Adrian, Janick and Dave's guitars and Steve's basses

[Maiden Australia]

Ok, I think I have worked out what the neck pickup in Adrian's LP Goldtop Deluxe is.

Adrian has stated that the neck pickup is from a Firebird. It isn't. Here is a photo of an unmodded 1972 Les Paul Deluxe that was for sale in Germany:

Google Image Result for https://guitarpoint.de/app/uploads/products/1972-gibson-les-paul-deluxe-goldtop-light-weight/Gibson72LPDLGT618994_19.jpg

What's important is that Gibson only stamped the pickup covers with "Gibson" in 1972. Also, when the neck and bridge pickups are installed in positions where they were designated to be, the "Gibson" stamp on the covers faces the same way. Here is Adrian's LP in it's "stock" days, during Urchin or very early days with Maiden.

View attachment 45538
As you can see, both mini humbuckers on the LP are stamped. Which means that Adrian's LP Deluxe is a '72. Now, the "Gibson" stamps are going upwards if we look from bridge up. Screw polepieces are where they should be.

Now, here is a photo from the Gangland playthrough video.

View attachment 45539

You can see that the "Gibson" stamp is still facing the right way. However, screw polepieces are now on the other side. We know that Adrian's LP had soapbar Super Distortions in the Killers era, so both pickups were removed. It was routed for a full bridge humbucker in the bridge position before TNOTB and the neck position was filled by... The original BRIDGE pickup. So, contrary to what Adrian said previously (it being a Firebird pickup), the neck pickup in the goldtop is in fact the guitar's original bridge pickup.

I thought It was common knowledge the the LP neck pickup was the original bridge pickup.

 

[Iron Brody]

Would a Firebird bridge pickup be visually different from the equivalent from an LP Deluxe? I know the internals are totally different, but I always thought they looked identical externally.

Yep! The firebird pickups don’t have pole pieces

For example, a Firebird pickup:
Vs. the LP Deluxe style minihumbucker

 

[Pinkoboe]

Yep! The firebird pickups don’t have pole pieces

For example, a Firebird pickup:View attachment 45550
Vs. the LP Deluxe style minihumbucker
View attachment 45551

Ah hah! I learned something today. Thanks!

 

[matic22]

I thought It was common knowledge the the LP neck pickup was the original bridge pickup.

Not really. And nobody never confirmed it. Adrian just said that it's a firebird pickup.

 

[matic22]

Yep! The firebird pickups don’t have pole pieces

For example, a Firebird pickup:View attachment 45550
Vs. the LP Deluxe style minihumbucker
View attachment 45551

And this is specifically a 1972 Gibson mini humbucker as it has Gibson stamping on it. They only did this in 1972.

 

[Maiden Australia]

Not really. And nobody never confirmed it. Adrian just said that it's a firebird pickup.

I just looked at images from I think the final frontier tour and noticed that it was the orignal bridge, I'll try and find the photo.

 

[Maiden Australia]

 

[matic22]

I just looked at images from I think the final frontier tour and noticed that it was the orignal bridge, I'll try and find the photo.

You can reverse the neck pickup, you know (Greeny Les Paul had its neck pickup reversed by Peter Green's repair man, then turned back by Gary Moore and then reversed again in the 90's).

The only way to really tell it is indeed the original bridge pickup is the Gibson stamp.

 

[Maiden Australia]

You can reverse the neck pickup, you know (Greeny Les Paul had its neck pickup reversed by Peter Green's repair man, then turned back by Gary Moore and then reversed again in the 90's).

The only way to really tell it is indeed the original bridge pickup is the Gibson stamp

Yeah I know that, but if you look VERY closely you can barley see the stamp. I didn't know that it was limited to 72s though I thought that was 70 to 73 thing.