Dusty.Rhoads
New member
Any opinions on how a Pearly Gades bridges sounds in an HSS Stratocaster?
HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
- Thread starter Dusty.Rhoads
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Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Many others are quite fine with vintage output and don't find them weak at all.....the word weak being a comparative term.
I am one of these. I find hotter pickups to be overly compressed and lack the nuance of vintage pickups.
And especially if you have vintage singlecoils as your other pickups you will find the bridge strong by comparison, and way more useful in that guitar than any hotter humbucker.
Many others are quite fine with vintage output and don't find them weak at all.....the word weak being a comparative term.
I am one of these. I find hotter pickups to be overly compressed and lack the nuance of vintage pickups.
And especially if you have vintage singlecoils as your other pickups you will find the bridge strong by comparison, and way more useful in that guitar than any hotter humbucker.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Many others are quite fine with medium output bridge pickups and don't find them compressed at all... the word compressed being a comparative term.
I find vintage output bridge pickups to be overly shrill and dead and lack the respectable tone of medium or high output pickups.
And especially if you don't want to set your neck and middle pickup flush with the pickguard you'll need at least a 10k pickup to balance, but a 12 or 14k would be better.
Many others are quite fine with medium output bridge pickups and don't find them compressed at all... the word compressed being a comparative term.
I find vintage output bridge pickups to be overly shrill and dead and lack the respectable tone of medium or high output pickups.
And especially if you don't want to set your neck and middle pickup flush with the pickguard you'll need at least a 10k pickup to balance, but a 12 or 14k would be better.
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Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
^ Maybe giving more than 1 word answers initially might help the OP. Without the context these type of posts are useless.
I find any bridge humbuckers even of vintage level to overpower vintage singlecoils......even the a neck strength pickup 490R I have in the bridge of a HSH strat to overpower the 6k middle pickup, I can't imagine how making that imbalance worse would help.
OP - what type of music and what rig are you using. That might help as without context of what you are trying to achieve even detailed experiences are somewhat useless.
^ Maybe giving more than 1 word answers initially might help the OP. Without the context these type of posts are useless.
I find any bridge humbuckers even of vintage level to overpower vintage singlecoils......even the a neck strength pickup 490R I have in the bridge of a HSH strat to overpower the 6k middle pickup, I can't imagine how making that imbalance worse would help.
OP - what type of music and what rig are you using. That might help as without context of what you are trying to achieve even detailed experiences are somewhat useless.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Well my bridge humbucker made out of 2 single coils @ 12k sits as the same height as my 6k single in the middle. It's full yet articulate.
I've noticed hard rock guys do very well with the Demon and 59/C @ 10 and 11k in their HSS. Sounds nice and tight and very articulate.
Only time I've heard vintage output bridge pickups sound good is when classic rock guys have them cranked thru their Marshall stax. And then nuance has nothing to do with it.
Well my bridge humbucker made out of 2 single coils @ 12k sits as the same height as my 6k single in the middle. It's full yet articulate.
I've noticed hard rock guys do very well with the Demon and 59/C @ 10 and 11k in their HSS. Sounds nice and tight and very articulate.
Only time I've heard vintage output bridge pickups sound good is when classic rock guys have them cranked thru their Marshall stax. And then nuance has nothing to do with it.
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
What sound are you trying to achieve?
Vintage PAF style pickups typically sound brighter in Strats than they do in Les Pauls because of the scale length. Not better or worse, just slightly different. Highly depends on what kind of sound you want! I have a Suhr SSV (a low output pickup) in my Suhr Standard and I love the sound. Versatile, chimey, and mean sounding. Doesn't pack as bit a punch to the amp for heavier music, but I use a Mesa Boogie Mark 5 so I just turn up the gain a little bit, and I'm enjoying a high gain sound with incredible clarity. If you tune to Eb, Drop D, or D standard, that extra brightness converts to clarity for your low notes under high gain, so be a happy metal head and chugga chugga away and turn some heads. Added bonus? The lower output bridge humbucker also balances perfectly with the single coils in the middle and neck so I don't get any output drop when I switch. I do use that guitar for mostly classic rock, blues, or pop applications. Occasionally crank the gain a bit to do some 80s hard rock or some shred stuff.
If you're looking for something that'll get you an instant Judas Priest or Iron Maiden sound through a Marshall though, you want to look elsewhere. You probably want like a JB or Custom or Distortion. Those higher output pickups with their giant upper mid punch (compared to some like the Pearly Gates) and harmonics will serve you much better in your Strat if you play mostly heavier music. Oh how can I forget, higher output pickups = more compression = more sustain through your amp.
What sound are you trying to achieve?
Vintage PAF style pickups typically sound brighter in Strats than they do in Les Pauls because of the scale length. Not better or worse, just slightly different. Highly depends on what kind of sound you want! I have a Suhr SSV (a low output pickup) in my Suhr Standard and I love the sound. Versatile, chimey, and mean sounding. Doesn't pack as bit a punch to the amp for heavier music, but I use a Mesa Boogie Mark 5 so I just turn up the gain a little bit, and I'm enjoying a high gain sound with incredible clarity. If you tune to Eb, Drop D, or D standard, that extra brightness converts to clarity for your low notes under high gain, so be a happy metal head and chugga chugga away and turn some heads. Added bonus? The lower output bridge humbucker also balances perfectly with the single coils in the middle and neck so I don't get any output drop when I switch. I do use that guitar for mostly classic rock, blues, or pop applications. Occasionally crank the gain a bit to do some 80s hard rock or some shred stuff.
If you're looking for something that'll get you an instant Judas Priest or Iron Maiden sound through a Marshall though, you want to look elsewhere. You probably want like a JB or Custom or Distortion. Those higher output pickups with their giant upper mid punch (compared to some like the Pearly Gates) and harmonics will serve you much better in your Strat if you play mostly heavier music. Oh how can I forget, higher output pickups = more compression = more sustain through your amp.
Dusty.Rhoads
New member
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Thank you AR. I am trying to play old stuff: Robert Johnson; Blind Blake; Yardbirds; John Mayall; Cream; Jeff Beck; Jimmy Page.
My Strat has a Fender Atomic humbucker in it now. It is completely out of sync with the middle a neck pickups for what I am trying to do.
Thank you AR. I am trying to play old stuff: Robert Johnson; Blind Blake; Yardbirds; John Mayall; Cream; Jeff Beck; Jimmy Page.
My Strat has a Fender Atomic humbucker in it now. It is completely out of sync with the middle a neck pickups for what I am trying to do.
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Then you want the Pearly Gates for sure, or A2Pro or anything of that sort.
The Fender Atomic is supposedly their JB knock off. If it's not doing it for you, and given your style of music, you don't really want anything high output it seems. Although ironically... JB was modeled after the pickup that Seymour made for Jeff Beck back in the day... heheheh
Then you want the Pearly Gates for sure, or A2Pro or anything of that sort.
The Fender Atomic is supposedly their JB knock off. If it's not doing it for you, and given your style of music, you don't really want anything high output it seems. Although ironically... JB was modeled after the pickup that Seymour made for Jeff Beck back in the day... heheheh
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
The PG is perfect for your uses. I would consider that or the Seth bridge too. As it is unpotted it will give even more of the nuance and liveliness that is required for that sort of music. Anything hotter and you'll not be able to feel that nice bite when you dig in, but that beautiful softness when you don't.
Certainly as mentioned the JB is what Jeff used back in the Blow by Blow days. But as now he uses lower output pickups in his strat any of the suggestions in the last 2 posts will work for anything more modern. You can always add some extra drive with a boost pedal if needed, but those older albums were made generally with much lower saturation in the tone than what you can get even with 5w amps. So you will have no issue I foresee.
The PG is perfect for your uses. I would consider that or the Seth bridge too. As it is unpotted it will give even more of the nuance and liveliness that is required for that sort of music. Anything hotter and you'll not be able to feel that nice bite when you dig in, but that beautiful softness when you don't.
Certainly as mentioned the JB is what Jeff used back in the Blow by Blow days. But as now he uses lower output pickups in his strat any of the suggestions in the last 2 posts will work for anything more modern. You can always add some extra drive with a boost pedal if needed, but those older albums were made generally with much lower saturation in the tone than what you can get even with 5w amps. So you will have no issue I foresee.
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
From videos made by Beck's guitar tech and the person who actually made them all say his single coil pickups
Are in th 10K - 11K resistence in two or three pickgaurds. You cannot buy them. People talked the original maker into
Making them the same pickups Jeff has, and he said, live on video, that every one of them can
Me as no one could get them to sound good.
So he stopped making them. I believe he worked for Fender then maybe Suhr, but they are no longer made. Can't remember the guy's name, but in the world of Jeff Beck guitar fans, this is all common knowledge. There are a few videos on YouTube with his 2 or 3 various guitar/amp guys that work for him. They say he is using one of two favorite basswood white painted Fender Stock Guitars, but they refret his guitar a lot, I think one broke bad enough they just bought a new neck.
Any way. This is a case of FOR REAL it is all in his hands and the very very (sometimes) complicated amps put together.
Steve Buffington
From videos made by Beck's guitar tech and the person who actually made them all say his single coil pickups
Are in th 10K - 11K resistence in two or three pickgaurds. You cannot buy them. People talked the original maker into
Making them the same pickups Jeff has, and he said, live on video, that every one of them can
Me as no one could get them to sound good.
So he stopped making them. I believe he worked for Fender then maybe Suhr, but they are no longer made. Can't remember the guy's name, but in the world of Jeff Beck guitar fans, this is all common knowledge. There are a few videos on YouTube with his 2 or 3 various guitar/amp guys that work for him. They say he is using one of two favorite basswood white painted Fender Stock Guitars, but they refret his guitar a lot, I think one broke bad enough they just bought a new neck.
Any way. This is a case of FOR REAL it is all in his hands and the very very (sometimes) complicated amps put together.
Steve Buffington
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Plus, there is a guy here who if he see's this I hope he will put up his HSS Pearly gates bridge that just screams,
and is definitely louder than the s.coils. It is so good. A2 mag but screams anyway!
MJ -Derek are great great winders.
SJB
Plus, there is a guy here who if he see's this I hope he will put up his HSS Pearly gates bridge that just screams,
and is definitely louder than the s.coils. It is so good. A2 mag but screams anyway!
MJ -Derek are great great winders.
SJB
Dusty.Rhoads
New member
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
From what I've read Jeff Beck used primarily Strats and a '59 Les Paul on Blow by Blow. The Tele Gib was reportedly used in part on one maybe two songs. Whatever, I don't think JB or Atomic is what I am looking for.
Thank you again.
From what I've read Jeff Beck used primarily Strats and a '59 Les Paul on Blow by Blow. The Tele Gib was reportedly used in part on one maybe two songs. Whatever, I don't think JB or Atomic is what I am looking for.
treyhaislip
Well-known member
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Yeah, nothing weak about the Pearly Gates from my experience with them.
Yeah, nothing weak about the Pearly Gates from my experience with them.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
I like the PG+ that I have in a Fender Showmaster; it fits that guitar well. But I've always felt the individual instrument has a lot to do with the suitability of pickups. It might not be a perfect match for every Strat, but it is for mine.
For the OP, given that he's looking for old school tones and pairing it with low output singlecoils, I think a regular Pearly could be the ticket. Certainly much better for his purposes than the Atomic that's in there now.
I have the Atomic in an Esquire Scorpion; as a hot bridge in that axe I like it. But again, for me it's a matter of wood as much as guitar type.
I like the PG+ that I have in a Fender Showmaster; it fits that guitar well. But I've always felt the individual instrument has a lot to do with the suitability of pickups. It might not be a perfect match for every Strat, but it is for mine.
For the OP, given that he's looking for old school tones and pairing it with low output singlecoils, I think a regular Pearly could be the ticket. Certainly much better for his purposes than the Atomic that's in there now.
I have the Atomic in an Esquire Scorpion; as a hot bridge in that axe I like it. But again, for me it's a matter of wood as much as guitar type.
Dusty.Rhoads
New member
Re: HSS Stratocaster - Pearly Gates bridge?
Put the Pearly Gates in this afternoon. Magic! What can I say, it turned an excellent guitar into superb. Perfect fit. Fender should contract SD for Pearly Gates to put in all there HSS strats.
Put the Pearly Gates in this afternoon. Magic! What can I say, it turned an excellent guitar into superb. Perfect fit. Fender should contract SD for Pearly Gates to put in all there HSS strats.
