500t & 496r - Different Magnets

[NT02]

Has anyone tried swapping magnets in these pickups?

[Tony_H]

Re: 500t & 496r - Different Magnets

Has anyone tried swapping magnets in these pickups?

I haven't but as far as I know the 500T has three magnets in it - the other two are one under each coil, so that gives the pickup much more power than the 496R. I read this in a Gibson product reference manual that a salesman once gave me (a photocopy). I had the 500T/496R combo installed in a custom guitar and it never sounded right. The neck pup was nice and articulated but when I split it it was too shrill. The bridge pup was mushy and indistinct even when split. I am a fan of the 496R - that's a cool pickup to me, but I don't really like the 500T.

[NT02]

Re: 500t & 496r - Different Magnets

I had no idea there are three magnets in there. My experince with these pickups is 180 from yours. I can find decent distorted tones with the 500t, nothing sweet, but thick n heavy. I hate the 496r in my LP. It gets a fat overdriven tone that's good for leads, but not one useable clean tone, imo. I've narrowed down my choices for replacements to either an APH-1/CC(?) combo or a set of Seth Lovers. I'm entertaing the idea of putting the Gibson ceramics in my Carvin V220 for kicks.