Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

[Nagisa]

I have a PG set. I love the neck, but the bridge doesn't really take me where I want to go with the guitar now. I got it when I was using an Ibanez for metal tones, but now I'm selling the ibanez. I want to keep the PG neck and then add a hotter bridge pickup.

I don't care so much if it doesn't perfectly match the PG, as long as it isn't jarring how different they are. If I can do a more modest rock sound by rolling back the volume on the bridge pup, then that would be enough.

I'd like something that can do van halen style tap harmonics and be good for solos like Vai, and do a little rythm for Megadeth, Metallica and so on. If it can be rolled back a bit for classic rock then that would be great.

I've looked at the JB but sound clips make it sound like it doesn't have the clear definition type tone I want for solos. I'm leaning more toward a pegasus, illuminator or titan. I never downtune - wonder if these are better for guitars for tuning down. I love Dream Theater and the JP6 guitars sound great, so I would normally not hesitate to get the illuminator, but I wonder how it would sound in an LP and also I wonder if it is just too compressed to fit in with the PG.

What do you guys think?

Thanks!

 

[AlexR]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

The Custom is often a good tonal match for the PG neck.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Thanks!

Would this be a big step up from the PG in terms of output? Looks like the resistance on PG is 8 and this is 14, so it would appear that way. I'm looking some vids up on it now.

How would the custom compare to the pegasus or illuminator?

 

[AlexR]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Custom uses a narrower gauge of wire. There is about 17% difference in the K rating that is simply due to the diameter.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Sorry, that's a bit over my head in terms of how that would translate to sound differences.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Its not necessarily hotter or even heavier, but I recommend Screamin Demon. My Gibson Les Paul has a PG in the neck, SD in the bridge. Ive had that setup in there for as long as I owned the guitar which is closing on a decade.

that combo rocks whether for leads, rhythms, anything. Ive owned about a dozen amps from marshalls, blackstars, carvins, mesa, randalls, etc, while the amp may of changed, the pups did not. pups worked great with all those amps btw (my need style just changed fyi)

 

[The JEM Ghost]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Would this be a big step up from the PG in terms of output?

The Custom is a step up volumewise compared to the PG, but it will still match up with the PG neck, it wouldn't become unbalanced when you would install a Custom in the bridge spot, should fit in well with the PG at the neck spot.
If you are after clear definition you should also take a look at the Screaming Demon mentioned by mwalluk and also at the Full Shred bridge, those would meet your demand towards clear definition.
I would also take a look at the Perpetual Burn, outputwise it's in the same league as the PG bridge, and probably not a pickup many Les Paul players concider, it sure is worth to take a look at that one too!

BTW: What bridge pickup did you had in the Ibanez that you liked the sound of? And what exact model Ibanez was it in?

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

There's Evos in the Ibanez. Not so crazy about them, but they were ok. Favorite pup so far has been a hot rails in a strat. Something like that sound would be cool in a LP.

Honestly if there's not a big difference between the new pup and the PG I'd rather save my money until I find one that's right. The PG is not bad but it can't do some of the more extreme stuff.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

I am always baffled by guys who read the Resistance rating and then get all wacky about how the pickups balance.

Put down the damn internet, and go play guitar. Stop reading and start EXPERIENCING. Resistance ≠ Output. And wire gauge doesn't have crap to do with anything that matters to your ears. Hundreds of guys out here have played PG's with Customs and they are great. Hell - you even said you would be willing to use the volume control. You are fine. Bump up the PG just touch, back down the Custom just a touch they will be greta. I have $20 that says with a simple screwdriver I can make a PG neck blow out a badly adjusted Custom in the bridge.

There are THOUSANDS of guys, however, who have owned one replacement pickup, that they bought based on the name, had a hack or a pro install it, and won or lost and will be glad to tell you everything you thought you ever needed to know based on the ramblings of idiots on line.

Mwaulk gave the best advice here.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Now - rant off, here is the serious advice, and let's even call it wisdom. Pay attention to what I'm saying here hard! This place can give you a world of tonal bliss, or just internet rambling.

I have a PG set. I love the neck, but the bridge doesn't really take me where I want to go with the guitar now. I got it when I was using an Ibanez for metal tones, but now I'm selling the ibanez. I want to keep the PG neck and then add a hotter bridge pickup.

Makes total sense. Lots do. However - why do you need a hotter Bridge? What amp are you using?

I don't care so much if it doesn't perfectly match the PG, as long as it isn't jarring how different they are. If I can do a more modest rock sound by rolling back the volume on the bridge pup, then that would be enough.

OMG - you know how to, and are willing to use the volume knob. Cool. That was very helpful;pful. SO as long as we don't put an A2P or a Dimebucker in the bridge you'll be ok. PAF-ish and slightly hotter. People should have already said 59/Custom Hybrid. Custom is a great answer, but definitely a hot humbucker. But very popular w/ PG.

I'd like something that can do van halen style tap harmonics and be good for solos like Vai, and do a little rythm for Megadeth, Metallica and so on. If it can be rolled back a bit for classic rock then that would be great.

And here comes problem number 2: Any hot pup will toss out the harmonics. Most properly adjusted ones will. But you named 4 bands with 6 different sounds there. Metallica Lightning/Master/Justice = Distortion, Black = Custom, Megadeth = JB, and Vai? There is the wildcard. I don't think Duncan has a Vai-esque pickup. Nothing is even going to be decent at all of those. Many people expect way too much out of any one pickup. remember - Vaia does not play Metallica and Megadeth. All he plays is Vai. He only needs one sound.

I've looked at the JB but sound clips make it sound like it doesn't have the clear definition type tone I want for solos.

Then you need to get new ears, new speakers, or ask someone who has played one. I would never say the JB lacked 'definition' for solos. I have heard amp / fx setups that would destroy the definition of a dictionary....(see previous question)

I'm leaning more toward a pegasus, illuminator or titan. I never downtune - wonder if these are better for guitars for tuning down. I love Dream Theater and the JP6 guitars sound great, so I would normally not hesitate to get the illuminator, but I wonder how it would sound in an LP and also I wonder if it is just too compressed to fit in with the PG.

So does that mean you have a Les Paul? And what kind by who?

What do you guys think?

Thanks!

In all honesty, I think you play enough to have some idea of what you want, and have read far too much and don't have a great idea about what it all means.

I'd ask you to tell me what guitar you have, what amp / fx you use, what you want to sound like, and what you don't like about your current sound. And if no one asks you all of those things - NEVER take their advice as all they are doing is spouting about what pup they have and how much they love it, with no convcern for what will get YOU where you need to be.

* I base that Screaming' Demon second recommendation on assuming you have a rig with more gain than anyone really needs, having one in a floyded strat, having had one in an LP briefly, and loving the death out of pearly gates necks.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

I don't like pickup sets to have a drastically different feel or volume drop between neck and bridge. I would probably go with a CustomCustom or a Slash Bridge.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Thanks for your input.

I have a 2016 Gibson LP studio. I use a Kemper. I'm happy with the PGs for classic rock, but for example the mean street intro is very weak sounding on my LP.

For bands, you're right - I suppose that is too big of a range. I just want more power in my chords and more oomph in my attack when I pick.

What I meant in my 2nd post was that if the new pickup I plan to buy is not going to be much different than the current bridge PG in terms of sound and ability, it's not really worth it to me to change. I am looking for something noticeably more powerful. That said, I don't want mud or sterile sounds. Maybe I've got too high expectations.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

ypu may not need higher output or gain, may just need clariry and response. most metal use less gain than you would think.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Thanks for your input.

I have a 2016 Gibson LP studio. I use a Kemper. I'm happy with the PGs for classic rock, but for example the mean street intro is very weak sounding on my LP.

For bands, you're right - I suppose that is too big of a range. I just want more power in my chords and more oomph in my attack when I pick.

What I meant in my 2nd post was that if the new pickup I plan to buy is not going to be much different than the current bridge PG in terms of sound and ability, it's not really worth it to me to change. I am looking for something noticeably more powerful. That said, I don't want mud or sterile sounds. Maybe I've got too high expectations.

You have a Kemper? Well, you didn't skimp on the amp! My comment here then becomes "The problem isn't the pickup, the problem is you need to spend time and really learn how to work that amp". It SHOULD be able to make a stock Epiphone LP100 pickup sound like the VH Grail from VHI.

But, "Immediacy" and feel of the pickup noted...I believe Meanstreet was played with said PAF as well. So NOT a hot pickup. This even further inclines me to support the Demon recommendation. It will FEEL hotter. There will not be mud or sterility. Think of it this way:

59 = classic style low output PAF
PG = little less bass, upper mid spike, a little more and a little rounder highs. Just a touch more attitude.
Demon - All of the things the 59 has, with some characteristics of the PG, and even more highs. Slightly hotter than either. The extra booty compared to a PG makes it great in the bridge, the highs make it awesome in the neck. The 10k makes it hot compared to most neck pups, or matches with hot bridge pups when in the neck. (I know I know...we just said resistance blah blah blah...)

I think the demon has the sound you want for the bridge, will be "hotter enough", and avoid mud and sterility.

The Custom could easily have the "sterile" factor which many don't like about ceramic mags. I personally don't mind it and thing the site for Metallica/mega far outweighs the Sterile. Might make Vai tone tough though. Custom 59 hybrid tempers that somewhat with half of a 59, and the Demon is yet another approach to dealing with that.

By the way....yet another approach here, would be to put an A8 magnet in the (pretty sure) 498 bridge of that.

 

[Thundermtn]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Got my custom in a mail a few days ago, I'll get it put in tomorrow or the next day probably.

I have about the same thing going on as you but need to go a half step further than you in the aggressive/high gain department. I'll let you know what happens. It was pretty hard to give up the PGb but my LP wasn't getting played as much as it should after my Lace equipped V showed up and it's too good to just sit there. My PGn will probably never come out though, i love that pickup.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Thanks guys! I'll check out the screamin demon.

As for Kemper allowing pups to sound hotter..I mean, to a certain degree it does - but when I had the hot rails in my strat it beat out the pg when I was tapping harmonics as well as just having that rough metal tone. If I could have a similar pickup as the hot rails but in regular humbucker form and suitable for the difference in scale length and such, I would get that.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

BTW I didn't like the brittleness of the 498T but I still have it. Do you think a 498 with an A8 magnet is about the same as a Duncan Custom? Would they really both have similar depth and tone?

 

[Derpottsie]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

Make a custom 8 or try the alternative 8. I use the alt8 in all of my guitars so I can achieve the tone you're looking for at just a little above bedroom level volume or right at bedroom level. Its really mean at high volumes though. More of a Gojira style aggressive at high volumes but with 500k pots it rolls back nicely into a clean and defined warm tone if need be

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

BTW I didn't like the brittleness of the 498T but I still have it. Do you think a 498 with an A8 magnet is about the same as a Duncan Custom? Would they really both have similar depth and tone?

A8 would bring you in the ballpark of a Custom8.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck

I used a Custom with a PGn in a two HB Strat for awhile, and liked it...until I could afford a second guitar with two Alnico pickups.

Then the ceramic mag Custom started sounding a little soulless and inorganic.

I don't think you need a new pickup.

I think you need to learn how to use your amp to dial in the tone you hear in your head and create better sounding presets of your own.

Shoot...if I can do that with my $325. Mustang III modeling amp, you ought to be able to do it with your Kemper...and then some.

Weird...more and more I find myself agreeing with Aceman. ✌