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...I was wondering what kind of changes I could expect in my tone. I have never bought an aftermarket pup before, so I need all the help I can get. I have a Gibson LP w/ the 490R neck and 498T bridge, and I was thinking about putting in a set of Pearly Gates (I like a raw, slightly hairy tone for rock and blues). I run through a Fulltone '69 and an all tube 50w Crate V Series. I was just wondering the kind of change I could expect with the PGs. For my tastes, the 490R is a little muddy and the 498T can be a little harsh at times. Thanks for the help!


Originally Posted by Big Blue

For my tastes, the 490R is a little muddy and the 498T can be a little harsh at times.

That is EXACTLY how I found the 490R / 498T that were stock in my LP Standard. Muddy neck, harsh, clangy bridge.

I haven't tried PGs so I can't comment on those, but I can certainly say that EVERY humbucker I have tried (and I've experimented with quite a few now ) is a VAST improvement on the Gibsons. What you can expect is a more versatile and tonally better balanced guitar that will inspire your playing and give you pride in your tone!

I changed the same set of pickups in my Lester with a PG set and have never looked back. It got rid of the mud and got a ton more character in the bridge. If you're looking to smooth out the bridge spot though, take a look at the Seth or even Custom Custom instead of the PG for that position.

In a LP's neck though, there's nothing better than a Pearly.

What pups did you go with in you Standard, Simon?

I've actually thought about the CC in the bridge for a while, Benjy. With the stock 498T, I always end up cranking my bass knob on the amp to 8 or 9 to get rid of the harshness. The only problem with that is then my neck pup sounds terrible! Maybe the CC would give me a more balanced bridge tone, you think?

If you want to get rid of harshness the CC is your ticket. Just an outstanding pup, sweetness incarnate. Has a bit of a mushy bass/bottom end but its not bad and doesn't necessarily lack bass imo as the tone chart says. Its just not as punchy. But its very articulate and smooth.

PG in the neck, JB or Custom bridge.

My first post! Yea!

This is exactly the same problem I am running into with a new LP Supreme I just got--it also has the 490/498 combo. Get the amp set up for one--and then the other sounds terrible. My favorite of the two I guess would be the neck 490, but it is very dark sounding.

Replacing the pickups in the Supreme is going to be a total headache--remember, there's no back access plate on the Supreme. This something I only want to do ONCE! I'm probably going to do an RS kit and replace the pots at the same time.

I need a setup that it going to versatile, yet consistent. I do Classic Rock, Pop, Oldies, Jazz, Blues and even some Country in a cover band. My amps are all Mesa Boogies, and I usually use either a Mark IV 112 EVM Combo or a Mark III 112 EVM Combo. And I love all those great PAF tones from Santana, Cream, ZZ Top, Peter Green, Duane, Betts, Warren, et. al. I'm not into metal--I'm looking for classic tones.

And I know regardless of how somebody else sounds, I have to find my own voice. I want that sweet top end, with solid bass, and a full and complex midrange. I want a pickups with character--I don't want ones that are harsh, or that are muddy. I need some good definition for chording, and they should sing out when soloing. Sometimes I need quot;Texas Grindquot; and sometimes I need quot;Woman Tonequot;.

I was thinking about Seths, but I'm worried about the lack of potting with the Mesa's high gain lead channel--and the Supreme is quot;chamberedquot;, though the maple top and back should be pretty stiff--feedback could be a real issue.

So that puts me into Alnico Pros, '59s, Pearly Gates, Custom Bridge ???Neck, the ubiquitous '59n/JB bridge combination--or some other combination of the above. I've even thought about Gibson '57 Classics, Burstbucker Pros, or a BB 1 amp; 2 or BB 2 amp; 3 combo.

Any more ideas on how to solve a 490/498 problem in a Les Paul Supreme????

Thanks,

Bill


Originally Posted by Big BlueWhat pups did you go with in you Standard, Simon?

Currently I have Alnico II Pros in the Standard and Antiquities in my Classic. The other pups I tried in the Standard were a '59 pair, a Seth pair, plus Custom bridge and C5 bridge. As I said, they're all great - I just got hooked on trying different flavours.

'59s - Bright punchy vintage PAF tone. Think Jimmy Page. For my tastes a little bassy (but NOT muddy) in the neck.

Seths - Smooth, warm and clear PAF tone with some great midrange honk and softer bass. Think Paul Kossoff.

Ants - Like Seths but (to my ears) a little warmer and fatter. Nice aged covers.

Alnico II Pros - Smooth, warm and clear like the Seths but with less honk and more top end sizzle.

Custom - Awesome in the bridge position for hard rock and metal! A little hard in the mids for softer stuff.

C5 - I didn't get on with this, but loads of people here love it. Like a hot '59 bridge with a slightly softer top end, bridges the vintage/modern gap.

I hear PGs are great for raw hairy rock and blues. Think Gibbons.


Originally Posted by Jeff5If you want to get rid of harshness the CC is your ticket. Just an outstanding pup, sweetness incarnate. Has a bit of a mushy bass/bottom end but its not bad and doesn't necessarily lack bass imo as the tone chart says. Its just not as punch. But its very articulate and smooth.

Interesting. I’ve now had three pups in the bridge of my LP (498T, JB, CC). Of the bunch, I think the CC has been my least favorite. The CC and 498T are both heavy on the mids, the 498T’s mid focus being a little higher than the CC, which I think might be why some people call it harsh. The A2 magnet in the CC also makes it a smoother pickup. I also measured the CC at about 1.1k ohm hotter than the 498T. I also find the 498T to be more articulate than the mushy bottomed CC. That said, I haven’t liked either pickup that much in the LP. Different strokes I guess.

for those that dont like the 500 t gibson people here recomended me the duncaN custom(on order).
perhaps its the answer to a not so good in bass regions cc?


Originally Posted by Boogie BillAny more ideas on how to solve a 490/498 problem in a Les Paul Supreme????

Maybe a magnet swap. 490R to A4 (or A5), 498 to A2 or A3. And welcome to the forum!

Boogie Bill, also think of a set of DiMarzio Virtual Vintage PAF and VVHot Paf. Its both rounded highs like a A2 humbucker but has an amazing deep single coil like quality that is unique. Check the long thread about users in the forum. That has Woman tone with spades, but very defined. Hope that helps!

CC in the bridge for me, Jazz neck. Great combo. Like Jeff5 said about the CC, quot;Just an outstanding pup, sweetness incarnate.quot; I've got clips of it in a LP if ya wanna hear it. See my sig below.

If you want great clarity, tight bass, and punch....C-5/Pearly Gates
I like the CC/Seth too, but it's warmer and has a softer attack.

By the way, I always chucked my 498T's into a shoebox, after pulling them out of Gibsons. I recently discovered that the 498T works great at adding good tone and character to a sterile sounding guitar, like a basswood superstrat like a Fender Deluxe, Gamp;L Legacy Deluxe, Anderson, etc.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserBy the way, I always chucked my 498T's into a shoebox, after pulling them out of Gibsons. I recently discovered that the 498T works great at adding good tone and character to a sterile sounding guitar, like a basswood superstrat like a Fender Deluxe, Gamp;L Legacy Deluxe, Anderson, etc.

1 The 498T sounded great in my Strat. But horrable in my Lester? Go figure?

shhhh, or everybody will want one

CC bridge, Pearly Gates neck!!!!!! Awesome combo AND gives great quot;both pup's onquot; combos.

I've been checking other posts on the CC, and I'm thinking it might be a little hot for my tastes. I've heard some people talk about getting a compressed sound when using a high output pup, and I don't want that. Another thought that I had was the PG neck and AP2 bridge. The AP2 should still kepp the bridge smooth. My only concern is would I still be able to get a nice snarl from the bridge position if I had the fuzz on my Fulltone '69 cranked to 10? Anyone ever tried this combo?

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C-5's, CC's, and Seth bridges sound the best in a LP, to my ears.

C-5, think Van Halen, Alex Lifeson, AC/DC....like powerful versatile vintage

CC, think powerful warmer and softer vintage like Allmans, Gary Moore, Robben

Seth, straight up pure and smooth vintage LP tone....really nice though.

My examples aren't exactly what they all use, but it steers you in the right direction.

For some reason the Seth NECK sounds kinda dark to me, so I'm wondering if a killer vintage LP tone would be a nickel set of Seth bridge/Pearly Gates neck?

Hey, threadstarter, I recently had a PG installed in the neck position of my LP, here's my experience (I also had a coil tap humbucker/SC switch installed):

1 - Clean HB - Great for full sonding chords and melodies, very nice sounding

2 - Clean SC - Abso-f*cking-lutely amazing... Think about it, it's probably the most perfect clean tone I've heard since Hendrix' quot;Little Wingquot;. A bit of a drop in volume albeit, but it sounds sweeter than a choir of angels singin'. They sure as sh*t don't call it Pearly Gates for nothing.

3 - Dirty HB - Sorta nasty sounding when playing power chords (and not the good kinda nasty), but its pretty damn sweet sounding when I pull out a solo. Perfect for that 80's hair-metal-power-ballad-mini-solo (think something along the lines of the short one Slash plays between the verses in quot;Knockin' On Heaven's Doorquot;). Good for mild overdrive tones

4 - Dirty SC - Unfortunately, completely useless. But then again, I got this p/up for playing clean, I got my bridge HB to do the nice chunky distorted stuff for me :-)