So... it's not bad!
It definitely has the same "wow factor" that the '59 has. Maybe more. It's open, it's lively, and it's sparkly on a clean channel.
Distorted, it's very clear on the lower and middle notes. I like that. However, it does get kinda too single coil-y the higher you go. I think I might play with pot values and polepiece adjustment a bit there see if I can "fix" that.
I'll spend more time with it and report back if I like it more than my trusty old 490R.