibson reissued the "wrong" Les Paul in the late '60s (wrong, that is, from the players' perspective). It had P90s instead of the humbuckers everyone wanted. Once Norlin (with notoriously clueless management) figured this out, Jim Deurloo discovered that the Epiphone mini would fit in the cavity routed for the P90s, which allowed Gibson to salvage the bodies already cut for the single coils. A little later, Gibson tooled up for the full size pickups, and the Standard was reissued.

By then, players discovered they preferred the mini sound, so the Deluxe stayed in production into the '80s (including a variation -- talk about going around the barn -- that had P90s installed in the holes routed for the minis.

Gibson also retooled the manufacturing for the minis, making them more like the big ones, but still preserving the peculiar Epiphone mounting system that requires you to adjust the pickup height before you mount it in the guitar.

I have a '70 Deluxe with Seymour Duncan SM-1s (the original Gibson neck pickup died) and I love it to death.

[rbkxiiowe]

This is all I have:





Who knows?

[lpdeluxe]

Here's something I just found:

www.jackofroses.com/guitarparts/prmhs.html

These allow you to install a mini in a guitar equipped with full-size pickups.