Gibson 490T in 2020 SG Standard Bridge

[UTGrad]

My new 2020 Standard SG has a 490T stock in bridge. I’m playing it to decide if it’s a keeper and so far I’m indifferent. Anyone keep the 490T in the bridge or should I steer towards an Alnico V like a WLH or Alnico IV like Saturday Night Special?


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[Condemned soul]

Never tried the Saturday Nite Specials.
Have four SG's. Have migrated to mostly DMZ's in my SG's
WLH Set
36 Anniversary Set
PAF Master Set
36 Anniversary / Air Zone.


My favorite of the group is the one with the WLH set.

[SoundAt11]

What do you need more or less of? Maybe you should play with height adjustments or magnet swaps first?

[piblock]

I didn't care for the 490 set in my Faded. They were adequate, but not great. Just not much character. I love the Pearly Gates in the bridge and I've been tinkering with neck pickups, I'm not sure what will be there long term. I gave a PAF Pro in now, but it's not really what I'm looking for in that guitar.

I'm thinking about trying the Mean 90s which I have in an Epi 339 currently as an experiment. I'm sure the PG would sound great in the 339 if I swapped them permanently.

Otherwise I'll probably try a Seth in the neck to go with the PG.

[Mincer]

Man, I hated the 490 set. I'd think the SNS would be a huge improvement, especially in an SG.

[GuitarDoc]

What specifically don't you like about the 490?

[Lewguitar]

The 490R and 490T both use an alnico 2 magnet.

I really like the sound of an alnico 2 neck pickup and an alnico 4 bridge pickup together, and have that combination in two of my PRS guitars.

The SNS bridge would probably be a big improvement.

[pskorz]

I've had a 490R in the neck of a les paul. I swapped it out for a 59 and am happier with the 59 in it. I know what you mean, 490s are good pickups. I recently played a friends PRS se that had 490s, and they sounded fine. Gibson pickups just don't "do it" for me the same way Duncans do.
I have SNS set in my SG and i cannot recommend them highly enough.

[Ronnie_Snow]

490T sounds like the most boring humbucker out there. Yes its an improvement on something cheap but nothing really shines in my opinion. I have the SNS bridge in a Les Paul and that guitar is now my number 1 as it is very versatile. In saying that depends what your looking for as 490T are bland. Anything would be an improvement...

[Mincer]

490T sounds like the most boring humbucker out there. Yes its an improvement on something cheap but nothing really shines in my opinion. I have the SNS bridge in a Les Paul and that guitar is now my number 1 as it is very versatile. In saying that depends what your looking for as 490T are bland. Anything would be an improvement...

Well, there might be one more boring one out there, and that is the 490R. Both are bland, bright, and devoid of any kind of personality, making every solidbody and semi-hollow sound about the same.

[GuitarDoc]

I think the OP disappeared.

[Securb]

I won't out a forum member but one of the brothers that claimed to hate 490Ts played them in a couple of my guitars and loved them. They are a great pickup, I have them in my SG. Any criticism of them can be obligated with a tweak of your amp knobs. They are great pickups if you dial them in right.

[pskorz]

I think the OP disappeared.

maybe he got the Saturday Night Specials and is too busy in dreamland to re-post.

[pskorz]

I won't out a forum member but one of the brothers that claimed to hate 490Ts played them in a couple of my guitars and loved them. They are a great pickup, I have them in my SG. Any criticism of them can be obligated with a tweak of your amp knobs. They are great pickups if you dial them in right.

I'll agree with this. You can't call a Gibson 490 a bad pickup. But when there are a bazillion other choices available (and especially if you have a propensity to like certain ones, or always think the grass will be greener), it's easy to have a premium pickup like that and think you need a better one, or something more suited to what you are after for that guitar.

[ItsaBass]

I don't swap out the 490s. I like them a lot.