Neck pickup to go with Gibson 498T

A

arvida

New member
Hi, first post here.

I recently got a 2022 Gibson Les Paul Classic and I’m not liking the BB 61, I also hate the look of zebra pickups.

At first I was going with a EMG 57/66 set as I’m very familiar with these but I’m kinda digging the passive feel and dynamics, it’s been a while since I had passives.

i play metal, hardcore/punk and hard rock. My favorite bridge pickups are the JB and 498T. I have a new black 498T that was never used for a project that never happened.

What neck pickup would be a nice balanced fit with the 498T ? I remember not liking the 490R many years ago in a LP studio (dark muddy) and would like to try something from Duncan.

thanks !
 
I would be inclined to pair it with a Jazz or 59, leaning toward the Jazz. Despite the name, the Jazz is a great hard rock pickup, perfect for metal when you need to back away from the heat of your bridge pickup.
 
I would think one of the hotter Duncan A5 PAF-types would go well with the 498T. Maybe the WLH-Neck or the '59-Bridge.
 
As a metal player, I would suggest the Sentient, which is clean but super tight.
 
the sentient is good for so much more than metal, but i agree its a great choice for a neck pup
 
I love the 498t and use a Gibson 57 Classic Plus in the neck in my Hamer Scarab. I never mix pickup brands.

The downside is the Plus is two conductor only.

An A2P bridge pickup would probably give you a similar sound but with 4 conductor wiring.

The 498t/57 Classic Plus I use are both nickel/chrome covered and use 500k pots.
 
A quick follow up and a question.

So I got the 59 neck and installed it with the 498T in the bridge, along with an ObsidianWire solderless harness. I'm quite in love with the 59, I love the dynamics and the balanced tone, not muddy at all and it sings with distortion.

I'm now curious about the 59 bridge. I always been curious to try a low output pickup through a high gain rig. I like the 498T but i figure a vintage wind with low output would give more clarity and versatility.

Thanks.

(sorry for my english, not my first language)
 
I would say the 498T would be more versatile, as it's more middle-of-the-road in terms of output and DCR. It's not blistering hot like a 500T nor is it vintagey like a Burstbucker Pro. However, that's not to say the '59B can't do Metal or high-gain.

That being said, I've had good results with both the 498T and the '59B. I love both. I do feel like the '59B is "clearer" granted you're keeping the same settings between both. But once you start raising the gain to match the saturation of the 498T so that the '59B doesn't feel weak and dry, the the "added" clarity starts becoming negligible, IME.

The EQ profiles are pretty different too. The '59B is scooped and bright and airy. The 498T is mid-forward and bitey rather than airy.
 
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