Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

[AniML]

Anyone tried out any alnicos in the melody maker's stock ceramic 491T?

A8 maybe?

[formula73]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

WTF is a 491?

[AniML]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

Stock pup in the ltd run MMs

[formula73]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

500T?
498T?
490T?

[Fusion1]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

I have read over on Harmony Central Electric Guitars that the people that have the Melody Makers with that pickup say they are surprisingly good. I'd like to try one myself (pickup) as I dig Gibson ceramics. I actually LIKE the pickups in the Epiphone SG which is an Epi ceramic.

[formula73]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

Ah. No wonder I'd never heard of the 491T...it's actually a DD HB103. At least, that's what some of the links I found in my panicked googling showed me. I'd expect it to respond somewhat similarly to a Distortion, as that's what it's based on, right?

[LtKojak]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

Anyone tried out any alnicos in the melody maker's stock ceramic 491T?

A8 maybe?

WHY are you interested in this particular p'up?

[ItsaBass]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

Because; that's why.

Sheesh...

At any rate, no I haven't, but I am sure you could make a good pickup with some experimentation. Some of my favorite Strat pickups I've ever used are modified MIM pickups. Have at it.

[AniML]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

I have read over on Harmony Central Electric Guitars that the people that have the Melody Makers with that pickup say they are surprisingly good. I'd like to try one myself (pickup) as I dig Gibson ceramics. I actually LIKE the pickups in the Epiphone SG which is an Epi ceramic.

It is a decent pickup. I've tried a PGb, Demon, Tonerider classic A4 (current) and none of them are getting me what I want. Maybe Gibson tweaked the 491T for the thin maple slab it was going into?

Ah. No wonder I'd never heard of the 491T...it's actually a DD HB103. At least, that's what some of the links I found in my panicked googling showed me. I'd expect it to respond somewhat similarly to a Distortion, as that's what it's based on, right?

This is a common source of confusion. The Gibson 491 is not a DD in disguise. Some of the melody makers came with the Gibson 491, others with the HB 103. There was no "repackaging" or rebranding

WHY are you interested in this particular p'up?

See above.. I am tempted to give it another try and perhaps with magnet swaps. I also may give the Demon another go. It is supposed to be for this kind of application

[LtKojak]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

Maybe Gibson tweaked the 491T for the thin maple slab it was going into?

To "tweak" for tone is just not in Gibson's DNA.

I'm positive if something was "tweaked" was to reduce production costs.

If it sounds good, it's been by sheer luck. A fluke.

[AniML]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

To "tweak" for tone is just not in Gibson's DNA.

I'm positive if something was "tweaked" was to reduce production costs.

If it sounds good, it's been by sheer luck. A fluke.

AFAIK the melody maker series is the only model using this pickup. With due respect, Why run production on a new pickup that you are not selling ala carte? They could have used the 490 or 498.

[LtKojak]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

AFAIK the melody maker series is the only model using this pickup. With due respect, Why run production on a new pickup that you are not selling ala carte? They could have used the 490 or 498.

Cost. It may even be asian made, for what we know.

[riffs]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

sorry for bringing up such an old thread. it comes up on google if you search "gibson 491t". i missed the boat by like 2 years but hopefully this might still be of interest to someone

i have a les paul melody maker with the 491t. maybe the earlier production melody maker guitars had the "duncan designed". i'm not sure. but my 2 MM guitars (i have an explorer too, it was the cheapest way to get a white gibson explorer into my collection!) came with the 491t, the LP was made october 2011 and the explorer was 2012 i think.

i'm getting old. the gain knob has been turned down to around 9 o'clock. thats around the time i go to bed now a days. no more king v through a 5150 stack, now i'd like a telecaster and a twin reverb. i swapped the ceramic 491t magnet for an alnico 2 to try to mellow it out a little and make it less thin and bright sounding. the alnico 2 made a huge difference, it sounds very warm and clear. i'm very happy with the modification.

the internals


the new magnet is on the left


why? it's cheaper than buying a "better" pickup. even a used one on craigslist in my area. i'm not a professional musician or in a band, and i have so many hobbies i need to work within a tight budget.

-jay

[Demanic]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

Just to chime in, I would try a UOA5, warmth of an A2 but just a bit more oomph. Or maybe add one ceramic spacer...

[Demanic]

Re: Gibson 491T magnet swap.. Where to start?

Or two...