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Super 80 chrome
Chrome plated Super 80 in cream mounting ring Enlarge sprite

Ibanez Super pickups are a line of magnetic pickup which were introduced by Ibanez in the mid 1970's. At least some models in the line have been in more or less continual production since then.

Some of them are very exclusive pickups which are found on non-standard series.

List of pickups

Super 5

Super 5
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: YE153[1]
Construction: Single coil pickup
Position: Neck / middle
DC resistance: 7.75 KΩ
Resonant frequency: 5.25 kHz
Wiring: 2 conductor
1985 Single-coil output graph
Description: Traditional molded pickup with six exposed polepieces. Cast inside to create a smooth, sharp tone.[1]


Super 6

Super 6
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: 3130BK
Year introduced: 1980 (?)
Construction: Single coil pickup
Position: Any
Wiring: 2 conductor
Used in: RS405
Super 6 pickups
Description: Ibanez claims these were the hottest single coils of their type. They have a new magnet structure and twice the windings of a traditional single coil of their era. They deliver high output with clarity, fullness and excellent top end.[2][3]


Super Power 6

Super Power 6
Brand: Ibanez
Year introduced: 1983
Construction: Single coil pickup
Position: Any
Magnet: Alnico
Wiring: 2 conductor
Used in: RS505, RS1500
Ibanez Super Power 6 pickup
Description: Hot single-coil pickup with a unique coil design which offers a wide frequency range.[4]


Super Tap 6

Super Tap 6
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: 3131BK
Year introduced: 1980 (?)
Construction: Single coil pickup
Position: Any
Wiring: 4 conductor
Used in: BL500, BL550
Ibanez SuperTap6 pickups
Description: A version of the super hot Super 6 single-coil pickup with coil-tap functionality. The Super Tap 6 is a very high output growling single coil which can be coil-tapped to deliver the bright and ringing tone of a standard output pickup.[2][5]


Super 7

Super 7 / Super 7F / Super 7FT
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: YE154[1]
Construction: Single coil pickup
Position: Neck / middle
DC resistance: 4.05 KΩ
Resonant frequency: 6.05 kHz
Wiring: 2 conductor
Used in: RS440
Super7F-Super7FT pickups
Description: Delivers warm, bright tone. 42 gauge wire and plastic cover. Offers powerful clear sound even at low volume. Polarity is reversed for middle pickup application.[1]

Offered with three separate covers with identical internals:
Super 7 has exposed pole pieces
Super 7F has a flat cover (hidden polepieces)
Super 7FT has a "tub" style direct-mount high tech cover which is designed to offer increased sustain.[6][7]


Super 58

Super 58
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: YE102[8]
Year introduced: 1980
Construction: Humbucker
Position: All
Magnet: Alnico-III
DC resistance: 7.80 KΩ[8]
Resonant frequency: 4.65 KHz[8]
Wiring: 3-conductor
Used in: ARX500, AR300RE, JTK1, others
Super 58 pickup
Description: Covered pickup. Classic, warm and versatile. Handles both jazz and rock without feedback.[9]


Super 58 Jazz

Super 58 Jazz
Brand: Ibanez
Year introduced: 1983
Discontinued after: 1984
Construction: Humbucker
Position: All
Wiring: 3-conductor
Used in: AR1505, Special:WhatLinksHere/Super_58_Jazz others?
Description: Covered pickup. "Jazz" version of the Super 58. Presumably it has a bit lower output than the standard Super 58.


Super 58 Custom

Super 58 Custom neck (a.k.a. Custom 58 neck)
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: C58 / part #s: 3PU1C15811 / 3PU1H58NG / 3PU1H58NC / 3PU12A0025 / 3PU1PA0022 / 3PU1PA0024
Year introduced: 2003
Construction: Humbucker
Position: Neck
Magnet: Ceramic[10] or Alnico III[11]
Used in: AF105, AM93, many others
Custom58Neck
Description: Classic, warm and versatile[10]
Available with gold or chrome covers.
Discontinued in 2014.


Super 58 Custom bridge (a.k.a. Custom 58 bridge)
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: C58 / part #: 3PU1H58BG[12]
Construction: Humbucker
Position: Neck
Magnet: Ceramic[10] or Alnico III[11]
Used in: AF105, AM93, many others
Custom58Bridge
Description: Classic, warm and versatile.[10]

Super 70

Super 70
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: YE100[8]
Construction: Humbucker
Position: Bridge/ neck
Magnet: Before ~1980: Alnico 8
Since ~1980: Ceramic
DC resistance: 7.72 KΩ[8]
Resonant frequency: 5.30 KHz[8]
Wiring: 3-conductor
Used in: others
Super 70 pickup
Description: Vintage style open coil pickup with bright, crisp tone and plenty of output. These were initially made by Maxon, but sometime in the early 1980s Ibanez (or FujiGen?) began producing them in-house. Sometime around 1980 the magnets were changed from Alnico 8 to ceramic.


Super 77

Super 77
Brand: Ibanez
Year introduced: 1978
Construction: Humbucker
Position: All
Magnet: Alnico 8
Wiring: 4-conductor
Used in: MC100
Super 88 pickup
Description: Modified version of the Super 70 pickup.[13] Epoxy potted with integrated brown plastic 3-hole mounting cover, which eliminates the need for separate mounting rings.[14] They have a response curve that is equal to most other humbuckers, but with reinforced output.[15]


Super 80

Super 80
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: 2680-80 chrome 2-wire / 2680-81 gold 2-wire / 2680-85 chrome 4-wire / 2680-86 gold 4-wire
Year introduced: 1976
Construction: Humbucking
Position: Neck or bridge
Magnet: Ceramic
DC resistance: 7.9–8.2 KΩ (measured)[16]
Impedance: 263 KΩ[17]
Inductance: 4.35 Henries[17]
Resonant frequency: 8000 Hz[17]
Wiring: 2-conductor or 4-conductor
Used in: 2681 (reissue), AR2619, others...
Super 80 gold
Description: Covers 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,[18]. 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.[19]

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.[18]

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."[20]

Super 88

Super 88
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: 3120BR[14]
Year introduced: 1978
Construction: Humbucker
Position: All
Magnet: Ceramic
Wiring: 4-conductor
Used in: MC500, MC350, others
Super 88 pickup
Description: Modified version of the Super 80 pickup.[13] Epoxy potted with integrated brown plastic 3-hole mounting cover, which eliminates the need for separate mounting rings. Plenty of output, plenty of top end and plenty of warmth.[14]


Super Single

Super Single
Brand: Ibanez
Model no.: 2621-80 (Chrome) / 2621-81 (Gold)
Year introduced: 1977
Construction: Humbucker-sized single coil pickup
Position: Any
Impedance: 450 KΩ[21]
Inductance: 2.69 Henries[21]
Resonant frequency: 10K Hz[21]
Wiring: 2 conductor
Used in: 2618/12
Ibanez Super Single
Description: The Super Single is a humbucker-sized single-coil pickup. It was made specifically for the 2618/12 Artist 12-string. They were designed to provide excellent clarity and definition but with more mid and low frequencies than a typical single-coil for a mellow balance.[22] It was originally designed for Jerry Garcia.[21]


Images

Gallery
Super 80 Catalog
Late-1970s ad/catalog
AR2619 pickups closeup
Super 80 pickups on an AR2619

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1985 USA catalog (pages 40–41)
  2. 2.0 2.1 1980 pickups brochure (pages 3)
  3. 1983–84 Roadstar II & Artist catalog (page 11)
  4. 1983–84 Roadstar II & Artist catalog (page 9)
  5. 1982 Blazer & Studio series catalog (pages 2–3)
  6. 1986 USA catalog (page 30)
  7. 1985 USA catalog (page 6)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 1985 USA catalog, pages 40-41, Ibanez
  9. Pickup character, 2007 Ibanez Europe catalog, p. 93.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 2006 USA catalog (page 115)
  11. 11.0 11.1 The Myth of Super 58 Pickup; Falling_leaves (user) on Jazz Guitar Online (forum); April 1, 2015; archived October 2020
  12. Hoshino parts website, archived March 2020
  13. 13.0 13.1 1978 Musician dealer sheet (front)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 1980 pickups brochure (page 2)
  15. 1978 electric guitar catalog (page 8)
  16. Super 80 Pictures Database (thread), Ibanez Collectors World forum
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Late 1970's advertisement
  18. 18.0 18.1 Specht, Paul; Wright, Michael; Donahue, Jim (2005). Ibanez : the Untold Story. Bensalem, Penn.: Hoshino (U.S.A.). p. 80. ISBN 0976427702.
  19. Super 80's History - Experts Please Contribute! (thread), Ibanez Collectors World forum
  20. Ibanez AR2619-AV Prestige review; Vinnicombe, Chris; MusicRadar.com; September 4, 2014; archived from the original September 2016.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 1977 Parts & Accessories catalog (page SA-28)
  22. 1978 Artist Series guitar catalog (page 5)
Related content: Pickups | Parts-icon
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