Custom Shop PAFs — Pearly Gates vs Queenbucker

[David Garner]

So I already have a Pearly Gates set, unpotted, in one LP. I love them. I’ve considered just getting a second set for my other LP, which currently has a great JB/59 set, because it pales in comparison.

I’m intrigued by the Queenbucker set though. I’m a little worried about the A3 bridge, but it seems to be aimed at a vintage PAF tone. Has anyone tried these and, long shot, compared them to the Custom Shop Pearly Gates set?

 

[jeremy]

never tried em. the original bonamassa set had the same magnet config. a2 neck, a3 bridge. his next set had a3 in both positions

 

[beaubrummels]

I wouldn't go by the magnet spec, go by any descriptions of the sound. I have the Skinnerburst set which is all A3 / 8k-9k winds. MJ seems to put A3 in winds with higher resistance, indicating more wire / more turns. They have a great balance of chime, little bit of mid drive, but vintage flavor with a slightly soft/darker top end (compared to comtemporary PAF-types like Seths) Pearly Gates are bright as hell, but thick on the bottom a bit and really good. I think anything described as a cross between a Bonamassa set and Pearly Gates would be sensational IMO.

 

[David Garner]

I wouldn't go by the magnet spec, go by any descriptions of the sound. I have the Skinnerburst set which is all A3 / 8k-9k winds. MJ seems to put A3 in winds with higher resistance, indicating more wire / more turns. They have a great balance of chime, little bit of mid drive, but vintage flavor with a slightly soft/darker top end (compared to comtemporary PAF-types like Seths) Pearly Gates are bright as hell, but thick on the bottom a bit and really good. I think anything described as a cross between a Bonamassa set and Pearly Gates would be sensational IMO.

Yeah, that's why I wanted to ask. I had a set of A3 Strat pickups once and really liked them, but I don't know how they'd sort out in these particular pickups.

Thanks! I might give them a go.

 

[Lewguitar]

I've put A3 magnets in 59's and in Antiquitys. Liked the neck sound but didn't like the bridge with A3. Too clean, too weak.

I did like A3 in the neck though. Great for clean chords and rhythm playing.

Roughcast A3 in the neck and Roughcast A2 in the bridge is one of my favorites tweaks.

 

[jeremy]

ive played a few a3 buckers recently and what ive found is i really like them into cranked tweed style amps. a buddy has a tweed super and his lp sounded huge, different guy has a jtm45 and his 335 with a3 buckers and that sounded awesome too. they were some winder id never heard of but paf style pups with a3 magnets

 

[David Garner]

ive played a few a3 buckers recently and what ive found is i really like them into cranked tweed style amps. a buddy has a tweed super and his lp sounded huge, different guy has a jtm45 and his 335 with a3 buckers and that sounded awesome too. they were some winder id never heard of but paf style pups with a3 magnets

My primary amp is a 6g3 clone. So not a tweed, but in the ballpark.

I'm tempted to try these. Unfortunately, I'm also still tempted to get another set of Custom Shop Pearlies.

 

[Lewguitar]

My primary amp is a 6g3 clone. So not a tweed, but in the ballpark.

I'm tempted to try these. Unfortunately, I'm also still tempted to get another set of Custom Shop Pearlies.

Do you already have a set of CS PG's? Or just the regular set? The regular set is great but the CS PG's are even better.

 

[jeremy]

ahh the brown deluxe. such a great amp! its the most marshally small amp ive played. i have a 5e3 and a bfdr but i still want a brown one too

 

[David Garner]

Do you already have a set of CS PG's? Or just the regular set? The regular set is great but the CS PG's are even better.

I have the Custom Shop set in my other Les Paul. They are glorious. Mine are unpotted and double creme. I'd likely go unpotted again, but they aren't doing them in double creme anymore and I'm leaving the covers on so any color will do.

 

[David Garner]

ahh the brown deluxe. such a great amp! its the most marshally small amp ive played. i have a 5e3 and a bfdr but i still want a brown one too

Don't hesitate. I got the Cutthroat Audio Down Brownie, and it is so much more than just a clone. Incredible master volume -- best I've ever used. Marshall channel. 3-way negative feedback switch. Tube or solid state rectifier switch. You can pull the volume on the Brit channel and jumper the channels. Pull the tone on that channel and it kills the bright cap in the Marshall circuit.

But honestly, I leave it in 6g3 mode 90% of the time. And if all I had was a 6g3, I would be pretty happy about that.

This is mine with the LP that has the Custom Shop Pearlies in it:

 

[Lewguitar]

ahh the brown deluxe. such a great amp! its the most marshally small amp ive played. i have a 5e3 and a bfdr but i still want a brown one too

I agree. With the right speaker they can be very Marshally. I spent an afternoon with Ted Nugent once and he showed me his recording amp. It was a Brown Deluxe with an Electro Voice SRO 12" speaker. I swear, the magnet of that big white speaker looked liked it was sticking right out of the back of the amp. Or that's how I remember it.

 

[beaubrummels]

I have the Custom Shop set in my other Les Paul. They are glorious. Mine are unpotted and double creme. I'd likely go unpotted again, but they aren't doing them in double creme anymore and I'm leaving the covers on so any color will do.

FWIW the Queenbuckers are supposedly DC under the cover. Also, they are 7.9k and 8.2k, which is like the same pickup within tolerance, so you could put the A2 in the bridge and A3 in the neck or vice-versa to change up the sound as needed.

 

[David Garner]

I ended up going with another Custom Shop Pearly Gates set. The devil you know and all that.

 

[jeremy]

youre just chicken! just kidding. the pearlys are great, hard to go wrong there

 

[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.

 

[Artie]

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.

 

[Artie]

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.