Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

cvansickle

cvansickle

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I put a Pearly Gates neck model into my Charvel So-Cal this past weekend. It joins a Custom Custom bridge that I'm already happy with.

Hoooooooollllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeee Cow! What a great sounding pickup! It really sounds awesome in this guitar! Played clean or dirty, it has both bite and smoothness. It sounds great split too, and blends with the CC very well too.

So, why haven't I heard more about this pickup in the past 20 years? Why have I never been tempted to try it before? Think of all the years of killer tone I could have been enjoying! Better late than never, right?
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

uhm..it's EXTREMELY popular around here on the forums. Check out any "what pickup should I put in my Les Paul" thread, and you'll see. As to where you've been, only you can answer that :D

I agree it's a great neck pup, and takes care of most of the issues I have with the 59. Some people find them to have too much treble/high end content though. Really depends on the guitar you are putting it in. I think it sounds better in a short scale with a maple cap than solid mahogany as the low mids can make the lower strings/registers sound muffled/muddy.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

I can't be reading this type of thread. I can't afford to.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

I've always loved the PG and think that if there were only one humbucker in the world, it would have to be the PG. It can do anything. I've got my PGn paired with a P-90b and I think I have the perfect guitar.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

... this seems like a pickup i should try out. as soon as humanly possible.

by the way, it's been at Sam Ash all this time.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

You got me fiending for one. I bought a PRS CE24 that is just aching for a PG Neck and a Duncan Custom bridge. Perhaps a PG+ and a Custom 8....... awwww now look what ya done did Cvansickle. I'm gassin so hard I need Beano !!! LOL
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

yeah, these posts sure tempt me....got a LP that needs a neck pup right now too.. but was thinking the new slash model
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

I think the excessive LP focus has maybe been where it has been hiding.

PG CC has to be a good combo in that!
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

The Pearly Gates neck is definitely my favorite Duncan neck humbucker.

Brightish Alnico II in the neck is as close to perfect as it gets. I also like the 59 for it's lead tone, but it doesn't do rhythm as well as the PG. And the PGn solo tone is beautiful.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

JeffB said:
Some people find them to have too much treble/high end content though. Really depends on the guitar you are putting it in. I think it sounds better in a short scale with a maple cap than solid mahogany as the low mids can make the lower strings/registers sound muffled/muddy.
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I find the PG neck too bright & thin in a Les Paul. But a PG bridge in the neck spot beefs it up without taking away its Pearly Gates-ness. And the output level matches perfectly with a CC or JB.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

I used to have a PGn in the neck and it was badass too. It was the beginning of my realization that I prefer P-90 tones in the neck. It was the first pickup that had a lot of bite in the neck for me. It just like flipped a switch in my brain and I was like "Ohhhhh so that's what I like in the neck.." It has that bite and that fatness at the same time. The only thing was it lacked those overtones. I ended up playing a Les Paul with a P-90 in the neck and had another revelation "Ohhhhh I like more overtones in the neck.." Then I bought a Dimarzio Bluesbucker (supposed to replicate a P-90) and am in heaven. Thank you Pearly Gates neck haha. It might not have been my ideal tone from the start but it made me realize what I wanted.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

kevinabb said:
I find the PG neck too bright & thin in a Les Paul. But a PG bridge in the neck spot beefs it up without taking away its Pearly Gates-ness. And the output level matches perfectly with a CC or JB.
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Bridge versions of vintage output humbuckers is always a good option, especially when mating them with high output bridge pickups. Plus, you've still got the option of moving them around in any position.

I've got a Custom/Jazz B in one LP and it's a great set.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

JeffB said:
uhm..it's EXTREMELY popular around here on the forums. Check out any "what pickup should I put in my Les Paul" thread, and you'll see. As to where you've been, only you can answer that :D

I agree it's a great neck pup, and takes care of most of the issues I have with the 59. Some people find them to have too much treble/high end content though. Really depends on the guitar you are putting it in. I think it sounds better in a short scale with a maple cap than solid mahogany as the low mids can make the lower strings/registers sound muffled/muddy.
Click to expand...

Could be why I didn't care for it. I put one in the neck of my all Mahogany Hamer Artist and thought it was good but not as good as a 59, which I now have in the neck position.

The PG was a little to tame. The 59 is more aggressive/percussive which is what I was looking for.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

PG is nice...Gibson Burstbucker sounds better!

It's kinda funny I see all the Classic '57's and Burstbucker's for sale that people are pulling out of their new Gibson's. I've been playing for quite some time and have tried most of the Duncan and Dimarzio humbuckers and too me...the Gibson's are the best.
 
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Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

After all the emotional testimonials I've been reading here, I've acquired a pair of PG's myself and am waiting for a deal on an LP to install them in.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

saladin said:
PG is nice...Gibson Burstbucker sounds better!

It's kinda funny I see all the Classic '57's and Burstbucker's for sale that people are pulling out of their new Gibson's. I've been playing for quite some time and have tried most of the Duncan and Dimarzio humbuckers and too me...the Gibson's are the best.
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Personally I can't stand Gibsons other than the 57 classic and their P-90's. Goes to show how subjective pickups are.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

After doing alot of youtubing and reading threads like this i´ve come to think that the Pearly Gates are one of the most versatile pickup-sets you can have in a Les Paul.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

The PG is actually better with trem block guitars, IMHO. Too much low-mid push otherwise.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Neck - Where Have You Been All My Life?

blueman335 said:
After all the emotional testimonials I've been reading here, I've acquired a pair of PG's myself and am waiting for a deal on an LP to install them in.
Click to expand...

Had I known..you could have saved some $. My nearly new honeyburst Epi with PG set is for sale :D
 
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