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Lizardkinged · February 14th, 2012, 12:03 AM

Just got one of these to "restore" but wow is this thing is strange condition.

Its heavy as all get-out. I'm waiting to get access to a forum with an original diagram to work from. Anyone ever play one of these? USA made 1971-mid 80's

WhoJamFan · February 14th, 2012, 01:56 AM

Yes, great guitars with very cool electronic features due to the unique wiring andcustom pots used. Extremely versatile, but yes, heavy as all get out. Diagrams available on their website or forum.

Henrytwang · February 14th, 2012, 05:34 AM

I had one many years ago,it had a nice two piece neck. I think that you could gradually change the pickups from humbucking to single coil as you rotated the tone knobs.

Lizardkinged · February 14th, 2012, 10:14 AM

yeah its a crazy schematic. as far as i've read they only had in/out of phase on there, but yeah when they're out of phase you can dial in single coil tone. The phase mini-toggle on this got snapped off and It damaged some internals of the switch.

I think some of the pots are bad too, but theres nothing really special about the pots as much as the intense wiring. They're just 250k ohm audio-pots, but one cool thing is its all american made so its all standard sizes.

Henrytwang · February 14th, 2012, 10:39 AM

I'm not suprised that the switch toggles are broken on a guitar that age that's been a bit neglected. My T60 was a natural finish, the build standard and hardware were to a very good standard but the finish marked easily. I still have a USA made Peavey Preditor which has the same two piece neck construction as the T60. The poor old thing has been the subject of many modding experiments over the years but still plays very well.

Lizardkinged · February 14th, 2012, 11:37 AM

This one is also in natural finish. As long as this toggle is broken I cant get the bridge pickup on.

The switches were good quality, but it looks like someone put an on/on/on switch onto the phase and snapped it off when it didnt work. because the schematic asks for a 2way. The things ppl do out of ignorance and neglect. haha

Hammerhands · February 14th, 2012, 12:30 PM

http://t60mafia.com/

Forum has diagrams, lots of sources, great stories from the factory and the designer.

http://www.houstonmusicreview.com/ph...php?f=3&t=1892

I just bought one in October after a few years of searching. It needs work too.

I think it is a well built, interesting and significant guitar. It was the first one built using CNC routers, they used gunstock duplicators to carve the necks, they had a machine that stomped the frets into the slots in one blow. They made the guitar for a third of what the competition spent. There are lots of patents registered from this project!

The original pots are S-taper, which is the pattern they make if you plot them on a graph.

The early models had flat switches which tend to break. Suitable replacements are available.

http://www.houstonmusicreview.com/ph...c.php?f=3&t=52

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/Dk...2-ND&x=23&y=21

I think the prototypes were made in 1976, production in late 78 or 79.

It's one hit song and a gunslinger from being famous.

[this one had a Fender neck]

Lizardkinged · February 14th, 2012, 01:11 PM

Cool. I'm set on diagrams and parts. I'm kinda bummed out, the customer doesn't want to make it stock he just wants it to have a typical gibson wiring. "I juss wannit ta werk!"

68GuitarPlayer · February 14th, 2012, 01:39 PM

I had one years ago. Man was it heavy! I miss it really. Nice guitar. Neck was a little thin...

Hammerhands · February 14th, 2012, 01:42 PM

The designer (Chip Todd) suggests clipping the red wires, which takes away the coil grounding.

Chip strongly defends the other imrovement from the Gibson wiring, that you can turn the volume down on one pickup wihout having it shut-off the other.

Lizardkinged · February 15th, 2012, 12:24 PM

Yah. Customer doesnt care. So I'm moving on. Its a super nice guitar tho.

calvin lee · February 15th, 2012, 01:47 PM

i hear great things about these guitars. fun fact, they we're the first guitars built using cnc machines.

riotonsunset · February 15th, 2012, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henrytwang

I had one many years ago,it had a nice two piece neck. I think that you could gradually change the pickups from humbucking to single coil as you rotated the tone knobs.

Yep,that is what my T25 does.

workknot · February 15th, 2012, 04:52 PM

I had one with the vibrato handle and it was a very versatile guitar. At times I wish it were still here.
Pop's

Lizardkinged · February 15th, 2012, 11:43 PM

I honestly want this guitar hahaha.

Henrytwang · February 16th, 2012, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riotonsunset

Yep,that is what my T25 does.

Thats a neat looking guitar, you don't see many of them in the UK. Wasn't there a T40 as well?

Hammerhands · February 16th, 2012, 12:04 PM

T-15, 20, 25, 26, 27, 30, 40, 60

Maybe more, and a few pointy things.

riotonsunset · February 16th, 2012, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henrytwang

Thats a neat looking guitar, you don't see many of them in the UK. Wasn't there a T40 as well?

Yes The T-40 was a bass

G.L. Mitchell · February 20th, 2012, 01:23 PM

I had 2 T-60 and a T-40 bass, love them, wish I had both now, but laid off. I played the T-60 I bought new in church, I played it tru a JC 120 good combo, used an old Boss overdrive don't remember which one. Then got a Peavey Mace amp good amp with that guitar. I sold the guitar when I started playing Christain Metal for a while, sold the bass because I was playing guitar all the time. Now I am playing bass most of the time. I have seen them used down here in Austin for blues and country.

Lizardkinged · February 20th, 2012, 02:49 PM

I just returned this one. it was nice while it lasted. but maybe I'll get it on my bench some other day to fix its phase.