Hotter Pearly Gates?

[Rex_Rocker]

Anything along the lines of a Pearly Gates bridge that's hotter?

I'm aware of the '78 or PG+... but I'm thinking hotter than that.

Opinions?

 

[beaubrummels]

The High Voltage set. But it depends on how much hotter we're talking. Too much and it's a different pickup.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

The High Voltage set. But it depends on how much hotter we're talking. Too much and it's a different pickup.

I understand... but I was thinking around mid-output. Something like a 498T but more open in the highs and leaner in the low-mids. I guess that's kind of impossible, though.

 

[jeremy]

not impossible, but probably custom shop.

 

[Mincer]

Other than the Saturday Night Special, you'd have to go to the custom shop. Maybe a Hybrid with a 1 meg pot will do it.

 

[Clint 55]

You can get more heat out of vintage output bridge hums with a double thick magnet, or by adding spacer magnets. If you were to rig it up with a double thick mag in the center and double thick spacers on the sides, I'm sure a vintage output bridge hum would reach mid output levels. I could rig it up for you if you're interested.

 

[Aceman]

I find my 9k PG plenty hot enough. How hot do you want and why?

Less obvious but more accurate approach would be a pickup booster/clean boost after pickups.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I find my 9k PG plenty hot enough. How hot do you want and why?

Less obvious but more accurate approach would be a pickup booster/clean boost after pickups.

I was thinking mid-output ala 498T.

I'm kinda odd. I like all my guitars having different EQ voicings, but I like them having roughly the same output level so that I can just plug them in and not have to mess with any settings, just have them sound different based on EQ characteristics.

 

[beaubrummels]

Closest thing IME that is Pearly-ish and near the heat of a 498T is a 59/Custom Hybrid, except maybe try a polished A2 in it. Anything hotter and it gets thick in the mids and not Pearly Gates-like.

If it's that important, I'd just tell the Custom Shop you want a Pearly Gates sound that is as hot as a 498T and I'd bet they could make it. It would be a 'different' pickup, the recipe might not be what you expect, but it would sound just like you want it.

 

[Clint 55]

Or stick more mag in a stock PG to get exactly what you want of the same voicing but higher heat. Or not.

 

[Aceman]

Closest thing IME that is Pearly-ish is a 59/Custom Hybrid, except maybe try a polished A2 in it. Anything hotter and it gets thick in the mids and not Pearly Gates-like.

And I don't even think that is gonna be even PG-ish. Yeah, hotter PAF-ish maybe, but pretty far from the PG. Way too sharp/tight to even be in PG ballpark.

 

[Mr. B]

Custom-Custom

 

[gsammo79]

There's really not boosted PG- like pup on the Duncan line. The double mag suggestion would be my best guess

 

[idsnowdog]

A Custom PG hybrid with RCUO A5 magnet would probably work great.

 

[AlexR]

I would have thought the stock Custom would have had the sort of top end sizzle that the PG has, but in a more high output wind. I mean thats sort of what the original marketing for it was.....a PAF on steroids.

 

[Cdwillis]

The Custom Custom is too smooth and not enough bite compared to the PG bridge imo.

The stock ceramic magnet Custom definitely has the harmonics and chirp, but the bass is tighter than the PG bridge and the midrange isn't as chewy.

 

[jeremy]

i agree with that. the chewy mids and strong but rounded high end is what i love about the pg

 

[AlexR]

The Custom Custom is too smooth and not enough bite compared to the PG bridge imo.

The stock ceramic magnet Custom definitely has the harmonics and chirp, but the bass is tighter than the PG bridge and the midrange isn't as chewy.

Yeah, thats sort of where you get to with a medium output pickup vs a PAF type.

 

[skelt101]

I see that double thick and booster magnets have been mentioned, but what about Alnico 8? (Never tried it myself…)

 

[Tone-Analyst]

The PG is a very weak pickup, you could order alnico 5 or even 8 magnets to replace the weak stock alnico 2. Only ceramic magnets come in double space AFAIK, but going ceramic would be another big step up in punch. The ceramic magnet would add alot of inductance. To crank the midrange you could use shorter filister screws. Which is the trick used by Dimarzio in many pickups like Air Classic and tons of others. It doesn't really crank the mids, but chops the bass and really cut better through the mix at higher gain. More definition. The SH-10 has short screws too, but allen screws sound less traditional and more progressive, you're totally somewhere else with these.