Pearly Gates Sound Description

I

Intoxicate

New member
Hey,

I tried the tone wizard a couple of times and realized he always suggests me a 59 for warm woods, when I select brighter woods he tends to suggest the pearly gates humbuckers.

Here in the pickup lounge I always read the pearly gates sounds somehow bright due to his mismatched coil-windings.

What kind of bright is this when the tone wizard and the tone chards describes the pearly gates as a warm pickup?

The guitar for the pearly gates will be a self built les paul (mahagoni, maple top + ebony fingerboard). I mostly play classic rock.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

Have you tried the sound samples? Listen to the difference carefully between the 59 bridge and PG bridge in the "dirty" setting. The PG has more top end crunch, for sure.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

The Pearly Gates is not a classic PAF - it's THE classic PAF. It has a nice amount of bass, but is not boomy. It has a spike in the upper-mids that cuts through. The A2 mag gives it a sweet vintage icing on top! The coils are mismatched, which adds a bit of sizzle/fizziness at the top end which is just spicy enough. The mismatched coils, IMO also add a bit of "air" to it that really make it have a lively 3d sound. Much more so than the standard 59. It is the ultimate LP neck pup. No mud and great highs and cut. Overall, I don't know that I'd like a PG bridge in a super bright guitar. I can't say what the ebony neck will do, although I'm sure it will accentuate the highs. ebony, 25 1/4 inch scale neck and PG bridge might be a bit much. But a 300k volume pot might tame it right up! A lot of people bag on the PG bridge - but, in most LP's, it's really great. But in an almost any LP it is amazing in the neck for PAF goodness! They are great classic rock pups. See the entire ZZ top catalogue, and a lot of Skynyrd for examples of that kind of sound.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

some people say its mismatched.. other say its symetrical... id like to know wich one is true, i think someone once posted that they tried reading each individual coils and that they where equal
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

The two pearly gates I've got here (neck + bridge) have both mismatched coils!
I just can't try them because the guitar is not finished yet ;)

Aceman said:
See the entire ZZ top catalogue, and a lot of Skynyrd for examples of that kind of sound.
Click to expand...

This is the sound I hope to get!
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

I think the sound clips of the PG's on the site are really accurate. Check them out. I love my Pearly's!!!
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

I don't think the mismatched coils on the PG are just different amounts of wire, I think it's more in the wind patterns, as there's not that much difference in terms of resistance.

It has a unique, airy sound that gets real edgy as you crank the gain; that can be good or bad, depending on personal preference and amps/playing style, etc. I agree that the soundclips are very close to my findings, among the SD pups I've tried.

I really like the PG in some of my LPs, but I had one in an ebony-necked LP studio's bridge once and it was like a buzz saw in the upper mids. Ended up with a 59 in that guitar (after a brief period with a C5) and it's a much better match. I think PGb is at its best in a warm, full-bodied LP, which that one isn't.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

Aceman said:
The Pearly Gates is not a classic PAF - it's THE classic PAF. It has a nice amount of bass, but is not boomy. It has a spike in the upper-mids that cuts through. The A2 mag gives it a sweet vintage icing on top! The coils are mismatched, which adds a bit of sizzle/fizziness at the top end which is just spicy enough. The mismatched coils, IMO also add a bit of "air" to it that really make it have a lively 3d sound. Much more so than the standard 59. It is the ultimate LP neck pup. No mud and great highs and cut. Overall, I don't know that I'd like a PG bridge in a super bright guitar. I can't say what the ebony neck will do, although I'm sure it will accentuate the highs. ebony, 25 1/4 inch scale neck and PG bridge might be a bit much. But a 300k volume pot might tame it right up! A lot of people bag on the PG bridge - but, in most LP's, it's really great. But in an almost any LP it is amazing in the neck for PAF goodness! They are great classic rock pups. See the entire ZZ top catalogue, and a lot of Skynyrd for examples of that kind of sound.
Click to expand...


Does this mean i have to buy yet another Epi LP just to get a set of PG's ?!

You guys are gonna make me bankrupt :eek13:
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

I need to try this pup in another guitar. The one i had it in before had a maple neck and i had the action way too low, so the PG sounded thin, harsh, and buzzsawish like someone else mentioned. I think it had alot to do with the guitar. Because when i listen to the sound samples (SO MUCH HELP!) i can tell its not harsh and thin at all compared to some pickups that i love. I wanna try the jazz and AIIpro bridge models first though.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

SirJackdeFuzz said:
Does this mean i have to buy yet another Epi LP just to get a set of PG's ?!

You guys are gonna make me bankrupt :eek13:
Click to expand...


ACEMAN pretty much summed it up

I can't explain it, but I LOVE APH1's for their softer side of vintage vibe. Meanwhile, when recording, I found that my PRS with the PG's in it has the imediate tightness and attitude while being vintage.

Some people see it as sizzly or harsh, but in band situations you will love the cut. It's way tighter on the bottom than the CC or APH1 - which can be kinda loose on the bottom.

To me the PG gives you modern attitude from a pup that TOTALLY VINTAGE. I also think the PG is one of the few NON-BOUTIQUE PUPS that can be vintage while slamming the amp just enough to get more gain and attitude. I am well over my high output pup phase (years ago), but sometimes I want more than a vintage style PAF gives.

The PG has a little thicker and nastier so the amp might cry a bit more, without going all JB on ya. (A good pup in its own right, of course).

In the neck the PG is shockingly airy and sweet, but not as hollown fat as the APH1. It's more balanced. I think the sound samples on th site accurately reflect the different vibes - in fact, I love the sites samples for what they are meant to accomplish.

I have yet to try Seths, but I imagine they are much more hollow and sweet.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

+1
What aceman said is totally right on, i was actually listening to lynard skynard when i read this and was thinking how much it sounded like my PG neck.. right on!
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

One of my favorite neck buckers of all time is a Pearly Gates (Especially in a Les Paul).
Also really matches up well with a BroBucker.
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

the c5 came out after the clips were done, im pretty sure there is a cc clip
 
Re: Pearly Gates Sound Description

These do have a nice top end nice and crunchy. I have one in the bridge of a Jackson superlite soloist Mohog body with a flame maple cap and 59 in the neck nice setup for sure great for pretty any kind of Rock music. Good luck and I hope this helps.
 
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