Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

[MrWhite]

Which neck pick should i replace my stock Gibson 490t with? It will mostly be used for blues based Rock..I'm wanting good cleans with a nice tasty warm blues/rock tone ..

More than likely i will be using a custom 5 in the bridge..

I have narrowed it down to these three...

APH-1 ,Pearly Gate,and the 59....

 

[Dr.K]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

I have a Jazz in my Parker, it's built a lot like an SG and it sounds awesome.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

i had a pgn/c5 setup in my last sg and i loved it

 

[symptom]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

i had a pgn/c5 setup in my last sg and i loved it

Wow, a user that didn't swap mags of the C5 in his SG. You're one in a million around here, man.

 

[lemonman]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

I have 59s in my SG & they're great, especially the neck. I haven't tried a PGn in it, which is a cool pup, but I prefer A5 pups in SGs over the A2 stuff I have tried.

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

I have a set of Fralin Pure PAF's that I love in my LP semi hollow, slightly different beast than an SG. But they are great for blues/blues-rock.

I also really liked the Antiquity Jazz/JB set I could see that setup being great for an SG

 

[Sun King]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

Can't comment on a Gibson SG, but I've just tried the 59 and Pearly Gates in the neck of my Jackson; before that I had a Jazz in there. (Forget the Jazz if you want the warm, bluesy rock tone.) I'd have to go with the 59 in that case, it's got the right sound and is also very versatile either split and/or clean. I ended up with the 59 in the neck of my LTD, it's perfect there and makes that guitar very versatile. The Pearly Gates is staying in the Jackson, and while it sounds great clean, IMO it has a lot hotter sound than the 59, with more break-up and, as they say, "sizzle". :eyecrazy: Between the two I'd say the PG is "warmer".

Actually I played around swapping magnets in the PG, tried A3, A4, A5, then back to the stock polished A2, and now I've settled on a Rough-Cast A2. I think that's where I'm gonna leave it. Nice full, smooth sound for cleans, but still that "rudeness" on gain channels, with a good sensitivity to pick attack. But that Jackson has been kind of a ***** finding the right neck pickup for it, and that is the only place I've tried the Pearly Gates, so I can't comment on your SG.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

Yup, for some reason, the C5 loves Sg bridges. To be honest I'm not a large fan of the C5, but in the bridge of an SG that pup tends to shine!

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

Yup, for some reason, the C5 loves Sg bridges. To be honest I'm not a large fan of the C5, but in the bridge of an SG that pup tends to shine!

Yup and it loves full blown Marshall amps.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

For blues with SGs, I really like slightly hot PAFs. The 490 set is great IMO. They clean up nicely, or they crank without going too far overboard and becoming too thick. I was just told here that the Slash set and the Alnico II Pro set are similar to Gibon's 490 set, if you are OK with the basic sound of your pickups, but would rather go with SD instead of Gibson.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

I've tried a lot of pickups in Gibsons and can say that the Custom 5 is killer in an SG bridge. It beefs it up to the point that it's not like a thinner sounding Les Paul.

My first love of Duncan necks was the 59, but if I had to do it all over, I'd buy nothing but PG necks. There's just something perfect about them.

Yeah, C5/PGn.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

I've tried a lot of pickups in Gibsons and can say that the Custom 5 is killer in an SG bridge. It beefs it up to the point that it's not like a thinner sounding Les Paul.

My first love of Duncan necks was the 59, but if I had to do it all over, I'd buy nothing but PG necks. There's just something perfect about them.

Yeah, C5/PGn.

I am with but try a Seth neck. My pair of PG's are collecting dust in a bin since i got a Seth neck.

 

[MrWhite]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

For blues with SGs, I really like slightly hot PAFs. The 490 set is great IMO. They clean up nicely, or they crank without going too far overboard and becoming too thick. I was just told here that the Slash set and the Alnico II Pro set are similar to Gibon's 490 set, if you are OK with the basic sound of your pickups, but would rather go with SD instead of Gibson.

The 490R in my SG is not terrible..Its just not what i'm wanting..its more modern sounding to me than vintage voiced..For modern rock tones its fine..I'm looking for more of a Dirty blues tone....

 

[MrWhite]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

I am with but try a Seth neck. My pair of PG's are collecting dust in a bin since i got a Seth neck.

This was another i was considering but forgot to include it in my opening post..

can you give me a little info why you prefer the Seth Lovers over the PG's?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

TI'm looking for more of a Dirty blues tone....

Put an UOA5 in a '59B, and you have a dirty blues tone on the bridge with lots of vintage dynamics, but with more bite and a firmer low-end than a 490 or PG. Pair it with a '59N.

A set of Seth's are also excellent.

 

[MrWhite]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

Put an UOA5 in a '59B, and you have a dirty blues tone on the bridge with lots of vintage dynamics, but with more bite and a firmer low-end than a 490 or PG. Pair it with a '59N.

A set of Seth's are also excellent.

The one thing that gives me pause for concern about the Seth's or 59's is this SG for what ever reason is really bright sounding ..

I was under the impression that Seth's and 59's may increase the brightness..I'm i concerned over nothing or is this something to worry about?

UOA5=?? Alinco 5 magnet?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

Wow, a user that didn't swap mags of the C5 in his SG. You're one in a million around here, man.

well funny enough it used to be a custom, the custom 5 didnt exist yet. i swapped an alnico V magnet into my custom wanting a clearer sound with more bottom. it sounded great in the sg, clear high end, great cutting mids, and a big tight low end with a good amount of low mids to keep it fat. magnet swapping isnt a new thing. i cant even remember how long ago it was, maybe close to ten years ago?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

The one thing that gives me pause for concern about the Seth's or 59's is this SG for what ever reason is really bright sounding ..

I was under the impression that Seth's and 59's may increase the brightness..I'm i concerned over nothing or is this something to worry about?

UOA5=?? Alinco 5 magnet?

'59's are bright, Seth's aren't. A5 vs A2.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

IMHO SGs like a5 pickups in the bridge. The '59 should get all of the classic SG tones.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Best Blues pups for SG? Pearly Gate,APH-1 or 59

Does it have be a humbucker?

I was thinking maybe Phat Cats...