Gibson 500T Super Ceramic

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: super ceramic

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Mexican Strat Special
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Crappy stock mexifender humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: stock single coils
Artists using this pickup: probably lots
You musical style(s): heavy alternative
Reason for pickup change: The stock humbucker had almost everything wrong with it you could imagine--magnetic feedback, was too wimpy, pole pieces not spaced to match string width, etc.

Perceived output level: Thick and juicy Gibson sound with loads of power. Great for heavy distortion, and also for clean, if you don't go crazy or adjust the height too high to the strings. But, the sound you get with a distorted power chord makes you fall in love with it.
Tone: Clear and even bass and treble along all strings. Gibson midrange, but bass and treble are powerful as well.
Sonic evaluation: I use this at the bridge of my Gibder (Fenson?) through a fab tone and boss flanger, then to my peavey express 112. As soon as I put this thing in I almost splooged at the incredible tone as compared to the crappy stock. Distorted, this pickup all out rocks like there is no tomorrow. Held notes sustain and feedback fairly easily and sound great in the process.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play some heavy alternative, like Hum, Nirvana, Jawbreaker, along with some stuff like Radiohead. The clean sounds of my stock single coils are pretty good, and the distortion with the 500t rules. It is a little too hot to play good clean stuff, usually.

Comments: I would definitely buy this thing again. For 60 bucks brand new, are you kidding? Great deal. I have only been playing for about 2 years so I have just started to explore with my sound more. My advice to those in similar situations is if you like heavy distortion and your cheap stock pickups don't cut it, get this thing quick.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Tokai Love Rock model
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Tokai's standard
Other pickups on guitar: Tokai neck-pickup
Artists using this pickup: Everyone?
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: Just needed a Gibson

Perceived output level: Hotter Than Hell
Tone: pretty balanced, could have more bass. Not having that much bass makes it sound clear of course.
Sonic evaluation: Using a Trace Elliot -Tramp 40W combo

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Alright for rock

Comments: Clean sounds aren't any better than my tokai's standard pickup's,
might be even worse. I seem to get harmonics out of my guitar
easier than before though.
I bought this pickup since everyone was praising it here.
Think I would have been better off using my 500 FIM on an effect
machine.

Pickup features: Passive / Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Epi Les Paul
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Epi crap
Other pickups on guitar: 496T
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Blues -->Speed Metal
Reason for pickup change: The stock Epi's were junk. This is the pickup used in the guitar I really wanted but couldn't afford the Les Paul Classic.

Perceived output level: This is a pretty hot pickup. Seems real close to the 81 EMG in my Explorer, but with better tone.
Tone: Similar tone to the 57 clasics with a ton more power. Great Metal pckup. Nice lows more mids than my EMG and sweet highs. Not the best for clean playing, to harsh and trebly.
Sonic evaluation: I was tring to build the poor mans Les Paul (gibson tuners all new hardware Gibson pickups etc.) I am currently playing through a Johnson millennium amp. I have five other guitars, and have not picked any of them up since building the Ebson.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a great pickup for hard rock to metal. AC/DC with a marshall to Dave Mustane with a dual Rec. I would not put this anywhere but in the bridge position.

Comments: I was torn between Gibson and Seymore Duncan. After hearing the 500T I would definitly load another Les Paul with them. I have been playing for 19 years semi-professionaly. This wasn't the sound that I thought I would get but I have grown to really enjoy it. (Never make a decison on new equiptment when you have a head cold!!!)

Pickup features: high output, ceramic humbucker
Impedence or other specs: it is tapable so you can get single coil sounds

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson All-American SG
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: NONE
Other pickups on guitar: NONE
Artists using this pickup: none I know of...
You musical style(s): metal, hard rock, soft rock
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Hot is too soft...you will need to turn down the volume or else your tuner will have fits...mine does.
Tone: The tone is very balanced, and each note is clear
Sonic evaluation: With the SG, i'm using a Peavey Banbit 112 amp combo. Hey, its' not exactly a Mesa, but together they sound incredible.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: metallica, megadeth, offspring, ac/dc, pink floyd, and the like

Comments: I would hurry to buy this again if it got damaged. It will give you the best sounding distortion of anything I've played yet. It is also a fairly good pick-up for clean channel playing too. However, on clean, it tends to be a little harsh, but if you turn the tone down to about 7-8, it sounds perfect. Also, since it is tapable, you are able to get that single-coil sound out of it. Overall, if you are into primarily hard, distorted guitar...look no further!!! If you are really into jazz, I might not be too quick to buy it, and same for some blues. You will be suprised though at the power it will bring to any guitar it's put into!!!

Pickup features: hi-output ceramic humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: 496R ceramic magnet HB
Artists using this pickup: les paul?
You musical style(s): hard rock
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: the highest output i've ever heard for a passive pickup
Tone: huge, yet clear bass (excellent for palm muting), the Les Paul midrange, and thick juicy highs. You can hear all the strings with open chords on heavy distortion.
Sonic evaluation: Well geez, um, I would have to say that if you play stuff with lotsa
distortion, then this one's for you. Unfortunately, these ceramic
pickups are only offered on the Les Paul Classics, a bit pricier than
a Standard. To be honest, the main reason i chose the Classic was for
the slim-taper 1960 neck (i have small hands) Nonetheless, I have
been listening to Ozzy Osbourne/Zakk Wyle lately, and I must say can
recreate his EMG tone, notably his extensive artificial harmonics,
using this pickup, guitar, and my GP-100/Mesa 290 power amp/2X12 Recto
cab.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: The bridge pickup is too hot for jazz, but I use the neck pickup for it anyway.

Comments: Definitely a 1st class hummbucker, very clean, quiet, loootsa sustain.
However, one problem; since the coils are exposed with a sort of cloth
covering the sides, sometimes strands stick out. Big deal. I'd rather
have that than having a chrome or gold hardware covering fade from
extensive, sweaty palm-muting. My former guitar was a Les Paul Studio
with a 490-RAlnico magnet HB and a 498-T Alnico magnet HB .... bless
her soul.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: ??

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Studio
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: 496 Gibson Humbucking
Other pickups on guitar: 490 gibson Humbucking
Artists using this pickup: Jimmy Page (at least its in the JP Les Paul !!)
You musical style(s): 70's Hard Rock. Thin Lizzy, Zep, Sab, ACDC, etc
Reason for pickup change: Hotter, brighter output with more harmonic.

Perceived output level: this pickup will shred the cones in ANY amp regardless of amp's gain structure!!
Tone: Lower Mid, but bright attack. Very articulated for singing leads!!
Sonic evaluation: I've played Les Pauls my whole life and LP's equipped with the 500T are
just downright NASTY sounding, Especially for heavier styles. Crunch
that just wont quit. This pickup has ENDLESS sustain, and harmonics
just leap from the fretboard. I am truly amazed what 100 bucks can buy!!
By the way, No, I did not invent the thing, just really impressed.
If you have a guitar youre happy with but need more output, this will
do the trick for you, honest!! go play one!!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Jazz would be a real stretch

Comments: this pickup is 'THAT SOUND' for all the heavy players out there who
love that raw "Thin Lizzy" Jailbreak sound. but plenty more guts than
that!! If you don't love heavy, dont buy this

Pickup features: humbuckering (passive)
Impedence or other specs: high output, coil tapping

Model of guitar or bass: 84 gibson flying V
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock gibson pickups from the eigties
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: n/a
You musical style(s): metal, southern rock, and blues
Reason for pickup change: The origional pickups did not have a tone that I was
satisfide with which is the case with most early 80's
gibsons with stock pickups.

Perceived output level: hot, but still has the "gibson" sound
Tone: thick but has a little bit more mid ranges than a typical gibson humbucket
Sonic evaluation: as I stated before this pickup has the gibson sound, but it has more
mids and higher output, this thing is thick and punchy but clear and
distorts very good, when coil is tapped it has a realy good distorted
sound thicker than a typical fenter single coil. the coil sounds
really good clean this does have a real straty tone, when not tapped
the humbucker has a real clear punchy sound. also when tapped there
is very little hum.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: the 500T is made for the bridge and has bridge spacing. this pickup could be used great about any style, but it is exceptional good for metal.

Comments: I would buy this again, it is exactly the sound i wanted I compared it
to duncans an dimarzios and thougt it was the best. on a 1 to 10 i
would give it a 9 because it does not come with crome covers, only
black and black/cream