Seymour Duncan 490R/498T equivalent?
- Thread starter Frater106
- Start date
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Just spec-wise on paper, what Blille posted is closest, but those don't sound anything like a 498T/490R set.
Sound-wise, there's almost nothing.
But who wants a Duncan version of a Gibson pickup? If you're going Duncan, it's to improve upon and fix what's wrong with the Gibson set. And to that end, I'd move in any of these directions...
Pearly Gates set
Seth set
Whole Lotta Humbucker set
Distortion set
Black Winter set
...for a start.
Sound-wise, there's almost nothing.
But who wants a Duncan version of a Gibson pickup? If you're going Duncan, it's to improve upon and fix what's wrong with the Gibson set. And to that end, I'd move in any of these directions...
Pearly Gates set
Seth set
Whole Lotta Humbucker set
Distortion set
Black Winter set
...for a start.
Actually the Custom 5 is closest to the 498T....not that specs are everything but it shares a similar DCR, has the same wire gauge and magnet. They are both quite brash and scooped - in the wrong guitar they are a nightmare but the C5 will be more balanced.
The A2 pro is probably closest in nature to the 490R in its intent.....but with more clarity.
The A2 pro is probably closest in nature to the 490R in its intent.....but with more clarity.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
What is wrong with a Gibson set? Gibson makes some amazing pickups.
hamerfan
Well-known member
490R have A2, so 59 with an A2 ???
beaubrummels
Well-known member
I agree, but not 'perfect'. While I can make a lot of music with my 498T/490R LP, I had to adjust the pickups quite a bit and, while they are good, they weren't 'right' or the best I've heard in an LP.
My take on the 498T/490R is they were designed for versatility, because Gibson has to make their guitar work for the widest possible group of players, which makes the pickups good a most things but not the pinnacle for any one particular kind of playing or sound. With factory height settings and the poles leveled, I can do metal all day, or back off the volume and do cleans/pop/funk. With them lowered significantly and the poles raised, I can get it to sound like a PAF / vintage LP to a degree and cover blues, even some country-ish picking, but it's missing that top end spank and the mids are not quite clear. String to string definition with chords is not there. That's where moving to Duncans and others to 'fix' comes in, IMO.
I was talking sound and feel -wise, not construction.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I think the 498T is a fantastic bridge pickup. It's rude, raspy, and grindy. Perfect for gain, IMO.
Blille
New member
Agree on the description of the 490R.
I was also thinking about the Custom 5 for the 498T but I thought it did something in the upper mids closer to the JB than the C5. Don’t really disagree. Different pickups at the end of the day so it’s not a direct match.
They didn’t last that long for me so I’m not an expert but that’s my take.
Blille
New member
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
I agree with the 498 is 'like' a Custom 5. I don't know what the 490 is like. Or care. If this set works for you - great. Rock it in good health (or jazz it, blues it, whatever).
Securb is a fan. While I could play whatever with these pickups, I could easily find a number of other pickups I prefer for any given purpose. as a set over all, the work for whatever, and are are great at nothing IMO. But even at that - if you just got a guitar with them, live with them for a while. Just on principle...you might like/love them.
But just like I think a Jazz is a way better version of a T-TOp, I think the C5 is a way better 498. Not that I am a fan of either in general.
And yes - Gibson does make some fine, if over-priced pickups: P90, 500T, BB1, BB2's, Dirty Fingers, so I'm not Gibson hating. But that set just isn't my thing.
Securb is a fan. While I could play whatever with these pickups, I could easily find a number of other pickups I prefer for any given purpose. as a set over all, the work for whatever, and are are great at nothing IMO. But even at that - if you just got a guitar with them, live with them for a while. Just on principle...you might like/love them.
But just like I think a Jazz is a way better version of a T-TOp, I think the C5 is a way better 498. Not that I am a fan of either in general.
And yes - Gibson does make some fine, if over-priced pickups: P90, 500T, BB1, BB2's, Dirty Fingers, so I'm not Gibson hating. But that set just isn't my thing.
JamesPaul
Well-known member
We may be suffering from a little Unconscious Bias assuming the OP is replacing a set. Maybe the OP heard a set and wants to get that tone, but is loyal only to SD? Just thinking out loud...
To come close to getting back on topic, I pulled this set from my LP Classic 1960 and replaced them with '59s. But I wanted to get that vintage tone.
To come close to getting back on topic, I pulled this set from my LP Classic 1960 and replaced them with '59s. But I wanted to get that vintage tone.
Blille
New member
That’s interesting. The 490R I had was like it was said above, an A2Pro without the clarity. Mud-town territory.
Have you played them in semis or hollows? Maybe that makes a difference.
Mine was in a 1991 Howard Roberts Fusion.
soulforger
Active member
Agreed! I love the 498t, I prefer with a 496r neck to the 490 though, I'm also a big fan of Burstbuckers when in the mood for PAF type pups, a 498 or BB3 can do some killer heavy rock!
Blille
New member
Maybe that matters. I remember the 490R was also in the old Herb Ellis which I always thought sounded nice, but I never played one.
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