Gibson 500T equivalents?

Dave Locher

Dave Locher

New member
I just watched this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK_8Te4VMk4
and I really like the sound of the Flying V with the 500T pickup. So...what other pickups (Dimarzio, Duncan, or small builder) would sound pretty much just like the 500T? Anything?
Nothing against Gibson pickups, but they tend to bring a lot on the used market and I prefer to have choices in terms of colors, covers, etc.

I'm at work and didn't have time to do a search, so if there is already a thread on this please politely direct me to it.
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

The Duncan Distortion is along those lines. So is the Black Winter.

I guess the PRS Tremonti Treble is as well, but it's not cheap, and it's not available in many colors either.
 
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Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

500T's usually aren't too pricey. Neither are the 498T's. These frequently get pulled for more PAF sounding pickups.
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

To my ears, the Invader is the closest thing in the Duncan lineup. The 500T is a pretty unique brand of nasty though, really cool pickup

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

Dave Locher said:
I just watched this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK_8Te4VMk4
and I really like the sound of the Flying V with the 500T pickup. So...what other pickups (Dimarzio, Duncan, or small builder) would sound pretty much just like the 500T? Anything?
Nothing against Gibson pickups, but they tend to bring a lot on the used market and I prefer to have choices in terms of colors, covers, etc.

I'm at work and didn't have time to do a search, so if there is already a thread on this please politely direct me to it.
Click to expand...

I love the 500T pickup. I've only ever had it in a Gibson Explorer, so I speak from a limited perspective. I don't have another pickup to recommend similar to it, but I would definitely consider that the Flying V is a meaty guitar with its solid mahogany body. The 500t or equivalent pickup may not capture the same tone from guitars built differently than the Flying V. These days I'm more of a hot PAF kind of guy anyway.
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

To my ears the closest pickup to 500T is the DD. The 500T is a bit fizzier and more shrill than a distortion, while the latter is tighter and clearer. The 500T has that grainy and raw sound I like the most in guitars like flying V. While it's far from the black winter (I have it in my schecter) that I find more versatile, tighter and less harsh in the treble
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

Design-wise, it's pretty much like a Distortion with Invader-style triple mags (or an Invader with regular poles) iirc

Wind is a few % different of course
 
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Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

In my Les Paul Studio, a Distortion or a Custom with the tone rolled off a bit were very similar to my 500T in the same guitar.
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

To me, a 500T is almost the same thing as a Distortion. Someone hear said the difference is that a 500T is tweaked ever so slightly more in the direction of leads and a Distortion is a very slightly better rhythm pickup. I'd say that's about right.

They are pulled often because Gibson is really known for its mild mannered all around pups. Imagine if you are used to a T-Top, a Burstbucker or whatever, and then you plug that beast in. Yow!!! :eyecrazy:

I'd never pull/swap a 500T out of a guitar.
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

Honestly I haven't paid much attention to Gibson pickups until now, but dang I liked that sound. I was listening to that video but not watching it and I was like "sounds good, sounds like crap, sounds ok, sounds good, WHAT IS THAT?!"
Don't know if I will love it with my gear but certainly willing to give it a try.
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

Adieu said:
Design-wise, it's pretty much like a Distortion with Invader-style triple mags (or an Invader with regular poles) iirc
Click to expand...
That's technically what the Black Winter is (A Distortion-esque wind with an Invader magnet structure). Then again, it has been mentioned that the Distortion is closer to the 500T tonally than the Black Winter, and I agree. JMO.
 
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Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

Well, again, the easy/obvious/correct answer is a Duncan Distortion.

/Endthread
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

The Duncan Custom is the closest. It's like a more refined 500T.
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

The evening after I posted i did a Google search and this topic has come up several times over the years. Some of the threads say "distortion," some say "custom," and one I believe came up with Full Shred! Surely Dimarzio has something in the same ballpark? I am a double-cream fanboi
 
Re: Gibson 500T equivalents?

SFW said:
The Duncan Custom is the closest. It's like a more refined 500T.
Click to expand...

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I think you are in the minority there. Yes - both ceramic screamers on the high end, but as far as mids and bass go too, 500T = DD. But hey - ears are different...
 
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