Les Paul Classic with 496 and 500 pickups

[starmckenzie24]

I am looking at buying a 2001 LP classic honeyburst with the 496 and 500 pickups. My question is....how versatile is this guitar. I hear these pickups can be pretty harsh, but I'm into playing classic rock and the blues. Can this guitar do these styles? im not interested in changing the pickups out.

also, this guitar has more of a dark brown back to it and the newer honeybursts have a redish back to them.. Should I be worried that this is a fake? The pics look totally legit and I called gibson with the serial number and they said it lines up pefectly with the guitar.

Any and all feedback is much appreciated. Thanks so much!

[FennRx]

Originally Posted by starmckenzie24

I am looking at buying a 2001 LP classic honeyburst with the 496 and 500 pickups. My question is....how versatile is this guitar. I hear these pickups can be pretty harsh, but I'm into playing classic rock and the blues. Can this guitar do these styles? im not interested in changing the pickups out.

also, this guitar has more of a dark brown back to it and the newer honeybursts have a redish back to them.. Should I be worried that this is a fake? The pics look totally legit and I called gibson with the serial number and they said it lines up pefectly with the guitar.

Any and all feedback is much appreciated. Thanks so much!

i own a 2006 LP Classic with those pickups. Here are my observations:

1) When playing clean, all 3 positions sound like ass.
2) When distorted, the neck is mush and sounds like ass.
3) When distorted, the middle position is pretty good and the bridge is usually too hot.

I liked my Classic a lot despite this until I got my LP Std Faded with BB Pros. And I have to say, the BBs are way better for that big fat, ballsy LP tone.
if you want to play heavier stuff, they may work out for you. But my Classic doesn't get a whole lot of attention anymore.

[Boleskinehouse]

Great for hard rock, and metal. That's about it. I have a Standard with that combo, and its the best for heavy!

[stryker59]

i replaced those pickups in my classic w/ the bb pros. i thought the 496/500 sounded decent, but not near as good as the bb's. they are too hot.

[Liam]

Can this guitar do these styles? im not interested in changing the pickups out.

Don't know why you're so dead set on not changing pickups. The short answer is "no", but the long answer is to buy some 490s or 57 classics cheap as you can find them and you'll have a dream guitar for sensible money.

Liam

[starmckenzie24]

well, i guess i'm not dead set against changing the pickups....how much will changing the pickups depreciate the guitar? I guess my thinking was to keep everything original in case i ever wanted to re-sell it.

[LongBeach]

I have an 05 Classic that I love, 496 & 500T. HARSH as hell!
But I like them anyway. classic - maybe Southern Rock classic,
blues, NO.
But hell, I'd buy it anyway and put 57's in it, I really like the weight & balance of my classic.

[Axeman16]

if i were you (we have similar taste in music and what we like to play) i would get the les paul classic antique. the 57 classics are perfect for classic rock and blues.

[starmckenzie24]

yea i agree, but i have found an amazing deal that i cant pass up.

[stryker59]

Originally Posted by starmckenzie24

well, i guess i'm not dead set against changing the pickups....how much will changing the pickups depreciate the guitar? I guess my thinking was to keep everything original in case i ever wanted to re-sell it.

as long as you keep all the original parts changing the pickups wont depreciate it. store the originals somewhere safe and mod away! that includes the screws and springs if u dont reuse them; that may be picky but original is original!

[Weldaar]

how much will changing the pickups depreciate the guitar?

If you are buying it for a collection, then by all means save the parts. Personally, Classics won't fetch you much of a return. If you are buying it to play it, you can't go wrong. I have a 1994 Classic. A change of pickups and caps can do wonders for the tone. I agree that the 496 500 combo can be harsh.

IMO

[Belzeebub]

With all due respect to all who said that the combo can be too harsh, all i can say is, it can be if you let it be. I just picked up a new Classic and I am into pretty much everything from Joe Satriani to Bach. IMO, the Classic does it all. It just depends on how you tweak your effects, amp, tone & volume on the guitar.

[uOpt]

Buying a classic as an investment piece is not a good move. Next year nobody will pay good prices for all these chambered/holed LPs that Gibson made. Not that everybody hates the chambered/holed ones, but the number of people who like them is much smaller than the number of guitars made. Used prices will plummet.

The 500T/496R sounded a lot better in my Explorer than my in Les Paul.

At least at the neck you need something else. And since you get, in all likelihood, two-conductor pickup you can't even split them or do a JP mod.

[stryker59]

Originally Posted by Belzeebub

With all due respect to all who said that the combo can be too harsh, all i can say is, it can be if you let it be. I just picked up a new Classic and I am into pretty much everything from Joe Satriani to Bach. IMO, the Classic does it all. It just depends on how you tweak your effects, amp, tone & volume on the guitar.

true to a certain extent. but if you have HOT pickups like the 496/500 combo you lose note definition and no matter what you do w/ settings it still sounds muddy. lower output pickups are desirable in part for the fact that they retain note defintion and respond better to dynamics because they arent so hot. my 2 cents

[uOpt]

Right. Even in the metal domain these things shred and lead but don't crunch. Serious Rhythm guitar might be a challenger, in particular in a Les Paul.

[Boleskinehouse]

:

Originally Posted by uOpt

Right. Even in the metal domain these things shred and lead but don't crunch. Serious Rhythm guitar might be a challenger, in particular in a Les Paul.

Um. They crunch like a motherfucker.. 500T is a beast, and it aint for everyone, but if you're into high gain its one of the best pups you can get!

[2manyGuitars]

Here's my 2001 Classic Plus in Trans Amber...


I play classic and newer rock (everything from Doobie Brothers to Foo Fighters) and I gave the ceramics an honest try, but they had to go. I was lucky enough to get a deal on a set of handmade '59 PAF replicas (Peter Florence VooDoo '59s). I couldn't be happier with this guitar. Lately, the only time I'm not playing it is when I'm playing my new ES-339 with the '57 Classics (still in the honeymoon stage).

[2manyGuitars]

Originally Posted by uOpt

Buying a classic as an investment piece is not a good move. Next year nobody will pay good prices for all these chambered/holed LPs that Gibson made.

A 2001 Classic wouldn't be chambered.

[Belzeebub]

I have a chambered one most likely, but Im happy with the way my guitar looks, plays and sounds. I think thats what matters most - to me at least.

[Schtang]

Originally Posted by FennRx

i own a 2006 LP Classic with those pickups. Here are my observations:

1) When playing clean, all 3 positions sound like ass.
2) When distorted, the neck is mush and sounds like ass.
3) When distorted, the middle position is pretty good and the bridge is usually too hot.

I liked my Classic a lot despite this until I got my LP Std Faded with BB Pros. And I have to say, the BBs are way better for that big fat, ballsy LP tone.
if you want to play heavier stuff, they may work out for you. But my Classic doesn't get a whole lot of attention anymore.

matter of opinion - I have a 2004 Standard and a 2004 classic - the Classics are a better guitar period - vol and tone knobs do wonders if you adjust them. Classic pickups don't sound mush to me - what amp are you playing it thru? Classics tend to be more ballsy than Standards. I use my classic for blues, country (yes country), rock and especially 70's Santana stuff live like Europa and Samba Pa Ti. My standard is only used for middle of the road stuff - those BB just don't have the clarity of the 500T/496. That tone and volume knob will erase that harshness.

[gw1980]

I have to agree with the majority of the posts on here. I have a honeyburst, but it is nothing like a LP STD honeyburst, more like a Cherry sunburst (as the pic on the previous post shows). The trussrod cover has to go, as does the pickguard, the 1960 on it looks rubbish! Without the "Classic" trussrod cover it can masquerade as a STD with ease! I picked up a couple of blank ones pretty cheap. As for the pickups they are awful! If you like muddy, non-descript tones regardless of position, then these are for you! I changed mine for some SD SH-1 59, and they sound great. In terms of the guitar itself it is great, well made, great maple cap on mine, and it is full LP weight, it hasn't been relieved like most of the newer LP's. All in all it's a great guitar, once the mods have been completed.

[gw1980]

Also I forgot about the machine heads, I have also swapped these for Grovers, as the others are prone to falling apart and/or being snapped off. They do stay in tune though!

[GibsonSlash]

Just a suggestion, if you're into playing that classic rock & blues, get a standard with Burstbucker pro, you'll get all the tone you wish for.

Forget the classic!

Originally Posted by starmckenzie24

I am looking at buying a 2001 LP classic honeyburst with the 496 and 500 pickups. My question is....how versatile is this guitar. I hear these pickups can be pretty harsh, but I'm into playing classic rock and the blues. Can this guitar do these styles? im not interested in changing the pickups out.

also, this guitar has more of a dark brown back to it and the newer honeybursts have a redish back to them.. Should I be worried that this is a fake? The pics look totally legit and I called gibson with the serial number and they said it lines up pefectly with the guitar.

Any and all feedback is much appreciated. Thanks so much!

[stryker59]

Originally Posted by GibsonSlash

Just a suggestion, if you're into playing that classic rock & blues, get a standard with Burstbucker pro, you'll get all the tone you wish for.

Forget the classic!

i bought the classic and put the bb's in it because it feels better to me then the standard. the 60's slim taper feels better then the 60's standard shape. to me.

[Belzeebub]

Originally Posted by starmckenzie24

I am looking at buying a 2001 LP classic honeyburst with the 496 and 500 pickups. My question is....how versatile is this guitar. I hear these pickups can be pretty harsh, but I'm into playing classic rock and the blues. Can this guitar do these styles? im not interested in changing the pickups out.

also, this guitar has more of a dark brown back to it and the newer honeybursts have a redish back to them.. Should I be worried that this is a fake? The pics look totally legit and I called gibson with the serial number and they said it lines up pefectly with the guitar.

Any and all feedback is much appreciated. Thanks so much!

Let me put it this way...youre probably looking for a guitar that will "do it all" without much modification or in this case, you dont even want to switch out pickups. Thats fine and its a challenge to find an axe that is truly versatile. All of us have our opinions on it. Ive had guitars with low to moderate output and sometimes, I ended up wishing I had a guitar with pickups that had more power.

I know guitar players out there who always just set the tone knobs on their guitars all the way to 10 as well as the volume knobs. Heck, I even know of a few who dont even bother toggling between pickups and are quite happy just using one pickup!

I used to be one of those who just cranked the tone & volume knobs on the guitar to full blast all the time. I was young and inexperienced then. After a while, I began to try different combinations and settings of those knobs. I began to give them some attention. Then I also tweaked my amp settings then my effects settings. I got tones and definition that I would have never guessed I could get out of my rig.

So after having said all that, for me, I would prefer to have those powerful pickups on hand, available on my guitar rather than wishing I had them at some later point. I would just dial in the right settings on the guitar, amp and effects until your ears are happy. And when you get the itch to just make your axe erupt, then you will be happy that you have the pickups for the job.

[paulygates]

FWIW I have an Epi 96 Classic Birdseye Maple top and a Gibson STD 06 and I used to like the difference depending on mood. Now I am thinking of changing the PUPs in the Classic. Mainly because the acoustic tone is amazing (neck tenon?) and I think the ceremics don't do her justice.

I say change 'em. If you don't like it change 'em back.

[Les Paulverizer]

For what it's worth, I give you my experience.
I had an early 90's Classic Premium Plus, honeyburst with 496 & 500T pup's.
I loved 'em!
Ok they're not that subtle, for subtleness n-o-t-h-i-n' beats Seymour Duncan Antiquity's in my opinion, but that combination on that particular guitar worked Xtremely well indeed!
I also fitted different pup's at various times (59', Screamin' Demon, JB, DiMarzio Air Norton & Tone Zone, '57+,....) but, surprisingly, always found the original pup's the best suited for that guitar...
Ok play mainly Hard/Classic Rock, but as we know in that "genre you have to run a huge range of sounds, not only full blast all the time, and always luv'd the kinda "darkness" that the 500T imparted even on clean Tone's!
Tried some friend's Classic's and also found those pup's to be a perfect match for it.
My question is though; if that's the case, what's the difference between the Classic and a Standard?
I know that originally the Classic was nothin' but a "Beano" '60 reissue, that was the idea, but how does it differ from the other "standard" Paul's?

[92Classic]

I thought my Classic was really good stock - till I put in BB Pro's and OMG - TOTAL ZEN

[Classicplayer]

I have a 2000 Classic. For three years I played it with the stock pups. I adjusted them quite a bit lower than normal just to see if I could get them
to sound cleaner. The ceramics always seem to have some edge to them that was not always desirable IMHO. I had read in reviews that other owners of the Classic noticed the same thing. They kept the ceramics and just lowered them somewhat to quiet them down. I still was not satisfied, so I put a pair of Duncan '59s in. I found the '59s to have more options in tone. They still are
good for that Classic Rock grind, but clean up much better when I need a cleaner tone. I kept the original pups, but still am running the '59s, I'm satisfied. And, if I someday sell the guitar I can offer the original ceramics as part of any sale. I'm not saying the 496R and the 500T are not good sounding.
Some Classic owners would not think of parting with them. I think that there are other pickups out there on the market that work just as well and will sound more versatile.

Classicplayer

[starmckenzie24]

Thanks everyone for all your feedback......I think I'm gonna buy it!!!