Two wire 490s vs 4 wire

R

Robert_S

New member
My Gibson Faded T LP has two wire 490s (no tapping or splitting). I also have a PRS SE Custom 24 that's my alternate. I love both of them, but I'm considering upgrading the Gibson to either 4 wire 490s or P-Rails.

I originally considered P-Rails, but I found a tone I like with the two wire 490s.

Can anyone give their experience on 2 wire 490s vs 4 wire 490s.

I found some used 490s, but it looks like the pole pieces on one of the pickups are rusted:

490s at Music Go Round

So I'm looking at other places as well.
 
Re: Two wire 490s vs 4 wire

490 with 2 wires and 490 with 4 wires are exactly the same pickups, and sound exactly the same. There is no difference in tone. With 4 wires you have he chance to split them if connected with a push/pull pot. Gibson used to load the guitars with a 2 wire pickup, while the aftermarket ones have 4 wires. If you like the 490s, why do you want to change them? Only to add splitting operations? anyway, i followed the link in your post and I found them a little overpriced. Go on searching, and you will be able to find them both for less than 100 dollars
 
Re: Two wire 490s vs 4 wire

If you like the pickups, keep them. There is variation from pickup to pickup. I would just change out the lead wire for 4 conductor if you must have split tones. The Custom Shop can do this for you (but so can any knowledgeable guitar tech, perhaps for cheaper). You can do it yourself too, without too much trouble.

Myself, I'd just leave them alone. I don't find much use in splitting 490s or running them with parallel coils. That works better with higher output pickups.

FWIW, I like 490s.
 
Re: Two wire 490s vs 4 wire

It's easy to convert a single lead HB for coil splitting, and you don't have to use 4-lead wire to do it. All you need is 2 leads: in coil split, the white & red wires are connected (Duncan wiring colors) effectively making it a 2 lead PU.

Pop the cover off, and peel back the tape at the end of the PU with the wires on it. In between the coils there's a connection with a wire from each coil. Take off the little piece of tape on that solder joint, and solder another wire to it that's long enough to reach the control cavity. That's your coil split wire for the push-pull, which is the white & red connected. Retape and put the cover back on. I use shielded wire to help with noise reduction, connecting the inside wire, but the not shield wire. Only takes minutes to do.
 
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