'59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

[doveman]

One more update: I was in GC yesterday and they had a '59n in stock so I said what the hell and bought it to continue my Washburn project. If any of you have been following the project ... been posting clips building this "SG like guitar" as a slide guitar project. Interesting that just about every pickup worked well! Since everyone might be growing tired of my clips, :smack: I haven't made any of this combination ... but a few summary comments:

Latest - full set of '59s:
I think this is the nicest combination so far. Very balanced and vintage sounding. Bright ... but i like to use the tone knobs. Still one slide sound that I was getting on the 498T bridge that I'd like to get with the '59s ... but I was very close to it this morning on middle setting. Beyond slide, the guitar is much more balanced and easier to get tones playing regular guitar parts. More chimey on the high end than I expected. Not too bassy on the low strings but I ran down the magnets for the E-A stings about 1/8" into pickup coils. Again very nice! I expect this is the winner and I'm glad I made the impulse buy.

Wrap-up of other pickups ... if anyone is interested:

Alnico II Pro:
Nice vintage sound in neck but just a bit too bassy for me in all combinations. If you recall, I was sent to A2P by mistake. Tried to use on in Bridge ... sounded good but just not enough horsepower. Never had the chance to try bridge - my guess is that I would like it better than the neck.

'59 Bridge In Neck:
This was very nice too ... not to bassy. Worked well with the 498T but I believe the 59n I bought yesterday would still do better with the 498T bridge ... since it is very glassy on the high end.

Gibson 490R/498T:
The 498T is still an impressive pickup to me although it gets bashed quite a bit. Seemed really harsh when played with the 490R. I could just not balance the two pickups. But the 498T worked well with both the A2P and the '59B. It had more power and if you eased off the volume and added bass on the tone knob it could do some great things. The 490R (too muddy) did not work for me with the 498T and I did not use it again. Might have figured it out if I spent more time. But muddy is hard to get rid of ...

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

I'm not tired of the CLIPS. If anything I think all clips should be stored for everyone to hear. Especially since you have made such a variety with different pups and configurations in the same guitar.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

You kinda hit the nail on the head regarding the 490R/498T: they don't work very well TOGETHER.

If I have one set up, my amp is all wrong for the other one--drives me crazy, and I have never found a good way around this...

Other than, I'm gonna install a set of Seth Lovers in my Supreme. That should fix the problem!

Bill

 

[gripweed]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

I'm not tired of the CLIPS. If anything I think all clips should be stored for everyone to hear. Especially since you have made such a variety with different pups and configurations in the same guitar.

+1. I liked the clips so much I listened to many of the other clips too. You don't happen to live in Michigan and want to start a band by any chance ?

 

[doveman]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

Since there's a bit of interest, I'll make a clip of the '59s too. I guess I'm suprised we don't do more comparison clips here. I find that when I read a bunch of posts, I generally get a good idea (like 80% of what I need). But there is so much conflicting information. What does that word really mean to that person? Is that person just pushing what they like rather than heading you toward the sound you want (it's hard for them to know by the way)? Does the same comment about sound from someone into metal mean the same thing if said by someone into blues? But with a clip with the same guitar, same amp, same tune ... it's just clearer to me. You just listen for the differences.

I live in South Carolina but thanks for the comment from Michigan ...

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

498T's are better than people give them credit for. I still prefer Duncans in my Gibsons, but the 498T is the best pickup for injecting some Gibson quality into a bolt-on superstrat. I tried the 498T in my G&L Legacy Deluxe, along with Cool Rails, and the guitar sounds perfect now.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

498T's are better than people give them credit for. I still prefer Duncans in my Gibsons, but the 498T is the best pickup for injecting some Gibson quality into a bolt-on superstrat. I tried the 498T in my G&L Legacy Deluxe, along with Cool Rails, and the guitar sounds perfect now.

I don't know that they are BETTER than people give them credit for, but I see your point. I think that might be a good combination with your Legacy Deluxe and the Cool Rails. Great observation.

For my taste, in my Les Paul Supreme the 490R has typical Gibson muddiness, though it can be a very sweet pickup for blues and jazz. The 498T has a nice aggressive edge to it that I think makes it a very good rock and metal pickup. But together, they drive me crazy. My amp settings aren't right for either one.

The Seth and Antiquity sets I have in my other Les Pauls, and the Burstbucker 1 & 2 that I have in my '58 Historic seem to work very well together. When I switch pickups, I know exactly what I'm going to get.

I would be interested in your comparison of the 498T to the TB-4 that came with your Legacy Deluxe, and to the Duncan Pearly Gates bridge, as well.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

The 498T has a nice aggressive edge to it that I think makes it a very good rock and metal pickup. But together, they drive me crazy. My amp settings aren't right for either one.

Bill

Thats my issue as well with the 490r. It doesn't balance well with the 490 bridge. But the clips doveman has provided has got me wanting to try the 498t with my '59 neck.

 

[doveman]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

Clips: Having a little trouble with my software :eek13: ... not sure exactly how to fix? Wrote a note to the support site. So clips aren't done.

Pickups: After a few days ...missing the 498T in the bridge ... put it back in tonight. Bottom line is ... for my slide guitar project ... I'm going to have to have that specific tone. It sounds good alone. It mixes well with any of the neck pickups (except the 490R...go figure). The A2P, '59B and the '59N ... all sound good with the 498T ... thicker to thinner to thinnest in that order. Thinnest lets me work the tone knob. :13:

The full set of '59s sounds good ... I'm just liking this other setup better.

The '59n sounds slightly better in the neck (you might expect) than the '59B in the neck ... but not much. It's a little glassier on the highs ... a little thinner on the low end. But if I had clips the 59n & 59b sounded close to each other in the neck.

 

[Moonsorrow]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

I love the 498t in my Les Paul and the 490r in the neck as well!!! Never had any problems with that combo! Although the Duncan 59 in the neck with the 498t in the bridge sounds interesting........would adding the 59 in the neck make the guitar sound that much better then with the 490r?? I always liked the sound of the 490r but i`m always up for improving things!!!

 

[doveman]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

Here are my original clips with the 498T ... 1stmin=neck, 2ndmin=mid, 3rdmin=bridge

Washburn 59B/498T(b) Test
lo-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4585455&q=lo
hi-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4585455&q=hi

Washburn WI62 AP2/498T(b)
lo-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4472396&q=lo
hi-fi URL: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4472396&q=hi

May not be for everyone ... no clips of 490R ... but it was too muddy for me. Maybe not for everyone but I like both these setups and the 59n.

 

[doveman]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

I'm not tired of the CLIPS. If anything I think all clips should be stored for everyone to hear. Especially since you have made such a variety with different pups and configurations in the same guitar.

+1. I liked the clips so much I listened to many of the other clips too.

OK ... resolved problem with the software and can record clips again.

Attached is the 59N/498T clip ... again it's a slide project min1=neck, min2=middle, min3=bridge.

If you want to hear the clips for A2P/498T or 59B/498T or 59B vs 498T in bridge, click on site link below ... they are at the end of the songlist.

I love that 498T ... and ANY of the neck pickups I mentioned! :dance:

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: '59s vs A2P vs 490R/498T (SG Like Guitar)

I definatly like the '59n/498t clips best.

I was gonna get a Custom to go with my '59 neck, but I may just try the 498t now. With the old 490 set I had in my SG my only probs were the neck was too Muddy (which the '59 solved) And the bridge needed more output and bite. So its either a Custom or 498t. Off to Ebay I go.

Awesome clips Doveman.