So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

M

mysquaredontfit

New member
I should kick myself in the nards for not doing it sooner. When I was younger and played nothing but high gain chug metal on the bridge pickup, I thought my SG was the most bad ass sounding guitar around. I grew up, so tastes changed as well as playing style and I realized the severe lack of balance between these pickups and my inability to dial in a useable rock tone was a big problem.

Thanks to this forum I decided to do the magnet swap procedure myself and I am incredibly happy with the results. The pickups are so much better balanced now and the bridge sounds so much smoother and open/airy. My SG now sounds the way I've wanted it to sound for the last 5 years. All I can say is thanks and that I advise anyone else feeling the way I did about the 498t/490r set to try the same. It sure beats the hell out of spending over a hundred bucks on new pickups you're not even sure you'll like.
 
Re: So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

Which exact model of SG do you have? Some models ship with 490R/490T humbuckers. Have you ever taken DC resistance meter readings of your two pickups?

Also, you have omitted to state which magnets you installed.
 
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Re: So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

mysquaredontfit said:
I should kick myself in the nards for not doing it sooner. When I was younger and played nothing but high gain chug metal on the bridge pickup, I thought my SG was the most bad ass sounding guitar around. I grew up, so tastes changed as well as playing style and I realized the severe lack of balance between these pickups and my inability to dial in a useable rock tone was a big problem.

Thanks to this forum I decided to do the magnet swap procedure myself and I am incredibly happy with the results. The pickups are so much better balanced now and the bridge sounds so much smoother and open/airy. My SG now sounds the way I've wanted it to sound for the last 5 years. All I can say is thanks and that I advise anyone else feeling the way I did about the 498t/490r set to try the same. It sure beats the hell out of spending over a hundred bucks on new pickups you're not even sure you'll like.
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I am older, but still play high gain chug metal and still thing the SG with a 498T in the bridge is a thing of greatness.
 
Re: So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

DonP said:
I am older, but still play high gain chug metal and still thing the SG with a 498T in the bridge is a thing of greatness.
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You do this without an A8 mag?! NO WAY! This is impossible everyone knows you must swap the mag and if you swap it must be an A8 in the bridge how else will you get that sweet vintage whisker toanz?



I kid.... sorry but I couldnt resist...
 
Re: So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

My SG is a 2004 Standard, so it's definitely the 498/490 combo. Multimeter told me a resistance in the low 13's for the bridge and mid 7's for the neck.

I swapped the magnets from one pickup to the other. The 498t with the A2 magnet cured the brittle icepick sound that had annoyed me when I tried to do anything without a scooped mid. The 490r is no longer muddy when I eq my amp (peavey jsx) for the bridge. Everything is so well and good. I'm THRILLED.
 
Re: So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

mysquaredontfit said:
the 498/490 combo...I swapped the magnets from one pickup to the other.
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I tried that in an SG, and it worked great for the neck. Big improvement in clarity, should come stock this way. In that particular guitar, the A2 in the 498T shaved off too much high-end, even with two 500K's. I actually got more treble and a sharper high-end putting in an A8 and two 250K's.

So at some point if you decide you want a little more cut and bite in the bridge, you can try an A8 or an UOA5 (more vintage sounding).
 
Re: So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

The high end on the bridge pickup is definitely not a intense as it was, but for now I'm actually just fine with that. There is definitely more low end thunder and a warmer, rounder tone overall. This is exactly what I was going for, so I'm incredibly happy. This will probably not be my last foray into messing with gibsons and their pickups (I plan on getting a Lester or another SG) so the A8 idea is very intriguing and one I will definitely keep in my back pocket.
 
Re: So I did the 498t/490r magnet swap

Why didn't you use the Vintage Whisperer mag combo!?!? With a clever name like that you CANNOT go wrong!
 
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