Differences with TB+ Pickups

[stiles72]

I'm curious as to the differences between the TB+ pickups. These are from my 2002 Blackbird &  2007 IV and they appear to have slightly differnet builds. The Blackbird has an extra piece on the bottom side of the magnet, and it has more of a smooth "polyurethane" type substance that it is sealed in. Is this exclusive to the Blackbirds, or just a difference common to all TB+ pups from that time?  Does anyone know what the #'s on the bottom indicate?

[TBird1958]

Counting these, there are actually four variations of black plastic coated TB Plus pickups that Gibson has used, what I can't say is what years any given variation was phased in/out. Gibson is know for "shopping" parts around and it was long rumoured that Bartolini made TB Plus for them, at least at one point.
Close examination of various vintages of 3 point bridges will be similar, with many small differences.

[TBird1958]

Here's an addition to my previous post with two of the variations of the post '88 or "modern" TB Plus pups ( these have been potted into '76 chrome covers) The closer one is an early split coil design, the other is a dual coil design from later '90s production and you'll note the large magnet on the bottom. The design Bartolini supposedly produced is visually very similar except that it lacks the large plate.

[uwe]

Around 2007/2008, Gibson began hailing the then current TB Plus pups as "new design" in their advertising descriptions and model specifications. For once, that might have not been just marketing blurb, but the truth. Certainly, the new pups have even more ooomph, at the cost of some clarity though. Still a typical TB Plus sound.

When I listen to the TB Plus pups of my 87 Gibson IVs/Vs (which have a tendency to become microphonic), they sound almost singlecoilish in nature in comparison to the freqeuncy and volume brunt you get today.

Doesn't your Blackbird sound much leaner than your 2007 IV? Mine certainly does.

[stiles72]

The Blackbird, esp. on the neck pickup, seems to put out a little more volume and a lot more solid "thump" than the IV. Almost puts out the same kind of solid feel you get from flatwound strings. Is it possible the number on the bottom is some sort of output measurement? Or just the QC checkers Employee ID?

[slinkp]

Split coil?? Like a P-bass? Who'da thunk it. I guess they've tried everything at one time or another!

[Dave W]

Same design/configuration as a P pickup, but the coil shape and size and the polepiece magnets have a lot to do with the P sound. The split coil TB Plus were not like that.

[buh]

I looked at a set of 2006 TB+ pickups I have - the neck is labeled (hand written, like in your pictures) 204 and the bridge with 205. 

So it seems 204 is Gibson's internal part number for the neck TB+ pickup and 205 the bridge, for the Thunderbird IV bass. 

The 2006 pickups I have look identical to the one in your 2007 IV picture.