Dimarzio pickups like Gibson 498T

  • Thread starter Thread starter EleosFever
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EleosFever

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hello, which dimarzio pickups you think sounds really close to the Gibson 498T ones?

also can i install the 498T in a tremolo ibanez rg?

thanks.
 
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I haven't played an RG to know if I even like that tremolo, never mind the pickup. What's bad about the pickup? I see a few people pull them and try and sell them, so maybe they aren't so great. The 498T is just a PAF with an Alnico V magnet for a little more output. I'm gonna guess the PAF Pro is similar, the FRED ups it a little more, and the AT-1 goes even further. So decide how hot you want it. If you want a 498T, get one, as long as you don't have a 7-string RG. But if you don't have anybody selling Gibson pickups locally, the PAF Pro should be the same. In Duncan, maybe a JB? No, try a Duncan Custom. The JB gooses it more, like a FRED.
 
The 498T isn't F-Spaced so will it work on a FR like guitar? And how will it sound on basswood?
 
The spacing never bothered me. It may be out 1/8" but so what. I haven't had a basswood guitar for a while. When I had a Baretta I thought it was a little muddy sounding, so a 'bright' pickup worked great. If your worried about spacing, go 'bar'. Try an X2N or a D-Activator-X from DiMarzio. Duncan has what, the Dimebucker?
 
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The X2n and D-Activator-X doesn't even have Alnico V magnets. how will it get close?
 
If your ibanez has INF3 and INF4 pickups you can swap the magnets and make them sound pretty decent. The ibanez magnets are way too strong which makes the pickups sound harsh. Swapping them for weaker Alnico V magnets really smooths them out.
 
I am not sure how they do it, but apparently Larry and Seymour have figured out to make their crazy output pickups with ceramic magnets have full response and definition. I haven't tried one, but the web site claims the D-Activator-X does that and cleans up when you roll your volume back. I wish I knew that before I soldered that X2N in my guitar.
The rules have obviously changed in the 21st century; ceramic doesn't always mean more output with harsh tone and no bottom end. And Alnico doesn't always mean 'warmer'. Heck, Seymour advertises he uses Alnico 8 now, for crazy output.
Choose your pickup based on the 'other' specs and the sound clips, without putting all your eggs in the Alnico basket. You could be missing out on some great tone.
 
Curious- if you want the tone of a Gibson 498T, why not get a Gibson 498T? I can imagine the D's might cost less, but if you know what you want, just save up a few more bucks and get what you want. When I was fortunate enough to score a pair of Gibson Burstbucker Pro Alneco 5's (I get cramps in my fingers every time I type that long name!) and put them in my Epi, I was rewarded with the best tone my fingers ever produced (after the cramps went away...)
 
because i will put them in basswood, not mahogany like gibsons.
 
When I played basswood guitars, I remember them as not being overly 'trebly'. And that's even plain Japanese Strats with single coil pickups. Charvels or Kramers with humbuckers just seemed 'dark', but it could have also been the pickup as opposed just the fault of the wood the body was made from. It's a long chain of events. When you hack out a bunch of wood for the Floyd Rose you lose bottom end, so that brightness comes back a little. Maple necks sound a little brighter. And you haven't even mentioned the amplifier once, and I am almost sure it has some effect on the final tone. ;)
I am almost going to guess you are like I was years ago; full of angst about the 'best' pickup so you only have to buy once. I just enjoy the journey. It's not a lot of cash to spend, so try two or three pickups. Have some fun trying out new sounds. If you have cash, try Bareknuckle pickups. They're hand made in the UK, so you'll pay, but Tim will do 50mm or 53mm spacing, so you're covered. If you try say an Abraxas for less treble or the VHII for more treble, you might forget about DiMarzio.
 
the thing is now i use D-Sonic and they sound TREBLY and HARSH. I'm really tired and disappointed.
i, you know, want to get a GOOD tone but that's impossible with my guitar right now.
what pickups would you all suggest me to go for?

btw i'm using a pod xt live, i listened great tones coming from it but i can't get a good one myself and i have spend hours and hours trying so....

thanks :(
 
You are barking up the wrong tree. Even the best pickup in the world will sound harsh and brittle through a digital practice toy like the pod xt. I've also spent hours and hours trying to get various modelers to sound less fake. It's a huge waste of time. Get a decent amp and cab and enjoy good tone.
 
^^ that was really wrong. have you listened to albums made with a pod?
 
EleosFever said:
^^ that was really wrong. have you listened to albums made with a pod?
Click to expand...

Then why are you the one that hates their guitar tone? I play through a Carvin Legacy head and a Marshall 4x12 and I absolutely love my tone. And I have an Ibanez guitar with a basswood body that sounds killer through that rig even though it's just a cheap-o RG with a modded stock pickup.
 
because i have listened to great sounding albums made with pods.

what pickups you use on your RG?
 
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