Gibson pickup recommendations

[Mikelamury]

I'm wanting to replace the bridge in my Gibson SG standard. It currently has a 490t in the bridge and I want something with more output and something that will have thick palm mutes kinda like the 490t without the alnico 2 magnets(just not my taste). I was thinking about putting in a dirty fingers because the 498t's on my other Gibson's don't have a strong enough palm mute. I want to stick with Gibson pickups because of the spacing. I'm curious about the 500t? I want this SG to be a face melter with really chunky palm mutes. Any suggestions?
Thanks to everyone for their input.

 

[alex1fly]

I’d love to try a dirty fingers one day. Pop punk glory.

 

[Mikelamury]

I’d love to try a dirty fingers one day. Pop punk glory.

I had one in my epi Tom delonge es-333 and it sounded good, I've never heard a 500t that's the reason for asking.

 

[Inflames626]

IME the brighter the pickup the less chunky the lows will sound. I prefer the 498t over the 500t as a rhythm pickup for that reason.

The 500t is brighter overall and, to my ear, is better for doing melodies and solos than the 498t. The 498t is much more balanced.

But getting a DF gets you Gibson's highest output pickup.

I would go with the DF and if it is enough, fine. If it is too much, back down to a 500t. And if a DF isn't enough, it might be a better idea to try a very bassy pickup like an Invader.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSTqQf0GZKo

As you can hear here, going to a higher output doesn't add more chunk. It just makes it fuzzier.

If you want more balls from your tone, I would focus more on the amp EQ settings and especially the boost in front of the amp if you have one.

 

[Aceman]

What you REALLY want is a Duncan Invader, Or a Custom, depending on if you want more mids or highs along with your chunk.

But, If you must stay Gibson (and why must anyone?), go with the DF. 500t is like a Distortion, so less thump than the Custom or Invader.

 

[Securb]

I have a blackened Black Winter showing up tomorrow that is going in my SG.

 

[beaubrummels]

Haven't used a Dirty Fingers, but 500T would do what you want and is Gibson.

But given that there's nothing about a 500T visually that says Gibson, so only you will know it's Gibson anyway, and if being a face melter with tight palm mutss was more important, I might go with a Custom or Black Winter or maybe Dimebucker (I haven't use the Dime, however. Just going off descriptions there.). But that's me. I've used 500T/496R in my LP for a while, and I could live with them just fine also.

 

[Mikelamury]

Alright thanks for the info everyone, I have the 498t/490r in my other 2 Gibson's and love them but I want this guitar to be hotter with chunkier palm mutes, my amp EQ is already mid forward so I'm trying to find a pickup to push it well and from what I gather that's what the DF Is good for. I've tried an invader and it wasn't too my liking like the DF was. I was wondering about the 500t and I get that it's a more bright kinda lead style pickup so I'm probably better off going with the DF. I want to out a Gibson pickup in there because I'm kinda anal about spacing on my Gibson's. Thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

[fretburner]

My Gibson SG standard has a 498T 490R in it and found it to be lacking the punch for my type of music.

The 500T 496R changed all of that. It's now a mean, hard rock to metal machine \m/

Sent from my 2201116PG using Tapatalk

 

[Inflames626]

If you absolutely can't find a Gibson, a Screamin' Demon has a really thumpy low end but is kind of thin in the mids and top to my liking. But that makes the lows stand out more.

IME in recent years I now focus way more on the boost in front of the amp than either the pickups or the amp. Usually a small amount of gain with a high mix ratio or a high amount of gain with a low mix ratio will add the saturation necessary.

I was able to do death metal with a 57 Classic + in the bridge, Pod Farm, and Cakewalk. So if the pickups aren't working, try other stuff in the signal chain, especially impulse responses.

 

[Mikelamury]

My Gibson SG standard has a 498T 490R in it and found it to be lacking the punch for my type of music.

The 500T 496R changed all of that. It's now a mean, hard rock to metal machine \m/

Sent from my 2201116PG using Tapatalk

Where did you find that set with covers? I'm going to go with the dirty fingers and the 496r as I mostly play punk stuff and most of the time just plug directly into my amp. I use my pedals sometimes but recently have been plugging into the amp more and I understand that the DF pushes the front of the amp pretty well so I think this will be a good match.

 

[soulforger]

Gibson Tony Iommi pickup! If you can find one used, sadly I don't think they sell it outright anymore, they can be expensive on the used market though

 

[fretburner]

Where did you find that set with covers? I'm going to go with the dirty fingers and the 496r as I mostly play punk stuff and most of the time just plug directly into my amp. I use my pedals sometimes but recently have been plugging into the amp more and I understand that the DF pushes the front of the amp pretty well so I think this will be a good match.

Used the covers from the 498T 490R set that came with the SG std

Sent from my 2201116PG using Tapatalk

 

[Securb]

Mike take a look at the Gibson Velvet Bricks you can find them on the used market fairly reasonably priced.

Gibson "Velvet Brick" Bill Lawrence designed humbucker

Gibson part number 13076. The Velvet Brick was an exposed-coil "super hot" humbucker - described in 1980 Gibson literature as a "bitch of a pickup". It was the stock pickup in two early 1980s guitars: the bridge position of "the SG" Standard and Deluxe models, and in the neck position of the Gibson Victory MV2. It was also widely offered as a replacement/upgrade part. The exposed "zebra" coil look was a common feature of Gibson humbuckers at this time, and it can be hard to differentiate between the different models. Other pickups (most notably the Sonex Deluxe humbucker) often get misdescribed as Velvet Bricks. Gibson literature at the time described it as a conventional iron-loaded "hot rodded" humbucking pickup (indox ceramic magnet substituted for Alnico).

Distinguishing features of the Velvet Brick include contrasting black/cream coils with adjustable pole pieces in the black portion, the patent number 2,737,842 on the reverse (the same patent number on all Gibson humbuckers that actually refers to the Gibson Les Paul combined bridge/tailpiece - If it says "Sonex-180 Deluxe", it isn't a Velvet brick, it's a Sonex-180 Deluxe pickup, made for Gibson in Japan), and a grey lead with black and red coated wires, and uncoated drain wire. The coils are mounted to a ferrous reflector plate "for additional output".

 

[Mikelamury]

Mike take a look at the Gibson Velvet Bricks you can find them on the used market fairly reasonably priced.

I'll take a look into these. Thanks for the suggestion. Hey I've got a question; as far as I know all 496r pickups that have a Gibson USA baseplate are 4 conductor wiring, they don't make the 496r with 2 conductor wiring anymore do they? I recently came across one and it seemed not right to me. I'm pretty sure all the new ones have the 4 conductor wiring but I'd like to make sure.

 

[ToneFiddler]

AFAIK the gibson aftermarket PUs are 4conductor, the ones, coming in the guitar are braided wire..
might be outdated though, since this is pre quickconnect

 

[jeremy]

that was the case, the ones in guitars were all 2 cond, but i assume that changed since they went to the quickconnect? hopefully someone with more current gibson pup/guitar experience will confirm. though now that i type that... im guessing they still make 2 cond versions of some paf type pups that get used in certain guitars. i wouldnt think the hot ceramics would fall into that category though, and all of those would be 4 cond. again, hopefully someone with good current knowledge comes along to confirm

 

[Mikelamury]

that was the case, the ones in guitars were all 2 cond, but i assume that changed since they went to the quickconnect? hopefully someone with more current gibson pup/guitar experience will confirm. though now that i type that... im guessing they still make 2 cond versions of some paf type pups that get used in certain guitars. i wouldnt think the hot ceramics would fall into that category though, and all of those would be 4 cond. again, hopefully someone with good current knowledge comes along to confirm

I knew that some of the old ones had 2 conductor wire and yes they still make some of their pickups with the 2 conductor but I thought that anything as new as having a Gibson USA baseplate is going to be 4 conductor (referring to the 496r).

Anyone with more Gibson knowledge please Chime in.

 

[skelt101]

Guitars in the current Gibson USA Original Collection have hand-wired components, and (I believe) all are 2-conductor. The Modern Collection is where you'll find fancy electronics and (possibly) the 4-conductor and Quick Connects. I didn't notice anything listed in the Pickup Shop as having Quick Connects.
https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Collection/pickupshop

 

[GuitarDoc]

The Custom with an A8 magnet is what you want. The C8 is a match made in Heaven for the SG.