Description
Gibson answered the call for more a more modern-voicing with the introduction of the revolutionary 490T and 490R pickups (“T” for treble and “R” for rhythm), which have the traditional characteristics of the original Patent Applied For pickups, but with two key modifications. First, a four-conductor wiring scheme allows the 490s to be connected to any push/pull knob, which lets players split the coils and increase versatility. Gibson also introduced wax potting, which does away with any air space, minimizing microphonic feedback. The 490R is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original Patent Applied For, with a slight increase in upper midrange response. The 490T bridge pickup is calibrated to match the 490R, with pole pieces aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck.
