Pearly Gates Neck question....

K

KBliss

New member
When i finish paying for my Sterling (Musicman) AX40 (Axis wannabe), im gonna try the C/59 hybrid in the bridge. For the neck pickup Im probably gonna (finally!) try the Pearly Gates-n, although for the life of me, I can't find many decent PG-n audio samples online so I have very little to go on (mostly words like rude, sweet, nasty..)

The AX40 has:

Basswood body/Maple cap/mapleneck, bolt-on
NonFloyd trem
No tone pots
One Vol, so one set level in mid position

Is there any reason that a PG-n would suffer greatly or else stink out loud in this instrument?

I know im asking for a guestimate based on conjecture, still... Im in the dark... I dont know what PG-n do, but i have to have one.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck question....

KBliss said:
I can't find many decent PG-n audio samples online so I have very little to go on (mostly words like rude, sweet, nasty..)
Click to expand...

Well, you could start with these two.
http://cdn.seymourduncan.com/audio/support/humbucker/Track11.mp3
http://cdn.seymourduncan.com/audio/support/humbucker/Track13.mp3

One problem is that the PG was originally developed with a Les Paul in mind (mahogany tonewood, set neck, TOM/Stopbar bridge assembly) rather than a Fender-inspired design.

In my experience, the PGn is in its element giving a fruity edge to single notes through a mildly overdriven valve amplifier. The pickup should have most of the properties of a PAF but with some of the overtones of a nice P90.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck question....

Should work well in a brighter guitar. For me, in warm woods, PGN's don't have enough treble and high end, rounded and smooth on top. Certainly wasn't the rude and nasty sound I was expecting (Seth is better for that). I put an A3 in the PGN to get a more aggressive tone; UOA5 and A4 would work too. I think you need a certain amount of treble (not too much though) to sound rude and nasty. With all the maple in your guitar, that shouldn't be a problem.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck question....

The PGn sounds as good in a Strat as it does in a Les Paul, maybe better, and it'll probably sound great in your guitar too. It's my favorite SD neck humbucker.

I like it because the bass response is not as boomy as an alnico 5 59n can be, especially with certain amp settings and playing styles.

And being alnico 2, the PGn has the kind of "rubbery" feeling mids that compress and expand in response to changes in my picking attack, especially when I'm soloing through a small amp turned way up.

It's also great for clean chord tones and for playing rhythm. You know: chords - what we guitarists play the 90% of the time that we're not taking a solo.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck question....

The PG would be an excellent companion for your hybrid. Also might want to consider the Screamin Demon.

In any case, try it stock with the A2 before swapping mags...you may just love it as-is.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck question....

Thanks for all your comments!

I ordered one, and if I don't like it, it's all your fault so I'll just come out & kill y'all one by one. ;)

Ackchewerly, I'm very pumped & optimistic that I'm going to like it.

Part of what swayed me was how this guitarist put hers with hybridC/59 in her one-vol-pot PRS & effortlessly employs both. Clearly they go well together, although it has to be factored in that she is DAMN FINE guitar player.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjlAT0yELHU

I'm very eager to try this legendary puppy after hearing so many recommendations!
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck question....

I could learn to play that. I just don't want to. And I'm not that hot even if I did.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck question....

@KBliss I have a pgn and a pg/custom hybrid setup in my Edwards LP and I'm havung a balance issue between the pu's. Now the pgn pu is not a muddy sounding pu, but when I put my hybrid in the bridge it made my pgn sound muddy in comparison to each other. You may not have this problem due to the different guitar wood. Just throughing mt 2cents out there.
 
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