The Gibson Pickup Shop Launches 22 New Electric Guitar and Bass Pickups

Featuring Greenybuckers, underwound P-90s, Kramer Eruption pickups, and more

Did you know that Gibson has been making pickups since 1935? From the player-favorite P-90 to the humbucker invented in 1955 by Gibson engineer Seth Lover and debuted in 1957, Gibson electric guitars have come equipped with these standard-setting pickups that are wound in our own factories. 

With a nod to our storied past and a keen eye on the future, we’re thrilled to unveil the latest evolution of the Gibson Pickup Shop with a large array of new releases. As trailblazers in the electric guitar universe, Gibson’s imprint on pickup design remains unmatched. Every strand of our research and every note of our expertise echoes in the heartbeats of musicians and aficionados worldwide.

This iteration of the Gibson Pickup Shop offers single-coils and humbuckers, categorized into Historic, Original, and Modern Collections—and with this new batch of releases, we’re also introducing an Artist Collection and a Kramer Collection. These new models cater to a broad range of players, providing many new options to choose from.

The ways and means of crafting great pickups  

All Gibson pickups incorporate superior construction and are made using the highest quality materials. Our hand-assembled pickups feature specially made magnets, maple wood spacers, high-quality cover materials, and four-conductor or vintage two-conductor wiring. Each pickup magnet is magnetized at the Gibson Pickup Shop to ensure peak performance. The use of maple spacers instead of plastic ones helps to reduce unwanted vibrations.

The Gibson Pickup Shop uses Swiss-made Meteor ME-301 coil winding machines. These are historical winding machines—Gibson has been using this style of winding machine since the 50s. They are highly accurate, precision winders that can handle winding a larger quantity of coils simultaneously.

What are the new arrivals in the next phase of the Gibson Pickup Shop?  

For the Original Collection, we have:

P-90 Dogear Underwound (Black cover, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 3)

First introduced in the early 1950s, Gibson’s legendary P-90 single coil pickup produced a raw, powerful tone that helped define the blues and rock and roll in their formative years. Today, the P-90’s brilliant tone is still considered a favorite among many top musicians. 

Now the P-90 is available in a full-range under-wound version that delivers a bit less output than a standard P-90 but with a bright tone that remains clear at any volume, with clearly defined overtones rich in harmonics, and with less dampening of string vibrations. It features two-conductor wiring and is fully wax potted to eliminate any chance of unwanted microphonic feedback.

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 3
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: Black Dogear
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Full-range single coil that sounds clear and bright at any volume; pairs perfectly with P-90 DC and traditional P-90s.

P-90 Soapbar Underwound (Black cover, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 3)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 3
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: Black Soapbar
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Full-range single coil that sounds clear and bright at any volume; pairs perfectly with P-90 DC and traditional P-90s.

P-90 Soapbar Underwound (Cream cover, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 3)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 3
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: Cream Soapbar
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Full-range single coil that sounds clear and bright at any volume; pairs perfectly with P-90 DC and traditional P-90s.

‘57 Classic Underwound (Double black, Underwound, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 2)

The ’57 Classic Underwound is a Patent Applied For style humbucker™ that has balanced coils and delivers all the vintage vibe and character of the regular ’57 Classic™ in an under-wound version that has a clear, “chimey” tone with more clearly defined overtones and harmonics. The ’57 Classic Underwound is also wax potted to remove all internal air space and any chance of microphonic feedback.

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 2
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: None
• Double Black Bobbins
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Vintage vibes with clear, “chimey” tones with more clearly defined overtones and harmonics. Balanced coils. Perfect for rhythm position to pair with ’57 Classic or ’57 Classic Plus

‘57 Classic Underwound (Double black, Gold cover, Underwound, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 2)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 2
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: Gold
• Double Black Bobbins
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Vintage vibes with clear, “chimey” tones with more clearly defined overtones and harmonics. Balanced coils. Perfect for rhythm position to pair with ’57 Classic or ’57 Classic Plus

‘57 Classic Underwound (Double black, Nickel cover, Underwound, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 2)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 2
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: Nickel
• Double Black Bobbins
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Vintage vibes with clear, “chimey” tones with more clearly defined overtones and harmonics. Balanced coils. Perfect for rhythm position to pair with ’57 Classic or ’57 Classic Plus

‘57 Classic Underwound (Zebra, Underwound, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico2)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 2
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: None
• Zebra Bobbins
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Vintage vibes with clear, “chimey” tones with more clearly defined overtones and harmonics. Balanced coils. Perfect for rhythm position to pair with ’57 Classic or ’57 Classic Plus

Thunderbird Reissue (Chrome cover, 2-conductor, Potted, 8.2k, Alnico 5)

The Gibson Thunderbird™ Bass, in both its original and Non-Reverse forms, is an iconic design that has been loved by players and used in a diverse range of styles since the 1960s. The Thunderbird Reissue pickup uses Alnico magnets for pure vintage tone, is built to original 1960s T-Bird vintage specifications, and brings back the thick, beefy tone of the legendary originals. Like the originals from the 60s, the Thunderbird Reissue pickups are humbucking. They are equipped with chrome covers, 2-conductor wiring, and are wax potted to reduce unwanted noise.

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 5
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: Chrome
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 8.2k
• Details: Built to the original 1960s Thunderbird specifications. Humbucking and wax potted to reduce unwanted noise.

For the Modern Collection, we have:

P-90 DC (Black Dogear, 2-conductor, Potted, 17.4k, Neo)

The P-90 DC is a hum-canceling pickup that is designed to fit into a guitar that is routed for standard P-90 single coil pickups. It provides hum-free performance while preserving the original appearance of a traditional P-90. Available with Black and Cream Soapbar covers, as well as a Black Dogear version, they’re the same pickups that are featured on the Gibson Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul™ Junior.

• Position: Any
• Magnets: Neodymium
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Covers: Black Dogear
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 17.4k
• Details: Featured on the Gibson Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Junior, the P-90 DC is a hum- canceling design that preserves the original appearance of traditional single-coil P-90 pickups.

P-90 DC (Black Soapbar, 2-conductor, Potted, 17.4k, Neo)

• Position: Any
• Magnets: Neodymium
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Covers: Black Soapbar
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 17.4k
• Details: Featured on the Gibson Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Junior, the P-90 DC is a hum- canceling design that preserves the original appearance of traditional single-coil P-90 pickups.

P-90 DC (Cream Soapbar, 2-conductor, Potted, 17.4k, Neo)

• Position: Any
• Magnets: Neodymium
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Covers: Cream Soapbar
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 17.4k
• Details: Featured on the Gibson Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Junior, the P-90 DC is a hum- canceling design that preserves the original appearance of traditional single-coil P-90 pickups.

Dirty Fingers SM (Double Black, 4-conductor, Potted, 15k, Ceramic 8)

The Gibson Dirty Fingers SM is a new spin on the classic Dirty Fingers design that uses a single powerful ceramic 8 magnet instead of the three magnets used in a standard Dirty Fingers™ pickup for increased midrange punch without compromising the original tone of your guitar in any way. 

The Dirty Fingers SM also features shielded, four-conductor wiring for series, parallel, or split coil operation and is fully wax potted to eliminate any chance of microphonic feedback. It’s an excellent choice for modern or classic rock players.

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Ceramic 8
• Wiring: 4-Conductor
• Cover: None
• Double Black Bobbins
• Wax Potted
• Average DC Resistance: 15k
• Details: A new spin on the classic Dirty Fingers pickup with balanced coils and an increased midrange punch that makes it perfect for modern and classic rock.

Thunderbird Modern (Black cover, 2-conductor, 9.5k, Ceramic 8)

The Thunderbird Modern is a new spin on the classic Thunderbird™ pickup design that delivers modern punch and increased output while retaining the rich low voicing for which the Thunderbird is known. Never before available aftermarket, it is a great way to get a modern, punchy sound with greater output from your T-Bird.

• Position: Any
• Magnets: Ceramic 8
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Covers: Black
• Potted / Unpotted
• Average DC Resistance: 9.5k
• Details: A modern spin on the classic Thunderbird bass pickup with increased output and a modern, punchy sound that retains the rich low voicing that the Thunderbird is famous for.

For the Historic Collection, we have:

Custombucker Underwound (Double black, 2-conductor, Unpotted, 7.2k, Alnico 3)

The regular Gibson Custombucker is standard equipment on the Gibson Custom Shop’s Historic Reissue guitars and is beloved by players worldwide for its legendary Patent Applied For tone. Years of research and testing by Gibson engineers resulted in a formula and process that replicates the sonic magic of the original Patent Applied For humbucker™ pickups from the 50s. 

Each Custombucker uses Alnico 3 magnets for a warm, sweet tone that accurately delivers the sonic characteristics of those highly cherished early humbuckers. Like the original Patent Applied For humbuckers, the Custombucker uses 42 AWG wire and unbalanced coils that are left unpotted for a historically accurate pickup that will please even the most discriminating player. The Custombucker Underwound retains all of these features of the regular Custombucker, but it has fewer windings on the bobbins, which results in more clearly defined overtones and harmonics. It has a brighter tone in the rhythm position, making it perfect for pairing with a standard Custombucker in the treble position.

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 3
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: None
• Double Black Bobbins
• Unpotted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Historically accurate Patent Applied For replica with unbalanced coils and a sweet, warm tone.

Custombucker Underwound (Double black, Gold Cover, 2-conductor, Unpotted, 7.2k, Alnico 3)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 3
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: None
• Double Black Bobbins
• Unpotted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Historically accurate Patent Applied For replica with unbalanced coils and a sweet, warm tone.

Custombucker Underwound (Double black, Nickel Cover, 2-conductor, Unpotted, 7.2k, Alnico 3)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 3
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: Nickel
• Double Black Bobbins
• Unpotted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Historically accurate Patent Applied For replica with unbalanced coils and a sweet, warm tone.

Custombucker Underwound (Zebra, 2-conductor, Unpotted, 7.2k, Alnico 3)

• Position: Any
• Magnet: Alnico 3
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Cover: None
• Zebra Bobbins
• Unpotted
• Average DC Resistance: 7.2k
• Details: Historically accurate Patent Applied For replica with unbalanced coils and a sweet, warm tone.

For the debut of the Artist Collection, we have:

Greenybucker Set (Double black, Nickel cover, Unpotted, Rhythm pickup reverse polarity, T: 8.7k, R: 8.3k, Alnico 2)

The Gibson Patent Applied For humbucker™ pickups from the 1950s are considered by many musicians to be the “holy grail” of vintage electric guitar pickups. Among them, the unique set that was installed in the legendary “Greeny” Les Paul™ are some of the most famous. 

The new Greenybucker set is instantly recognizable from a sonic perspective; their distinctive sound is partially from the out-of-phase middle switch position due to the neck pickup’s reverse magnetic polarity. The Greenybucker pickup set was developed with input from Greeny’s current owner, Kirk Hammett, and with specifications taken from the actual Patent Applied For humbucker pickups on that world-renowned guitar, including asymmetrical coil windings and unpolished Alnico 2 magnets.

• Position: Rhythm/Treble (Set of Two)
• Magnets: Alnico 2
• Wiring: 2-Conductor
• Covers: Nickel
• Unpotted
• Double Black Bobbins
• Average DC Resistance: Rhythm: 8.3k, Treble: 8.7k
• Details: As featured on the Gibson USA Kirk Hammett “Greeny” Les Paul. Developed with Kirk Hammett’s guidance and with specs taken from the actual Patent Applied For pickups on the Greeny Les Paul. The rhythm pickup features reverse magnetic polarity for the signature Greeny sound.

For the debut of the Kramer Collection, we have:

Kramer “Eruption” (Double Black, Rhythm, 4-conductor, Potted, 16k, Alnico 5)

Inspired by the sound of the hard rock and metal bands of the 1980s, the Kramer Eruption is a high-output humbucker™ pickup with all of the Made to Rock Hard tone and attitude you expect from Kramer. They feature Alnico 5 magnets, 4-wire leads for coil splitting, and short leg baseplates to ensure easy direct replacement for most humbucker-routed guitars. They’re also wax potted to remove all internal air space and any chance of microphonic feedback.

• Position: Rhythm
• Magnets: Alnico 5
• Wiring: 4-Conductor
• Covers: None
• Wax Potted
• Double Black Bobbins
• Average DC Resistance: 16k
• Details: Aggressively hot for screaming leads and rowdy rhythm parts, with short leg baseplates for compatibility with most humbucker-routed guitars.

Kramer “Eruption” (Zebra, Rhythm, 4-conductor, Potted, 16k, Alnico 5)

• Position: Rhythm
• Magnets: Alnico 5
• Wiring: 4-Conductor
• Covers: None
• Wax Potted
• Zebra Bobbins
• Average DC Resistance: 16k
• Details: Aggressively hot for screaming leads and rowdy rhythm parts, with short leg baseplates for compatibility with most humbucker-routed guitars.

Kramer “Eruption” (Double Black, Treble, 4-conductor, Potted, 15k, Alnico 5)

• Position: Treble
• Magnets: Alnico 5
• Wiring: 4-Conductor
• Covers: None
• Wax Potted
• Double Black Bobbins
• Average DC Resistance: 15k
• Details: Aggressively hot for screaming leads and rowdy rhythm parts, with short leg baseplates for compatibility with most humbucker-routed guitars.

Kramer “Eruption” (Zebra, Treble, 4-conductor, Potted, 15k, Alnico 5)

• Position: Treble
• Magnets: Alnico 5
• Wiring: 4-Conductor
• Covers: None
• Wax Potted
• Zebra Bobbins
• Average DC Resistance: 15k
• Details: Aggressively hot for screaming leads and rowdy rhythm parts, with short leg baseplates for compatibility with most humbucker-routed guitars.

Check out the Gibson Pickup Shop today!