fenderlover
New member
What do most experienced guitarists think of the 490R and 498T pickups on Les Pauls? I just don't hear anything about them in forums, etc...Many usually talk about PAF's, etc...
Gibson 490, 498 pickups
- Thread starter fenderlover
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Hellion
New member
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
Not a big fan of the "new" series of Gibby pups, however, I do like the new Burstbucker series and the old style SuperHumbucker. They seemed to fit the era (SH's are to what I'm referring) of the instruments anc complimented them. I agree the newer ones seem sorta muddy by comparison.
Not a big fan of the "new" series of Gibby pups, however, I do like the new Burstbucker series and the old style SuperHumbucker. They seemed to fit the era (SH's are to what I'm referring) of the instruments anc complimented them. I agree the newer ones seem sorta muddy by comparison.
Xeromus
Tone Ninja
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
I can comment based on the two Les Pauls that I've owned. I'm an avid Gibson Hater (modern ones) but I'll put that aside for a moment.
I liked them a lot at first. I kind of felt they were crunchy and smooth at the same time. After using them for a while (and comparing them to my guitars with Duncans) I found them to be really muddy. The reason people don't talk about them too much is that Gibson pickups are too expensive and really nothing special at all. I've heard Duncan Designed pickups that sounded a great deal better and those are inexpensive pickups. I had a big problem with the 498T in the bridge of my Les Paul, it would screech like a dying cat anytime I turned up the volume or gain on my amp, it was severely microphonic. I sold both my Les Pauls this year. Good Riddance. I can honestly say they didn't come close to any of my Schecter, Ibanez, or ESP guitars in terms of sound OR playability. A lot of people like to flame me for saying that. But you gotta face it, while the quality of import guitars rose exponentially, I feel that the quality of good ol' Gibson USA fell by the same amount. I'll never buy a Gibson again.
I can comment based on the two Les Pauls that I've owned. I'm an avid Gibson Hater (modern ones) but I'll put that aside for a moment.
I liked them a lot at first. I kind of felt they were crunchy and smooth at the same time. After using them for a while (and comparing them to my guitars with Duncans) I found them to be really muddy. The reason people don't talk about them too much is that Gibson pickups are too expensive and really nothing special at all. I've heard Duncan Designed pickups that sounded a great deal better and those are inexpensive pickups. I had a big problem with the 498T in the bridge of my Les Paul, it would screech like a dying cat anytime I turned up the volume or gain on my amp, it was severely microphonic. I sold both my Les Pauls this year. Good Riddance. I can honestly say they didn't come close to any of my Schecter, Ibanez, or ESP guitars in terms of sound OR playability. A lot of people like to flame me for saying that. But you gotta face it, while the quality of import guitars rose exponentially, I feel that the quality of good ol' Gibson USA fell by the same amount. I'll never buy a Gibson again.
korovamilkdud
WhoDatologist
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
I thought they were OK, I didn't find them muddy. The neck pup I thought was a bit sterile, the bridge pup a bit harsh, but they were smooth and had plenty of output. Thing is, I knew ahead of time I'd be changing them for some Duncans. But to answer your question, I think they're "okay".
I thought they were OK, I didn't find them muddy. The neck pup I thought was a bit sterile, the bridge pup a bit harsh, but they were smooth and had plenty of output. Thing is, I knew ahead of time I'd be changing them for some Duncans. But to answer your question, I think they're "okay".
TattooedCarrot
New member
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
Exactly
korovamilkdud said:
Exactly
strat_master
New member
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
I don't really mind the stock gibsons. IN fact i think they are amazing pick ups. BUT i do also firmly believe duncans will help imporve your tone ALOT! the 490/498 combo is great but im sure ervyone here will agree that the JB/59 combo, or c5/59 or 59/59 or JB/jazz etc...... will blow the gibson pick ups out of the water. Besides alot fo pros use stock gibson pick ups so its obviously has somehting good going on.
I don't really mind the stock gibsons. IN fact i think they are amazing pick ups. BUT i do also firmly believe duncans will help imporve your tone ALOT! the 490/498 combo is great but im sure ervyone here will agree that the JB/59 combo, or c5/59 or 59/59 or JB/jazz etc...... will blow the gibson pick ups out of the water. Besides alot fo pros use stock gibson pick ups so its obviously has somehting good going on.
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
A friend of mine has a les paul standard with the 490 and 498 combo and I think it sounds incredible. Maybe it's his setup but I really can't see improving much on the sound he is getting even with Duncan Pickups. Pickups and tones are more a matter of personal preference as you can see on this forum....there are duncan pickups that people rave about that I think sound sterile or lifeless and I have tried quite a few but that is just to my ear....so I think it is just more you own personal taste regardless of who manufactures the pickup.
A friend of mine has a les paul standard with the 490 and 498 combo and I think it sounds incredible. Maybe it's his setup but I really can't see improving much on the sound he is getting even with Duncan Pickups. Pickups and tones are more a matter of personal preference as you can see on this forum....there are duncan pickups that people rave about that I think sound sterile or lifeless and I have tried quite a few but that is just to my ear....so I think it is just more you own personal taste regardless of who manufactures the pickup.
NathanCahill
New member
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
I recently purchased a Les paul and I have to admit The neck pick up can sound awfully "loose" and flat at times. Assuming this is what everybody calls "muddy". No matter it is slated for a 59/Custom Set.
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I recently purchased a Les paul and I have to admit The neck pick up can sound awfully "loose" and flat at times. Assuming this is what everybody calls "muddy". No matter it is slated for a 59/Custom Set.
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Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
I have this set in an ES137 Classic and in an LP Studio. In the ES137, the 490R can get muddy and the 498T can get harsh, but lowering them helped a lot. I hesitate to change them because the combined position does such a nice job of getting that BB King Lucille tone. The 490R and 498T in the LP Studio sound excellent -- neither muddy nor harsh, so they will likely stay put for awhile, too. I like SD pickups (wouldn't be here otherwise), and the antiquity HBs I've heard were phenomenal, but I'm not in a hurry to change the Gibbys at this point.
I have this set in an ES137 Classic and in an LP Studio. In the ES137, the 490R can get muddy and the 498T can get harsh, but lowering them helped a lot. I hesitate to change them because the combined position does such a nice job of getting that BB King Lucille tone. The 490R and 498T in the LP Studio sound excellent -- neither muddy nor harsh, so they will likely stay put for awhile, too. I like SD pickups (wouldn't be here otherwise), and the antiquity HBs I've heard were phenomenal, but I'm not in a hurry to change the Gibbys at this point.
korinastratkyle
New member
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
I've found them to be muddy in everything except SG's. One pickup I do like is the 496R for the neck, pretty cool sound to it- a PAF with a Ceramic magnet basically. I also found a way to get good clarity out of my 500T and tame it down a bit...
I've found them to be muddy in everything except SG's. One pickup I do like is the 496R for the neck, pretty cool sound to it- a PAF with a Ceramic magnet basically. I also found a way to get good clarity out of my 500T and tame it down a bit...
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
Yes , I know, necro thread. I'm a guitar tech and regularly take jobs from new Gibson owners who don't like the 490/498 combo. They hand their guitars over with their chosen set of replacements, BKPs, Throbaks, WolfeTones, Seymours, DiMarzios, and any of the smaller guys, and I do my bit, hand them back and customer happy.....generally.
Many of them just tell me to keep the 490/498 sets, got quite a few from Studios and SGs.
Sold one or two sets online to keep the cash flow going, then had a eureka moment. Put the Al II magnet from the 490R into the 498T and the Al V from the 498 into the 490..................bingo!
Try it
Yes , I know, necro thread. I'm a guitar tech and regularly take jobs from new Gibson owners who don't like the 490/498 combo. They hand their guitars over with their chosen set of replacements, BKPs, Throbaks, WolfeTones, Seymours, DiMarzios, and any of the smaller guys, and I do my bit, hand them back and customer happy.....generally.
Many of them just tell me to keep the 490/498 sets, got quite a few from Studios and SGs.
Sold one or two sets online to keep the cash flow going, then had a eureka moment. Put the Al II magnet from the 490R into the 498T and the Al V from the 498 into the 490..................bingo!
Try it
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
Certainly a bizarre pairing of PU's if there ever was one. The bright, thin bridge and warm, fat neck frustrate a lot of players. EQing an amp to one PU, makes the other way off. I don't know why Gibson didn't address this years ago. And they put them in so many guitar models! There's been a lot of aftermarket PU's sold replacing this pair.
This is an old trick and it's an improvement over the way they have the stock magnets, especially in the 490R, but I found my 498T's to be too rounded on top, even with 500K's. I like an A8 or UOA5 much better in a 498T. With that, and an A5 in the 490R, they're a matched much better EQ-wise, and are a decent set.
Certainly a bizarre pairing of PU's if there ever was one. The bright, thin bridge and warm, fat neck frustrate a lot of players. EQing an amp to one PU, makes the other way off. I don't know why Gibson didn't address this years ago. And they put them in so many guitar models! There's been a lot of aftermarket PU's sold replacing this pair.
This is an old trick and it's an improvement over the way they have the stock magnets, especially in the 490R, but I found my 498T's to be too rounded on top, even with 500K's. I like an A8 or UOA5 much better in a 498T. With that, and an A5 in the 490R, they're a matched much better EQ-wise, and are a decent set.
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
496R is a much better match for the 498T than the 490R. The 490R is much better with an A4 or A5. Other than that weirdness, I have a thing for the 490/496/498/500 series pickups. Way better than they get credit for, in my opinion. They are all kinda gritty, and that's a take it or leave it thing, I can see that. It comes from the alloy they use for the poles and screws, for you adventurous types.
Semi-hybrids made out of them (498T/500T, 490/496) are excellent, 490T/498T is pretty cool too.
496R is a much better match for the 498T than the 490R. The 490R is much better with an A4 or A5. Other than that weirdness, I have a thing for the 490/496/498/500 series pickups. Way better than they get credit for, in my opinion. They are all kinda gritty, and that's a take it or leave it thing, I can see that. It comes from the alloy they use for the poles and screws, for you adventurous types.
Semi-hybrids made out of them (498T/500T, 490/496) are excellent, 490T/498T is pretty cool too.
LtKojak
New member
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
Also... it's only the 3rd post you made since the inscription in 2006?
You actually ARE a time traveler, coming from the future, aren't you? :bowdown:
Oh, c'mon... it's only over TEN YEARS OLD...
Also... it's only the 3rd post you made since the inscription in 2006?
You actually ARE a time traveler, coming from the future, aren't you? :bowdown:
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Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Re: Gibson 490, 498 pickups
I love the 498T. As others have mentioned they are very expensive brand new, you will find them on Ebay for around $50 - 70 depending on condition. I have a set in my 2002 SG I would never replace. I traded the 57s in my Les Paul Trad Pro for a 498/490 set and that got me closer to the tone I was looking for. I have since put in a WLH set and couldn't be happier. I also have a 498T in the bridge of my 85 Ibanez Roadstar and my 80 Ibanez Iceman and the pickups shine in both guitars. For me they fit the bill. The have more than enough heat but retain that warmness and roundness in the tone. I get that nice midrange punch that I demand without getting muddy.
I love the 498T. As others have mentioned they are very expensive brand new, you will find them on Ebay for around $50 - 70 depending on condition. I have a set in my 2002 SG I would never replace. I traded the 57s in my Les Paul Trad Pro for a 498/490 set and that got me closer to the tone I was looking for. I have since put in a WLH set and couldn't be happier. I also have a 498T in the bridge of my 85 Ibanez Roadstar and my 80 Ibanez Iceman and the pickups shine in both guitars. For me they fit the bill. The have more than enough heat but retain that warmness and roundness in the tone. I get that nice midrange punch that I demand without getting muddy.
