what sounds like a 498t??

[supercoupe]

ok I know you need more info.
A buddy has a Les Paul Custom, all black, and it's REAL heavy, so this may be all mahogany. Anyway he's pretty sure it has a 498t bridge pickup, and the guitar just screams. He wants to put in a bridge pickup in another Les Paul to sound like the Custom. The other is a Classic, mahogany/maple top. Acoustically it's WAY brighter than the Custom, much lighter (chambered?) he says it has '57s, and it's a very nice sounding guitar, but way "cleaner", not as ballsy.
He's looking for a stronger low end.
Anyone have a Duncan recommendation?

He's tried the Custom Custom (A2) in his other LP but this also doesn't give him the crunch he wants.
Thanks

 

[Diego]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

What about a regular A5 Custom? Lots of bass, tons of crunch with more definition than the CC. Should sound huge. A CC is not what I'd choose for an LP unless it was super bright.

EDIT: I'm not saying the 498T sounds like the Custom. I have no idea about Gibson pickups. But I went with your description of guitars, and wanted tone rather than just a comparison.

EDIT #2: Just realized your buddy tried the CC in his Custom LP. Does he still have it around? It might just work in the Classic if it's brighter. I'd never ever ever ever put a CC in an all-mahogany LP.

 

[Despair]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

Custom 8 is essentially a louder and much deeper Custom Custom.

Head to Wymore Guitars and snag an A8 and swap the magnets. Cheap mod that should give exactly what he wants.

 

[GoDrex]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

JB maybe

 

[supercoupe]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

no, he put a Custom Custom in another mahogany/maple Les Paul Classic (he has 3 Les Pauls).

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

ok I know you need more info.
A buddy has a Les Paul Custom, all black, and it's REAL heavy, so this may be all mahogany. Anyway he's pretty sure it has a 498t bridge pickup, and the guitar just screams. He wants to put in a bridge pickup in another Les Paul to sound like the Custom. The other is a Classic, mahogany/maple top. Acoustically it's WAY brighter than the Custom, much lighter (chambered?) he says it has '57s, and it's a very nice sounding guitar, but way "cleaner", not as ballsy.
He's looking for a stronger low end.
Anyone have a Duncan recommendation?

He's tried the Custom Custom (A2) in his other LP but this also doesn't give him the crunch he wants.
Thanks

If he likes the 498T, why not get another 498T? Looking for direct equivalents from another manufacturer is a waste of time.

 

[lemonman]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

If he likes the 498T, why not get another 498T? Looking for direct equivalents from another manufacturer is a waste of time.

+1 Duncan doesn't have anything that sounds like a 498T, but the JB is closest. C5 is way more scooped compared to a 498T, which has a prominent mid spike.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

+1 Duncan doesn't have anything that sounds like a 498T, but the JB is closest. C5 is way more scooped compared to a 498T, which has a prominent mid spike.

I don't mean to discourage anyone wanting to learn about SD pickups. However trying to find a match for another manufacturers pickup is difficult and at best your only going to end up with a rough approximation.

 

[supercoupe]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

yeah the obvious choice would be another 498t, but he's a Duncan lover and with the 2 guitars having different acoustic tones, I didn't think the same pickup would sound the same in each guitar.

 

[blueman335]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

+1 Duncan doesn't have anything that sounds like a 498T, but the JB is closest. C5 is way more scooped compared to a 498T, which has a prominent mid spike.

I don't know. I think the C5 is a lot closer to a 498T than a JB. I use C5's & 498T's interchangeably.

 

[supercoupe]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

If he likes the 498T, why not get another 498T? Looking for direct equivalents from another manufacturer is a waste of time.

I thought maybe I could get some constructive help, maybe learn something...
Maybe I should ask in a different way.....will a 498T sound exactly the same in 2 different-sounding (acoustically anyway) guitars?

 

[Gingrel]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

No pickup will sound exactly the same in two different guitars. Even if all the specs are the same, every piece of wood differs.

 

[JeffB]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

I don't know. I think the C5 is a lot closer to a 498T than a JB. I use C5's & 498T's interchangeably.

Agreed- though the C5 is more polite/less raunchy sounding.


A 300K volume on the C5 helps though to reign in a bit of the highs and lows to make the mids more focused like the 498T.

Bottom line- 498T has it's own vibe- nothing else will do that tone.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: what sounds like a 498t??

I thought maybe I could get some constructive help, maybe learn something...
Maybe I should ask in a different way.....will a 498T sound exactly the same in 2 different-sounding (acoustically anyway) guitars?

Like I said earlier I am not trying to sway anyone away from a Duncan.

Two guitars separated by only one serial number and made from the exact same materials can sound different. However I would think that repeating the elements that you know work well in A would be the best place to start with B, since you have acknowledged that the two are not equal because of different pickups.

You can't change the acoustic properties or construction of either, but you can change the pickups. Repeat the pickups on B to see if they are also a success, while keeping in mind they are two guitars that sound different unplugged and the role of any pickup is to accurately portray the acoustic character of an instrument.

I think matching pickups on both is a better strategy than looking at manufacturer C and expecting them to have have a pickup that has all of A's positive attributes in an attempt to remedy B's perceived weaknesses? Go with what you know first, then try something different. Don't expect C to make B sound like A!:scratchch