Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

[bldrst]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

Separatly, they're passable, at most.

As a set, they're pretty bad...

HTH,

I got rid of mine, could've had them rewound I suppose... the spacing is different, a little wider, the pole pieces matched up on my Gibson. But the sound? Nope. I didn't find any redeeming qualities - except getting $100 on eBay.

[Aceman]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

Since I never commented on the original;

The 490 is a fine pickup. The 498 is a good pickup too. The set is used by THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of players who will never swap pickups. The set itself provides a very wides range of tones that I could use to play anything. The set is very much maligned by people with a specific goal.

That said, I agree, I wouldn't want the set myself. I could also easily find a pickup for anything I prefer more. But if you want a very wide range LP, and don't plan on switching pups in the middle of a song, or changing EQ - could be fine.

Try them for a while and let us know what YOU think instead of going by what a bunch of people think you should think!

[LtKojak]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

The set is very much maligned by people with a specific goal

Agreed. People with the specific goal of getting good tone wouldn't even touch'em with a 10-foot pole.

[Wolfshead]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

In the past month I've bought two Gibson SG Standards. A 2016 and a 1999. I believe both guitars have the same pickups and that means a 498T in the bridge of both.

The 2016 sounds very clear and totally nails the Angus "Back In Black" kind of tone. It is quite piercing in the higher notes though, meaning I had to mess about with the pup and pole heights and even at that, it's not great for lead playing even if it KILLS for rhythm.

The 1999 sounds very different. Much more saturated, much less clarity, better for leads but overall it sounds rather mushy and generic.

Just goes to show the same pickup can sound totally different depending on the guitar you put it in!

[Securb]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

I love them. I have the set in my SG which is one of my best sounding guitars. I also have 498Ts in two of my Ibanez guitars, both of them scream.

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

I like the 498T too especially with a UOA5 and in guitars like SG. It is the gibson pickup I prefer the most. But at the end the overall impression is that there is always something missing with gibson pickups. You will never fully satisfy. They are ok only for a while.

Each to his own, but to me, the 498T, the 500T, and the Burstbucker Pro are pretty satisfying in the right guitar.

[SJ318]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

AlexR,
What, exactly, is a custom/PG? I know it is a Pearly Gates, but is this something you call the lab for? Do you ask for 2 different wound coils, do you say what resistence you want?
I have heard this many times these last couple of years, but as much as I Love my Duncans already, I have heard PG bridge p'up's sound great on you tube, but there is no one (it seems) that shows one with just the guitar and straight amp. Just too much stuff before the guitar hits the amp, pedals, master volumes etc.
Thank you
SJB

[Wolfshead]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

AlexR,
What, exactly, is a custom/PG? I know it is a Pearly Gates, but is this something you call the lab for? Do you ask for 2 different wound coils, do you say what resistence you want?
I have heard this many times these last couple of years, but as much as I Love my Duncans already, I have heard PG bridge p'up's sound great on you tube, but there is no one (it seems) that shows one with just the guitar and straight amp. Just too much stuff before the guitar hits the amp, pedals, master volumes etc.
Thank you
SJB

GUessing he's made it himself but putting a coil from a Custom and a PG onto a baseplate together.

[DonP]

Re: Are the Gibson 490R and 498T good pickups?

AlexR,
What, exactly, is a custom/PG? I know it is a Pearly Gates, but is this something you call the lab for? Do you ask for 2 different wound coils, do you say what resistence you want?
I have heard this many times these last couple of years, but as much as I Love my Duncans already, I have heard PG bridge p'up's sound great on you tube, but there is no one (it seems) that shows one with just the guitar and straight amp. Just too much stuff before the guitar hits the amp, pedals, master volumes etc.
Thank you
SJB

This thread is a year old, so I don't know if AlexR will reply. But I think he is specifying the SD Custom in the bridge and a PG in the neck.


Back on topic, I have two SG's a 98 and a 12. Both sounds almost identical. The 98 has a slight bit more chunk, but I've seen a lot of my guitars be bright when newer and get more full as they aged. I'm really surprised at how consistent Gibson has been in winding these.

I'd say if you aren't playing with heavy distortion, the EQ of the pickups is an issue. But under heavy distortion, they are a plus. The 498T work good for crunchy rhythm, and the 490R is fat for leads.