490/498 vs 57Classic/Super57

Hi guys, i am a fairly new hobbyist guitar playing whos looking to buy either the Les Paul Studio 2016 HP or Les Paul Classic 2015. Apart from other differences in the nut material, wood and controls, the pickups are different - 490/498 vs 57Classic/Super57.

For this purchase, I am looking for a guitar that can play a variety of genres and music and achieve a range of different "rock" and "pop" tones. I should add that I use a Yamaha THR 10 amp and I play melody to karaoke tracks of pop and rock songs, and lead guitar parts (including solos) to backing tracks I find on YouTube. I don’t see myself recording but may play live in a band setting occasionally for small events, weddings or parties. I doubt i will be buying a new guitar in the next 10 years, so "versatility" of sound is a big thing to me.

Wondering what your thoughts or comments are on these, and if im not asking the right questions, feel free to let me know.

Thanks.

See also the other posts by Wilco for this model I am about to describe...

I recently purchased a 2013 Traditional Pro II with the 50s neck, Super 57 and 57 Classic pickups. This model has the push-push split coils and the push-push 10 Db adjustable boost. Weight is 8.4 pounds with peek-a-boo flame top.

I gigged this one over the Cinco weekend...and found it easy to go from really nice woody humbucker to single coil Tele. Lots of flexibility between single coil, single coil-humbucker, humbucker, with and without boost. The push-push pots are great and fast to use.

This is one of the best guitars I have played...very comfortable neck (not a baseball bat), a broad tone palette that covers the various styles of songs we play. Unplugged, it is very resonant and has a bright loud projection.

Honestly pickups are so easy to change that I never base a purchase of a guitar on the pickups. Get a great guitar, and those guitars are great, that you like and if you feel the pickups aren't doing it for you, replace them.