software

…and put the 490R and 498T from the LP Studio in. I typically don’t like to post pickup reviews so soon after a change, but my first impression is that I might like this combo better than the CCb/SD combo I had before.

The 498T still has a pronounced mid section, although it doesn’t spike as high as the CC. The trade off is that the 498T is a touch brighter, but the bottom end doesn’t seem to be as flabby as I thought the CC was. It seems to be a little more balanced in tone. Output wise, they are fairly even. I measured the 498T at 13.89 and the CC at 14.48. While both have a vintage-esque voicing, my second reaction is that the CC might be a little more “vintage” than the 498T, and even maybe a little more vocal.

The 490R, as much as I hate to say it, is a far better neck pickup in this guitar than the Screamin Demon. I gambled when I bought the demon to install in the neck position, and over time my opinion of it has changed. The 490R, which to my ears has always been a bit muddy and too thick on the bottom end (at least for a Les Paul) completely changed when I dropped it in the naturally bright Mockingbird. It’s wound at 7.79K and it really shows in the tone. It’s vocal qualities far exceed the ones the demon possesses at the neck, which helps give it a more rounded, open tone (not be mention, is also not as edgy as the demon was in the neck). None of this is in any way meant to be a slam on the Demon or the CC, it’s just in this case they may not be the best pickups for this particular guitar.

It’ll be interesting to see if my opinion of these pickups stays this way or if I end up ripping them out in the future. This weekend I think I’m going to experiment with the CC and Screamin Demon in the bridge of the Les Paul.

I guess pickups dont wrk in every guitar. Good for you then, you managed to get something you liked.

What gave u the idea of the demon in the neck in the first place?

I recently discovered that the Gibson 498T, which I thought was harsh for LP's, sounds really great in other guitars, like many superstrats. I still prefer Duncans, like C-5's and Seths in Les Pauls, but the 498T beat out most of my Duncan bridge pickups in my Gamp;L Legacy Deluxe. I love the pickups I have in this guitar now....Gibson 498T/Gamp;L stock/Hot Rails (new version).The 498T is not a bad pickup, I just know there are better things out there. I think it sounds great clean, I just don't play clean using the bridge often enough for me to like it. Under gain the bottom end is just too weak for me. The 490R is a great neck pickup. I would keep it in my Standard, but I just bought a nickel covered Duncan...the 490 is chrome. It's gotta go.

I also do not care for the frequency overlap of the 498T in a Paul (for chording, for leads it's not bad)...but I LOVE it in my Firebird and other Gibsons. It's just a tighter, hotter even wind PAF style with a bit of a mid spike (but not like a JB)

The only thing I dont like about it is that it doesn't clean up to well (at least with stock Gibson pots)

The 490R I like for cleans and slight overdrive, but I'm not real happy with it for higher gain. It gets a little anemic.

I've no issues with Gibson pups in general. Once properly adjusted, I find they sound quite good.


Originally Posted by fusion101What gave u the idea of the demon in the neck in the first place?

I have a Screamin Demon on the neck position of my guitar too.
My guitar is Ibanez S540LTD (mahogany)

My judgement is based on SD's tonechart. Demon is quite having a trebly sound, so it I thought it would brighten the sound. And yes, I was right. Now it become a monster guitar with Invader on the bridge.

I would love to upload the sample sound but someone knows how to record into MP3? I'm not that tech savvy.

Fusion101: I got the idea to drop a demon in the bridge from these forums. I was hoping that the clarity and articulation (and attitude) would carry over into the neck position. They did, but in the end I think it was a little too harsh for my tastes.

Gearjoneser: Looks like we are on the same page. I didn’t mind the 498T in the LP, but it wasn’t the greatest pickup in the world either. Dropping it is a considerably brighter guitar really changed my opinion of it, as it completely opened up.