Gibson 490s in SG opinions

[Sam SG]

What is the consensus on 490r/t set in an SG. Yea I knows its a Duncan forum lol
Anyways after much adjustment to heights and pole adjustment. I think they sound rather good.
I've toyed with the idea of trying Duncan's or even Burstbuckers or 57 classics in my SGs just to see if the tone improves. But I worry that by the time I remove the bridge to get the batwing guard off and all. I gotta hope I get the setup exactly the same or perhaps the difference I'd be hearing might not even be the pickup swap and just a minute difference in setup.
So anyways what do you guys think of 490s in an SG? I hear allot of hate for them but I'm not seeing it.
I play southern rock, blues rock and classic rock tones through Marshall amps DSLs and Origin
If ya hate or love. Just looking for descriptive opinions. Like what kind of improvements it made when you've swapped them out for xyz pickup etc...or what it was you disliked about them.
thanks

 

[Mincer]

Well, I had them in another Gibson, a 90s-era Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion...and found them to be the most bland pickups I've ever used. As far as the adjustments being the same when you change pickups- any adjustments you made will go out the window with different pickups. But if you want a starting point, an accurate ruler will make sure that you can set the heights exactly the same as your previous pickups.
For the music you like, also check out the High Voltage, Whole Lotta Humbucker, and Saturday Night Special sets.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

490T or 498T?

I like the 490R and the 498T. The 490R has a cool thing going on in the high mids, and it's not as scooped and chirpy as the Duncan Jazz or '59. I like it, personally. The 498T is really cool. It's raunchy, mid output, but not overly weak or dry-feeling. I like it as well. I'd put them against any Duncan I've tried. I wouldn't say they're better, but I wouldn't say they're worse either. Just another different flavor.

I had the 490T in my Les Paul Tribute very shortly, but to be honest, I replaced it within days. It's certainly not the kind of bridge pickups that I normally like.

 

[beaubrummels]

My SG came with 498T/490R. so I don't know about the 490T. But I've found the 498/490 set to be very versatile and can become different pickups simply by raising/lowering the pickups and raising/lowering the poles. Sinking the poles below the covers makes it scooped metal sounding, raising the poles over the covers makes it chimey and vintage sounding. Raising the pickups to standard Gibson factory heights gives it metal level heat. Sinking them down to the rings or below gives it vintage voice but still a little bit of heat for drive and solos.

 

[Sam SG]

Well, I had them in another Gibson, a 90s-era Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion...and found them to be the most bland pickups I've ever used.

Bland as in how? Like woofy or lacking treble detail?
I haven't done a ton of pickup swaps through the years., especially paf' is vintage output type pups. A few strat pickup sets Although I used to run JB and Super Ds in strat bridges.
As far as adjustment I was mostly referring to the bridge. While I set with a ruler. I spend a few days OCD,ING with the allen wrench little tweaks finding every little bit of feel and tone I can get. And I hate to have to go through it again after I got it were I want. Yea pups I get it, they will call for there own adjustment..I start at 3/64 and OCD from there lol

 

[Mincer]

Bland as in how? Like woofy or lacking treble detail?
I haven't done a ton of pickup swaps through the years., especially paf' is vintage output type pups. A few strat pickup sets Although I used to run JB and Super Ds in strat bridges.
As far as adjustment I was mostly referring to the bridge. While I set with a ruler. I spend a few days OCD,ING with the allen wrench little tweaks finding every little bit of feel and tone I can get. And I hate to have to go through it again after I got it were I want. Yea pups I get it, they will call for there own adjustment..I start at 3/64 and OCD from there lol

As in, not inspiring to me. Not particularly touch sensitive, even though they are vintage output. They also have a flatter EQ than most pickups.

 

[Sam SG]

Ah gotcha.
I looked up those pups you listed and the whole Lotta humbucker sounds interesting.
I do think I'm gonna keep the 490r in there.
But at the bridge if I wanted a bit more boldness and lowed on power chords on the bridge. Yet I think I need more round compression for leads on the bridge as I'm a pretty blues type lead player(rocked up marshall type blues tones). Would the whole Lotta HB be the one?
i like round sweetness for bends and lead flow but still kinda want open chine on open chords and growl on power chords....is that asking allot of a single pup?
How would it balance volume wise with the 490r?
Also what about the Alnico II pro?

 

[Mincer]

The Alnico II Pro has more mids than chime- it's big thing is big, buttery solos (think Slash). If you are after chime-y chords I think the Whole Lotta Humbucker would be great. If you needed a higher output pickup than that, a 59/Custom Hybrid would be the next one up on the output scale, while still having some nice chime to it.

 

[Sam SG]

So I went down a rabbit hole and listened to a bunch of clips on the SD site.
I really like the whole Lotta HB I can hear a certain mid crang on the low chords that i like.
The 59 custom sounds like a hotter version of that pup to me.
listened to a 59 and that is nice but seems weak for what i want.
BUT I listened to the Pearly Gates and i really like the smoothness of the leads. BUT seems I'd have to sacrifice the glorious crang of the whole lotta for lead smoothness...but its super sweet.How ya think a PG would work in an SG?
And yea the A2 pro does sound like slash allot .

 

[jeremy]

i love the pgb! wont be much hotter than what youve got in there, but has this great upper mid peak that helps ya cut through a mix. i really like the wlhb too, its got more output and bottom so should suit the sg well

 

[Mincer]

It really comes down to the EQ you want or that your guitar needs (or ideally, both).

 

[Ashurbanipal]

To me, pots have a big impact on how the sound is overall, and changing this may take something that's meh to good. Not all CTS pots are created equal either; of the ones which came in my SG (w/ P90s), only one measured 500k, two 470 and one 410. Overall the guitar sounded a bit duller, also since it was wired up modern style, so, loss of high end when turning the volume down.

In the end I got a set of 550k pots and wired them up 50s style - much better: more overall clarity, high end and dynamic sensitivity. Like taking a blanket off and This is a place I usually start before deciding to buy a new pu. Other folks may prefer something else, but since we're trading opinions/experiences here, my 2 cents.

 

[hamerfan]

Be careful the SG is another beast than a Les Paul you hear in most clips.
My 490R now has a A5 magnet swapped in. More definition and cut. Good mod!

 

[Rex_Rocker]

As in, not inspiring to me. Not particularly touch sensitive, even though they are vintage output. They also have a flatter EQ than most pickups.

Yeah, I wouldn't say the 498T is particularly dynamic. I like that, personally. I feel like even though it's not blistering high output, it doesn't feel like it struggles to get some chunk going.

I feel like it's kind of an in-between Custom 5 meets JB with a hint of 500T in there.

But yeah, more of a pickup that likes some overdrive and to be loud and obnoxious rather than a "pretty"-sounding pickup, I think.

 

[Securb]

I am a big fan of the 490 and 498. My singer got an 80s Japanese LP copy that played well but sounded muffled. I put a spare 490n I had in the bridge. The guitar sings, now it sounds amazing. I think that pickup set is very underrated and vilified. In the right guitar, they sound amazing.

 

[80's_Metal]

I am not a fan of the 490 or 498... I yanked them out of everything as fast as I could and replaced them with a Duncan sh6 or BW. I think the 500 is the only Gibby pickup I have ever liked. (The BB3 is ok)

But all I play is metal... I suppose if I played AC-DC all the time they might sound just fine??? Different amp settings and tonal nuances?

I found with my SG that I was always reaching to the volume knob thinking it wasn't all the way up....
Just bland... Plain old boring vanilla to my ears.

 

[Mincer]

Well, I play jazzy ambient fusion stuff and I didn't like the 490 neck or bridge, either.

 

[hamerfan]

Well, I play jazzy ambient fusion stuff and I didn't like the 490 neck or bridge, either.

The 490n with an A5 is quite a good clone of a T-Top. I have several late T-Tops and early Shaws to compare. But other say early T-Tops and Patent No. are even more refined.

 

[Mincer]

The 490n with an A5 is quite a good clone of a T-Top. I have several late T-Tops and early Shaws to compare. But other say early T-Tops and Patent No. are even more refined.

See, I don't like T-Tops, either. Or the Shaws. I took them out of my Howard Roberts and put in Antiquities and it sounds a lot better.

 

[Sam SG]

I'm gonna keep my 490r I like that pickup. While I'm sure there is sonething else I'd like even more. I can't find anything about the 490r I can pin point as to what I'd want to change about the sound.
Now the 490t while I don't mind it at all. I can describe(and did) what id like to improve. So im letting my lust(and cash) grow a little and im pretty sure a WLH is gonna land in the bridge at sone point. The more I think on it the slight overwind and increase in bottom would offset the SGs sharp attack nicely