Taming a 500T
- Thread starter eclecticsynergy
- Start date
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Taming a 500T
That may be a bit harsh. But, the 500T or the set, has cash value to other players, and that will pay for another PU or two.
That may be a bit harsh. But, the 500T or the set, has cash value to other players, and that will pay for another PU or two.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Taming a 500T
Which is the same as saying a Duncan Distortion is crap.
So that leads to the conclusion that maybe Stratman's opinion is crap. I'm going with that.
But yeah - I'm not feeling DD or 500T for the OP….
Which is the same as saying a Duncan Distortion is crap.
So that leads to the conclusion that maybe Stratman's opinion is crap. I'm going with that.
But yeah - I'm not feeling DD or 500T for the OP….
RayBarbeeMusic
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
8.7K on the 496? Yeah that's high, more like a 490T and then some. I would think with A5 or A8 depending on what you want, in the bridge it would be fine. The one that came out of my LP Classic PP from '94 was high 7s, just sub 8K. Maybe I should have kept that pickup.
8.7K on the 496? Yeah that's high, more like a 490T and then some. I would think with A5 or A8 depending on what you want, in the bridge it would be fine. The one that came out of my LP Classic PP from '94 was high 7s, just sub 8K. Maybe I should have kept that pickup.
eclecticsynergy
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
Yep, 8.71K. Should make a good bridge for something, perhaps an Epi Firebird and not the Explorer. I'm liking the feel of this axe and thinking about my options. Considering a 59/C for the bridge, for the neck one of the 490Rs or maybe even a Shaw I've been saving.
Can I assume that the Epi covers are not great, and that if I want to preserve the original look I should use better ones?
Yep, 8.71K. Should make a good bridge for something, perhaps an Epi Firebird and not the Explorer. I'm liking the feel of this axe and thinking about my options. Considering a 59/C for the bridge, for the neck one of the 490Rs or maybe even a Shaw I've been saving.
Can I assume that the Epi covers are not great, and that if I want to preserve the original look I should use better ones?
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
I have done magnet swaps with the 500T and the Dirty Fingers. They both use 3 double thick ceramic magnets. Swapping magnets in these pickups is easier than most people make it sound. I put a rough cast A8 in a 500T and then put it in the neck position where it really sounds good , but only in my Epiphone SG with a Korina wood body. As for the thickness of the original magnets they are almost as thick as 2 normal magnets put together. Anyway what I did was to use normal thick maple spacers where the 2 outside ceramics used to be. You see if you back the pole screws out of the back plate you can then retighten the bobbin screws after the magnet swap and the bobbins will lower to compress on the normal thick magnet and spacers. I recommend using a compass to check N S orientation before pulling any magnets out and matching it with the new magnets. Also my next experiment will be putting half wide magnets where the outer ceramics used to be. Still thinking about which magnets I want to try in those places. Let me know if there are any other questions you may have.
I have done magnet swaps with the 500T and the Dirty Fingers. They both use 3 double thick ceramic magnets. Swapping magnets in these pickups is easier than most people make it sound. I put a rough cast A8 in a 500T and then put it in the neck position where it really sounds good , but only in my Epiphone SG with a Korina wood body. As for the thickness of the original magnets they are almost as thick as 2 normal magnets put together. Anyway what I did was to use normal thick maple spacers where the 2 outside ceramics used to be. You see if you back the pole screws out of the back plate you can then retighten the bobbin screws after the magnet swap and the bobbins will lower to compress on the normal thick magnet and spacers. I recommend using a compass to check N S orientation before pulling any magnets out and matching it with the new magnets. Also my next experiment will be putting half wide magnets where the outer ceramics used to be. Still thinking about which magnets I want to try in those places. Let me know if there are any other questions you may have.
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Re: Taming a 500T
Old thread but it sure sounds like you have some great detailed info on this stuff.!
Old thread but it sure sounds like you have some great detailed info on this stuff.!
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
Just yesterday I added on the pole screw side 1/2 wide polished A2 magnet to a gibson 500T which already had a rough cast A8 in the center position. This pickup is installed in the bridge position of a Cort MMP2 guitar and the pole screws are facing the neck. The addition of the 1/2 wide A2 magnet gave the pickup some balls. instead of sounding so thin now it sounds like the the low frequencies are bringing out the guitar bodys resonant growl when you dig in a little. If you want 1/2 wide magnets you can take a full size magnet and cut it with a small electric grinder that has a cutting wheel on it. This greatly increases your magnet tone options on just about all humbuckers. You can even mix differant magnets in the middle of a humbucker where 1 standard sized magnet goes. Just more fun chasing the tones.
Just yesterday I added on the pole screw side 1/2 wide polished A2 magnet to a gibson 500T which already had a rough cast A8 in the center position. This pickup is installed in the bridge position of a Cort MMP2 guitar and the pole screws are facing the neck. The addition of the 1/2 wide A2 magnet gave the pickup some balls. instead of sounding so thin now it sounds like the the low frequencies are bringing out the guitar bodys resonant growl when you dig in a little. If you want 1/2 wide magnets you can take a full size magnet and cut it with a small electric grinder that has a cutting wheel on it. This greatly increases your magnet tone options on just about all humbuckers. You can even mix differant magnets in the middle of a humbucker where 1 standard sized magnet goes. Just more fun chasing the tones.
Re: Taming a 500T
If you are set on vintage output, then I’m pretty sure the 500t will not be your favorite pickup. You can mod it or whatever but that doesn’t change the fact that it is wound so hot still. It has a lot of compression. I like the pickup fine but I prefer Gibson’s more vintage output pickups.
If you are set on vintage output, then I’m pretty sure the 500t will not be your favorite pickup. You can mod it or whatever but that doesn’t change the fact that it is wound so hot still. It has a lot of compression. I like the pickup fine but I prefer Gibson’s more vintage output pickups.
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
I was mostly pleased with the 500T without any modifications. Later I started reading about magnet swaps and the tonal possibilities with the various magnets. I am not after a vintage tone , I am only experimenting to see if I can get the results I like and so far I am having pretty good luck with that thanks to others that have shared their info here. So now I want to share with others my experiances and results. More will follow later as I am just getting started.
I was mostly pleased with the 500T without any modifications. Later I started reading about magnet swaps and the tonal possibilities with the various magnets. I am not after a vintage tone , I am only experimenting to see if I can get the results I like and so far I am having pretty good luck with that thanks to others that have shared their info here. So now I want to share with others my experiances and results. More will follow later as I am just getting started.
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
Recently I pulled the 500T for some magnet changes. This time the recipe is as follows : The center is 2 half magets , on the pole screw side is a polished A2 and next it is a 1/2 RC A8. Both half magnets with the N facing the pole screws. Next I added a 1/2 RC UOA5 to the outer side away from the pole screws also kept the 1/2 polished A2 on the outer side of the pole screws with the N side facing away from the center and on other outside magnet I had S facing away from the center so I has ns , ns , ns , ns orientation. I tried it like that for a while and it sounded pretty good , but the output seemed a little low. So next I pulled it again and reversed the N S of both outer magnets so now I have SN , NS , NS , SN this resulted in a substantially increased output and great sound. So now that is the recipe I will keep in that pickup and in that guitar. Absolutely pleasing and I hope someone finds this info usefull as it has been fun doing.
Recently I pulled the 500T for some magnet changes. This time the recipe is as follows : The center is 2 half magets , on the pole screw side is a polished A2 and next it is a 1/2 RC A8. Both half magnets with the N facing the pole screws. Next I added a 1/2 RC UOA5 to the outer side away from the pole screws also kept the 1/2 polished A2 on the outer side of the pole screws with the N side facing away from the center and on other outside magnet I had S facing away from the center so I has ns , ns , ns , ns orientation. I tried it like that for a while and it sounded pretty good , but the output seemed a little low. So next I pulled it again and reversed the N S of both outer magnets so now I have SN , NS , NS , SN this resulted in a substantially increased output and great sound. So now that is the recipe I will keep in that pickup and in that guitar. Absolutely pleasing and I hope someone finds this info usefull as it has been fun doing.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Taming a 500T
If you force opposite poles toward each other, aren’t you demagnetizing the magnets over time?
If you force opposite poles toward each other, aren’t you demagnetizing the magnets over time?
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
The tone that I am getting from this combo is thicker and ballsier sounding from the A2 magnets under the pole screws which are facing the neck , not the bridge. The RC A8 and the RC UOA5 under the coil facing the bridge gives great sounding harmonics and sustain. Very pleasing results.
The tone that I am getting from this combo is thicker and ballsier sounding from the A2 magnets under the pole screws which are facing the neck , not the bridge. The RC A8 and the RC UOA5 under the coil facing the bridge gives great sounding harmonics and sustain. Very pleasing results.
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
I really do not know if having the magnets opposing will result in demagnetation over time or not. I got the idea because on P90s the magnets are opposing and decided to try it under the 2 humbucker coils. For now I am very pleased with sounds I am getting and if the magnets do get weak over time I can just put new magnets in again. People should not be afraid to try different things if they think it will get them the tones that they want.
I really do not know if having the magnets opposing will result in demagnetation over time or not. I got the idea because on P90s the magnets are opposing and decided to try it under the 2 humbucker coils. For now I am very pleased with sounds I am getting and if the magnets do get weak over time I can just put new magnets in again. People should not be afraid to try different things if they think it will get them the tones that they want.
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dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
Update to post 32 , I still have the same magnet recipe in the same guitar that I used in post 32 and still like it a lot. I plan to use similar magnet arrangements in the Dirty Fingers as well but , with one small change. In the future I will be using normal size RC A8s for the center magnet because the RC A8s are very brittle and often break while trying to cut them in half. I will be using various half sized magnets in the outer positions depending on the guitar , pickup position and the sound and output I am trying to achieve. Using outer magnets gives you a lot of tonal options and can be done with most humbuckers.
Update to post 32 , I still have the same magnet recipe in the same guitar that I used in post 32 and still like it a lot. I plan to use similar magnet arrangements in the Dirty Fingers as well but , with one small change. In the future I will be using normal size RC A8s for the center magnet because the RC A8s are very brittle and often break while trying to cut them in half. I will be using various half sized magnets in the outer positions depending on the guitar , pickup position and the sound and output I am trying to achieve. Using outer magnets gives you a lot of tonal options and can be done with most humbuckers.
hamerfan
Well-known member
Re: Taming a 500T
@ dbazille: You really do some advanced test with pickups, but you really need some more tools. 2 big neo magnets glued to a vice in order to remagnatize your magnets, a gauss meter and and LC meter.
@ beau: yes, mags need to show the same orientation to the pole to get a higher flux at the pole and yes, this weakens alnico mags over the time. This is the reason why there are so many weak vintage P90s. You just need two strong neo mags in a vice to remagnatize them.
My current set up in my 500t is that i swapped one side mag with a wood spacer. Now it has the same output like SD Distortion yet a bit less clear and fuller.
@ dbazille: You really do some advanced test with pickups, but you really need some more tools. 2 big neo magnets glued to a vice in order to remagnatize your magnets, a gauss meter and and LC meter.
@ beau: yes, mags need to show the same orientation to the pole to get a higher flux at the pole and yes, this weakens alnico mags over the time. This is the reason why there are so many weak vintage P90s. You just need two strong neo mags in a vice to remagnatize them.
My current set up in my 500t is that i swapped one side mag with a wood spacer. Now it has the same output like SD Distortion yet a bit less clear and fuller.
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
Dear Mr. Hamerfan , You have some interesting ideas and good suggestions.
Thanks for your help.
dbazille1970
Dear Mr. Hamerfan , You have some interesting ideas and good suggestions.
Thanks for your help.
dbazille1970
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eclecticsynergy
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
Aside from the brittleness, cutting alnico magnets isn't a great idea because the heat will partially degauss them. Cutting bar magnets lengthwise involves an especially long cut. Better to buy them in the smaller width IMO.
A8 is a very strong magnet and A2 is a relatively weak one. If they are in contact and repelling each other, it's likely that the A8 would weaken the A2s field strength eventually. Less of a concern when there are slugs or screws in between them, but probably worth keeping an eye on over time nonetheless.
Aside from the brittleness, cutting alnico magnets isn't a great idea because the heat will partially degauss them. Cutting bar magnets lengthwise involves an especially long cut. Better to buy them in the smaller width IMO.
A8 is a very strong magnet and A2 is a relatively weak one. If they are in contact and repelling each other, it's likely that the A8 would weaken the A2s field strength eventually. Less of a concern when there are slugs or screws in between them, but probably worth keeping an eye on over time nonetheless.
dbazille1970
New member
Re: Taming a 500T
Yes , Cutting them is not great and it is also difficult , but I have not been able to find and order the half wide magnets. I have some heavy duty neo magnets with which to remagnetize though.
If anyone knows where to order half wide alnico bar magnets , please share the info.
Yes , Cutting them is not great and it is also difficult , but I have not been able to find and order the half wide magnets. I have some heavy duty neo magnets with which to remagnetize though.
If anyone knows where to order half wide alnico bar magnets , please share the info.
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