Super 80 pickups are a model of magnetic pickups for solid body electric guitars that are designed by and produced for Ibanez. They are covered humbuckers which have an etched design of a hand with butterfly wings. This design inspired the nickname Flying Finger. They were introduced at the 1976 NAMM show,[1]. It is believed that development may have begun as early as 1974 and that pre-production versions may have been used by artists associated with Ibanez such as Bob Weir, Jerry Garcia or Bobby Cochran.[2]
The Super 80 pickups were developed in the mid-1970s at the behest of Elger, which was Ibanez' American subsidiary. They were looking for a pickup that was more sensitive and easier to play than Ibanez' existing pickups such as the Super 70. The hand/butterfly design on the cover reflected these design goals.[1]
The Super 80 was available with either chrome or gold plated covers and in versions with either 2 or four conductors. They have been seen potted with beeswax or with either clear or opaque epoxy.
High output (at the time of their development) humbucking pickup with the rare combination of power and fidelity. Bright, punchy, clean and full. Both 2- and 4-conductor versions were produced. The 4-conductor versions could be coil-split, typically with the use of a Tri-sound switch.
A recent review in Music Radar describes the original Super 80s as "pretty poky, bright-voiced PAF-alikes."[5]
