Custom Shop PAFs — Pearly Gates vs Queenbucker

[JWR]

I'd be hard pressed to try something after buying the custom shop Pearly set personally.

[David Garner]

Quick update -- I'm very, very happy with them. They sound different in this guitar, but not vastly different. The voice of the two guitars comes through nicely. The 93 has more balls, more clarity. The 16 has more sweetness, more harmonics. Both are amazing, but in their own way. And they are still similar enough to back each other up.

[ArtieToo]

So, what are the CS Pearly's? I don't see them listed. How are they different from the standard production version?

[David Garner]

So, what are the CS Pearly's? I don't see them listed. How are they different from the standard production version?

I get mine from Reverb (I think I got the first set on eBay) from JMI Music out of Texas. They basically order Custom Shop pickups to spec. You won't find the Queenbuckers listed on the website either, or the "MJ's Magic" set, which is the Skinnerburst. But JMI orders them to spec and then sells them online.

The differences from the standard production version are pretty basic. You can get them either lightly potted or unpotted. Both of mine are unpotted. They are wound just a hair hotter on the bridge -- 8.5k bridge or a little higher versus 8.2k for the standard, and 7.5k or so for the neck for both. Both of my sets have double creme bobbins. The covers are very nicely aged. I don't think the wind is materially different, but I don't know for sure.

I do know the Custom Shop set is a glorious set of pickups for a Les Paul. Really the best I've tried, and I've tried a bunch.

[ArtieToo]

Ah. Thanks for the info. I have the standard Pearly's, and love them. I've also got the CS "Strat" Pearly set, but I haven't installed them yet.

[beaubrummels]

My understanding is CS Pearlies are close neighbors to the Angus set. Very close neighbors. About as close as the Queenbucker is to the Bonamassa Magellan set. Just enough was changed to avoid license/legal issues. Now I could be wrong, that is internet hearsay (from someone who bought and reviewed them.)

[David Garner]

My understanding is CS Pearlies are close neighbors to the Angus set. Very close neighbors. About as close as the Queenbucker is to the Bonamassa Magellan set. Just enough was changed to avoid license/legal issues. Now I could be wrong, that is internet hearsay (from someone who bought and reviewed them.)

It's probably more accurate to say the Angus set is close to the CS Pearlies, but yeah, I understand they're basically kissing cousins. I thought about getting the Angus set, but ultimately I figured the Pearlies are designed for LPs and the Angus set for SGs and even though Gibson used the same pickups for all of them in the 50s, I assumed the Pearlies would be a better choice. Plus, as I said above, the devil you know. I know the Pearlies are great. I have no idea what to expect from the High Voltage set other than they're probably great too.

One issue I had is I couldn't find many clips of the Magellan set (I think they just called those the "Joe Bonamassa Signature set" before they came out with the Skinnerburst, which are based on a different 59 LP, and the Amos, which are based on his Flying V). And zero of the Queenbuckers. If I'd found a set of Queenbuckers used I'd have probably given them a whirl, but I didn't want to lose $80-100 flipping a brand new set if I didn't like them. I knew the Pearlies worked in this guitar because I had them in there before.