If You Know, You Know...

In 1990, Gibson released the original '57 Classic humbuckers—possibly the last great mass-market PAF ever made. For a brief moment, everything lined up: Plain Enamel wire, correct magnet grade, vintage voicing. But it didn’t last.

Corporate cost-cutting stepped in. Poly-coated wire replaced the PE. Magnet quality dropped. The build drifted further from the Tom Holmes design it was based on. And by the mid-'90s, the magic was gone.

Our founder, Randall Van Dyke, studied every humbucker Gibson has released since the 1930s. He ranks the 1990 '57 Classic as one of the Top 5 Gibson humbuckers of all time. So we made it our mission to bring it back—exactly as it was intended.

Why Players Are Trading In Their Gibson 57 Classics

We hear it constantly: "I thought my tone was fine… then I heard this." Modern 57 Classics are muddy, dark, and compressed. That's not your amp—it's your pickups.

Players regularly trade in their Gibson 57 Classics to get our 1990 Vintage Spec Clone. Why? Because it actually sounds like a vintage PAF should:

• Plain Enamel wire, not poly

• Vintage-correct magnets, no cost-cut alloys

• Ear-voiced for clarity, sweetness, and articulation

• Lifetime warranty on every set

This is the version Tom Holmes designed before Gibson slowly walked away from it. We didn’t just bring it back—we made it better.

Built from Respect, Not Spec Sheets

Randall Van Dyke didn’t stop with the 57 Classic.

ToneSpec has recreated the legendary voicings of:

• Tom Holmes H450 & H455

• Virgil Arlo Black Label PAFs

• Every Important Gibson & Fender design starting in the 1930's

You don’t need hype. You need tone that speaks for itself. These 1990 Clones are part of that legacy.

Who This Is For

This is not a pickup for casual players.

This is for serious guitarists who know the difference between poly and PE by ear. Who care what grade the magnet is. Who understand that the difference between good and great is microscopic—and they want great.

If you’re the kind of player who wants the last 10% of tone no one else can seem to find, you’re in the right place.

Take Control of Your Tone

This isn’t a reissue. It’s a resurrection. And a chance to hear what Gibson should have kept making.

Order below or contact us with any questions. We also accept trades for your old pickups. Don’t settle for stock tone.

Pro Tone. No Compromises. Lifetime Backed.

ToneSpec Vintage Spec 1990 Gibson Clone
Price: $1250
Free shipping | Lifetime Warranty | Satisfaction Guaranteed