Kiesel holdsworth vs pearly gates

[zeisse]

Hi,
Has anyone compared Kiesel Holdsworth bridge with Pearly Gates bridge in strat body? In my strat I have JB-4 with stk4. I'm looking for low output replacement for bridge to have better ballance with neck. I've got good price for used Holdsworth or PG but can't test them before buy.
EQ charts are showing that those pickups are pretty similar, but according to youtube Holdsworth is kinda sterile and less warm.
I'm les Paul type guy so I'm looking for something which convince me to play often on strat.​

 

[jeremy]

i love a pg in a strat bridge, never tried the holdsworth

 

[zeisse]

i love a pg in a strat bridge, never tried the holdsworth

I read a lot of good thinks about PG in strat, but also read some encouraging opinion about holdsworth. I like how clean is holdsworth but it may be "too clean" to pair with stk4.

 

[Mincer]

Allan didn't use his signature pickups much, choosing to use a double screw neck 59 in the bridge. I never tried the Holdsworth (Kiesel model) but a PG in a Strat sounds fantastic.

 

[Ascension]

Very different pickups. The Gates is pretty bright and edge with a lot of sizzle. The Holdsworth is really warm and sweet, very clear and defined also.
Very sharp contrast between those 2 pickups. Have owned both.
The Holdsworths are some of my absolute favorite over wound PAF pickups from anybody. Very sweet warm and defined clean and really fat and smooth with great clarity and definition under gain. The only downside is the Holdsworths are not potted so can feed back at high gain high volumes.

 

[zeisse]

I like clarity of holdsworth which I hear on this vide, but have doubt if this will match with stk4 in neck position. Two holdsworth humbuckers in one guitar sounds great, but what with single in neck position?
I'm surprised that you wrote that holdsworth is more warm than PG. Based on some video on youtube I would say that about PG.

 

[Mincer]

I wouldn't describe a PG as warm at all, btw. It is on the brighter side of PAF-type pickups.

 

[ehdwuld]

I would vote for Holdsworth without owning either

I played a holdsworth at the factory 25 yrs ago and it was awesome

Who wants the all their pickups to sound the same anyways

 

[zeisse]

Who wants the all their pickups to sound the same anyways

Make sense for me

 

[Ascension]

I like clarity of holdsworth which I hear on this vide, but have doubt if this will match with stk4 in neck position. Two holdsworth humbuckers in one guitar sounds great, but what with single in neck position?
I'm surprised that you wrote that holdsworth is more warm than PG. Based on some video on youtube I would say that about PG.

The PG has a high mid-sizzle that I personally don't care for in anything other than a 24.75 scale set neck mahogany body guitar. They work very well in something like a Les Paul for me, but not in anything else. That inherent high mid-Crunch I struggle with because of how I use the guitar volume and touch to clean up. The PG does not do mid-gain and cleans very well. They have a pretty unique feel and tone.
The Kiesel Holdsworth is a really cool pickup that is super articulate and very expressive. I'm seriously thinking about dropping a set into my Carvin AE 185 if I keep that guitar. They sound absolutely fantastic with both running together also. The high gain tones are also really nice. Very warm and smooth but also super clear and articulate. They are also very quiet for a non potted pickup because of the plain enamel wire used to wind them. I should think a Holdsworth would work pretty well both output and tonally with a Classic Stack. Many here know I am a long time Kiesel Carvin fan. The Holdsworth pickups are one of their best. I love most of the Kiesel Alnico pickups but hate the ceramic pickups with the boosters they seem to push hard in a burn with fire kind of way.
Here is Mark Kiesel talking about working with Holdsworth and in particular designing the Holdsworth pickups.

 

[Ascension]

I wouldn't describe a PG as warm at all, btw. It is on the brighter side of PAF-type pickups.

I agree, they have a high mid-sizzle in particular that is cool for some things, but you can't dial it out.

 

[jeremy]

i agree there is a high mid peak with the pg, but i only play clean to mid-gain and love that pup. i ride the volume all the time, and i think it works great in strats.

not sure what you mean that the holdsworth is quiet due to the plain enamel wire used, that makes no sense at all. it does sound like a cool pup the way you describe it though

 

[Mincer]

I don't think the wire used anywhere in a guitar really affects the sound at all.