Ultratone Guitars Product Spotlight: The Making of Gibson Pickups

How Gibson Pickups Are Made

All Gibson Gear Pickups utilize advanced construction for maximum performance, even under the most punishing playing conditions. Once you discover how well-made Gibson Gear pickups are, you'll appreciate their value and why they bear the Gibson name. Gibson Pickups continue to be the choice of top professionals around the world!

Tight Between The Pole Pieces Stops The Feedback

Gaps between the pole pieces and unit baseplates of a pickup are sources for sound penetration. This can create unwanted feedback that makes pickups "squeal" when used to overdrive amps. The fit between all Gibson Pickup pole pieces and base plates is tight with absolutely no gaps. Gibson threads the pole pieces through the base plate, which eliminates sound penetration in addition to increasing the structural integrity of the unit.

Magnets Designed For Performance

Gibson magnetizes our own magnets to ensure the total reliability of each magnet's performance. Critical magnetic flux is maintained for the perfect combination of output without sacrificing tonal characteristics.

Machined Pole Shoe

The pole shoe on Gibson Pickups is a critical component. It is positioned between the coil forms and the unit base plate in order to provide support and guide the pole pieces through to the threaded slots. This hand machined manufacturing process is identical to the original methods used during the fifties for Gibson Pickup production. Most pole shoes are stamped and can deform during production. Gibson's machined pole shoes fit snugly in the pickup. A better fitting pole shoe will not vibrate and reduces microphonic effects.

Maple Wooden Spacers

Maple spacers adhere and form to the metal unit base plate and to the coil form when they are compressed in pickup final assembly. They provide additional support for the coil forms and reduce unit vibrations that can cause unwanted microphonic feedback.

Made With High Quality Cover Materials

Gibson Gear uses standard German Silver cover with nickel, chrome or 24K gold plating, which provides additional strength and durability.   The result is more sonically transparent than other materials that are used (such as brass). That means less high-end loss. The optional 24K gold plated cover will last longer and not rub off as do other less expensive gold plating options.

Pickup Options Four-Conductor or Vintage Two-Conductor Wiring

The BurstBuckers, BurstBucker Pro, '57 Classic, '57 Classic Plus, P-90 and Mini- Humbuckers feature vintage style two-conductor leads, while all other models feature four-conductor leads for all wiring variations such as series, parallel or split-coil operation.

Full Wax Potting

Every Gibson pickup is potted in a special wax bath to insure that microphonic feedback due to internal vibration is eliminated. All covered models receive a second wax bath to further protect the pickup.

Explore many varieties of Gibson pickups at Ultratone Guitars.