2010 Gibson V pickup died out of nowhere, comparable options?

[bloodjunkie]

I just recorded with the guitar last month and used it on a daily basis for the last 3 - 4 months, a couple weeks ago I picked it up and absolutely no sound from the bridge pickup. Tech says it’s completely dead(took it out of the body and the meter reads 0) and he has no idea how that would’ve happened.

I really liked the sound of the guitar but can’t get a replacement in Canada(it’s either the 492 or 500t but seems I can’t get either of them). He suggested the Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck pickup as it’s a similar hot output but I really don’t know what to go with. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated!

 

[Concerto412]

Having a pickup straight up die is a rough bit of luck. Presumably the tech checked for continuity at the internal lead connections, if there was a coil break then the resistance should jump to infinity - not 0.0. That would lead me to think there’s a short in the lead wires.
That said, if you’re looking for a similar replacement, you’re going to want to narrow down what you’re replacing first. A 492R is a lower-output neck bucker that were used in Tennesseans, more likely it would be either 498T or 500T. If you or your tech can pull the baseplate from the pickup to get at the magnet, you’ll have a better idea. The 498 uses Alnico5 (silver appearance) while the 500 is Ceramic (black/blue-grayish in appearance).
If you’re not overly picky, it’s hard to go wrong with Duncan’s in mahogany - JB would fit as a stand-in for the 498 and a Custom or Distortion would get you closer to the bite and crunch of the 500.

 

[budda]

Get it rewound by MJS in the GTA?

 

[Gtan7]

I've heard this can happen if you file metal near the pickup and shavings get into the windings, but I've only seen one failed pickup in my whole life.

If you're original buyer, Gibson warranty may mean ... something. Not sure if they're trying for customer goodwill now, the only Gib products i've owned are a banjo and mandolin.

 

[bloodjunkie]

Thanks for in depth info! I went and talked to the tech in person and he showed me what was going on, the voltage meter was going nuts when he would try the pickup and not reading in oh like the neck PU would, though he said earlier it was just reading 0. Not even he could say for sure if it was a 500 and ultimately I said just put a JB in there since it’s all opened up already. He too said it was really rare and has only seen it happen once or twice before.

 

[dmlinger]

Assuming the tech tested the actual pickup leads and not the output jack? Have to ask because I've seen it before. Tech says its the pickup when it's actually a bad switch.

 

[Edika]

He could try the connections of the actual coils to the pickup wiring. That would mean he'd have to take the tape around the pickup off as well as the tape they would have for the soldered connections between the coil wires and the cable. Did you mention if it's 4 wire or 2 wire? Not that it makes a difference but it might make things a bit easier. Like so he can test each coil and see if both are dead or one of them only.

You can find out if its a 500T vs a 498T really easily. The 500T has a thick Ceramic magnet and two thick Ceramic flanks. The 498T should have a normal size center AlNiCo 5 magnet and plastic or wooden flanks.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

If you can find out if it's a 500T, get a Duncan Custom. Same sound, just with a little less output and low end. I'm almost positive that it's a 500T since Gibson seemed to use that in all their standard Explorers and Vs.

One way to tell if it's a 500T is if you look into the little hole on the underside of the pickup, you should see a greyish blackish bar. That's one of the 2 small magnets they use under the pickup vs the traditional wooden spacers Gibson usually uses. If it was a 498t you'd either see a wood spacer or nothing, just an empty hole.

 

[Shask]

If you can find out if it's a 500T, get a Duncan Custom. Same sound, just with a little less output and low end. I'm almost positive that it's a 500T since Gibson seemed to use that in all their standard Explorers and Vs.

One way to tell if it's a 500T is if you look into the little hole on the underside of the pickup, you should see a greyish blackish bar. That's one of the 2 small magnets they use under the pickup vs the traditional wooden spacers Gibson usually uses. If it was a 498t you'd either see a wood spacer or nothing, just an empty hole.

Back when I had the 500T, I always thought it sounded like a cross of the Duncan Custom and Duncan Distortion.

Yeah, usually the 500T was what came stock in many Vs and Explorers. One reason I even explored getting the Duncan Custom was because I liked the 500T a lot.