Bridge Pickup to match a Pearly Gates Neck pickup

[Butch Snyder]

I'm looking to replace the pickups in my PRS SE Swamp Ash Special. I have a Pearly Gates neck pickup that I would like to use. I'm going to install an APS-1 in the middle. Trying to decide on a bridge pickup. I was initially thinking of a Pearly Gates bridge pickup; but thought about a Custom Custom as well. I did have a custom Custom at one time in an alder body guitar. It was too dark. The SAS with its ash body and maple neck/fretboard should offer more brightness than the other. Thoughts?

 

[Chistopher]

I was going to suggest Custom Custom. A plain old Custom could also work well.

 

[jeremy]

do you want more of a paf tone (pgb) or something smoother and hotter? the cc is a good match for the pgn, and if its too dark, try an a3 magnet. the a3 custom is a nice pup with a bit less low mid than the cc

 

[Butch Snyder]

I want to stay with something alnico 2. I would be happy to go with the PGb but I have had bad luck in the past with matched sets like that. Seems I have had to lower the neck pickup and raise the bridge pickup excessively to balance the outputs. Is the PG set good for that?

 

[jeremy]

its a paf set, so putting the neck low and bridge high is typically how they are set.

 

[Butch Snyder]

do you want more of a paf tone (pgb) or something smoother and hotter? the cc is a good match for the pgn, and if its too dark, try an a3 magnet. the a3 custom is a nice pup with a bit less low mid than the cc

I guess I would like something a little smoother and hotter in the bridge. Was thinking Warren DeMartini maybe? It's alnico 2.

 

[jeremy]

smoother and hotter sounds like the cc, or a3 custom.

 

[Mincer]

A Custom Custom is also a good choice.

 

[AdrianSD]

I have a CC in an Ibanez RG470 ash body with maple neck, the guitar is quite bright and the Custom Custom is a great fit. Currently I have an A8 magnet in there, but the next strings change I'll revert back to A2.

 

[Butch Snyder]

As stated in an earlier post, I had the CC one time and it was too dark in the guitar I had; alder body, maple neck/fretboard. I imagine swamp ash body, maple neck/fretboard would make it a little brighter but probably not to my liking.

 

[nienturi]

Dimarzio Air Norton
https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-air-norton-dp193-review

 

[GuitarDoc]

Why so fixated on an A2 pup? You said you had an A2 (CC) in it and it was too dark, so put an A5 in the CC and you'll have what you're really wanting. (Yes the PG is an A2 pup, but it is pretty bright, not like a CC. The magnet isn't the only thing that determines how a pup sounds).

 

[Clint 55]

2nd A3 in the Custom. Will be a similar sound to what you're familiar with but less slop.

 

[Mincer]

I say, skip the requirements of the magnet, and go for a pickup that particular guitar needs, no matter how it is made or what magnet it uses. Limiting it to a magnet doesn't make sense.

 

[pkailas]

I have a Pearly Gates bridge pickup in two guitars. That is my favorite pickup!

 

[ErikH]

If you’re not using 500k pots thruout, I can see where the CC would be dark. Gotta use 500k with it.

IMO, the PG bridge is the logical choice.

 

[beaubrummels]

IMHO the following bridges all work great with a Pearly Neck (though I tried these all in my SG, which is darker than an Ash guitar)

Pearly Gates bridge
Jazz bridge
'78 Model
59/Custom
Custom

 

[Butch Snyder]

So, I’m thinking of going another route. I have a 59 neck model. Maybe I’ll throw an SH-5 Custom in the bridge position. The SH-5 is one of my favorite humbuckers.

 

[Mincer]

Why the different approach?

 

[GuitarDoc]

You've decided to replace a Pearly in the neck with a 59? Going downhill IMO. I think the Pearly is a much better sounding neck pup.
But, if you do that and compensate for the tone at your amp (lower the bass and increase the mids) then the Custom in the bridge will probably match it very well.