trying to identify Gibson pickups...

[cowboy]

I've had a pair of Gibson HB pickups in a drawer for quite a few years now...just wondering if anyone could provide some more info....


can't find any other marking except for the "Gibson USA"..the black is just some tape put around the coils...no covers that I know of...nothing else except the lead wires are metal mesh wrapped...any help would be appreciated...thanks...later.

cowboy

 

[captain tightpants]

I can tell by the picture above it's a bridge pickup, because the screw coil is on the wide side of the base plate. If it was a neck pickup, the screw poles would be going through the other side. If you peel that tape between the D and G poles, you will see a "T" stamped there, for "Treble" pickup.

That narrows it down to 3 different models, the 490T, the 498T, and the 500T.

If you have a multi-meter that reads Ohms, you can determine it further. If it reads around 8.00k ohms, it's a 490T. If it reads around 14 to 15K ohms, it's a 498 or 500.

The way to tell those 2 apart, just unwind the outer covering of tape and see if you have a thin silver-colored magnet between the coils and 1 or 2 wooden spacers on the outside of the coil. If so, 498T. If you have a dark greey THICK magnet and 2 smaller ones on the outside of the coil, 500T.

Does that make sense?

PS, don't worry about removing the tape, you won't hurt anything. Just take it easy so you can re-apply it.

 

[captain tightpants]

Now for the other pickup, if it's a neck pickup, the pole pieces from the screw coil will pass through the side of the base plate with narrower spacing, opposite of the "T" mark. Only 2 choices here, 490R and 496R. Both will read at around 7.50k Ohms, althought I have a 496 that reads 8.8K ohms. Doesn't really matter. Just carefully unwrap the outer protective tape again and see what color the magnet is.

If it's silver, it's a 490R. If it's dark grey, it's a 496R


Just as an aside, if you have a 496R, and it reads hot like mine, it makes a fantastic bridge pickup for an SG if you swap out the ceramic magnet for an Alnico 4 magnet. Kind of a cool "Hot-Vintage" vibe on the cheap.

 

[cowboy]

Now for the other pickup, if it's a neck pickup, the pole pieces from the screw coil will pass through the side of the base plate with narrower spacing, opposite of the "T" mark. Only 2 choices here, 490R and 496R. Both will read at around 7.50k Ohms, althought I have a 496 that reads 8.8K ohms. Doesn't really matter. Just carefully unwrap the outer protective tape again and see what color the magnet is.

If it's silver, it's a 490R. If it's dark grey, it's a 496R


Just as an aside, if you have a 496R, and it reads hot like mine, it makes a fantastic bridge pickup for an SG if you swap out the ceramic magnet for an Alnico 4 magnet. Kind of a cool "Hot-Vintage" vibe on the cheap.

thanks for the info...I've got the pair....are they worth putting into an 2010 Epi LP Standard?...how much of an upgrade would it be an upgrade from the Epi stock pickups? thanks..later.

cowboy

 

[captain tightpants]

One of these days I'm going to take a bunch pictures and make a thread about this.

Personally, I love Gibson USA pickups, and yeah, I think they would be a fine upgrade for Epi pickups. I like to swap the magnets out on them, usually an A4 for the bridge and an A5 for the neck. I find the A2 in the neck always sounds too muddy.

Gibby USA pickups love 500K pots, too.

One other question, do you know what guitar they came out of? I could probably tell you if you know that.

 

[cowboy]

One of these days I'm going to take a bunch pictures and make a thread about this.

Personally, I love Gibson USA pickups, and yeah, I think they would be a fine upgrade for Epi pickups. I like to swap the magnets out on them, usually an A4 for the bridge and an A5 for the neck. I find the A2 in the neck always sounds too muddy.

Gibby USA pickups love 500K pots, too.

One other question, do you know what guitar they came out of? I could probably tell you if you know that.

sorry, no idea....got them for $40 for the pair....figured I couldn't go wrong....of course it took me another eight years to get back to the LP...went on a strat/tele thing for a while...later.

cowboy

 

[SrDeMaFp]

sorry, no idea....got them for $40 for the pair....figured I couldn't go wrong....
cowboy

Not for that price you can't! Nice snag!

 

[captain tightpants]

sorry, no idea....got them for $40 for the pair....figured I couldn't go wrong....of course it took me another eight years to get back to the LP...went on a strat/tele thing for a while...later.

cowboy

Not a bad deal right there at all, good score

 

[dannyibison]

I can tell by the picture above it's a bridge pickup, because the screw coil is on the wide side of the base plate. If it was a neck pickup, the screw poles would be going through the other side. If you peel that tape between the D and G poles, you will see a "T" stamped there, for "Treble" pickup.

That narrows it down to 3 different models, the 490T, the 498T, and the 500T.

If you have a multi-meter that reads Ohms, you can determine it further. If it reads around 8.00k ohms, it's a 490T. If it reads around 14 to 15K ohms, it's a 498 or 500.

The way to tell those 2 apart, just unwind the outer covering of tape and see if you have a thin silver-colored magnet between the coils and 1 or 2 wooden spacers on the outside of the coil. If so, 498T. If you have a dark greey THICK magnet and 2 smaller ones on the outside of the coil, 500T.

Does that make sense?

PS, don't worry about removing the tape, you won't hurt anything. Just take it easy so you can re-apply it.

I've been trying to apply the process above to identify a pickup I came across by chance ... it is marked on the underside with the same "Gibson USA", "T" and nothing else ...it tests at 15.13 ohms so I assume it to be a 498 or 500 ... I can't tell which though ...

is it possible to tell which it is from my admittedly dreadful picture i have attached?

many thanks, Danny

 

[RickRandom]

is it possible to tell which it is from my admittedly dreadful picture i have attached?

Those spacers don't look like wood so I'm thinking 500T.

 

[dannyibison]

Those spacers don't look like wood so I'm thinking 500T.

that's great - thankyou

 

[slapshot]

Regarding, the pickups, don't recall seeing any Classics with stock zebras, but its possible. The 500T can be identified by looking at the side of the pickup. The 500T has two outer magnets and is taller than any other pickup. The normal humbucker has one shorter magnet in the center and maple spacers on the outside. Here's a photo of a 496R and 500T from a 1991 Classic

 

[dannyibison]

having seen the 2 it's clearly a 500t ... many thanks

 

[threadedtime]

The 490R the Screws are on the Top of the Logo...the 498T the Screws are on the bottom of the logo

 

[FlammenMeer]

Hi all,
Please help me identify these humbuckers.
I bought them on ebay, used, as 500t and 496r.
When unpacked, had no "Gibson USA" on the back, just blank metal. Except for the T and R. So now I am wondering if are these or not Epiphone pickups or some chinese ripoffs? Seller claims they have been taken of a gibson guitar and I should know the tone.. I just never seen gibson pickups with no markings on them.
Can any1 please assist me here?
Thank you!




























jpg images

 

[copperheadroad]

the outside spacers in the 500t are actually magnets ,yep it has 3 magnets .

 

[copperheadroad]

Hi all,
Please help me identify these humbuckers.
I bought them on ebay, used, as 500t and 496r.
When unpacked, had no "Gibson USA" on the back, just blank metal. Except for the T and R. So now I am wondering if are these or not Epiphone pickups or some chinese ripoffs? Seller claims they have been taken of a gibson guitar and I should know the tone.. I just never seen gibson pickups with no markings on them.
Can any1 please assist me here?
Thank you!




























jpg images

Did you take those pics with a drone ? ..... you need close up pics & all sides help along with dcr reading ...........

 

[JCarno]

Did you take those pics with a drone ? ..... you need close up pics & all sides help along with dcr reading ...........

You know if you click on the pics they get bigger? And if you click them again, they get bigger yet!

 

[ARandall]

^ not sure about you, but I click and go to the hosting site. Where you can get some slightly larger views but still somewhat unclear.

 

[FlammenMeer]

guys, can't make better pictures.
I live in Europe and this set was ordered to a friend of mine in US, who already sent them over to me. So I won't be able to take a closer look at them before next week..
I was just wondering if there are any gibson pickups with no logo on the back, at all??

thanx for the replies anyways.

PS
about the pictures. that friend of mine is a bit "special", probably took the pix with a toster or something.