59' vs Pearly Gates for Strat bridge?

[micah_jm550]

Hey everyone,

I have a MIM Blacktop HH Strat and I don't like the stock Fender pickups, too muddy and not enough punch. Wanted to set the guitar up like the Big Apple Strats with the 59' in the neck and Pearly Gates Plus in the bridge, but found out that PG+ are discontinued. How close would a 59' be to a PG+ in the bridge and a regular PG? I know they both have an Alnico 5 magnets, but the winding is not the same. How much of a difference is there?

My goal is to get the guitar to sound as close to a Big Apple Strat as possible.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Mincer]

Welcome to the forum!

Honestly, the closest I hear to that PG+ is a Custom 5. A Custom 5 is a little hotter, but the basic tone is there. You could also put an alnico 5 magnet in a regular Pearly Gates as well. I think a 59 has less treble and more bass that the old PG+. The PG+ was also out of phase with current SD pickups, as it had to be in phase with modern Fender pickups.

 

[elelpe]

Can't you find PG+ on used market? Out of two, I'd go with PG. That said, take a look at WLH for a hot PAF.

 

[micah_jm550]

Welcome to the forum!

Honestly, the closest I hear to that PG+ is a Custom 5. A Custom 5 is a little hotter, but the basic tone is there. You could also put an alnico 5 magnet in a regular Pearly Gates as well. I think a 59 has less treble and more bass that the old PG+. The PG+ was also out of phase with current SD pickups, as it had to be in phase with modern Fender pickups.

Thanks! Definitely gonna consider a custom 5, judging by videos I found I do like them. Do you think it'd be possible/worth it to get a custom shop PG and have them make it to the exact spec of the PG+? That would probably avoid the out of phase issue since I'd be using a 59 for the neck.

 

[micah_jm550]

Can't you find PG+ on used market? Out of two, I'd go with PG. That said, take a look at WLH for a hot PAF.

They're pretty hard to find used, only found one for sale after digging everywhere. Looking at the Custom/59 hybrid, seems like a good option

 

[playas]

Thanks! Definitely gonna consider a custom 5, judging by videos I found I do like them. Do you think it'd be possible/worth it to get a custom shop PG and have them make it to the exact spec of the PG+? That would probably avoid the out of phase issue since I'd be using a 59 for the neck.

I imagine that would be easy to arrange.

 

[Mincer]

Thanks! Definitely gonna consider a custom 5, judging by videos I found I do like them. Do you think it'd be possible/worth it to get a custom shop PG and have them make it to the exact spec of the PG+? That would probably avoid the out of phase issue since I'd be using a 59 for the neck.

The Custom Shop could certainly build one, but also another option is the 59/Custom Hybrid, which is A5-based, and hotter than a 59, but not as hot as a Custom 5.