sbpark Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Picked up these pickups off of Craigslist for $50 earlier today. No idea what model they are, seller didn't have the original boxes, etc., but claimed they are 57 Classics. Forgot to take my multimeter with me when I met the seller. Got home and measured them. One measures 8.0, which is promising, but the other measures 14.2. That doesn't seem right. Pickups look identical, two-conductor with the braided shield, and both have "Gibson USA" on the back of the pickup, otherwise no other markings, labels, etc. Could one of them be a 57 Classic Plus? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon S. Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 These wouldn't be '57 Classics. They are lower in output and don't have the "Gibson USA" stamped on the baseplate. Without knowing the specific guitar they came out of or taking them apart it's hard to be 100% sure, but my guess is the 490R/498T or 496R/500T set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 The appearance and the measurements are consistent with 490R/498T. The 496R/500T combo is made with ceramic magnets: The output of the 496R/500T's is higher than the 490R/498T's. The 500T's would be around 16 KOhms. Bence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Can anyone ID these Gibson humbuckers? Sure, I know those two pickups quite well. The top one is Phil Harmonic. He's a nice guy, and he lives over in Alder Street, near the corner of Tone and Sustain. The bottom one is Tre' Boulle. From the wrong side of the tracks, he can be biting and aggressive. Separate from each other, they are fairly average guys, but together they can be a dynamic duo, a real sonic force to be reckoned with. Okay, I'm gonna shut up now. :( :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 They are very likely 490R and 498T. The latter has the circa 14 kOhms DC resistance. Their baseplates are different from those used for all the PAF-style pickups. The R & T backplates have a Gibson USA embossment and two rows of pre-drilled screw holes, one each for the smaller R and the wider T spacing. The difference in hues between screw heads and covers tell that the latter are chrome-plated. 500Ts don't allow for soldering a cover to them. The outer pair of their three magnets would lose magnetic field strength due to heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 They are very likely 490R and 498T. The latter has the circa 14 kOhms DC resistance. Their baseplates are different from those used for all the PAF-style pickups. The R & T backplates have a Gibson USA embossment and two rows of pre-drilled screw holes, one each for the smaller R and the wider T spacing. The difference in hues between screw heads and covers tell that the latter are chrome-plated. 500Ts don't allow for soldering a cover to them. The outer pair of their three magnets would lose magnetic field strength due to heat. Hmmmm, now I'm wondering if I should put these in my 1997 Epi Dot or just sell them for what I paid for them and be honest that I have no idea what they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Take them back to the guy who said they were 57 classics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 Take them back to the guy who said they were 57 classics? Thats not how Craigslist works. I know that going into it. That's the chance you take. for $50 I am sure I could re-list them and say I have no clue what they are and be honest, and still get $50 for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Well to keep it positive, if it is indeed 490/498, you still got a pretty good deal at 50 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 Well to keep it positive, if it is indeed 490/498, you still got a pretty good deal at 50 bucks. Exactly! If that is what they actually are. Who knows, and FWIW, I guessing they can't be any worse and are most likely "better" than whats already in the Epiphone Dot I'm considering putting them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Exactly! If that is what they actually are. Who knows, and FWIW, I guessing they can't be any worse and are most likely "better" than whats already in the Epiphone Dot I'm considering putting them in. they look and read like my 490/498s except I've gold covers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 they look and read like my 490/498s except I've gold covers This is what I'm fairly certain they are. Now I'm deciding if they will be something I'd like in my Epi Dot or if I should sell them and go after something else, keeping in mind that I don't want to dump a bunch of money into this guitar. Currently the '97 Epi Dot I have is bone stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 This is what I'm fairly certain they are. Now I'm deciding if they will be something I'd like in my Epi Dot or if I should sell them and go after something else, keeping in mind that I don't want to dump a bunch of money into this guitar. Currently the '97 Epi Dot I have is bone stock. $50 ain't much to dump into a guitar, I've spent more than that on pups before for sure. Modding the volume for controls for independent is easy enough, you just have to reverse the leads on the volume pot (going to and from the switch). Try it with the existing pots, switch and wiring. If you dont like it, yank them and sell them to me for the $50 you have into them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share Posted August 8, 2016 $50 ain't much to dump into a guitar, I've spent more than that on pups before for sure. Modding the volume for controls for independent is easy enough, you just have to reverse the leads on the volume pot (going to and from the switch). Try it with the existing pots, switch and wiring. If you dont like it, yank them and sell them to me for the $50 you have into them Oh, I've dumped plenty more into guitars in the past as well. Just not into it that much these days, but this Epi Dot fell into my lap for next to nothing and is in great shape and feels and plays great. Since it's a semi-hollow it's not as easy to just swap pickups, so if I'm going in to change them out I might as well just solder up a new wiring harness as well. I'm more than competent to do the work myself, just don't really have the time/desire to these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 Oh, I've dumped plenty more into guitars in the past as well. Just not into it that much these days, but this Epi Dot fell into my lap for next to nothing and is in great shape and feels and plays great. Since it's a semi-hollow it's not as easy to just swap pickups, so if I'm going in to change them out I might as well just solder up a new wiring harness as well. I'm more than competent to do the work myself, just don't really have the time/desire to these days. Yeah I get the time thing, life has a way of gobbling that up pretty quick. Let us know what you end up doing. Checked your DOT in the other thread, you made a great score there for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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