Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
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gregory
New member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
Custom 8 with a decent treble bleed on the volume control.
With judicious use of volume and tone controls wired normally (non-'50s and no treble bleed), an A5 Duncan Distortion Neck or possibly a Black Winter Neck with series parallel switching may cover even more ground. The Pearly Gates Neck could sound even more exceptionally rude with one of these wired in parallel. Then switch the bridge to series and you unleash a meaty metal beast with solo tone for days.
I've only paired a DDn with a hot single coil in the neck. It's going in a different guitar and am I ever jonesin' for a PGn.
Custom 8 with a decent treble bleed on the volume control.
With judicious use of volume and tone controls wired normally (non-'50s and no treble bleed), an A5 Duncan Distortion Neck or possibly a Black Winter Neck with series parallel switching may cover even more ground. The Pearly Gates Neck could sound even more exceptionally rude with one of these wired in parallel. Then switch the bridge to series and you unleash a meaty metal beast with solo tone for days.
I've only paired a DDn with a hot single coil in the neck. It's going in a different guitar and am I ever jonesin' for a PGn.
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Nagisa
New member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
If I do get something new, would the alternative 8 be better than the custom for what I mentioned?
I live in Japan and can't find either one used with a gold cover. I don't really want to try magnet swapping at this time. The SH-5 is about $105 usd free shipping and the SH-15 is $130 after shipping (different sellers). If they are a toss-up, I'll get the SH-5. If the SH-15 would be better for soloing, I'll pay the difference.
If I do get something new, would the alternative 8 be better than the custom for what I mentioned?
I live in Japan and can't find either one used with a gold cover. I don't really want to try magnet swapping at this time. The SH-5 is about $105 usd free shipping and the SH-15 is $130 after shipping (different sellers). If they are a toss-up, I'll get the SH-5. If the SH-15 would be better for soloing, I'll pay the difference.
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eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
Alt8 is quite loud indeed. IMO the Screamin Demon or Full Shred would be a better match for your PGn.
Alt8 is quite loud indeed. IMO the Screamin Demon or Full Shred would be a better match for your PGn.
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
Regarding the Custom...Great pup but not what you want. Ace mentioned a little about the sterile sound due to the ceramic magnet. This is not a good pair with the Pearly in the neck. I agree that the Demon is a very good match, but it sounds like you want something with a bit more power and punch to it. Therefore I would recommend the Custom 5. It has the similar alnico tones of the Pearly (even though the Pearly has an A2 mag, it SOUNDS more like what you'd expect from an A5). And with a little volume control work (which you say you do) that Custom 5 will clean up as well as a PAF, it can certainly get as clean as the Pearly. Yet the C5 can really rip a lead when you want it to.
OMG! Hey Lew, I think something I said also agrees with something Ace said. There must be a virus going around.
Regarding the Custom...Great pup but not what you want. Ace mentioned a little about the sterile sound due to the ceramic magnet. This is not a good pair with the Pearly in the neck. I agree that the Demon is a very good match, but it sounds like you want something with a bit more power and punch to it. Therefore I would recommend the Custom 5. It has the similar alnico tones of the Pearly (even though the Pearly has an A2 mag, it SOUNDS more like what you'd expect from an A5). And with a little volume control work (which you say you do) that Custom 5 will clean up as well as a PAF, it can certainly get as clean as the Pearly. Yet the C5 can really rip a lead when you want it to.
OMG! Hey Lew, I think something I said also agrees with something Ace said. There must be a virus going around.
Nagisa
New member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
Thanks GuitarDoc. I guess I was leaning toward the alt 8 as it is supposed to be heavy yet have more organic sounds than the Custom. Would the Custom 5 give a good heavy metal tone that the PG wouldn't? Would the alt 8 not be a good choice?
Thanks GuitarDoc. I guess I was leaning toward the alt 8 as it is supposed to be heavy yet have more organic sounds than the Custom. Would the Custom 5 give a good heavy metal tone that the PG wouldn't? Would the alt 8 not be a good choice?
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
For the record - I LOVE the Custom (and with a PG...).
It is loud, it has a time and robust bottom, mids, and can scream on top. It is PAF is fundamental character, but it's a PAF from the planet Krypton! One of my favorite all around metal pickups.
I could Black Album / Megadeth all day with that! It's a goto for modern Def Lep (Hysteria and later...). Can be turned down for the classic classic rock.
For the record - I LOVE the Custom (and with a PG...).
It is loud, it has a time and robust bottom, mids, and can scream on top. It is PAF is fundamental character, but it's a PAF from the planet Krypton! One of my favorite all around metal pickups.
I could Black Album / Megadeth all day with that! It's a goto for modern Def Lep (Hysteria and later...). Can be turned down for the classic classic rock.
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
I love the Alt 8. It sounds more "organic" than the Custom due to the magnet (alnico 8 rather than ceramic). I don't play heavy metal myself, but the Custom 5 should definitely do it better than a Pearly just by virtue of it's increased output. The Custom (with ceramic mag) tends to be a more common choice for metal than the Custom 5 however.
The Alt 8 is still a good choice for you, but it is going to sound way heavier than the Pearly...more so than the Custom 5. The Alt 8 has a very deep and solid bass, huge mids, and a present high end, but not piercing and brittle like a Custom (with ceramic mag). You can create a similar sound to Alt 8 by swapping an alnico 8 mag into any of the Customs.
My recommendation for you would be the Custom 5. It's very versatile in and of itself and a great starting point, but if you want to go more metal it's easy to put in a ceramic mag. If you want to have a bigger more powerful sounding pup than the Custom 5 (like the Alt 8), just put in an alnico 8 mag (the C8 is by far my favorite Custom pup). If you want a very warm, smooth but strong output pup with more subdued highs, just put in an A2 mag.
I love the Alt 8. It sounds more "organic" than the Custom due to the magnet (alnico 8 rather than ceramic). I don't play heavy metal myself, but the Custom 5 should definitely do it better than a Pearly just by virtue of it's increased output. The Custom (with ceramic mag) tends to be a more common choice for metal than the Custom 5 however.
The Alt 8 is still a good choice for you, but it is going to sound way heavier than the Pearly...more so than the Custom 5. The Alt 8 has a very deep and solid bass, huge mids, and a present high end, but not piercing and brittle like a Custom (with ceramic mag). You can create a similar sound to Alt 8 by swapping an alnico 8 mag into any of the Customs.
My recommendation for you would be the Custom 5. It's very versatile in and of itself and a great starting point, but if you want to go more metal it's easy to put in a ceramic mag. If you want to have a bigger more powerful sounding pup than the Custom 5 (like the Alt 8), just put in an alnico 8 mag (the C8 is by far my favorite Custom pup). If you want a very warm, smooth but strong output pup with more subdued highs, just put in an A2 mag.
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Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
To my ears, either the Custom or Custom 5 would do it. They are significantly more powerful than the PG, and certainly both have a hard' attack to them. A 59/Custom Hybrid is the ticket if you just want to be a little hotter, and keep some dynamics in there.
To my ears, either the Custom or Custom 5 would do it. They are significantly more powerful than the PG, and certainly both have a hard' attack to them. A 59/Custom Hybrid is the ticket if you just want to be a little hotter, and keep some dynamics in there.
Nagisa
New member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
Thanks, guys.
Btw I called both SD and Dimarzio.
SD recommend the Custom 5. Dimarzio said an Evo 2 for modern stuff or a Norton.
I would just get the custom 5 like you guys are saying, but it looks to be so similar to the 498 that I already have. Would it really be a good choice?
It sounds like ultimately the C8 is really what I want. If the 498 is going to sound similar to it with an A8 pickup, maybe I should swap magnets in the 498 after all. In that case, what size of magnet should I get?
http://www.mojotone.com/Pickups_x?search=Magnet This place shows multiple sizes.
Thanks, guys.
Btw I called both SD and Dimarzio.
SD recommend the Custom 5. Dimarzio said an Evo 2 for modern stuff or a Norton.
I would just get the custom 5 like you guys are saying, but it looks to be so similar to the 498 that I already have. Would it really be a good choice?
It sounds like ultimately the C8 is really what I want. If the 498 is going to sound similar to it with an A8 pickup, maybe I should swap magnets in the 498 after all. In that case, what size of magnet should I get?
http://www.mojotone.com/Pickups_x?search=Magnet This place shows multiple sizes.
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Thundermtn
New member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
Knocked out the swap on mine tonight with about 30 minutes of playing time.
1st impression, the guitar doesn't sound as Les Paul on the bridge anymore. I was a little disapointed. Tight, aggressive if you play it that way, good bass. It really is like a PAF on roids only with a little magic taken out, a hair sterile. Replaces the magic with fast response and cut. Nails White Zombie tone though!
The middle position of the guitar sounds f#$%*>g awesome. This is how I wanted the bridge alone to sound. I will be checking out more about the 59/Custom for sure now.
Same as always, the PGn owns every other neck pup I've played.
I'm going to mess with it a couple of weeks but there's a 90% chance of it coming out with how I feel about it now. The Custom does sound good, but doesn't scratch the tone itch I was looking for and doesn't exploit the capabilities of what a LP was meant to do.
Knocked out the swap on mine tonight with about 30 minutes of playing time.
1st impression, the guitar doesn't sound as Les Paul on the bridge anymore. I was a little disapointed. Tight, aggressive if you play it that way, good bass. It really is like a PAF on roids only with a little magic taken out, a hair sterile. Replaces the magic with fast response and cut. Nails White Zombie tone though!
The middle position of the guitar sounds f#$%*>g awesome. This is how I wanted the bridge alone to sound. I will be checking out more about the 59/Custom for sure now.
Same as always, the PGn owns every other neck pup I've played.
I'm going to mess with it a couple of weeks but there's a 90% chance of it coming out with how I feel about it now. The Custom does sound good, but doesn't scratch the tone itch I was looking for and doesn't exploit the capabilities of what a LP was meant to do.
EDX
New member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
the closest hot humbucker to a pearly gates is a dimebucker, i can roll the vol down and get sabbath and ac dc then roll it up and do all the thrashing i want
however it's weird you can't do metal with a pearly gates set, do you lack an overdrive or is your amp not gainy enough? maybe an A5 or A8 even a thick ceramic on that pearly bridge will get you there, or you can just throw it all to hell and add a preamp like the emg afterburner or the duncan blackouts modular preamp
the closest hot humbucker to a pearly gates is a dimebucker, i can roll the vol down and get sabbath and ac dc then roll it up and do all the thrashing i want
however it's weird you can't do metal with a pearly gates set, do you lack an overdrive or is your amp not gainy enough? maybe an A5 or A8 even a thick ceramic on that pearly bridge will get you there, or you can just throw it all to hell and add a preamp like the emg afterburner or the duncan blackouts modular preamp
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Thundermtn
New member
Re: Heavier bridge pickup for LP with a Pearly Gates neck
The PGb through a gain rig isn't tight enough and lacks the bass for a really evil sound. It's not bad but it needs more balls.
The PGb through a gain rig isn't tight enough and lacks the bass for a really evil sound. It's not bad but it needs more balls.
