490/498/500T undeserved bad rep!

[Bluzboy66]

Re: 490/498/500T undeserved bad rep!

Aceman,
It has a lot to do with the player too. We can't forget that. A really responsive guitar with hot pickups will scare some players away. More forgiving pickups will allow the player to warm up to the guitar, maybe even inspire the player to step out a little. You've heard that a good Tele will either make you or break you. That's the God's honest truth. Both of my Tele's sound awsome, but on a bad day (playing-wise), I'll keep them in the case........and yeah, all players have bad days, regardless of your experience. The Teles scream, wail, and have attack for days. When I'm pumped, I reach for them.

I've learned to approach my guitars with kid gloves. That's why I have a bunch of different guitars. I think the Les Paul loaded with '59s is going to be my new medicine. It's been a couple of months since I played for any length of time, and I feel that the 'warmed' Les is really gonna pull me back in.

Mike

 

[Aceman]

Re: 490/498/500T undeserved bad rep!

Absolutely Mike! I always say that there a few key components to the whole sound thing:
1. The guitar (construction, woods, etc..)
2. The pups - probably the #2 thing, and the easiest thing to change, and they interact with #1. Always remember that a pup can't put something in the axe that isn't there to start with!
3. The amp - I tend to believe the biggest overall factor. A Hondo (remember them!?!?!) will roar through a Marshall stack. It will blow through a 10 watt Fender solid state. An LP Custom with a JB will still sound weak through a bad amp. It would sound magical through the stack though...
4. The amp settings! So few people know how to "play the amp" Even Stevie Ray would always set it on the same numbers- his tech then changed the settings and put the knobs back on so he wouldn't know!
5. The chops themselves! SOme people just suck. I, like you, have better and worse days. When I can get some practice in, I'm better no matter what I play. Eric Johnson would sound like Eric Johnson no matter what he played.....

After that, it's all matter of taste. Which is why I like people who say what they want specifically, instead of awesome/suck statements. I think people in this forum tend to focus a lot on ONLY one aspect - the pup. I've read a lot about people who don't like the Dimebucker (RIP). But remember, that's only one part of the "Dime" stew. It also includes a 300 watt Randall on 10, an MXR box and a Washburn/Floyd guitar. Of course a squire strat through a crate amp (even a 100 watter) doesn't get all Pantera on you. And an Invader through a Marshall just isn't going to do subtle blues.

And I'm still going to replace my bridge 490(?) with a DD. Why, because for what I play and how I play, it's got more of what I'll like.

 

[MikeS]

Re: 490/498/500T undeserved bad rep!

I've still got the stock 490R/498T set in my LP Studio. My take: the 490 in the neck is nearly unusable. After having played many other LPs since I got mine years ago I've come to the conclusion that mine is a little darker than most. The 490 in the neck is very muddy and inarticulate. Clean or dirty, I've not been happy with the tone.

The 498T on the other hand I love. Because the LP is a fuller darker body the brightness of the 498 helps clear up the tone quite nicely. I find its very articulate and works great with the style of music I play (just a grippin' & rippin' blues based hard rock). My only complaint about the 498 is that clean, it is a tad on the bright side, but I can usually find a good clean tone by using both pickups with the tone on the 498 rolled back a bit.

I've thought about trying a PG set in my LP just for kicks, even though I'm somewhat happy with the 498. It's worth a shot... Now if I could just stop buying stuff I don;t need I can start getting some new pups.