$3700 1959 GIBSON LES PAUL ZEBRA PAF HUMBUCKER?!?!

[Mr_You]

I've never been into zebra pickups in the past. But I picked up a Vintage Sunburst PRS Hollowbody I and for some reason I'm feeling nostalgic and so "for fun" I decided to get a Seymour Duncan Jazz/JB zebra set versus black. I think they will look and sound great on this one.

In searching for info on zebra pickups I came across this ebay auction. $3700 for a pickup?!?! I guess I don't know the value of vintage instruments these days.

Does anyone happen to know any history about zebra pickups?

From what I can gather, they are vintage PAF pickups with the covers removed and some years/months Gibson happened to mix white and black bobbins. And it seems these vintage pickups became popular in the eighties, after which aftermarket manufacturers began to copy the look.

 

[Charlie]

Whoever is selling those pickups is a total crack-head.

 

[recto-robbie]

Id rather buy a new MarkIV and a Stiletto Ace. I think I could get some real nice tones out of them. You think?

 

[Rampage]

A vintage PAF can easily fetch upwards of $4500. I have seen numerous auctions and websites selling sets of the two original PAFs, the original 4 pots, wiring, capacitors, and input of a 1959 LP for over $12k. It is all a complete ripoff, but I mean hell, if you are a collector and have the disposable income, why not? Personally I'd rather buy a IIC+ and pocket some cash, but whatever floats your boat as the saying goes.

 

[Mr_You]

Here's some info from everyones Friend(R):

"Zebra pickups - resulting from mismatched colors of pickup bobbins. Originally found in late 1950s Sunburst Les Pauls, the bobbins became visible when players removed pickup covers to supposedly enhance the sound. Zebra pickups are prized by collectors as further indication of a Sunburst Les Paul’s authenticity."

 

[Guitarzan]

That guy's a tool.

 

[devilrob1979]

I've seen the pickup mounting ring for the bridge pickup in a '59 go for over a thousand dollars. Crazy.

 

[73h Nils]

I am utterly disgusted. :shock:

 

[wsnell]

I wonder why he would take the pickups out of a '58 Les Paul?

 

[Rocky]

when you consider the value of an all original vintage Les Paul then the price on those pickups is right in order. Having one pot changed can drop the value of a vintage piece....having the original pickups is critical to getting max value.

 

[phyrexia]

For ****'s sake the instrument would be worth like half a million dollars.

 

[devilrob1979]

Well it's a lot easier to offload a stolen guitar's parts than it is the guitar itself.

 

[MKIII]

Got it in one devilrob....

How else do the theiving muppets launder our stolen gear through eBay?