Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

clarqo

New member
Hi guys,
I need help to choose a new pickups set. My guitar is an ESP Horizon FRII, mahogany body, ebony freetboard, floyd rose bridge. I play diferent music styles of music from blues to metal and tha's why I need a versatile set.

I've been thinking about TB-4 JB for bridge and SH-PG1 Pearly gates for neck (I've also considered the jazz sh-2n, but I want to try something different). How would this set work? (I'm very curious about what pearly gates offer). I've thought about the PG set for bridge and neck too, any opinion?. Anyone has tested these two combos?. Im hoping that you all have some experience with some of these and can give me some inputs.

Any other recommendation for a bridge pickup that works with sh-pg1n or sh-2n.
I remain attentive to your help
Thank you!
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

Custom Custom, PATB-3 and an A2-loaded JB come to mind to go with a PGn besides the obvious choice of a PGb.

Just about anything can be paired successfully with an SH-2N in the neck depending on how you want to use it.

Be prepared for a flood of 59/Custom recommendations.
 
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Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

An A2 59/C is probably about the perfect match. They both have a bit of an upper mid spike and in general a similar tone profile. Plus the 59/C is just an almost perfect pickup in general (much like the Pearly Gates in the right guitar), hence the impending flood of recommendations.

The problem with the Pearly Gates bridge model is that it doesn't match the neck model too well in terms of tone or output. This is good if you like differences between your pickups, but it does come with the potential of the pickups being too far apart, making it impossible to EQ your amp and make the neck and bridge pickups happy.
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

An A2 59/C is probably about the perfect match. They both have a bit of an upper mid spike and in general a similar tone profile. Plus the 59/C is just an almost perfect pickup in general (much like the Pearly Gates in the right guitar), hence the impending flood of recommendations.

The problem with the Pearly Gates bridge model is that it doesn't match the neck model too well in terms of tone or output. This is good if you like differences between your pickups, but it does come with the potential of the pickups being too far apart, making it impossible to EQ your amp and make the neck and bridge pickups happy.

I disagree with the above statement on the PG sets not being a good match, i have a set in my LP Custom and it is probably the best sounding and matched pair i have used.
They are glorious pickups
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

I disagree with the above statement on the PG sets not being a good match, i have a set in my LP Custom and it is probably the best sounding and matched pair i have used.
They are glorious pickups

And I have a set of Custom Shop Pearlies in another LP and they are even better !!
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

What I meant by them not matching too well is that they don't match in the traditional way the humbuckers match. Usually the neck and bridge try to maintain more or less the same nuances, but one in the neck and one in the bridge. The Pearly Gates have a different thing going on in either position. If you want a more "traditional" match, you have to get the PG+.
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

I'm loving the PGb / JazzN in my mahogany SG. Not a Floyd guitar, but great sounding combo.
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

Custom Custom, PATB-3 and an A2-loaded JB come to mind to go with a PGn besides the obvious choice of a PGb.

Just about anything can be paired successfully with an SH-2N in the neck depending on how you want to use it.

Be prepared for a flood of 59/Custom recommendations.

Well, first of all thank you for your opinion. I think my main options for the neck are the Sh-2n and PGn (so far the PG is the one that is winning).

Regarding the bridge, I am investigating your recommendations of the custom custom and the A-II. they are interesting PUs. I think JB is having good rivals right now.

You have had the possibility to compare the Sh-2n vs PGn. What I like most about the PG is its range of mids, where I think jazz is colder.

=)
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

An A2 59/C is probably about the perfect match. They both have a bit of an upper mid spike and in general a similar tone profile. Plus the 59/C is just an almost perfect pickup in general (much like the Pearly Gates in the right guitar), hence the impending flood of recommendations.

The problem with the Pearly Gates bridge model is that it doesn't match the neck model too well in terms of tone or output. This is good if you like differences between your pickups, but it does come with the potential of the pickups being too far apart, making it impossible to EQ your amp and make the neck and bridge pickups happy.


Thanks for the opinion. In this case the PG would only be for the neck. Some time ago I had an ESP Eclipse with a JB / 59 set and sincerely 59 did not like me very much. this time I look for a warm sound in the neck and for this reason I was also considering the SH-2 and maybe I could also consider in some other alternative that is not the JB.
 
Re: Humbuckers set help / TB-4 JB +......Pearly gates neck? or....

I meant a JB with an A2 magnet instead of the stock A5 magnet.

I like the APH-2B Slash Bridge over the APH-1B if you want to go that route. I don't believe it's offered as a trembucker, though.

What I like most about the PG is its range of mids, where I think jazz is colder.
I agree 100%. I also like the sound of the PGn when split.

BTW, "59/Custom" or "59/C" is the TB-16 59/Custom Hybrid.
 
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