Pearly Gates Lacking

[SavageRiffer]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

Sorry for not getting back to you guys sooner, but I decided to buy a new one. I installed it yesterday evening and it went well. The thing I was trying to avoid were all the assumptions. It wasn't a PG+, it's not the volume pots or pickup height. Those are all newb things. I'm not a newb anymore, so we can just assume that everything is as it should be. Now that we've cleared that part, let me explain what I found.

Here are the results: I have both PG's concurrently in two identical strats. Even the neck and body weights are nearly identical. Single volume pot, simple 2-way switch, nothing more. There is a Tex-Mex pickup installed in neck position. The new one I bought yesterday sounds slightly beefier and gives a little better sustain. The difference is rather subtle, but perceivable. The older one is a bit thinner and feels lower output even though they register similar DC resistances - new one measuring 8.3 and the old one measuring 8.2. They look exactly the same, same magnets, everything that I can see short of unfastening the coils looks identical.

I suppose if I hadn't had a Pearly Gates for so long, I wouldn't have noticed the difference, so I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all. It seems to be just how that pickup came off the production line. I'm starting to suspect that maybe before it bought it, the pickup was stacked near something that could possibly have degaussed it or something??? I have a few A2 mags laying around so I'll play with that later today.

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

yeah i have three copies of a Custom, they all sound slightly not identical,

 

[SavageRiffer]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

That's kind of bad and kind of cool also. It would be bad if you can't expect consistency, but cool because they have their own personalities.

 

[SavageRiffer]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

Here's a little update. So I tried another A2 mag... I want to say it changed something, but at this point I think my ears are playing tricks on me. It's not exactly the same, but I can still tell a difference from the new PG I bought yesterday. Hmmf, must just be the pickup. I'm thinking about having it rewound at the SD custom shop just to see what turns out. Maybe a slightly hotter wind will warm it up a bit.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

Well the 59 acts a bit hotter than what the dcr suggests. And you did have your previous PGs in another strat. So maybe the variables are bringing down an already not so strong pickup even further. Personally, I think 8k and less bridge pickups suck in the first place. I don't know why people act like they work.

I've rotated speakers recently and noticed funny thing related to this: Getting great tone with vintage spec bridge/middle parallel has always taken a bit work, which I simply thought to be the nature of that particular pickup combo in that guitar.

After I switched the Eminence Legend for a Greenback in a cab, great and distinctively middle/bridge parallel tone seemed to jump out easily. Never thought it could have that much difference in feel...

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

speakers make a huge difference to me in tone and feel. i love a greenback with some amps but not as much with others

 

[PicoRiveraTele]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

I third the idea that OP had a PG+ originally.

 

[NJLK]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

I just bought a custom shop Pearl Gates (p90 form factor), and boy is it lacking. Sounds quieter than any pickup I own, single coil and filtertrons included. Almost sounds like it's in parallel mode, but it's not. Tried all sorts of wiring combinations just to make sure SD didn't mislabel their wires. Worst part is, can't get their customer service on the phone, and when I do, all they tell me is "well, you probably wired something wrong, try one more combination and then get back to us."

 

[Jacew]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

I just bought a custom shop Pearl Gates (p90 form factor), and boy is it lacking. Sounds quieter than any pickup I own, single coil and filtertrons included. Almost sounds like it's in parallel mode, but it's not. Tried all sorts of wiring combinations just to make sure SD didn't mislabel their wires. Worst part is, can't get their customer service on the phone, and when I do, all they tell me is "well, you probably wired something wrong, try one more combination and then get back to us."

Could be a cold solder somewhere, or fried pot.

 

[NJLK]

Re: Pearly Gates Lacking

Could be a cold solder somewhere, or fried pot.

It's really not - the pickup is installed via Gibson's quick connect system. Old pickup works just fine, so pots are fine. I've redone the SD pickup's plug a couple of times. So, cold solder is not the issue, either - unless it's a joint between the pickup and the leads. Anyway, have to say, very disappointed with SD customer service/tech support. They were great when recommending this pickup. Now that there is an issue with it, it's "well, either you chose the wrong pickup or you did something wrong."