Gibson 498T versus Burstbucker Pro humbucker pickup shootout with SG Guitar

GMD T-shirts available at www.shirtkiller... HUMBUGGY SHOOT OUT! Lookin for a different pickup for a 2005 SG Standard. The stock pickups are too muddy and honky....searching for something thinner and brighter. A friend told me about the Burst Bucker, which I believe I already have in a number of guitars...so I grabbed one and did this comparison. The band used for the intro/outro is BODECO . They've got discs on www.cdbaby.com

[@RedFez]

Burstbucker is thinner and brighter. 498T is fatter and muddier. Neither is intrinsically better than the other. It all depends what YOU want your guitar to sound like. Personally I prefer the 498T.

[@nealixd.3011]

Yes, it is just two different flavors. I would prefer a Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck or Distortion myself. You can always flavor/dial down or up the pups with the volume and tone controls and your amp too. A lot of folks just dial up the volume and tone controls to maximum and never experiment with what they can do for you.

[@Sonviggy]

My own 2 cents.....I think the Burstbucker Pro sounds great, but I actually prefer the 498t. For myself, I like the slightly darker, fuller tone of the 498t. At one point in time I had a Les Paul Classic with a 498 in it and loved the sound. Great comparison!

[@vespass225]

Kind of not telling the whole story without any brake up and crunch in my opinion. 498T crunch is yummie....!

[@mickjames5388]

Is the dried cat piss on the grill cloth the secret to your tone?

[@stratmaster63]

dude this is the best review/shootout vid i've ever seen. you did a great job setting up and planning this vid bro - going back and forth between tones so we can tell the real difference. everyone else just sits there and plays on one tone for 10 mins before switching and you can't tell the difference between them because you forgot what the last one sounded like. great vid man

[@Magik1369]

Ill be swapping the burstbucker pros that came with my new 2013 LP Std Premium for a 498T bridge and a 496R neck. When it comes right down to it...it's personal preference and style.

[@josephfalcone1078]

The stock 498T actually is perfect for that SG, which is used mainly for Rock. It growls.. The Burstbucker Pro is an ALNICO 5 pickup which would be more compatible with a Gibson ES-335, as it would brighten it up. Plus a 335 is more versatile (Rock, Blues, Jazz).

[@osabbas]

The 498T is an Alnico V pickup. The stock 490R neck pickup is an Alnico II pickup.

[@moveoutdrawfire]

Thank you for doing this video and confirming for me that I like the 498T stock pickups WAY better!

[@michaeldemento3480]

498 is a wonderful pickup that cuts beautifully in a live band situation.

[@DiegoManning]

498T was born to be used with a 490R in the neck. If i wanted to replace one of those, i would place a set of Pearly Gates in the guitar.

[@CountryHouseGent]

I prefer the tone of the opening belch. Good god alive. :/

[@rpmmotorsportstulsa]

Guess it depends on what kind of sound you're looking for. The 498T is higher output with more low end crunch. The BB Pro is brighter with less low end. If you're going for an Angus Young AC/DC rock sound, the 498T would be better. If you want to play elevator music for the geriatric crowd, the BB Pro would be better. Seems like the 498T fits the image of the SG better. I have Les Pauls with both, prefer the 498T.

[@arisl2370]

Yeah man the 498T is the rock & roll pickup !

[@joshfeatherstone8546]

I just recorded a doom metal album with a Les Paul Studio with Burstbucker Pros.

[@TheMrLoucrazy]

Kind of sound. Yes. For me, with the 498t one i've got the crunch i heard inside my head.

[@sandite26]

Does anyone know if the BB Pros are 4 conductor with the Gibson Quick Connect option? I see 4 wires on those quick connect versions, but haven't found any info to confirm.

[@josephfalcone1078]

498T has a growl to it. I like it.

[@TheParisthething]

If i install in a "cheap" gibson sg special a burstbucker type 1 pickup on the bridge,what i will succeed??

[@MrTPF1]

I was looking at the TV while listening to the audio on this, and I thought the 498T sounded better too. At the beginning, I couldn't tell much difference. At the end of the video though, the 498T sounded WAY better IMO.

[@kevinjokipii4260]

.The 498 is thicker and more compressed at this adjustment with these exact amp settings. The differences I hear sound like adjustments you could get with a few turns of the pickup screws, polepiece screws, and slight tweaks of the amp's knobs

[@tykit9230]

My first Gibson was a Studio with 490R/498T.Was heaven. Next Studio with Burstbucker Pro's. Did not care for at first but in a couple weeks, I never played the other again. I recently got a Gibson Les Paul Signature with 57 classics. Though I could like them but ended up putting Burstbucker Pro in bridge and leaving 57 classic in neck for now.

[@cgavin1]

The difference is so miniscule its hardly worth spending money on imho. I tend to prefer brighter clearer pickups that are nice and high output. Then I slap 1 meg pots and usually coil cuts on them and use the tone control and an eq to get whatever I want. If you want it to sound like an alnico on gain, roll off the tone. If you want a darker alnico to clean up ... you're screwed. Likewise cap selection. Don''t use more than a 0.22 most of the time. Always better to have too much and dial it back than too little to begin with.

[@MarkNakib]

In fact, I like the stock pick up. PEOPLE, JUST BECAUSE GMD DOESNT LIKE THEM, DOESNT MEAN THEY ARE BAD!!! STOP ACTING AS IF IT'S WRONG TO LIKE THE STOCK PUPS! YOU ARE A UNIQUE HUMAN BEING!!!!

[@bgrierofficial]

Agree with you, Jack Black. I replaced my stock 498T and 480R pickups in my Les Paul Studio 1992, using Burstbucker Pro's, and it sounds way better. You can check out my live video demo from playing at a club with the BurstBuckers in, and it sounds way better than the stock pickup setup.

[@scarsonmybed]

yes if you talk about jacksons and ibanez indeed... mainly with a floyd rose you put out some of the medium frequencies so that you can obtain easier the metal chunk on rythm riffs. If you love your sound, it doesn't matter anyway. I played on really old Gibson and i discoverded it does matter for me, wood gives back its resonance to the strings, adding highs (maple, ebony) or lows (mahagony, rosewood)

[@gregorygreening6323]

The burp was the best part of the video. Righteous!!

[@maurizioferegalli6850]

The best would have been to finish in glory with a fart !!!

[@Rachamacha]

I can't say either of them is better than the other. They're both just...different. I'm sure you might able to get some pretty similar sounds with a couple eq tweaks...

[@RickenVoxster]

What did you decide to pair the Bridge Burstbuck with in the neck position? Another BB Pro or BB 1 because if the 498T was in the bridge then a 490R was probably in the neck position?

[@cmrcs]

Yep, I agree with your assessment. Nice belch!

[@Rikitocker]

The 498T sounded much better to my ears ...

[@aguy1945]

The first thing I would question is...Is that really a Burstbucker Pro pickup? There are several things about it that just don't quite look right. But that aside, the BBpro was apparently made for high gain settings. I'm not sure why you would want to use that pickup for the type of music that was played in this demo.

[@justinsane8000]

This video is narrated by Jack Black. And that's cool. I'm most pleased by the fact that he's posting a review that is exactly relevant to my search. Thanks, Jack. Rock on.

[@Magik1369]

The 498Tsmokes the burstbucker and is one of the best sounding pickups Gibson has ever made.I love these guys that take em out of stock gibbys and sell em cheap on Ebay. The 498T is in fact an overwound alnico 5 PAF. If you A//B a 498T with a Duncan JB the 498T has the same output and power and harmonic richness but with mids accentuated.

[@stllaorer]

totally agree on that that

[@donthewatcher8835]

thank you, i co sign , your thoughts. im still waiting for a more versatile pickup to take out gibsons best pickup i havent seen them yet

[@HunterDawsonMusic]

I have a Gibson SG Diablo Premium Supreme with with the Burst Buckers. I have a challenge balancing out the tone....the bridge & neck BOTH have a low-midrange (kinda muddy). Do you know what I'm talking about? I have messed with the pickup height some..

[@stcheeve]

The 498T is more mellow and mid heavy while the Burstbucker Pro is bright and scooped. They both sound very nice.

[@brothergoodfoot]

In this case I would have to say burst bucker is the clear winner. You can always add some low end back into the amp if you miss it. But I still can't be confident it's what I want to stick in my strat-style guitar...

[@svarbhanu]

i have a 498t on my LP that i am not happy with. I thought maybe if i installed a coil-tap i would love the problem of not cutting through enough by just switching to single coil. have you done this on an SG?

[@MajicFreeman]

I know what I like, as soon as he switches to burstbucker I can dig it a lil' more. That's comforting cause I wanna buy a new les paul studio faded and thats what them bad boys have.

[@GravityBoy72]

You say tomato I saw tomato. .. I have a Les Paul Studio with the 490r and 498t pickups. The sound was just fabulous. ... I'm not knocking burstbuckers, they are probably fabulous too.

[@SirRoger_007]

The 498T isn't muddy at all, however, it is a very high output passive pickup. I have a 498T in my Les Paul Studio and it Rocks like hell. I put it up against several Seymour Duncan pickups and it blew them all away. I even like the sound of my 490T in my SG. It's nearly identical in sound as the 498T, just not as hot. I guess a lot depends on how versatile of a setup you have. I use a Marshall Haze 40 with a Boss digital multi effects pedal board or a Fender Vibro Champ XD to practice.

[@sixbladeknife44]

I've had both pups in SG's I've owned and agree w/ GMD- Burstbuckers are far less middy/muddy than the 498/490 combo and brighter. Both sets sound good w/ dirt, but the Burstbuckers are far better w/ cleans.

[@TheOfficialCaseMade]

i gotta say,I played an 09 les paul standard pro and i dont know if it was the weight,wood,craftsmanship etc...but the BB pros in it were some of the best sounding humbuckers ive ever heard.Like,you know how most HB neck pickups are crazy muddy?well to get that warm dark Gibson tone,i actually had to turn down the tone!they were borderline strat bright.

[@johnnewman8412]

Could be the awful speakers on my laptop of course, but I didn't hear much difference at all. BB is a tad brighter/thinner, but until you crank up the volume or throw some gain on it's hard to say either one sounds good exactly. I have 498/490's on my 2016 SG Standard and 59 Tributes on my Les Paul. The 59's are part of the BB family but they don't sound anything like any BB I've heard before. Way, way louder than the 498 but also with great tone and definition. If you find a set of 59's (they came in 2014 Trads) get em and see what they sound like in an SG.

[@johnyboytown]

i like the stock, think the burst bucker sounds a little bit like a fender wide range. prefer the beefy sound of the 498t. i've swapped out the 489t with an evh wolfgang pickup. the 498t sounded awesome on the evh and vice versa. swapped back though because it makes my gibson look ugly and it still sounds amazing.

[@aedwardsss]

I seriously can't tell much difference. The second pickup has some of that "thinner" quality maybe, but there's more depth to the 498t. More clarity to the Burstbucker. I'd be happy with either.

[@jastanger]

Count my vote in the Burstbucker Pro column. More guts and more lively twang.

[@hylas99]

I have an LP w bursts and got a studio w 498s. Hated the 498s til I realized you have to really lower the mids on the amp to compensate for the pickups' voicing. the eq u would normally use sounds bad w 498s. now i like em for heavy distortion stuff

[@fernfawkes]

(cont.) So yes, the wood makes a difference, but only insofar as the other things I mentioned make a difference. Anything that affects the way the instrument vibrates and affects the harmonic overtone structure will change the sound and "voice" of the instrument. So, anyone that says "wood doesn't matter on electric, is plain wrong, but so is someone who says it's the single most important variable in guitar tone.

[@HunterDawsonMusic]

I forgot to mention that the highs seem a little piercing. Did you recognize any of this when compared? I seem to notice it a little in your video

[@dickdog1]

The stock pup sounds thicker, but flatter. The amp should really be eq'd for some more bass with the BB. The BB is a better pickup. ..has more texture. One thing I'll say about the BB is that its an excellent bridge pickup, and itr works well for a Paul in the bridge, but in many cases I wish't ( if 'wish't' isn't a word, it should be) Gibson had still used the Alnico II magnets. I think there are better choices for a neck pickup than BB. I didn't say too much about the 498T. I'd yank it too.

[@jimmyjamesguitarshack3343]

I have the Rhythm Pro and Lead Pro in my Goldtop. Not the Burstbucker Lead Pro. HUGE difference. The Lead Pro (not burstbucker) blows both these pickups away. Much smoother. It allows you to use your amp more to shape the tone with. If any of you guys are thinking about a Burstbucker. Take a look at the Lead Pro (non burstbucker). The Lead Pro has more clarity. It is a high output low impedance. Read that last sentence twice.

[@mattchurchill]

I think the 498T sound quite good, it's the crappy 490R in the neck position that I hate. Any suggestions on a neck pick up with a nicer bottom end?

[@scarsonmybed]

the 498T it's a humbucker that NEEEEEEDS maple tops, or even entirely maple bodies like the Supreme Les Paul. And even then it sounds muddy. what it does in the SG it gets really muddy even in clean sounds, and the sound fades away when you play on first frets, which can drive you crazy :-) BB Pros add that shimmering frequencies that all mahagony bodies lack of, thanks man you nailed it again!

[@jorgelrmf]

Thank you Jack Black!

[@TheShape2534]

I love the 489t that's in my Gibby SG Standard. I just ordered one to put in my Epiphone Les Paul Standard.

[@vespass225]

Actually I feel the same, and am buying a 498T for my Les Paul Standard which has Classic 57:s stock

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

Thanks for all the effort of putting this video together. There is a challange, listen to this video with ones eyes closed. It is very difficult to notice the differences. And that is worthwhile too. Thanks again.

[@erwinlopez4891]

Stock sounds a lot better for me. BB's sounds a bit too weak and low. IMHO, the bb's sounds perfect on a LP Standard. Thanks for posting this since I've actually considered swapping my SG stocks for bb's.

[@volcom8208]

whats the difference between the burstbucker IM59a and the burstbucker IM59b

[@kennethcohagen9037]

I like the detail and brightness of the pro better as well. What have you don with the stock 498t? I might be Balt to use it in a project.

[@LoLoVipeR]

I agree with freedomring. Although you're right. BBPro is brighter. But the stock pickup are sweet!

[@MrPeizo]

i thought the stock pickups had more balls the burst buckers were too thin. some one else did a comparison of several bridge pickups and i liked the stock pickup there also ...same pickup. did you adjust the height ? that is the mud control.

[@osabbas]

This is very true. The 498T is pretty versatile and responds very well if you play around with the volume and tone knobs(I do think the 500k pots are needed to get that full response). When I first started playing guitar, I always just left volume and tone on 10(and ignored pickup combos). It took me a while, but I now really appreciate the fact that those knobs and switches are there.

[@seventwistsclockwise]

bit late now but is it possibly that Gibson started using 500k instead of 300k volume pots?

[@therealchich2]

i have a agile al3000 and i put in a burstbucker pro but my guitar naturally is a bright guitar so it sounds really clear and bright. so i prefer a seymour 59. i took out the burstbucker pro and put it in my epiphone that naturally sounds bassy and wow it works perfect. so if a 498t sounds bassy and a bit muddy it should work out fine with my al300 thats naturally bright. right?

[@leftyzappa231]

I have used both. The BB Pro in a (Gibson) SG, (Gibson and Tokai) LP, Mockingbird, (Gibson and Dean) V, and (Epiphone, Dean, and Agile Ghost I) Explorer. (I love it). It is warm - has plenty of output for clean/OD breakup and distortion. I've long been one to rely on the gain from the amp so I tend to appreciate medium output humbuckers. As far as the 498T - yes it was stock in my SG. It seemed fine for cleans but harsh (ICEPICK) on high gain settings. We are talking Framus Dragon and Marshall JCM2000 DSL 100. I think I had the 498t in for a week before switching. All this being said, there are *many* pickups that will get you where you want to go. You can only do so much with copper wire and different types of magnets. The JB, the BB Pro, and the (Bareknuckle) Nailbomb being my favourite in the Alnico V family. The Nailbomb is bloody well expensive. The JB can be too HOT and bright. (Marshall gain demands you keep treble around 3 anyway if you want NWOBHM tones) This makes the BB Pro my favourite over all. Good video Gearmandude. I always enjoy them. While I believe you are not Jack Black, you could definitely double for him in a voice over. Are you sick of hearing that yet? hehehehe Cheers! PS. FRANK ZAPPA.

[@dennislbrown]

Way less mud, mainly at the neck with the Burstbuckers. Way more dynamic range. Has more jangle and definition. I've always hated 490s in the neck for being too thick and unusable, but the BB sounds very usable.

[@kissrocks45]

With gibby pup you have to adjust the poles up towards the middle for best tones, I didnt care for the 498t at first but after i had the poles set right and even the neck pup at the right height it sounds way better so Im just going to keep it in.

[@cjdavda]

Not only are you a great guitarist, but you are a good scientist and keep the human error and variables down to the minimum. ROCK ON!

[@johnnychingas1000]

They both sound nice in my opinion, but it depends on what sound you want. I like the 498T for distortion because it sounds a little bit more compressed then than the Burstbucker pro. I don't like too much treble on my distortion. But on clean channel the Burstbucker sounds waaaay better.

[@MustangStevie7]

Had both, replaced the 498T with BB Pros in Les Paul, still didnt like them, then I got into BB1s and BB2s, and 57 Classics, not looking back, a set each in two Les Pauls is just beautiful. Had a SG Standard with 57s, it was just so so sweet.

[@thecharles23]

if i wanted more of a Slash like tone, which one would i go with?

[@VenancioPortalatin]

I agree with you. The Burstbucker has more clearity and obviouslly a bit less output which ain't a bad thing. The BB all the way. Cool video!

[@WardahTheBlaqQ]

Ok, this is coming from a metalhead: I personally prefer the 498T sound over the burstbucker. That being said, I feel the 498T is more suitable for heavy riffing due to its meaty, chunky sound, while the burstbucker may be more fitting for some serious speedy shredding. I would like to hear them both put through a Tube Screamer, though. Both are good, though, matter of preference.

[@PreacherRickie]

This was one of the best comparison demos I have seen on KZbin. Great job man. I have to say, though, that I preferred the sound of the stock pickups. I liked the phatter sound of 'em. I guess beauty is in the ear of the beholder.

[@intothemud2499]

Funny, im thinking about changing my burstbucker pro to a 498t, because I like the sound of the 498t in my les paul studio so much more....it has this low mid punch, that I realy miss on the burst bucker pro! :)

[@henrikdavidsson5074]

Very good idea. 498T packs a punch. Replaced mine with some “true PAF” but it felt like a dirty old Les Paul. 498T back in.

[@TankDriverOriginal]

Does the metal cover of the pickup affect the sound? I mean does is sound different with or without the cover?

[@TheProgGuy]

I just bought a Burstbucker Pro for my Epiphone SG today and I'm having GC drop it in to the bridge pickup! Glad someone else had a similar idea :D

[@cbpk1996]

are any of the two pickups passive pickups?

[@BillMellow]

Sweet shootout! I agree that the Burstbucker sounds a bit cleaner, but the 498-T still sounds pretty good. My SG still has the stock pu's and it rocks! You rock hard GMD!

[@PoteetoChips]

I like the solid mids of the 498T

[@jimnorrison8481]

Great comparison. The 498T sounds better. The burst bucker sounds like a nasaly version of the meatier sounding 498T.

[@gearmanndude]

agreed with AHTS....seems to have better sustain, and and it's just my personal preference....I love heavy Tele's...they just have a clarity that I can't get from the light and snappy bodies. ROCK ON! GMD

[@osabbas]

The 498T is a great bridge pickup for a Gibson SG. It's staying in my 2006 SG Standard. I've screwed around with various pickups in the past, but the 498T is just right for me. To each his own.

[@fretboarder4752]

gearman duuude..what do you think of the burstbucker 1 & 2?? cheers,,

[@RevMishka]

Sorry Dude: To my ear there is minimal at best change in sound between all the pup changes; and I've been owning and playing Gibson SG's and Les Pauls for 40 years ...I think the stock pup's sound great; the BB's are so close in comparison its hard to tell a difference. Why not try this same comparison in a Les Paul? And clean vs. gain? Just my $.02...

[@possum2big]

me personally, i like the '57s in the SG's and any of the burst's in the LP. wonder what this SG would sound like with regular Burstbuckers (Alnico 2 magnets vs the Alnico 5 we heard hear)?

[@scarsonmybed]

definetly go with BB Pros (in fact i guess they are bb lead pros), they come up in the mix like a charm :-)

[@FandangoBG]

It's a matter of taste. This is why I like the stock PU better than the burstbucker. The stock PU is fatter and this is what I like more that this thinner BB. Cheers! JJ

[@cjdavda]

Have you tried the neck pickup for the pros?

[@ZepIV]

BB definitely wins. I had the same issue with the 498T... but then I was recommended the Dirty Finger humbuggy by a local tech... really articulate and LOUD. Only downside is it only comes neked, so no shiny chrome/gold :(

[@Comp3630]

I prefer the 498T, more thicker and woody. The Burst buckers are a little bright for my taste. Anyhow Thanks for the comparison!

[@HeikoShriek]

498T is a great rock p'up in an SG. My SG is the only guitar I have not changed the pickups on. It cuts, it;s got enough beef, and great highs. It's great in the Angus Young to Tony Iommi range. The Burstbuckers are too bright and thin for heavy rock IMO. Nice for cleans and moderate OD, I guess, but I was disappointed in them after expecting them to kick butt. Maybe it's a QC issue and true to form each 498 and each BB can vary...

[@MoistRobots]

The 498T's are obviously made for rock. Try putting it in front of a marshall with some compression.

[@danswon]

i really don't think the 498t sounds bad in the clip, just more midrangey, a bit hotter, bit less chime on the high end. sounds like an overwound PAF which i suppose it is. just depends what kind of music you play. harder rock - 498t. lighter rock - burstbucker pro

[@fernfawkes]

For the record, I've run several tests with a number of programs and hardware to analyze the sound spectrum produced by different guitars, and same model guitars with different woods. Every little thing matters, whether the string gauge, string alloy, tailpiece alloy, bridge alloy, even the way the body is routed and chambered. Floating bridges will always sound different than stop tail bridges, etc.

[@ajcampana]

Thanks for the video! The 498t is staying in my LP special. Call it what you want, I love the sound!

[@XiXGuitarDemonXiX]

If I'm honest, I think both pick-ups have a lovely edge, the 498T has a great vintage feel, whereas the burstbucker has a really delicate crunch. I'm gunna put the 498T in the bridge and the burstbucker in the neck. Both wax-potted and with gold covers, which despite the myth, does make quite a big difference to the tonality.

[@777jordan]

what about the 57 classics compared to the burstbucker?

[@guitartec]

The problem must be the air in your house or the coil cord. I hear no indication that one is better than another. In fact, if I had to say one was a little more dynamic, it'd be the 498T.

[@1996Bowie]

Exactly the vid I needed! Have got an SG with these pickups and am thinking of doing this same swap

[@jordandedomusic]

I've felt that the 498T in my LP is muddy before also. Sometimes I like it with certain amps but it's never blown me away... maybe try a 500K pot? The stock 250K pot can contribute to the muddiness.

[@ztbsk8er]

I wouldn't say the 498 is thicker, it sounds more compressed and muddy while the BB pro is articulate and clear.