software

my friend bought a les paul classic 2nd hand, i think its like a '60 remake or something, but we're tryng to find out what pickups these are and if they are even the actual stock pickups... they look like the seymour duncan seth lovers or classic covers... can anyone help?

I think that the modern ones come with Gibson 496R and 500T ceramic high-output buckers, without covers. Looking at the back of the pickups should help somewhat.

They should say Gibson USA on the back. Most often double black, neck over 8K, bridge over 15K.

496r, 500t.


Originally Posted by Robert S.496r, 500t.

Dat's what mine had, too

really its a 500t? wow everyone bashes them, i think it sounded really good in my lp, and together i think the 500t and the 496 are a great combo. although... i am gonna replace them with sds


Originally Posted by slash857really its a 500t? wow everyone bashes them, i think it sounded really good in my lp, and together i think the 500t and the 496 are a great combo. although... i am gonna replace them with sds

After going round and round, the 500T is back in the bridge spot on mine. I didn't care for the 496r for what I wanted, so a Jazz lives in there now.

I, also, like the 500T sound. It works fine for me. I've had JB, Custom, Demon, C5, and Distortion in there. I liked the Distortion best, but I think that the 500T and the Distortion sound similar enough to me that I kept it in and put my Distortion in another axe that needed it more than the LP.

-Matt

If it has covers..the original pups have been swapped out (or covers put on)...the 500T/496R have never had covers ....

BTW...they DO sound good...alot of people knock them...and I really don't know why...the 496 is a bit sterile for a neck pup..but no worse than a Duncan Jazz IMO...and the 500T is a nice crunchy hard rock pup with pretty even response through the frequency range...not too middy, not too bassy, perhpas a little trebly, but a tweak on my amp took care of that...

Most folks like Alnico mag pups I guess...I do too...well Alnico Vs anyway..Alnico2 is OK in the neck..but I don't like in the bridge...not tight enough in the lows and too middy for my tastes generally speaking...

i dont like them... well not for the music i play anyways, we both play metal and im trying to get him to change his pickups cause it just doesnt seem to fit a metal sound... he refuses cause he wants to keeop the stock pickups for some odd reason...

the 500t might be able to do some metal, but the neck pickup isnt where its at. not a great shredding sound, imo.

ive heard warren haynes playing a lp with a 496r and pgb and the neck solo tone sounded great. i think alot of it is the rest of your rig and what sound you are going after. not my favorite pups but not the worst ive heard

Is the Les Paul Black with gold hardware?

I recall Sam Ash or MF some other retailer offering a limited edition Black LP classic with gold hardware and gold covered pickups, instead of the usual open-black-coil Ceramic ones.

In that case, I'd bet that they're the Gibson 498/490 alnico set.

Not a bad set, but I always wondered why they have the alnico 5 at the bridge, and the alnico 2 at the neck. It makes for a too-sharp bridge, and a too muddy neck.

Yes, I admit it, I dont read much, and when I do, it's guitar catalogs, which causes my brain to be filled with useless information such as this. hahaha.

As long as your friend doesnt SELL the pickups, just throw in some great SDs, and keep the originals, so you can always put it back to stock.