Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

[Archer250]

So, I've used the PG bridge in a strat. I've used a PG neck in a superstrat along with a JB.

My first time using the set in a LP I own.

First impressions: the bridge pickup is as awesome as ever. The attitude is there. Everything I wanted out of my "main" is there. Aggressive mids that clean up with the volume knob well.

The neck pickup still has that nice vocal quality to it. Great for soloing. It sounds a bit dark relative to the bridge, but not overly so

The middle position is where the magic happens: there's this nice blend of smooth creamy juiciness with some twang on top.

I bought these as transition humbuckers, trying things out before settling on something else... But I think they're staying.

PS: the dealer didn't have nickel covers or nickel PGs stocked for the time being, so I had Gibson 42.9mms installed professionally.

PPS: yes, I know this particular guitar isn't exactly a Les Paul[emoji769], but it's close enough even Agnesi would have to look twice.

PPPS: computer's fried. No audio review yet.

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[jeremy]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

sweet! been a big fan of the pg set for a long time, looks good in there

 

[gsammo79]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

So, I've used the PG bridge in a strat. I've used a PG neck in a superstrat along with a JB.

My first time using the set in a LP I own.

First impressions: the bridge pickup is as awesome as ever. The attitude is there. Everything I wanted out of my "main" is there. Aggressive mids that clean up with the volume knob well.

The neck pickup still has that nice vocal quality to it. Great for soloing. It sounds a bit dark relative to the bridge, but not overly so

The middle position is where the magic happens: there's this nice blend of smooth creamy juiciness with some twang on top.

I bought these as transition humbuckers, trying things out before settling on something else... But I think they're staying.

PS: the dealer didn't have nickel covers or nickel PGs stocked for the time being, so I had Gibson 42.9mms installed professionally.

PPS: yes, I know this particular guitar isn't exactly a Les Paul[emoji769], but it's close enough even Agnesi would have to look twice.

PPPS: computer's fried. No audio review yet.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

I'm a Gibbons fan, but I've never been super sure if I would like the stock PG bridge. The demos I've heard of it online have left me unsure about it. Wasnt sure if I would find it thin or too bright. I may have to give the PG bridge a try if I get a 2nd axe to throw it in.

 

[EmiAba]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

The neck pickup still has that nice vocal quality to it. Great for soloing. It sounds a bit dark relative to the bridge, but not overly so

Same issue I had with a PG neck in a les paulish guitar. It was too dark even with 500k pots to really appreciate its tone. After a while I swapped it with a jazz. I regret this choice now. I should give it a second chance.
Check the pots in your guitar. If they are 300k you could alway try a 500k to bright the PG a little.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

Same issue I had with a PG neck in a les paulish guitar. It was too dark even with 500k pots to really appreciate its tone. After a while I swapped it with a jazz. I regret this choice now. I should give it a second chance.
Check the pots in your guitar. If they are 300k you could alway try a 500k to bright the PG a little.

They're 500s

I replaced the entire set with CTS 500s. I actually like it tbh. It's just different

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[Archer250]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

I'm a Gibbons fan, but I've never been super sure if I would like the stock PG bridge. The demos I've heard of it online have left me unsure about it. Wasnt sure if I would find it thin or too bright. I may have to give the PG bridge a try if I get a 2nd axe to throw it in.

I'll make a few vids in the coming days.

The PG bridge is light on the bass spectrum, but it has so much mids it's not thin or anemic at all

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[audiocheck]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

Same issue I had with a PG neck in a les paulish guitar. It was too dark even with 500k pots to really appreciate its tone. After a while I swapped it with a jazz. I regret this choice now. I should give it a second chance.
Check the pots in your guitar. If they are 300k you could alway try a 500k to bright the PG a little.

Do the High Pass filter mod. It's a cap inline with the pickup. It worked like a charm for 2 of my LP neck pups.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

warren haynes used a pgb in his main les paul in the late 80's and early 90's into his slo100, always loved that tone. and his playing back then too!

 

[Big Mike Blues]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

warren haynes used a pgb in his main les paul in the late 80's and early 90's into his slo100, always loved that tone. and his playing back then too!

Oh man, that first Gov't mule album? And those live ABB albums were crushing!
he used the middle position a ton. Not sure how he was mixing them,

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

496r neck, pgb bridge in his main lp for a while. theres a bit of footage on youtube if you wanna watch what he was doing. used all three positions and messed with the knobs a lot! in the early days it was guitar into slo with a rack delay and that was it. used a red strat for a while too but that faded out in the early 90's

 

[Big Mike Blues]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

496r neck, pgb bridge in his main lp for a while. theres a bit of footage on youtube if you wanna watch what he was doing. used all three positions and messed with the knobs a lot! in the early days it was guitar into slo with a rack delay and that was it. used a red strat for a while too but that faded out in the early 90's

yeah lace sensor strat with the matching headstock.
That's all over his first solo album 'tales of ordinary madness' as well. KILLER tones.
EVM's I think then too so it was all SLO for the tones.

 

[gsammo79]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

496r neck, pgb bridge in his main lp for a while. theres a bit of footage on youtube if you wanna watch what he was doing. used all three positions and messed with the knobs a lot! in the early days it was guitar into slo with a rack delay and that was it. used a red strat for a while too but that faded out in the early 90's

Thanks. I'll give it a listen, man.

 

[jimilee]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

I put PGs in my SG. I really dig them a lot.


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[jeremy]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

yeah lace sensor strat with the matching headstock.
That's all over his first solo album 'tales of ordinary madness' as well. KILLER tones.
EVM's I think then too so it was all SLO for the tones.

mid boost in the strat too which is a big part of its sound. i think they were lace silvers if memory serves but i could be wrong.

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

I have the set in my les paul too. Its great for rock and a little hard rock. My bridge pup has the MJ sticker

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[HeavyRevy]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

Whole heartedly agree with your review. I put in a pair with 4 push / pull pots from Jonesy in a Gibson LP Studio HP.
Agree with the dark on the neck pickup.
If I were to change one thing in the future it would be changing the .22 cap for a .17 on the neck pickup.
Dark seems easier to find on a neck pickup than bright. If that's what you are looking for, which I kind of was.

 

[Big Mike Blues]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

mid boost in the strat too which is a big part of its sound. i think they were lace silvers if memory serves but i could be wrong.

Gold.

No boost in warren's I dont think, that as just teh Clapton model.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

Whole heartedly agree with your review. I put in a pair with 4 push / pull pots from Jonesy in a Gibson LP Studio HP.
Agree with the dark on the neck pickup.
If I were to change one thing in the future it would be changing the .22 cap for a .17 on the neck pickup.
Dark seems easier to find on a neck pickup than bright. If that's what you are looking for, which I kind of was.

I was able to make the neck sound more balanced by fiddling with the pole piece heights

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[jeremy]

Re: Pearly Gates set in a Les Paul - short review

Gold.

No boost in warren's I dont think, that as just teh Clapton model.

pretty sure there was the mid boost. i remember him playing that guitar when i was a kid and when he was done soloing, hed always roll back the last tone knob and things would be less fat and clean up.