Should I replace my pickups on my SG?

[grayshadow4]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if I should switch out my 490r and 490t pickups to something else such as 57 classics. Any Ideas?

[sellen]

what do you miss with the 490 combo? The 490 combo is a modern take on the 57 classic, it's a good pickup combo. So it's nothin' you have to do. With the 57 classic i think you get a bit more clear defined sound, the 490 can be a bit muddy. I like both of them, but i prefer the 57 classic

[Searcy]

Unless you can put into words what you don't like about the sound of your guitar, don't change pickups.

[BigKahune]

Unless you can put into words what you don't like about the sound of your guitar, don't change pickups.

 

+1

 

 

 

Figure out what you want first - visit shops, play some different pup combos/setups.

[SG Jones]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if I should switch out my 490r and 490t pickups to something else such as 57 classics. Any Ideas?

 

I am guessing it is a special? Personally, I have never thought much of the 490T. I find it a bit thin and underpowered for the bridge. If you like ceramics the 490R is good though. If you are looking for a different sound the '57 Classic and the '57 Classic plus or two '57 Classics for less output in the bridge make an excellent combo. Try buying one '57 Classic used on ebay or locally and try it to see what you think.Try it in both positions. If you like it get the other one. If you would like more output in the bridge position add a Plus. '57 Classics are my favorite Gibson pickup in SGs. 498T is another option for the bridge if you like the 490R in the neck.

[EVOL!]

I am guessing it is a special? Personally, I have never thought much of the 490T. I find it a bit thin and underpowered for the bridge. If you like ceramics the 490R is good though. If you are looking for a different sound the '57 Classic and the '57 Classic plus or two '57 Classics for less output in the bridge make an excellent combo. Try buying one '57 Classic used on ebay or locally and try it to see what you think.Try it in both positions. If you like it get the other one. If you would like more output in the bridge position add a Plus. '57 Classics are my favorite Gibson pickup in SGs. 498T is another option for the bridge if you like the 490R in the neck.

 

+1000...

 

Not a fan of the 490 series either. Gibson 57 and 57+ are my favorite humbucker. Miles and miles of sweet highs and rich mids. Even with this said, if you don't have a reason why you're unhappy with the 490s or can articulate the sound you want to get I would stick with the stock pickups.

[Telechamp]

I really like the 490's in my Special Faded. I think they work well in this SG. I don't have any desire to swap 'em out.

 

 

I did put some nickel covers on them, though.

 

 

 

[BobB]

The 490 pick-ups and the '57 Classics both use Alnico II magnets. The 490's are wound to have more upper mid-range and high's than the '57 Classics.

[Twiz]

...498T is another option for the bridge if you like the 490R in the neck.

 

+1 on this. Changing the bridge to a 498T will give you the same pickup configuration as an SG Standard. It will also be 1/2 the work, and 1/2 the money (since you're doing just one).

[SG Jones]

I really like the 490's in my Special Faded. I think they work well in this SG. I don't have any desire to swap 'em out.

 

 

I did put some nickel covers on them, though.

 

 

 

 

It looks really nice with covers. It reminds me of Zappa's main SG.

[Telechamp]

It looks really nice with covers. It reminds me of Zappa's main SG.

 

Thanks, SGJ. Yes, it does kind of look like Zappa's SG in a way, now that you mention it..

[ironlung40]

I really like the 490's in my Special Faded. I think they work well in this SG. I don't have any desire to swap 'em out.

 

 

I did put some nickel covers on them, though.

 

 

 

 

I had a faded brown like yours and did the same thing. I put the covers on it. Makes it look much better. I ended up preferring the necks on the 61 reissues so that is what I have now.

 

As for the 490 vs 57 debate, opinions are like you know what, and all of them can be respected. But, I went through the same stuff, I wanted to upgrade my faded to 57 classics. I then got my 61 reissue with the 57 classics, so I could play them side by side as much as I wanted. I didn't just let my ear tell me either, I recorded some tracks (that are long gone now, sorry)

What I found was that to me, the 490's were very close sounding to the 57's. Enough so, that I didn't want to spend the money to upgrade, so I left them in the faded. They really are similar to the 57's a lot more so than a lot of people will admit, IMHO of course. To my ear they sounded a bit hotter, as they made my amp overdrive a bit sooner, and they do have slight bump in the mids as far as I can tell, bear in mind though, I didn't have them in the exact same guitar, but a faded and a 61 are probably close enough for f's sake. The 490t, is perhaps a little bit thinner and not as round sounding as the 57, but like I said not enough for me to spend the cash, ESPECIALLY, if you play pretty overdriven and high gain sounds anyway.

 

That's my thoughts.

 

I did stick with the 61' and the 57's though, more so for the slim neck, than other considerations. I really think that the 490's pair up well in the faded series, and don't think that switching to 57 classics in that guitar will be a huge change for you, especially with the money you'll be spending. Maybe I'm tone deaf, but maybe not.

 

How many here have had both guitars side by side extensively, at home, on their own rig, playing as loudly as they want to? Just wondering?

[ironlung40]

I had a faded brown like yours and did the same thing. I put the covers on it. Makes it look much better. I ended up preferring the necks on the 61 reissues so that is what I have now.

 

As for the 490 vs 57 debate, opinions are like you know what, and all of them can be respected. But, I went through the same stuff, I wanted to upgrade my faded to 57 classics. I then got my 61 reissue with the 57 classics, so I could play them side by side as much as I wanted. I didn't just let my ear tell me either, I recorded some tracks (that are long gone now, sorry)

What I found was that to me, the 490's were very close sounding to the 57's. Enough so, that I didn't want to spend the money to upgrade, so I left them in the faded. They really are similar to the 57's a lot more so than a lot of people will admit, IMHO of course. To my ear they sounded a bit hotter, as they made my amp overdrive a bit sooner, and they do have slight bump in the mids as far as I can tell, bear in mind though, I didn't have them in the exact same guitar, but a faded and a 61 are probably close enough for f's sake. The 490t, is perhaps a little bit thinner and not as round sounding as the 57, but like I said not enough for me to spend the cash, ESPECIALLY, if you play pretty overdriven and high gain sounds anyway.

 

That's my thoughts.

 

I did stick with the 61' and the 57's though, more so for the slim neck, than other considerations. I really think that the 490's pair up well in the faded series, and don't think that switching to 57 classics in that guitar will be a huge change for you, especially with the money you'll be spending. Maybe I'm tone deaf, but maybe not. But, I just don't think that going from a 490 series to a 57 is really changing your sound enough to justify the expense, as they are really in the same camp as intended by Gibson.

 

 

How many here have had both guitars side by side extensively, at home, on their own rig, playing as loudly as they want to? Just wondering?

[nasticanasta]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if I should switch out my 490r and 490t pickups to something else such as 57 classics. Any Ideas?

Dump those crummy 490's...they are muddy I couldn't orchestrate over chords with them damned things... Although I think most of us here know I would put the classic 81/85 EMG setup in it. Sounds killer through my Laney....sounds toaly different from other guitars I own with the same setup...something about the SG/EMG gives it thundering bottom end :P

[nasticanasta]

Thanks, SGJ. Yes, it does kind of look like Zappa's SG in a way, now that you mention it..

I do believe Zappa's main SG was in fact custom made and not even a Gibson. I think a fan made it for him if I remember correctly from the January 1977 guitar player magazine where he is shown with the Hendrix strat Jimi burnt at the Miami Pop Festival (ya Jimi burnt 2 strats one at Monterey and one at Miami, Monterey being more famous because of the movie)and Frank had customized with transducers underneath the finger board because he said he "picked the strings" with his left hand. I wish I had that mag. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

 

Q: Are you still using the SG pictured on the cover of the "live" Roxy & Elsewhere album?

 

FZ: No, I have another SG that I'm using. The one that's on the Roxy cover has since been thoroughly injured by an alrline company, they beat the hell out of it. They cracked the neck, and the most recent time it came back from Europe the binding was off the fretboard. I had the neck repaired, but it's never been the same; it flexes so much that it's hard to keep in tune, so I hardly use it anymore. But one time we were working down in Phoenix, and this guy came to the dressing room after the show with this guitar he'd built and wanted to sell. He had copied a Gibson (SG) except he'd added one more fret so it went up to an E, and it had an ebony fingerboard, humbucking pickups, and some inlay, and some real nice woodwork on it. He wanted $500 for it, and I thought it was a real nice guitar, so I bought it. I had (guitar maker) Rex Bogue do some stuff to it, add a preamp and snazz it up, and that's the one I'm using now. Another one of my Strats is the one Hendrix burned at the Miami Pop Festival; it was given to me by this guy who used to be his roadie. I had it hanging on the wall in my basement for years until last year when I gave it to Rex and said, "Put this sucker back together," because it was all tore up. The neck was cracked off, the bodywas all fired, and the pickups were blistered and bubbled. That's the one that's got the Barcus-Berry in the neck. A lot of people thought I had Hendrix's guitar from Monterey, but it was from Miami; the one at Monterey was white and this one is sunburst.

[SG Jones]

I do believe Zappa's main SG was in fact custom made and not even a Gibson. I think a fan made it for him if I remember correctly from the January 1977 guitar player magazine where he is shown with the Hendrix strat Jimi burnt at the Miami Pop Festival (ya Jimi burnt 2 strats one at Monterey and one at Miami, Monterey being more famous because of the movie)and Frank had customized with transducers underneath the finger board because he said he "picked the strings" with his left hand. I wish I had that mag. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

 

Q: Are you still using the SG pictured on the cover of the "live" Roxy & Elsewhere album?

 

FZ: No, I have another SG that I'm using. The one that's on the Roxy cover has since been thoroughly injured by an alrline company, they beat the hell out of it. They cracked the neck, and the most recent time it came back from Europe the binding was off the fretboard. I had the neck repaired, but it's never been the same; it flexes so much that it's hard to keep in tune, so I hardly use it anymore. But one time we were working down in Phoenix, and this guy came to the dressing room after the show with this guitar he'd built and wanted to sell. He had copied a Gibson (SG) except he'd added one more fret so it went up to an E, and it had an ebony fingerboard, humbucking pickups, and some inlay, and some real nice woodwork on it. He wanted $500 for it, and I thought it was a real nice guitar, so I bought it. I had (guitar maker) Rex Bogue do some stuff to it, add a preamp and snazz it up, and that's the one I'm using now. Another one of my Strats is the one Hendrix burned at the Miami Pop Festival; it was given to me by this guy who used to be his roadie. I had it hanging on the wall in my basement for years until last year when I gave it to Rex and said, "Put this sucker back together," because it was all tore up. The neck was cracked off, the bodywas all fired, and the pickups were blistered and bubbled. That's the one that's got the Barcus-Berry in the neck. A lot of people thought I had Hendrix's guitar from Monterey, but it was from Miami; the one at Monterey was white and this one is sunburst.

 

 

Cool info. Thanks for sharing that. And by the way Frank, you need two frets to get to E?!

[Magneezo]

For the true Sin City sound there is no other than the 498T.

If you think it's too hot, roll off the treble a bit

The 490r is almost a Slash clone and driven through the right amp

'Sweet Child' comes off quite nicely.

It's all in the settings kids.

I added some changes to my faded...including the 498t (knobs came std.)

 

(camera is old...sorry for the crappy pic)

[nasticanasta]

Cool info. Thanks for sharing that. And by the way Frank, you need two frets to get o E?!

I wish all my guitars had ebony fretboards...huge difference from rosewood...you wouldn't think so, but it really is different.

[Guest BentonC]

I'm actually a huge fan of the Burstbucker Pros in the SGs. A little too bright for some tastes, but I think they sparkle in a really nice way.

[nasticanasta]

Ya know there's another famous guitarist that plays exclusivly SG, and no one ever mentions him... and he is another Frank...Frank Marino, Frank customizses all his gear, hotrods his amps and made his own pedal board, the man is not only an awesome guitarist but he's a hell of a electrician and tech. His pedalboard is insane to look at, Here's a picture of me and Frank at the HOB in Cleveland:

[damian]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if I should switch out my 490r and 490t pickups to something else such as 57 classics. Any Ideas?

 

yes

[Johan Lowgren]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if I should switch out my 490r and 490t pickups to something else such as 57 classics. Any Ideas?

 

Hi!

It all depends on what sound you want from your guitar.

I´m one of those weirdos that tries as many different pickups as I can, and I´ve tried a LOT the over the past 33 years. If you want your SG to be a "true" Gibson, they have a big selection of pickups. The 490s aren´t really my cup of tea, but they are not bad pickups. I like the 57 and 57+ somewhat better, but as someone just wrote earlier they have a similar sound. If you want a slightly more vintage sound they are a good (but expensive) choice. If you want a more agressive sound, the 498T has more output. If you want heavy metal use the 496R/500T combo.

 

Then you have all the other manufacturers of pickups. It´s a jungle out there.

 

First the big three:

 

DiMarzio.

One of the oldest manufacturers of replacement pickups. Good quality and not overly expensive. They have a big range of pickups, and many of them sound really good to my ears.

 

Seymour Duncan.

Another popular and early manufacturer of replacement pickups. Good quality but a little pricey. They have a huge range of pickups to choose from. Personally I´ve never really found a pickup from them that made me say wow, but that´s my ears.... Many super guitarists use them so I guess I must be missing something.

 

EMG.

Active pickups. I´ve never liked their pickups. They sound too sterile to me, and need batteries. They are however of very good quality and muched used by metal players. Price is ok also.

 

Then you have the expensive way...

 

There are a whole bunch of pickup guys that can make a pickup any way you want it. It will cost you a lot, and you´ll have to tell them exactly what you are looking for tonewise. Names that comes to my mind are; Lollar, Fralin, Wolfetone, and I´m sure there are lots of others.

 

Then the cheaper but still exellent alternative.

 

Rockfield.

I´ve tried many of their pickups lately and all of them sound really good to me. Not a huge range to choose from but they cover most styles from vintage to metal. Good quality at a nice price.

 

Tonerider.

Another new acquaintance. Those that I´ve tried so far have sounded fantastic, and they are well built and very inexpensive.

 

As I said, It´a jungle....

 

So what do I recommend?

Having tried too many pickups to remember over the years, I think that unless you are very dissatisfied with your pickups, or want a radically different sound, it is neither worth the money nor hassle to change them. When it comes to tone it is much more important to:

 

1. Have a high quality guitar. The SG is!

2. Have a high quality cord (no joke, it´s very, very important).

3. Have a high quality amplifier (or soundcard/computer/headphones, whatever).

 

If you have all the above, some money left, and still don´t like your tone, then it´s time to look at new pickups.

 

Johan Lowgren.

 

PS.

So which pickups do I use most in my SGs?

Neck position = Gibson P90, Gibson P94R, Tonerider Rebel90.

Bridge position = DiMarzio X2N.

DS.

[grayshadow4]

Hey guys,

 

My computer has been down for the past couple of days and I just read all the comments and I can say that you guys did a wonderful job at answering my question.Btw she has 490r and 490t pickups, she is an older 2004 natural burst, and I think I will go into a guitar shop and try out a 61 reissue SG to try the 57 classics. Thanks again!

 

Sincerely,

Craig V.

[Ochlocracy]

You could also try a magnet swap before buying new pups. Maybe try an AlNiCo V in the bridge?

[ironlung40]

Hey guys,

 

My computer has been down for the past couple of days and I just read all the comments and I can say that you guys did a wonderful job at answering my question.Btw she has 490r and 490t pickups, she is an older 2004 natural burst, and I think I will go into a guitar shop and try out a 61 reissue SG to try the 57 classics. Thanks again!

 

Sincerely,

Craig V.

 

 

make sure you get some overdrive going on the amp too. I'm sure you probably already know that. But, when I was more of a newb I'd plug into a bassman in a store to compare pickups, and if you play dirty, you're not going to get a true representation of the pickup differences, as they will react with distortion differently. Just because one set sounds better clean, doesn't mean it'll sound better with the dirt..........I learned this the long way once before.

 

I had a fender jagstang. The bridge pickup in that guitar is junk!! I put a burstbucker in it, and played it side by side with a friend's jag that still had the stock p'up. The clean tones were not that dis-similar.......at least they both sounded about as good as the other, but when you started to overdrive the amp, the difference was substantial...........The 490's vs 57's will be much more subtle than that test.....