490R and 498T pick-ups

[Mike M.]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

I find the guitar itself plays a larger rols in the tone and pickups will only make minore alterations. With that said, if you find the right Gibson.....you will LOVE those pickups.

I agree. I played 3 Studio's at my favorite music store. They were set up great and all but something (for me) was missing. That's when I noticed the swamp ash Lester. I bought my swamp ash Les Paul Studio about 2 week's ago. So far I really like the bridge pickups a lot. It has a even response and just seems to have the right amount of everything. Nice, tight articulate sound. I'm still working with the neck pickup, and I can see where people would say it's muddy, or a bit darker sounding. But I'm getting a bit closer by using the toggle switch in the middle and playing with the volume controls. My first Les Paul and I love it!!

 

[msplines]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

After I'd been playing various Duncans for a while and had changed the pots and caps in my LP I decided to give the 490R / 498T another go. I found the 498T clangy, nasal and harsh and the 490R muddy and indistinct. All the SD pickups I've tried in that guitar ('59s, Seths, Custom, C5) have been a big improvement. I played the 490R / 498T for a couple of years when I first got the guitar, but once I'd tried Duncans there was no going back.

I did the same and guess what - clangy nasal and harsh and muddy and indistinct is right on the button (pickup height changes notwithstanding and it's used with a peavey Classic 30 and a 76 Marshall master volume combo, so some of the above comments about which amp is a consideration). Finally used Demon bridge and a JB neck with splits and I never looked back either, my neck won't twist round that far.

 

[Mayhem]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

I love the 490/498, in a good gibson.
The 490R is maybe my favorite neck pickup. It's much more life in it than the 59. Sounds very good.

 

[sonnyblu]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

You hear all these expressions such as open, airy, breathing right? Well, I don't know how else to describe it, or why it is, but this is what is lacking in the Gibsons. That open, airy tone, as soon as you put that 59 in the neck you will know what I mean. As far as the bridge is concerned some of that focus is good... like with the JB. But I think the Gibsons are just to hot.... they are just loud.... there is no room left for tone. I play a Les Paul Smartwood Banara w/ 59n & JBb through an Evil Twin.

 

[sonnyblu]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

One more thing, I think the 300K pots that Gibson is using now sound better with the SD's than with their PU's. Maybe I would like them more with some 500K's in there. There still to hot! Ha! If you are only playing heavy, they will be fine.

 

[eyesonly]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

Even the stock pups in the Epiphone G-400s sound better to me than the stock Gibson pups.

:bs2:

 

[blueman335]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

I'd say that you should play the guitar and see what this pickups tell you. I haven't tried them but Gibson it is an enoght respected brand to offer good pickups in their guitars. May be you'll like the sound they offer (good!! you'll save some money!!). If you don't you'll have the full SD catalog to shape your sound.

Good advice. Listen to them & determine what you like and don't like. You can use magnets & pots to move their tones in the direction you want, which might give you your desired tone. Much cheaper than a set of new PU's.

The biggest complaint with the 490R is the muddiness, and that mostly comes from the magnet. I fix that by using a bright A5 magnet in mine (take out the mid-heavy A2), and 500K pots, which let more treble thru. That will give much better definition in the neck, and give some sparkle & life.

For the bridge, the 498T to me sounds closer to a C5, but a little different. With the 490R brightened (with an A5 & 500K's), the 498T will be a much better match. If the bridge still seems too bright, you can either use the A2 magnet from the neck, or 250K pots, both of which will shave off some treble & give more mids. I usually go with 250K pots and that warms it nicely.

Tweak what you have; we'll teach you how to do it all yourself (not rocket science, just look at the guys on this forum that do this stuff, like me). No matter PU you buy or how much it costs, it still may need a certain combination of magnets & pots to sound it's best. This goes for SD's, DiMarzios, etc. Not just Gibsons. You can easily buy another set or two & be back at this point. It's your guitar's wood that is a wild card & changes how a PU's sound. Save yourself time & money. Like they say at Home Depot: "You can do it, we can help."

 

[uOpt]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

Lame sounding newish LP Studios are more likely to be a result of you not liking the full chambering.

The 498T is a nice sounding pickup similar to a Custom 5, but (by far) not as hot. I think it's a nice tradeoff for a pickup to make some loud noise with and also cleans up better than a C5.

The 490R is too tame for my taste, at least in a Les Paul. You can probably castrate some A2 Duncan or another with load capacitors and resistors to sound similar. I think Gibson designed this one exclusively for people who want an extremely mellow sound and put the guitar back into the shop stand when they hear any kind of sparkle. I'm curious to see how a 57 classic comes out in comparison.

 

[MikeS]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

Hey, cool, a second 4-year topic regarding the 490/498 that has been reincarnated.

 

[papersoul]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

I have new and old GIbsons and the chambering on some helps them sound even better. Buy a guitar based on how it sounds, don't get caught up on the year, trust me. That said, the 498T is pretty good but even though on paper it is not as hot as something like the C-5it feels hotter and more like a one trick pony. I ended up with a Wolfetone Marshallhead neck and Timbrewolfe bridge, now I am in tone heaven. 300k volume bridge and 500k tone with .022 cap. Neck gets all 500ks and .010 caps.

NOw, the Burstbucker Pros, i love and I love the stock pickups in my 1989 SG Special! You never know!

 

[Buckeyedog]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

papersoul, did you get a chance to try any of Wade's pickups?? I"m real curious to try the Eggie PAF............

 

[papersoul]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

papersoul, did you get a chance to try any of Wade's pickups?? I"m real curious to try the Eggie PAF............

You mean the Bliss? Think he changed the name.

I have the Torque. It is nice and thick but not as articulate as Wolfetones or WCRs. In the end, I am starting to go back to stock and/or Duncans and Rios.....it is cheaper!

 

[blueman335]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

Hey, cool, a second 4-year topic regarding the 490/498 that has been reincarnated.

Well a lot of new members haven't heard this stuff, and what the heck, it's not like there's big new developments and major breakthroughs in the world of guitar PU's every day of the year. If we don't rehash old threads, it'll be a very quiet forum.

 

[Buckeyedog]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

You mean the Bliss? Think he changed the name.

I have the Torque. It is nice and thick but not as articulate as Wolfetones or WCRs. In the end, I am starting to go back to stock and/or Duncans and Rios.....it is cheaper!

Yep, the Blissbucker. Probably should just stick with the standard stuff too, I"m just a bit tempted by these. Maybe I'll give these a shot and if they don't make a noticable difference, I'll be done with "boutique" stuff. I don't think anyone in the audience will notice anyway!!

 

[papersoul]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

Yep, the Blissbucker. Probably should just stick with the standard stuff too, I"m just a bit tempted by these. Maybe I'll give these a shot and if they don't make a noticable difference, I'll be done with "boutique" stuff. I don't think anyone in the audience will notice anyway!!

The Torques are nice but not mind blowing! Please let me know what you think if you buy a set. Feel free to shoot me an email.

 

[doesitmatter]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

Hey, cool, a second 4-year topic regarding the 490/498 that has been reincarnated.

Message board ettiquette varies form board to board. Some hate ressurecting old threads. Others say "we have this thread!" when someone asks a question that was answered years ago.

That being said, if anyone wants to buy my set of 490's they're coming out now.

 

[DonP]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

That being said, if anyone wants to buy my set of 490's they're coming out now.

Shouldn't this go into the classifieds forum then?

 

[The Usual]

Re: 490R and 498T pick-ups

I'll take the 498T.