Les Paul humbucker advice

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eightball14

New member
Hello all, first off, thanks for all the great information on this forum, it's been very helpful. So I wanted some advice on new Les Paul pickups. I am one of the many who is dissatisfied with the stock 490R/498T pickups so I've started looking for a better match. I've picked up a bridge Seth Lover and a 57 classic. I think the Seth is great. The 57 classic not so much.

At this point I'm looking for something to match with the Seth. I've actually already tried it both in the bridge and neck positions despite it being the bridge model, and it's superb in both positions. It actually wasn't bad paired with the 498T, but I think I could find something better. At this point I'm thinking about either just completing the Seth pair or perhaps putting the Seth in the neck and getting a 59 custom for the bridge just to give me a little more bite.

What do do you all think? I play mostly classic rock and blues, but also some 90s alt rock at times. Any insights on these thoughts or other pairings would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

That sounds like a good idea, putting the Seth in the neck and getting a 59 Custom for the bridge.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

If you go the '59/Custom route, you may want a warmer magnet in it to match-up closer to the SethN. Both PU's in the hybrid are A5's, and on their own are bright and scooped, along with being extremely unbalanced (7k & 4.2k) adds to that. When coils are matched, they reduce noise and treble, and add midrange. Hybrids have an unmatched component, and that allows some bright & clear single coil sound to leak thru. I've made bridge hybrids similar to that, and use UOA5's and A2's in them to tame the highs and fill in the mids (Seth's have A2's BTW). Both of those magnets add a rich, vintage texture to the tone.

Too bad you got that '57, they've been a huge disappointment to me. Evidently they were a little better initially, but the specs have been changed over the years (cost reduction?) and the handful of recent ones I've heard have been dull and muddy, with a strange 'ribbony' high end. Overpriced paperweights.
 
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Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

I think a Seth in the neck, with a Hybrid in the bridge should easily cover everything you want.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

The Seth in the neck and 59/C hybrid in the bridge sounds like a good idea. But I personally like an A8 in the 59/C for use in the bridge. It gives a smoother high end with more mids and a bit more output. Still has the clarity/articulation you expect from the hybrid.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

The 490R/498T set can get usable by simply changing the magnets: an A3 in the 490Rand an A2 in the 498T, plus a good setup will do the trick, on a very small budget.

If you already have a Seth neck, then you could try the 490R in the bridge position. I bet they'balance ok, output-wise. Tone-wise they'll probably be ok too...

/Peter
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

I would go a different route and suggest a Seth Lover in the bridge and a P90 in the neck, maybe an A4/A5 Phat Cat would fit the bill. I used that combo in an Epi Standard LP and it was a classic rock tone monster. I'd definetly suggest considering it.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

Discharged said:
The 490R/498T set can get usable by simply changing the magnets: an A3 in the 490Rand an A2 in the 498T, plus a good setup will do the trick, on a very small budget.
Click to expand...



I found A2's in 498T's to be a little too warm and rounded for me, even with 500K's, so I have UOA5's in mine. I've put A5's in my 490R's and that was a big improvement, which I'm sure A3's and A4's would be too. It seems like the stock magnets in that set were not the best possible combination.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

blueman335 said:
I found A2's in 498T's to be a little too warm and rounded for me, even with 500K's, so I have UOA5's in mine. I've put A5's in my 490R's and that was a big improvement, which I'm sure A3's and A4's would be too. It seems like the stock magnets in that set were not the best possible combination.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great advice everyone. I think I'll either give the 59 custom a shot, with or without a magnet swap, or perhaps I'll pair the Seth with the 498t after a magnet swap in the 498t. The Seth and the stock 498t aren't a bad match at all, the best of all the combos I've tried, but I think I can find something better. I've never done a magnet swap, but it doesn't look hard.

Blueman, I agree with you about the 57 classic. To my ears it's very one dimensional, and not great at that. I'm surprised by all the good reviews I've seen about it. I think I actually like the 490r better, which isn't saying much.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

eightball14 said:
Blueman, I agree with you about the 57 classic. To my ears it's very one dimensional, and not great at that. I'm surprised by all the good reviews I've seen about it. I think I actually like the 490r better, which isn't saying much.
Click to expand...


For the boutique prices they charge for '57's ($165 each) you'd think you're getting one of the world's best sounding PU. Seth's costs much less ($110 each), and sound incredible.

Most of the people who are thrilled with '57's haven't tried any aftermarket pickups, and think that whatever PU's Gibson puts in it's guitars are carefully crafted to sound great in that guitar. Plus, they want to leave their guitars stock so they don't risk lowering it's resale value. To many of us, the thought that any Gibson PU is equal to or superior to Bare Knuckle, Lollar, Fralin, Duncans, and the dozens of high quality PU makers is pretty funny.

Mag swaps are easy, or I couldn't have done so many of them (a lot have been in F holes guitars!).
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

eightball14 said:
Hello all, first off, thanks for all the great information on this forum, it's been very helpful. So I wanted some advice on new Les Paul pickups. I am one of the many who is dissatisfied with the stock 490R/498T pickups so I've started looking for a better match. I've picked up a bridge Seth Lover and a 57 classic. I think the Seth is great. The 57 classic not so much.

At this point I'm looking for something to match with the Seth. I've actually already tried it both in the bridge and neck positions despite it being the bridge model, and it's superb in both positions. It actually wasn't bad paired with the 498T, but I think I could find something better. At this point I'm thinking about either just completing the Seth pair or perhaps putting the Seth in the neck and getting a 59 custom for the bridge just to give me a little more bite.

What do do you all think? I play mostly classic rock and blues, but also some 90s alt rock at times. Any insights on these thoughts or other pairings would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...


More bite in the bridge, go standard 59b or a PGb.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

The 498t and 490r set sound ok in an SG, but I think they are a bad match with a Les Paul. I personally did not like the 59/custom at all, so I will let others recommend that. The Seth set is very versatile and can do more than people assume if they have never tried them. The Pearly Gates set might work for you too.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

I'd go for the full Seth set. I have a set in one of my Les Paul Supremes, replacing the stock 490r/498t (which I hated!)

Now, I'm a classic rock, blues, jazz, country guy. I don't do metal, and I'm not playing at arena rock volume levels with insane amounts of distortion. I use Mesa amps, and even with the LEAD CHANNEL engaged, I'm using modest amounts of gain in my Mark III, IV and V amps...in the 6-7 range. When I have gotten feedback with the Seths (and Antiquitys), it is musical and controllable.

So with those caveats in mind, I can highly recommend the Seths.

Good luck.

Bill
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

So many choices here, the Alnico II Pro HB in the neck (as others have mentioned) is a great choice, I love the JB in the bridge with that or the 59'. All of these are great choices, if you are looking for Gibsons, the Burstbuckers are great as well as the Gibson '57 classic and classic plus are great choices.
 
Re: Les Paul humbucker advice

If you want to go high end go for the Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday set, although they sound very similar to the cheaper Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro.
 
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