I have 15 Gibson’s from 96-2023 & the 490T 498R pickups are still among my top 3 pickups.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

Same!!!! I think they are incredibly versatile and I like the middle position sound in those a lot. They’re wound so far apart it’s like you can hear each voicing separately even though they’re both on.

@deanmccaskill5495

5 күн бұрын

What are in a modern LP Classic do you know? I didn’t like them so I put 57s in it. I’ve got a lot of Gibsons too but I don’t know what’s in most of them. Other than my R8 and R9. And my 50s std. the rest are anyone’s guess. Traditionals. A couple Classics. No clue what’s in them.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

Modern LP Classics should be equipped with 60s Burstbuckers. Slightly higher output Alnico V magnets.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

Traditionals are typically loaded up with 57 Classics.

@deanmccaskill5495

5 күн бұрын

@@claytonjones705​​⁠awesome thanks. They had a phase thing also. How far away from the Greenie sound would that be? Just curious. I ripped all that coil split PCB stuff out.

My absolute favorite Gibson set is a 498T in the Bridge, and a 57 classic in the Neck. Absolute perfect combo!

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

Can’t go wrong there! Do you have a guitar with that combo now?

@PerfectCircle91

2 күн бұрын

HELL YEAH bro!!! So many people shid on them because they aren't 'PaF sTYle durrr" they are juuuust hot enough to push an amp and give good distortion, but not muffled and too compressed like hot pups can be.

@jonathananthony1901

2 күн бұрын

@claytonjones705 Unfortunately, I don't have any Gibson with that setup right now. But I had a Les Paul Standard with that combo for YEARS that was my go-to for gigs and recordings. At the moment, I have a Les Paul with a DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF in the Neck and an AT1 in the bridge. That's kind of the DiMarzio equivalent to the 498T/57 classic combo. It's just a little darker and more modern sounding. But definitely sometimes miss the growl and cut that the 498T had.

@claytonjones705

2 күн бұрын

I had an LP with a Dimarzio 36th in the bridge and I LOVED that sound!

@jonathananthony1901

2 күн бұрын

@claytonjones705 heck yeah brother! Those DiMarzio 36th PAFs are killer! You should also check out the DiMarzio AT1 for the Bridge. It's voiced a lot like the 36th, but hotter and a bit fatter. It has a singing single note quality that makes lead lines jump out of the amp.

Hey Clay, Thanks for the information & entertainment. I'm always checking out your used gear online.

by 2018 blueberry traditional BurstBucker 1 and 2..my 2012 trad 57 classic plus and classic my 2013 trad 57 classic bridge and neck

Love the Epiphone pro buckers

I have a 1991 Gibson Les Paul classic with 500T/496R great sounding pickups but unfortunately gets lost in the mix when it comes to recording or playing in a band. That's when I use my Gibson Les Paul custom with 498T/490R which I find more versatile and cuts through the mix brilliantly with better note to note clarity. I have 500T in a Gibson explorer and seem to work a lot better than my LP Classic probably due to the all mahogany vs maple top classic? All in all, I love my Gibson guitars and the pickups they come with them. I also use charvel with JB/59 which sounds great but overall the 498T combo sounds fuller, clearer and tighter on my custom.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

The super ceramics (496/500) can get lost In a mix because they are quite a bit mid scooped. All mahogany body possibly brings out more frequencies, especially in the lower range. I’m just guess-timating here but that’s my theory lol

@jimjim7008

5 күн бұрын

@@claytonjones705 no, it does make perfect sense thanks for chipping in :-)

Nice rundown of Gibson pickups. I've got a 2005 Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded T with Burstbucker Pros, and they sound great.

@claytonjones705

2 күн бұрын

Heck of a good rig!!!

I have SGs loaded with BBs (1-3), 57/57+, 490r/t, 490r/498t & P90s and I get the Sound I'm after with all of them. The Amp and Speakers are much more important for the Sound!

Thanks for doing this video. I've read the Gibson website descriptions of these pickups 10 times and the copy makes them all sound the same other than the 496, 498, 500, and Dirty Fingers. Can you explain why Gibson seems to love their 490 series and why snobs dismiss that series at Gibson's budget option?

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

Seems like a lot of pickup descriptions use the same buzzwords to get you hyped for them right? I feel like every pickup maker does this sort of thing and it makes them all sound like they’re achieving the same sound when they’re almost definitely not. As for the 490/498 hate, I think it’s because for a long time they were used in some of the very cheapest models that Gibson offered (Faded SGs come to mind from the mid 2000’s). Between that and then just being in SO many “standard” guitars for the last 30 years I think it makes everything else “feel” like an upgrade. They call those pickups “modern classics” and I think it’s because of one being a sort of high output (modern) and sort of low output PAF(ish) wind (classic). But I’d also say that it’s accurate to call them that because they’ve probably been in more gibson guitars than any other pickup. Like I mentioned in the video, the fact they’re still in the $5500 custom should say a lot about how usable they are. Thanks for watching!

@revolead

5 күн бұрын

@@claytonjones705 agreed completely about pickup manufacturers, especially some of the newer super-boutique brands promising spiritual enlightenment. I much prefer how Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio offer the EQ diagrams and explain the specs and general tone. But even then, you need a frame of reference for magnet materials and resistance and impedance. That makes sense about the 490/498 hate. I admit the snobs biased me against them, so I have unfairly avoided guitars with them. That said, I'm not convinced there's a massive difference between the 490s, 57 Classics, and Burstbuckers (obviously some are higher output than others). I have an SG with the 57s and one with the Burstbuckers, and the other elements and qualities of each guitar make a much bigger difference.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

I legit laughed out loud at “spiritual enlightenment” 😂 But yeah don’t let the fact that those pickups are in SO many guitars sway you (I’ve been guilty too). I think they’re just in so many because they cover such a wide range of tones. They may or may not be very good at covering a specific tone really really well (especially vintage tones on that bridge pickup), But they’re a heck of a pickup for doing a wide range of genres in one gig. You can really sort of make your own sound with them because of that and I think that’s what I like about them.

I like hotter humbucking pickups. If I had a choice I go with P-90s. They just have a sound and style all their own.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

I didn’t mention it in the video but I do prefer usually a hotter Alnico V pickup (at least for the bridge) like a BB pro or 70s tribute style.

57 classic sounds incredible. I have them in my 355 '59 reissue. Damn! I do love the Dirty fingers. I have an 89 ES 347. Great pickups.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

Always liked the dirty fingers. They’re still heavy but classic sounding at the same time to me. Somewhat less mid scooped than the 500

I like the 498T/490R set up because I can get tones from most eras with them... They are such a versatile pickup...

I just bought a Gibson mod shop explorer custom, with a vibrola all chrome hardware . Waiting for it to show up on the 5th . I have no idea what pickups are in it . Seems how it’s a black custom , I’d imagine the original hardware was gold . The got it off reverb guy said he bought it from the Gibson mod shop . Says he has all the paperwork it came with , I got it for 4k which I thought was a decent deal for an awesome looking pretty one off guitar.

@will_the_don

6 күн бұрын

Hell yeah, hope you enjoy it

@riffmania

6 күн бұрын

Ha i was looking to buy that one i have a blue sparkle Explorer custom

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

That’s a dream guitar for sure! If it has the stock pickups from an explorer custom (the tuxedo black/gold) it should be the 490/498. But with the mod collection all bets are off lol

for the SG my fave set is the 490r 490t set- very balanced and great for classic rock -does santana sustain for days!

@claytonjones705

7 күн бұрын

Love that combo! My best friend had a faded SG with that set and they sounded great for the music we played!

@Joe-mz6dc

7 күн бұрын

What's a good pickup that will do sustain for just half an hour or maybe up to a couple hours? I don't have days to listen to one song.

i have 57 classic and classic + on my 81 sheraton. if youre after clarity go for something else, they have lots of low mids and bass and i love them with my brightish amp(1974x)

Thanks for this video, im so happy i got some burstbucker pros with alnico v magnets. I play mostly clean.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

Enjoy those pickups my friend! My favorite of the Burstbucker range!

Great video. One question though - my 50s Standard LP has wax potted BB1 & BB2 pickups however the Gibson web page for each Burstbucker says they are not potted. Any idea if this is an error or is Gibson hoping that once we've bought the guitar, we'll then want to buy the unpotted versions as an 'upgrade'?

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

The rule on that used to be that if they were loaded in the guitar from the factory, then they were potted, but if they are aftermarket then they were unpotted. That was sort of the “rule of thumb” during the Henry J era up until about 2019. Not sure if that still applies since then, but it makes sense if it does. Hope this helped and thanks for watching!

This is a great idea for a video. He's trying to cover too much in one video though. Maybe a video of just a comparison with broad strokes, and separate videos for different burstbuckers, 57 classics, etc... Short sound clips and visual aids, like charts, on screen would be helpful. I watch this and feel overloaded. Good idea though.

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

I warned you it was a lot! 😂 but you’re totally right and I do think a more detailed comparison between fewer pickups (with sound clips) is a really good idea!

My favorite combo is still an Angus Young (Bridge) and a Toni Iommi (neck). I can play everything I like to play with them. Classic rock all the way to "modern" alternative metal. So sad they don't produce them anymore.

498T & 490R set is the BEST pups Gibson offers.

@claytonjones705

2 күн бұрын

They are definitely the most versatile set for sure! Love em!

I like the old Tim Shaws.

57s are wax potted, BBs are not

@Gorilla.Guitar

6 күн бұрын

which do you prefer potted or un.. to me, any paf type pickup should be unpotted. they have so much more character, touch response, chime & air.. i compare it to taking the cover off of the speaker cabinet.. have a tough time realizing some people prefer it. i can see if your high gaining & battling squeals, hollow/semi hollow woes, etc.. for me, the tone suck is too prominent for me..

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

I was rattling a lot of this off the top of my head and completely forgot wax potting on the 57s. 😅Good lookin’ out and thanks for watching!

@jamiesmith1151

5 күн бұрын

I have had 4 Gibson Les Paul's all BBS have been wax potted

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

I had an SG with unpotted Custombuckers and a different SG with potted Custombuckers. I definitely preferred the unpotted to my own ears. But that’s the beauty of pickups! They don’t have to make sense on paper. They can just sound good to you. Then you’ll feel more inspired and play better. It’s the intangibles lol

They've really managed to convince people that there are huge differences between pickups. So glad I upgraded my the speaker in my amp instead of wasting money on new pickups.

@Gorilla.Guitar

4 күн бұрын

your experience with pickup swaps are vastly different than my own.

@richardcranium8500

Күн бұрын

Pull a 7k ohm pickup out and put a 15k ohm ceramic in there is a hell of a difference. Don't believe everything you see in a youtube video

@JakeStrange66

Күн бұрын

Seems my reply to the other comment was deleted. Hmm... I'm not saying there's no difference. Don't believe everything the companies that make the pickups tell you either. The differences just aren't as big as they claim. Especially in a recorded mix of a song. But I understand...a lot of people also actually believe that the type of wood their guitar is made of makes a difference in tone, which I'm sure is true for acoustic instruments, but not for electric guitars played Through an amplifier.

@Gorilla.Guitar

Күн бұрын

@@JakeStrange66 ??? YOUR quote " the type of wood their guitar is made of makes a difference in tone, which I'm sure is true for acoustic instruments, but not for electric guitars played Through an amplifier." To clarify, your implying that the tonewoods used in an acoustic guitar are chosen accurately for their tone donation to the sound of the instrument as we hear it when notes are played but some how the tonewoods chosen for an electric guitar once fitted with pickups, & an output jack somehow realize that they now are in support of an electronic instrument and their services/contribution to the sound of the instrument are no longer needed? they just chill for hundreds of years? because they can? really?... do we have video of the moment the wood stops wooding ? is there a super wood-visor in every guitar that makes that call? like, "wood!.we have electricity, we no longer need to resonate !? - they didnt teach us anything about that in mechanical engineering. i'm sending my degree back, this is BS!.. the real mind bender? whats effin up my whole world right now?.. acoustic guitars fitted with electronics! I know right!?.. we've had the wool pulled over our eyes forever!.. we need answers!..GOT WOOD? just isnt the same.. i need therapy.

Alnico 2 with covers in my Les Paul Studio sound way better than the hot ceramics it came with. Interesting enough, they sound great in the Super Strat that I made out of my 50th Anniversary Squier.

@claytonjones705

2 күн бұрын

It’s weird how different pickup/guitar/wood configurations can yield such different results, right!? But that’s part of the magic! Play in good health friend!

Need sound check off them all

@claytonjones705

5 күн бұрын

I agree! I tried to keep it as short as possible and still ran a half hour! 😂. Maybe I can do a “clips only” video to separate the differences between them tonally. Keep all the same amp settings and just swap guitars.

I like the 490r 489t in my LP Studio. Modern, hot, but not ceramic.

@MB-pc4cs

Күн бұрын

Personally, not a fan of Burstbuckers. They sounded airy to me and they were not "heavy" enough.

Hey mountain music exchange, I am a young guitarist starting, I have a jackson Kelly and a squirt amp and Stratocaster. I would like to ask for a guitar amplifier that y’all would be willing to give away, I have my parents info if you need it to send me the amplifier, if not at least I tried awesome video though

@matteuklol

6 күн бұрын

little man you already have an amp why do you want another one?

@Gorilla.Guitar

6 күн бұрын

​​@@matteuklol to be fair, he never claimed he was gonna use it or play thru it.. he may wanna sell it to fund other "hobbies" or activities... when somebody asks for a free amp & dont specify what they want, its time to look at the situation sideways & re-evaluate