There is a reason Gibson has been installing 490/498 pickups in the Les Paul Custom since the early 90's. To me the 490 and 498 pickups are the most underrated pickups Gibson makes. They are my second favorite pickups next to the 57 Classic's.
Listening to the output is half the story. I much prefer the "feel to noise" of the the 49's. They seem to respond to my fingers with less effort and deliver a more consistent tone level.
490R/498Ts sound a bit brighter, a bit more bite, but a bit less volume. Burstbuckers remind me of Dirty Fingers, creamy, thicker, darker, more boomy. DEF prefer the 490R/498T. I have at least 4 guitars with them … 2 LPs, a LPDC and a V. LOVE the way they sound!
God I love the 490r and 498t set. They are just so perfect for bluesy classic rock. They have a real pro tone about them. I always think Les Pauls sound far better with Gibson pickups. Been through many many pickups big names and booteek and always always ALWAYS come back to this set. They are the best period.
BBs have a stronger midrange and high-end clarity, in my opinion. The 498t and 490r don't sound bad, by any means. I just prefer the clarity of the BBs.
@@MrJabinho Fair point! BB Pros can be a bit bright at times. For me personally, I find that if I roll the tone knob back a hair, that takes care of it for me. I like having the brightness readily available for when I want it, but I can also easily dial it back if I want. Of course, if you never want the brighter tone, then the 498t/490r would definitely make more sense. What style/genre do you mostly play?
Fantastic video and great playing. Guitar straight to amp and nice clear riffs really highlighted the differences. Wish other demos were this well made and played.
normally I prefer the 490 pickups but in this demo the burst bucker pro sound so much more juicy! glad I got both to figure out what works best for my les Paul. thanks for the demo video and I also enjoyed the country stuff you did. thanks again!
BB Pros for me, but honestly I'd be pleased with either set. And I'm pretty sure that no audience could tell the difference in a band setting. Nice job on the demo
Excellent comparison! I have the 490R and 498T, but now I'm thinking about picking up a modern! The BurstBuckers let you here each individual note so clearly.
Thanks Paul Keefe! The Burstbucker Pros do have a bit more clarity. Definitely worth trying if that's what you're looking for. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Just came across this video, 5 years later... Great playing and very consistent between takes which is absolutely required for this type of comparison. Burstbuckers for me!
Thank you! I'm a big fan of the Burstbucker Pros. Still have them in that same guitar....5 years later. Ha ha! Are you considering getting a set of them?
@@DadRockAndGuitars Yes I am. I was considering some boutique PAFs for a while, like the ThroBak Vintage Repro PAF, but they are so expensive. I am not that obsessed with reproducing the original design, especially that there were a lot of inconsistencies between pickups in the 50s-60s. Your comparison made me realize that a great warm sound does not need to cost an arm and a leg. Thanks again!
I own a Les Paul with each set of these pickups and I admit each set of pickups has it's unique nuances but honestly each one sounds great. Listening to this comparison is seems to me the 490's are a little more superior for the country or rhythm style player while the BB's have a better tone for a blues or lead style player. To me they're each a great sound and it comes down to personal preference, like anything else.
agreed. both have unique voicing, but both sound great. BB's are more bright and clear, 490/498's have that classic LP sound. excellent job and awesome playing!
@@chansomanmusic PB is medium output while 498 is high gain.. The first comment make all sense and if you play metal you will desire more output to push the amp.
Good video. Gibson and the other big guitar companies should be doing side by side pickup demos to clearly differentiate their many models. I'd go with the Burstbucker Pros.
Thanks bills48321! Yeah, I don't know of many side-by-side comparisons except for what people make on their own for UA-cam. Gibson does have this post on their website that might be helpful: www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/tone-hunting-0309-2011.aspx (I don't think the audio players show on mobile browser) I know Sweetwater.com (and probably elsewhere) have audio samples for Seymour Duncan pickups. One example: www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SH6bBlk (I don't think the audio players show on mobile browser) If they made it easy to compare pickups, then people would probably have a better idea of what they want and they wouldn't sell as many. lol
I prefer the 498T in the bridge. It seemed to have a warmer, more rounded tone whereas the Burstbucker sounded louder, thinner, and more shrill. In the neck I preferred the Burstbucker over the 490R. The 490R was way too meek sounding. The Burstbucker was much bolder. So I guess the ideal set up for me would be Burstbucker in the neck and 498T in the bridge.
I agree. I'd have to go with the same setup. 490 didn't have the ass in the neck. Great comparisons though. Course I'm a little more crunchy on up to high gain
Excellent review! When I was looking to purchase my first Les Paul I tested a bunch of different models with all different pickups. For me it came down to the same two sets you tested. Overall I like the BB Pro the best. A little cleaner, but yet a little fatter with a slight attitude. Which is classic Les Paul tones, but with a little extra. A couple years later someone sold me a LP Faded with the 498/490 set for $300. I played it for a couple months and sold it because I still liked the BB Pro tones better. That's just my choice though.
I had an Epiphone Les Paul with BB Pros in it and sold it (and another guitar) so I could get the Gibson. The Gibson Studio came with 490R/498Ts and I just felt like it was missing something sonically. I'd gotten really used to the BB Pros. The 490R/498T combo isn't a bad one (many people in the comments like them better), just a personal preference. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Ditto. Although, I did prefer the BB Bridge Split Mode better. The BB neck was far superior, IMHO! BTW- I thought the playing was perfect for the demo! One of the best side-by-sides EVER!
Thanks for the video. The 498T is an upgrade pickup according to bumf from Gibson and the web - over wound, fully wax potted and about $120 (per pup) to buy separately. It's targeted at rock players and when set with the 490 at the neck it gives an immediate boost for lead solos without necessarily having to wind up the volume (or use a foot switch). Incidentally, the basic Burstbucker is an old, lower powered pickup despite the name. The Burstbucker Pro a later upgrade. 57's are another good Gibson hum-bucker I have in an SG - a hark back to the late 50's / 60's PAF sound which I believe was a little crisper - still hum cancelling and more bite than a single coil though. Through a Wah, Ibanez Tube Screamer and a Marshall 40w valve amp cranked up they sound stratospheric (think Gary Moore) especially if you like the 60's British Blues vibe.
MY GUITARS( gigs) gibson 2013 LPJ 490r/498t ,epiphone les paul 2011 bonamassa goldtop burst buckers 2/3 i like my 490s better than any othe pickups (nailbombs close but...)my burstbuckers give me sweet and sour (amp turned up) so after trying many pickup combinations the best i have found for all around , funk, rocabilly, punk, country, rock, reggae,twang,blues,ska is my 490r/498t combination , i sometimes put a nail bomb in place of the 498t or place a emg81 for a metal vibe experiment it works on some styles of music.......play on stereoLaunch
It would be interesting to know which you chose. I was expecting to like the Burstbuckers more but in this demo I preferred the 498T and 490R set. Thanks
Hey Mark, I ended up going with the Burstbuckers. I did several other personal tests as well and they work better for what I'm currently doing. With all the options on the Tweaker 15, I'm able to get the Burstbuckers to sound pretty close to the 490s, but not as much the other way around.
StereoLaunch Thanks for replying. I think that's really useful to know as you can hear them in the room as opposed to how they sound recorded and on UA-cam.
Hey S/L thanks man! Great video! I’m actually looking at B.B. right now and this helped to confirm my suspicions all along. Good stuff bud, thank you!!
Thinking the amp played a pretty large role in the muddier tone, mainly on the crunch tones. Playing the BB Pros on a Peavey 6505, you don't get as much breakup on the lower end. To me that's what makes engineering a tone so tricky!
I prefer 498T over the bridge, thicker low-end, hotter. The neck pups are a tossup. Both sound great, but just tonally different. Well, that's what I was about to end it on, but after hearing the more OD section, both bridge pups sound equally great, just different. I can see different uses for both. No overall preference for either set.
Finally a video with expressive playing that really brings out the voice of the pickup, this is what I'm interested in when looking into pickups. You called your playing mediocre, but you sounded good, and I was impressed with your consistency.
Soooo good; thanks heaps. Was looking for a Studio with 490's, but have widened the search to include BurstBuckers... in fact, that's now my preference. Thanks again!
Thank you Mike Sadler! One thing to keep in mind is that if you find a good Studio with 490's, it's likely you can do a straight swap on pickups. I ended up selling my 490's for the same as the cost of the BBs. Good luck with your search for a Studio! I love mine.
490's for me as they're more polite sounding, the Burstbuckers have more edge or hair which is also great just a matter of what you want. Gibson covered it pretty darn good with these pickups. Great video thanks.
THANK YOU for playing the same riffs for each setting and playing them all back to back! It really helps so much to really hear the differences. So many reviewers seem to play a different riff for each setting or pickup, and then give their thoughts in between, so it's hard to get a true side by side comparison.
It seems like the burstbuckers have a bit more of that country twang. The 490/498's seem a bit more straight rock. ..and that's through a one quarter inch cell phone speaker. :)
Ha ha! Yeah, the Burstbuckers can get a bit twangy if you want them to be (which what I was testing here). They won't ever quite be a Telecaster obviously, but can work for my purposes. They can do the rock thing pretty well too, but the 490/498s have a bit more low mid frequencies that give them a bit more "umf".
The higher pitched Burstbuckers is exactly why Gibson matched them to the Semi Hollow 339 back in 2010-2016. Too bad they have switched from BB as they could really sound that bell in a 339. I cant really say at this time what the difference is between a BB 1-2 and the BB Pro but the 2016 ES 339 had the BB 1-2s. Have a listen to one of the best UA-cam videos ever made on a Gibson Guitar. ua-cam.com/video/de-yA2v4A3w/v-deo.html
Absolutely a GREAT video. Best side by side of almost anything gear related that I've seen. Exactly what I needed to make my decision. I know a lot of time and effort must have gone into making this vid. Thanks SO much!!!
EXCELLENT comparison video, easily one of the best (if not THE best) that I've seen. I liked both sets of pups, but my ears prefer the brighter sound of the BB Pros. When set to coil split and played clean, they actually sound close to the single-coil pups of a Fender Strat. My 2016 LP Studio Faded T has the BB Pros and I absolutely love their clean sound. I kinda liked the crunchy sound of the 490R & 498T in your video though, which is good, because I ordered a used Gibson LP Studio Nitrous (in Vibrant Red!) that has those pups. I ordered it without seeing or playing it because I had to order it from a Guitar Center store halfway across the country lol. So after watching your video, I'm confident that I'll love that LP with the 490R/498T pups as much as I love my LP with the BB Pros. Thanks for the video, and great playing too BTW!
+martinafan64 wow, thank you for the compliment! I think they both sound great. They are just different and I can only have one right now, so I had to decide. Also, I think the split coil sounds pretty "Stratty" as well. Being lefty, I always have to order my guitars sight-unseen, so I know how that goes. I've had pretty good luck with it though. Glad you find this helpful and congrats on the new LP!
BB sound "spankier" to my ears. Nice sound if that's your thing. The 498 & 490 sounds more "vintage" LP to me. Thanks for the comparison. I'd stick to my stock pickups on my 93 Les Paul Standard.
Perfect comparison. I have the Studio with the 490 and 498 and a Standard with BB Pros. Prefer the Pros myself. But let's be honest....any Les Paul is fun to play.
I really like the punch of the 490's. The BB's too bright for me. Probably Good for studio setting. Anyway that's why we have the telecaster. Nice video.
Burst buckers definally had more high end with a thin bottom and mid range honk (especially in split). The 490 neck is way too muddy for my taste though, probably one of the most unpleasing neck pickup ive played with. Definitely be replacing that one on my les paul custom
super good work. That's exactly what i call a test espacially in clean mode which is so rare neverthless so important. I congrat you for the extreme regularity of your play. Thank you.
After owning Gibsons, fenders and many cheap guitars, the real difference between these two good pickups, is like 2-3% because you can EQ your amp and get your desired tone, adjusting one pot on the amp makes waaaaaay more difference than changing the pickups IMO
I love Gibson pickups. I have most of them. The only guitar I switched out from stock was my LP that came with 57’s and people seem to love those. Weren’t hot enough for me. I’d go with the 490s here, but I like the BBs too.
Here is another vote for the 498T actually I love the 490r as well. Warm not muddy at all. The most versatile as well-High gain to country twang they do it all. They do get a bad rap as muddy sometimes but I think that's a result of Gibson wiring them with 300k pots on some guitars (sg's and lp specials). Throw some 500k pots with these and they scream.
@@gobinstruments4597 just lower the volume. I use 490/498 and if I want to clean them, I just lower the volume and can get the cleanness that many guitarists need.
Am I the only one that use both? I prefer and use the 490r in the neck position and the BB pro bridge (cover removed) in the bridge position in my LP...I think they work perfectly togheter. Great video!
Thank you for the compliment! I really try to make my comparison videos as consistent as possible. It’s good to know it’s appreciated. Thanks for subscribing too!
each set of burst buckers will sound different they are not all wound the same each coil may have a different amount of wire on them and they are low out put but they are very cool
My LP burst bucker in the neck is incredibly dark and muddy. I want it to brighten up 30% the bridge is F'ing perfect. I would say yours in this demo is about 50% brighter than mine. I am out of town for work but when I get home adjustments will be made toi see what I can get the neck to do. Im usually a neck preference player but my new LP it is just way too dark. There is very little definition toi notes with it.
Yeah, I don't like a super dark and muddy neck pickup either. I'm mostly a bridge player, but use the neck every now and then if it's not too muddy. Hopefully adjusting the height of it will help. Let me know when you get a chance to try adjusting it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great Demo 👏I like both sets, can't go wrong with either , BB's seem to have a little note definition clean, both sets were pretty similar in crunch time , and once you get really dirty with a pedal it doesn't matter
Agreed, the BB Pros definitely have a bit more note definition on the cleaner stuff. Gain tends to even things out a bit 😅 Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
This video is GREAT ! I enjoyed your playing and the comparison was perfect. I have an LP Studio. I like keeping it original and enjoy having it at my disposal. Keep on Rockin' !
This sounds like country to me even with a Les Paul 👍, i just traded my Classic Vibe Tele for a Korean Epiphone Les Paul Standard with Gibson pick ups which a Gibson collector said its what used to be the 498 but now they are just labeled "Gibson USA".
It sounds to me like the burstbuckers are a lot brighter, but I'm glad I watched this video, because I was debating, but now I will definitely be going with the 498t/ 490r set up, thank you!
Wow, that's like that's the first time I've heard come right out and say it. I think it's a good solid pup and not muddy, etc. I got a few of them. Never had the desire to swap. Cheers ! Glad someone said it.
I play mostly hard rock, the 490/498 has always been my favorite Gibson pickup set, but I just got the new LP Studio with the Burstbucker Pros and I'm really liking these more. They hold up better with high gain.
Very cool! I also like the BB Pros for high gain stuff. Occasionally, mine will sound a bit "spikey" in the high mids. Depends on the amp, etc. But I find that if I roll the volume back very slightly it goes away. Congrats on the new LP Studio 👍
I generally prefer the clarity of the BB Pros and find that they usually sit well in a mix, but I have run into an amp/setting every now and then that they are a bit bright. I've considered getting another Les Paul with different pickups for those situations and just have a different flavor, but haven't yet. Thanks for watching and commenting fedboy21!
The BB's do have a bright clear sound but it's almost thin sounding. The 490/498 have an unmistakable fatt sound that is simply cool sounding and you can literally just turn the treble up. That 490 tho wow, it's frikkin' niiiice!
Bought a pair of 490T & 498R did not know how they sounded. But in my ears they sound sweet. I bought a Epiphone LP Standard and i am gonna upgrade it with these.
Awesome! I had an old Epiphone LP with the old really dull and lifeless pickups (I think the current ProBuckers are a lot better) and changed them out with the Burstbucker Pros and it was night and day difference. Once you swap them out, let us know what you think!
Tech tip, a slight EQ tweak or height adjustment on the pickup will likey get you where you need to get. Find a pickup that you like and tweak the amp to your taste. Don't let the tone controls get dusty either. I find the 490t sweet spot is tone at like 9
Good tips 👍 Yeah the EQ on the amp is there to be used. Can be surprising how many tones you can get by changing the EQ. Pickup height is also a great way to dial the pickups in. Thanks for watching 👍
So I scored a Lead Pro for $75 along with a Black Russian Big Muff for $100 and I’m thinking of dropping the Lead Pro into my 80’s Epiphone Super Strat. I asked the guy at my local shop for something a bit bright and spicy but still full in tone. I was aiming for something that wouldn’t over saturate the amount of fuzz and gain I use, but not get muddy and lost. So his response was the Lead Pro and I’m eager to get ‘er installed, because while I don’t mind the humbucker that’s stock I want to try something different.
Sounds like you got a pretty good deal! I would think the Lead Pro will work will with fuzz as humbuckers go. I'd be interested to hear what you think after you get a chance to try it 👍
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I don't see how this can be a fair comparison. Baseball cap on for both please.
Ha! I'll make sure I keep it more fair in the next video! :-) Thanks for watching Edward McLaughlin!
Lmao! I can actually see an "audiophile" saying that!
I just asked him to play them right handed. I mean come on.
hahaha
Burstbuckers have a more dynamic range
There is a reason Gibson has been installing 490/498 pickups in the Les Paul Custom since the early 90's. To me the 490 and 498 pickups are the most underrated pickups Gibson makes. They are my second favorite pickups next to the 57 Classic's.
They certainly seem to be a popular choice in the comments on this video. Thanks for watching and commenting lespaul1648!
I agree 100%, I love my Gibson with the 490/498 combo
Listening to the output is half the story. I much prefer the "feel to noise" of the the 49's. They seem to respond to my fingers with less effort and deliver a more consistent tone level.
@@Zoso981 I also love them in my 2013 Alpine White studio. Every time I think I need to try something else I change my mind after playing.
490R/498Ts sound a bit brighter, a bit more bite, but a bit less volume. Burstbuckers remind me of Dirty Fingers, creamy, thicker, darker, more boomy. DEF prefer the 490R/498T. I have at least 4 guitars with them … 2 LPs, a LPDC and a V. LOVE the way they sound!
Nice to hear a comparison that is not over saturated.
Thanks Mike!
Amen!!!
God I love the 490r and 498t set. They are just so perfect for bluesy classic rock. They have a real pro tone about them. I always think Les Pauls sound far better with Gibson pickups. Been through many many pickups big names and booteek and always always ALWAYS come back to this set. They are the best period.
Both sets were Gibson pickup’s. They make burst buckers as well
BBs have a stronger midrange and high-end clarity, in my opinion. The 498t and 490r don't sound bad, by any means. I just prefer the clarity of the BBs.
+Joe Mama That's pretty much my opinion as well. Thanks for watching!
I think the bb’s have a little more volume than the 490’s
But as far as clarity, identical, in my ears anyway.
@@DadRockAndGuitars In my opinion BB's are just a bit too bright. 498t and 490r combo is more balanced sound.
@@MrJabinho Fair point! BB Pros can be a bit bright at times. For me personally, I find that if I roll the tone knob back a hair, that takes care of it for me. I like having the brightness readily available for when I want it, but I can also easily dial it back if I want.
Of course, if you never want the brighter tone, then the 498t/490r would definitely make more sense.
What style/genre do you mostly play?
Awesome video my friend. A lot of effort went into this...... very helpful comparison.
Thank you Perth Guitar! Glad you found it helpful.
Thank you so much. Just purchased a Gibson, will get it next week. That definitely answered my questions. I'll keep the
490R-498T pickups on.
Glad this video helped you out! Enjoy that new Les Paul!
There's nothing wrong with your playing, sounds great! Excellent video, thanks.
Fantastic video and great playing. Guitar straight to amp and nice clear riffs really highlighted the differences. Wish other demos were this well made and played.
normally I prefer the 490 pickups but in this demo the burst bucker pro sound so much more juicy! glad I got both to figure out what works best for my les Paul. thanks for the demo video and I also enjoyed the country stuff you did.
thanks again!
BB Pros for me, but honestly I'd be pleased with either set. And I'm pretty sure that no audience could tell the difference in a band setting. Nice job on the demo
I wish you'd try right handed , so we'd know how'd it would sound for the rest of us
Now you know how us lefties feel! 😂 Thanks for watching and commenting!
Lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best comment ive heard in years🤘🤘🤘
He could at least mirror the video :)
@@Bob.Silverstein hahahahahahahaha
yay us lefties,only with guitar tho' not poletics lol
I've had both and I prefer the BB's because you can adjust tone and get close to the 490 sound but I didn't have as much luck trying the opposite.
+mang313 that's pretty much why I decided to go with the BBs as well. More flexibility. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Yup! You can darken a bright pup but ya can’t make a dark pickup shiny and bright, or else it’s time to get out the 10 band EQ....
Excellent comparison! I have the 490R and 498T, but now I'm thinking about picking up a modern! The BurstBuckers let you here each individual note so clearly.
Thanks Paul Keefe! The Burstbucker Pros do have a bit more clarity. Definitely worth trying if that's what you're looking for. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Just came across this video, 5 years later... Great playing and very consistent between takes which is absolutely required for this type of comparison. Burstbuckers for me!
Thank you! I'm a big fan of the Burstbucker Pros. Still have them in that same guitar....5 years later. Ha ha! Are you considering getting a set of them?
@@DadRockAndGuitars Yes I am. I was considering some boutique PAFs for a while, like the ThroBak Vintage Repro PAF, but they are so expensive. I am not that obsessed with reproducing the original design, especially that there were a lot of inconsistencies between pickups in the 50s-60s. Your comparison made me realize that a great warm sound does not need to cost an arm and a leg. Thanks again!
I’ve always been a fan of the 498T/490R. My Gibson’s have them
I own a Les Paul with each set of these pickups and I admit each set of pickups has it's unique nuances but honestly each one sounds great. Listening to this comparison is seems to me the 490's are a little more superior for the country or rhythm style player while the BB's have a better tone for a blues or lead style player. To me they're each a great sound and it comes down to personal preference, like anything else.
Yup, there’s no absolute best. It’s all about what gets you the sound that your looking for. Thanks for watching and commenting Dale!
I prefer the 498t for rock and metal myself
I find putting burst buckers on a LP makes it sound like what a Telecaster would sound like if Gibson made it.
Ditto
Very nice demo. Both sets of pups have advantages. I like them both (as well as 57 Classics). Thanks for your hard work on this.
agreed. both have unique voicing, but both sound great. BB's are more bright and clear, 490/498's have that classic LP sound. excellent job and awesome playing!
The BB Pro's sound a lot cleaner and articulate to me
If you lower the volume on the 490/498 just a bit, you'll get the same results. And the extra "boost" will help anyone RAWK
I agree with that, but I thought the 490s covered more sonic territory.
@@maraviyoso8473 I agree with this omment.
@@chansomanmusic PB is medium output while 498 is high gain.. The first comment make all sense and if you play metal you will desire more output to push the amp.
@@chansomanmusic chan thats why i stopped using BBpros and got bb2 and a bb3 in my Les Pau l lol
Good video. Gibson and the other big guitar companies should be doing side by side pickup demos to clearly differentiate their many models. I'd go with the Burstbucker Pros.
Thanks bills48321! Yeah, I don't know of many side-by-side comparisons except for what people make on their own for UA-cam.
Gibson does have this post on their website that might be helpful: www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/tone-hunting-0309-2011.aspx
(I don't think the audio players show on mobile browser)
I know Sweetwater.com (and probably elsewhere) have audio samples for Seymour Duncan pickups. One example: www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SH6bBlk
(I don't think the audio players show on mobile browser)
If they made it easy to compare pickups, then people would probably have a better idea of what they want and they wouldn't sell as many. lol
Thanks for the article link.
I prefer the 498T in the bridge. It seemed to have a warmer, more rounded tone whereas the Burstbucker sounded louder, thinner, and more shrill.
In the neck I preferred the Burstbucker over the 490R. The 490R was way too meek sounding. The Burstbucker was much bolder.
So I guess the ideal set up for me would be Burstbucker in the neck and 498T in the bridge.
Its definetly not warm, it has alnico 2, bb pro alnico 5, the magnet is stronger, also warmer on alnico 5
I agree. I'd have to go with the same setup. 490 didn't have the ass in the neck. Great comparisons though. Course I'm a little more crunchy on up to high gain
The neck 490R height could be raised.
Excellent job. Very professional. Enjoyed your playing. Appreciate the time you devoted to making this demo.
Thank you! And thanks for watching 👍
Excellent review! When I was looking to purchase my first Les Paul I tested a bunch of different models with all different pickups. For me it came down to the same two sets you tested. Overall I like the BB Pro the best. A little cleaner, but yet a little fatter with a slight attitude. Which is classic Les Paul tones, but with a little extra. A couple years later someone sold me a LP Faded with the 498/490 set for $300. I played it for a couple months and sold it because I still liked the BB Pro tones better. That's just my choice though.
I had an Epiphone Les Paul with BB Pros in it and sold it (and another guitar) so I could get the Gibson. The Gibson Studio came with 490R/498Ts and I just felt like it was missing something sonically. I'd gotten really used to the BB Pros. The 490R/498T combo isn't a bad one (many people in the comments like them better), just a personal preference. Thanks for watching and commenting!
My choice would be the 498T and the Burstbucker neck pick-up.
This was my take away as well.
Ditto. Although, I did prefer the BB Bridge Split Mode better. The BB neck was far superior, IMHO! BTW- I thought the playing was perfect for the demo! One of the best side-by-sides EVER!
You’re a better guitarist than you give yourself credit for!
I agree. This is a very good video.
again as someone else has said, thanks for taking the time to do this, good work,helps a lot
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching and appreciate your comment 👍
Thanks for the video. The 498T is an upgrade pickup according to bumf from Gibson and the web - over wound, fully wax potted and about $120 (per pup) to buy separately. It's targeted at rock players and when set with the 490 at the neck it gives an immediate boost for lead solos without necessarily having to wind up the volume (or use a foot switch). Incidentally, the basic Burstbucker is an old, lower powered pickup despite the name. The Burstbucker Pro a later upgrade. 57's are another good Gibson hum-bucker I have in an SG - a hark back to the late 50's / 60's PAF sound which I believe was a little crisper - still hum cancelling and more bite than a single coil though. Through a Wah, Ibanez Tube Screamer and a Marshall 40w valve amp cranked up they sound stratospheric (think Gary Moore) especially if you like the 60's British Blues vibe.
MY GUITARS( gigs) gibson 2013 LPJ 490r/498t ,epiphone les paul 2011 bonamassa goldtop burst buckers 2/3
i like my 490s better than any othe pickups (nailbombs close but...)my burstbuckers give me sweet and sour (amp turned up) so after trying many pickup combinations the best i have found for all around , funk, rocabilly, punk, country, rock, reggae,twang,blues,ska is my 490r/498t combination , i sometimes put a nail bomb in place of the 498t or place a emg81 for a metal vibe experiment it works on some styles of music.......play on stereoLaunch
I think the BB pros won it for me! Interesting... There may be a swap in store for my SG in the future
Yea I just did the switch, you won't regret it...it sounds bad ass. I like it alot
Best VS video I have ever seen.. and boy they are many :) thanks a lot well done.
Wow! Thank you very much for the kind words!
It would be interesting to know which you chose. I was expecting to like the Burstbuckers more but in this demo I preferred the 498T and 490R set. Thanks
Hey Mark, I ended up going with the Burstbuckers. I did several other personal tests as well and they work better for what I'm currently doing. With all the options on the Tweaker 15, I'm able to get the Burstbuckers to sound pretty close to the 490s, but not as much the other way around.
StereoLaunch Thanks for replying. I think that's really useful
to know as you can hear them in the room as opposed to how they sound recorded and on UA-cam.
Hey S/L thanks man! Great video! I’m actually looking at B.B. right now and this helped to confirm my suspicions all along. Good stuff bud, thank you!!
490's seem warmer and the Burstbucker brighter.
I agree - that pretty much sums it up. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I liked the BB Pro . The lows and highs sounded more even and the lows were less muddy . Good video!!
Thinking the amp played a pretty large role in the muddier tone, mainly on the crunch tones. Playing the BB Pros on a Peavey 6505, you don't get as much breakup on the lower end. To me that's what makes engineering a tone so tricky!
I’ve had both- the BB pros are vastly superior! Nice vid - thanks for making this!
Thanks for watching and commenting Geargasms!
Thanks for taking the time to do this!
Thanks for watching and commenting Al B. 👍
I prefer 498T over the bridge, thicker low-end, hotter. The neck pups are a tossup. Both sound great, but just tonally different.
Well, that's what I was about to end it on, but after hearing the more OD section, both bridge pups sound equally great, just different. I can see different uses for both. No overall preference for either set.
Very nice my friend and exactly what I needed to help me make a decision. Thanks for the hard work you put in and very clean playing.
Awesome - Glad the video helped! Thanks for watching and commenting fullmoonfool!
Finally a video with expressive playing that really brings out the voice of the pickup, this is what I'm interested in when looking into pickups. You called your playing mediocre, but you sounded good, and I was impressed with your consistency.
Thank you peleproductions - I'm glad you found it helpful!
Soooo good; thanks heaps. Was looking for a Studio with 490's, but have widened the search to include BurstBuckers... in fact, that's now my preference. Thanks again!
Thank you Mike Sadler! One thing to keep in mind is that if you find a good Studio with 490's, it's likely you can do a straight swap on pickups. I ended up selling my 490's for the same as the cost of the BBs. Good luck with your search for a Studio! I love mine.
490's for me as they're more polite sounding, the Burstbuckers have more edge or hair which is also great just a matter of what you want. Gibson covered it pretty darn good with these pickups.
Great video thanks.
Thanks for watching and sharing which pickups you prefer! 👍
THANK YOU for playing the same riffs for each setting and playing them all back to back! It really helps so much to really hear the differences. So many reviewers seem to play a different riff for each setting or pickup, and then give their thoughts in between, so it's hard to get a true side by side comparison.
I did it this way for those exact reasons! Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching and letting me know!
@DadRockAndGuitars definitely helpful! Helped me confirm my decision to go with the 490R/498T!
It seems like the burstbuckers have a bit more of that country twang. The 490/498's seem a bit more straight rock. ..and that's through a one quarter inch cell
phone speaker. :)
Ha ha! Yeah, the Burstbuckers can get a bit twangy if you want them to be (which what I was testing here). They won't ever quite be a Telecaster obviously, but can work for my purposes. They can do the rock thing pretty well too, but the 490/498s have a bit more low mid frequencies that give them a bit more "umf".
The higher pitched Burstbuckers is exactly why Gibson matched them to the Semi Hollow 339 back in 2010-2016. Too bad they have switched from BB as they could really sound that bell in a 339. I cant really say at this time what the difference is between a BB 1-2 and the BB Pro but the 2016 ES 339 had the BB 1-2s. Have a listen to one of the best UA-cam videos ever made on a Gibson Guitar. ua-cam.com/video/de-yA2v4A3w/v-deo.html
Absolutely a GREAT video. Best side by side of almost anything gear related that I've seen. Exactly what I needed to make my decision. I know a lot of time and effort must have gone into making this vid. Thanks SO much!!!
Wow, thank you for the kind words! I’m glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting!
EXCELLENT comparison video, easily one of the best (if not THE best) that I've seen. I liked both sets of pups, but my ears prefer the brighter sound of the BB Pros. When set to coil split and played clean, they actually sound close to the single-coil pups of a Fender Strat. My 2016 LP Studio Faded T has the BB Pros and I absolutely love their clean sound. I kinda liked the crunchy sound of the 490R & 498T in your video though, which is good, because I ordered a used Gibson LP Studio Nitrous (in Vibrant Red!) that has those pups. I ordered it without seeing or playing it because I had to order it from a Guitar Center store halfway across the country lol. So after watching your video, I'm confident that I'll love that LP with the 490R/498T pups as much as I love my LP with the BB Pros. Thanks for the video, and great playing too BTW!
+martinafan64 wow, thank you for the compliment! I think they both sound great. They are just different and I can only have one right now, so I had to decide. Also, I think the split coil sounds pretty "Stratty" as well. Being lefty, I always have to order my guitars sight-unseen, so I know how that goes. I've had pretty good luck with it though. Glad you find this helpful and congrats on the new LP!
thanks for taking the time to do this :) and very good,btw
Thanks Jeff! And thank you for watching and commenting!
imho , 498T on the bridge and burstbucker pro on the neck were the best sounding! thank you for the demo...
Best comparison video I have ever seen. Great job! Glad I have BBs
Thank you for the kind words Xavier! And thanks for watching and commenting!
Great video! I prefer the BB in the neck and I would actually pick the 498T for the bridge. Thanks for the comparison!
Hi Thomas, just read your comment, I was wondering if you actually have the BB neck and 498T installed in a guitar of yours. Thanks
agree, had both sets of pickups at different times, bbp's bridge lack high mids
Most excellent video. Very clean playing. This really help accent what the pickups are doing. Great review.
Thank you Fender5621! And thanks for watching and commenting! 👍
BB sound "spankier" to my ears. Nice sound if that's your thing. The 498 & 490 sounds more "vintage" LP to me. Thanks for the comparison. I'd stick to my stock pickups on my 93 Les Paul Standard.
Perfect comparison. I have the Studio with the 490 and 498 and a Standard with BB Pros. Prefer the Pros myself. But let's be honest....any Les Paul is fun to play.
Ideally, I'd like to have one of each like you do. Thanks for watching and commenting, and I completely agree with your last statement!
I really like the punch of the 490's. The BB's too bright for me. Probably Good for studio setting. Anyway that's why we have the telecaster. Nice video.
The 490s are great pickups and definitely do a different thing than the BB Pros. Thanks for watching and commenting Trevor Bannon!
Burst buckers definally had more high end with a thin bottom and mid range honk (especially in split). The 490 neck is way too muddy for my taste though, probably one of the most unpleasing neck pickup ive played with. Definitely be replacing that one on my les paul custom
I’m not a fan of the 490 neck myself. Some people have suggested pairing the BB Prob neck with the 490 bridge. That would probably be a good combo.
Clean - I like the 498T/490R
Overdrive - I like the Burstbuckers.
This was a great demo. You did a nice job comparing the pickups. Very detailed.
+Ron Shoud Thanks for watching and commenting!
12:54 498T
13:25 BB
Which did you like better?
This how a guitar review should be done! Burstbuckers are more lively to me.
super good work. That's exactly what i call a test espacially in clean mode which is so rare neverthless so important. I congrat you for the extreme regularity of your play. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words! And thanks for watching and commenting!
@@DadRockAndGuitars you're welcome :-)
After owning Gibsons, fenders and many cheap guitars, the real difference between these two good pickups, is like 2-3% because you can EQ your amp and get your desired tone, adjusting one pot on the amp makes waaaaaay more difference than changing the pickups IMO
Excellent guitar playing!!!
Thank you! 👍
Mediocre huh ? That playing sounds pretty good to me . Great job .
Thank you for your kind words G17!
Beautifully done comparison and produced. Thank you
Choosing between great and awesome. Great playing too!
Great video of a Les Paul with lots of clean and cleanish tones. Tough to find. Well done. BB has my vote.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I just purchased a 2017 T les paul with Gibson 490 stock, I am replacing them with Gibson 57's.
Agree. 57's sound better than either IMHO
Excellent, straightforward apples to apples comparison.
Well done!
Thank you! And thanks for watching 👍
Will be a hard choice I like them both. Matt
I love Gibson pickups. I have most of them. The only guitar I switched out from stock was my LP that came with 57’s and people seem to love those. Weren’t hot enough for me. I’d go with the 490s here, but I like the BBs too.
Great demo, I'm on the BBs!
Thanks seamanjive!
Best comparison youtube i ever saw! He played the same exact riffs. That's the way to do it!
Wow, thank you! Glad you liked it 👍
I measured my 498T today and was shocked to discover it to be 14.5 Ohms!
Nice comparison demo. They both sound good. The BB Pros sound cleaner and clearer to me. Good job demoing all the selections.
Bill Wirth I thought it was either two same looking guitars or same guitar and same amp. Can you help me? Thank you for your time.
I preferred the tone without the hat on. ;)
Sick demo man, perfect sound quality and playing. Thanks heaps
+Fan Of The Wylde Thank you! Glad you found it helpful!
Actually, I liked the 498T more. Color me surprised!
The 498T is highly praised as the ultimate pickup from what I hear around the web.. I love it too. My fav of all the demo's shown here.
Here is another vote for the 498T actually I love the 490r as well. Warm not muddy at all. The most versatile as well-High gain to country twang they do it all. They do get a bad rap as muddy sometimes but I think that's a result of Gibson wiring them with 300k pots on some guitars (sg's and lp specials). Throw some 500k pots with these and they scream.
@@gobinstruments4597 just lower the volume. I use 490/498 and if I want to clean them, I just lower the volume and can get the cleanness that many guitarists need.
Am I the only one that use both? I prefer and use the 490r in the neck position and the BB pro bridge (cover removed) in the bridge position in my LP...I think they work perfectly togheter.
Great video!
+Stefano Tacca I bet that work well - definitely a combination with considering! Thanks!
BBP's all the way. Love that juicy, sweet sound.
Great video! Finally a perfect comparison.
Thanks for watching and letting me you enjoyed the video Sean!
I heve seen hundreds of "vs." videos. This in top 10 well done. No bullshit very pro. and GREAT playing. :)
Thank you for the compliment! I really try to make my comparison videos as consistent as possible. It’s good to know it’s appreciated. Thanks for subscribing too!
Great descriptive video! The way things should be compared 👌
Thank you Oscar Sevilla!
👍#1st 498T & 490R👍👍👍👍👍👍Gibson's best pickups🤓my #2nd ALNICO Slash😉
each set of burst buckers will sound different they are not all wound the same each coil may have a different amount of wire on them and they are low out put but they are very cool
burstbucker pros rule
I think so too. Thanks for watching!
My LP burst bucker in the neck is incredibly dark and muddy. I want it to brighten up 30% the bridge is F'ing perfect. I would say yours in this demo is about 50% brighter than mine. I am out of town for work but when I get home adjustments will be made toi see what I can get the neck to do. Im usually a neck preference player but my new LP it is just way too dark. There is very little definition toi notes with it.
Yeah, I don't like a super dark and muddy neck pickup either. I'm mostly a bridge player, but use the neck every now and then if it's not too muddy. Hopefully adjusting the height of it will help. Let me know when you get a chance to try adjusting it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I would choose 490/498 on this. The burstbuckers sounded more thin to me.
✌🏻🎸🤘🏻
Great Demo 👏I like both sets, can't go wrong with either , BB's seem to have a little note definition clean, both sets were pretty similar in crunch time , and once you get really dirty with a pedal it doesn't matter
Agreed, the BB Pros definitely have a bit more note definition on the cleaner stuff. Gain tends to even things out a bit 😅 Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
👍🇺🇸❤498T & 490R
This video is GREAT ! I enjoyed your playing and the comparison was perfect. I have an LP Studio. I like keeping it original and enjoy having it at my disposal. Keep on Rockin' !
Thank you Rodedog55! The LP Studio is a great guitar 👍 Thanks for watching!
Son, you need a Telecaster...
Ha! I actually got a Classic Vibe Tele not too long after this 😁Thanks for watching and commenting!
Yeah! You're country to the bone!
This sounds like country to me even with a Les Paul 👍, i just traded my Classic Vibe Tele for a Korean Epiphone Les Paul Standard with Gibson pick ups which a Gibson collector said its what used to be the 498 but now they are just labeled "Gibson USA".
No
😂
It sounds to me like the burstbuckers are a lot brighter, but I'm glad I watched this video, because I was debating, but now I will definitely be going with the 498t/ 490r set up, thank you!
Glad you found it helpful!
490, best pickup Gibson's made.
haven't watched vid yet, lol.
Wow, that's like that's the first time I've heard come right out and say it. I think it's a good solid pup and not muddy, etc. I got a few of them. Never had the desire to swap. Cheers ! Glad someone said it.
I play mostly hard rock, the 490/498 has always been my favorite Gibson pickup set, but I just got the new LP Studio with the Burstbucker Pros and I'm really liking these more. They hold up better with high gain.
Very cool! I also like the BB Pros for high gain stuff. Occasionally, mine will sound a bit "spikey" in the high mids. Depends on the amp, etc. But I find that if I roll the volume back very slightly it goes away.
Congrats on the new LP Studio 👍
@DadRockAndGuitars Thanks man. Good video, keep up the good work.
Never like the BB, its too bright sounding for me....
I generally prefer the clarity of the BB Pros and find that they usually sit well in a mix, but I have run into an amp/setting every now and then that they are a bit bright. I've considered getting another Les Paul with different pickups for those situations and just have a different flavor, but haven't yet. Thanks for watching and commenting fedboy21!
The BB's do have a bright clear sound but it's almost thin sounding. The 490/498 have an unmistakable fatt sound that is simply cool sounding and you can literally just turn the treble up. That 490 tho wow, it's frikkin' niiiice!
Bought a pair of 490T & 498R did not know how they sounded. But in my ears they sound sweet. I bought a Epiphone LP Standard and i am gonna upgrade it with these.
Awesome! I had an old Epiphone LP with the old really dull and lifeless pickups (I think the current ProBuckers are a lot better) and changed them out with the Burstbucker Pros and it was night and day difference. Once you swap them out, let us know what you think!
@@DadRockAndGuitars oke i will. Ik have the 59 LP with Burst buckers and realy love them.
Tech tip, a slight EQ tweak or height adjustment on the pickup will likey get you where you need to get. Find a pickup that you like and tweak the amp to your taste. Don't let the tone controls get dusty either. I find the 490t sweet spot is tone at like 9
Good tips 👍 Yeah the EQ on the amp is there to be used. Can be surprising how many tones you can get by changing the EQ. Pickup height is also a great way to dial the pickups in. Thanks for watching 👍
thanks for this, im going for the BB this is the video i needed to see!
+EyeArt Photographer Awesome! Glad it was helpful!
So I scored a Lead Pro for $75 along with a Black Russian Big Muff for $100 and I’m thinking of dropping the Lead Pro into my 80’s Epiphone Super Strat.
I asked the guy at my local shop for something a bit bright and spicy but still full in tone. I was aiming for something that wouldn’t over saturate the amount of fuzz and gain I use, but not get muddy and lost. So his response was the Lead Pro and I’m eager to get ‘er installed, because while I don’t mind the humbucker that’s stock I want to try something different.
Sounds like you got a pretty good deal! I would think the Lead Pro will work will with fuzz as humbuckers go. I'd be interested to hear what you think after you get a chance to try it 👍