Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

T

Tumblinman

New member
I'm thinking about buying a pair of Pearly Gates for my Ibanez S (thin mahogany body, bubinga top, locking tremolo). However, I'm a little worried that they will sound a little thin and trebly in this type of guitar. Have always been interested in the PG pickups but have never tried or heard them in person. Will mostly be playing blues with a clean or lightly overdriven tone.

Any insight or personal experiences of this would be greatly appreciated!

/ Tumblinman
 
Re: Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

No - but consider the Duncan Exchange policy. I love PG's and am optimistic.

What amp/fx/style of music?
 
Re: Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

Mass does not always equal thicker tone. I have guitars that weigh half as much as my LP Standard did that have a darker tone than it did.

Only way to know if you'll like it is to try it.
However, the PG was designed initially for a specific player and a specific guitar and each have specific tonal character. That's always something to consider when looking at "artist model" pickups.
 
Re: Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

I played Ibanez S470's for years. If I were going for what you are talking about, I would go for a PATB3 bridge and PATB neck first. The PG bridge is going to be really bright and fairly thin with that ZR trem, and the PGn will be dark and muddy in comparison. I tried the PG set back when I had one and did not like it.
 
Re: Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

Does your Ibanez S have a ZR trem? I've owned an S470 and played several ZR-equipped S's that have all sounded pretty dark. How does your guitar sound to you? I think you will be fine with the Pearly Gates.
 
Re: Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

The PATB pickups were designed to give term equipped guitars the thick meaty tone of a good PAF pickup, at least the PATB-3 was. I have a term equipped guitar that I could never get to sound right, and its very light and thin. I put a PATB-1 in the bridge and a PATB-n stacked single on the neck slot, it's a H -S guitar. It finally sounded alive and like I wanted it to. I do plan to switch my bridge to the PATB-3 sometime soon. The one I have in now is a tad too hot and compressed for my taste, but so much better than anything I tried over the past 20 years.
 
Re: Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

Yes, my guitar has the ZR tremolo. I wouldn't say the guitar sounds overly bright nor overly warm - it's pretty "well behaved" in that respect. However, sometimes I feel that it's a little lightweight and lacks punch - I guess it's something in the attack of the note.

The Patb pickups sounds interesting, but I'm looking to buy second hand and those rarely pop up here in Sweden. The Pearly Gates are more common in the ads and, thus, easier to obtain. Though, in light of your responses, I'm leaning more to the notion that they will not be the right choice for this guitar.
 
Re: Pearly Gates with locking trelomo Ibanez S

PGn could be dark in short scale 22 frets guitar but it has no problem in long scale 24 fretter. It will compensate the inherent thinness of S trem series. You can go with Custom Custom in the bridge.
 
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