Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

[dr.barlo]

PG's are great pickups. Warren Hayes used and uses them, but I wasn't always sure if Gibbons used them too. Because afterall he is the owner of the real Pearly. Check out the following post from the LPF:

The "Guitar Player" was the February 1981 issue.Gibbons was asked " What year was the guitar made?" Gibbons; 1959. and I've built up quite a collection of solidbody guitars, and it's mainly because of Pearly. Pearly has such a distinct tone that I was in search of another guitar that would come close to that particular sound and so far , she remains queen. G.P.;Is Pearly stock? Gibbons; Oh yeah, all the way. Right out of the box. Later Gibbons states ; The only other instrument I have found that I'm really satisfied with is this thing our buddy Mark Erlewine is doing out of Austin. G.P. ; Is that the guitar with Re. Willy G " inlayed in the fingerboard ? Gibbons ; Yes . He incorporated a lot of the same elements that Pearly has.----- We got together with Seymour Duncan out there in California for the pickup. Seymour was familiar with Pearly and had inspected it at close range on a couple of occasions. With that, in conjunction with the workmanship out of Erlewine's factory, we came up with a real nice piece. I'm using it quite a bit. That and Pearly are my mainstays just now.--- Later in interview G.P.; On Cheap Sunglasses you have a part before the solo that sounds a little like a train whistle . Gibbons ; yeah Strat tremolo with a little feedback. The second solo was with the Erlewine guitar. Later G.P. What kind of pick do you use? Gibbons ; I use a quarter. I play with a .25cent piece.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

:cool3: Thanks for the interesting read, Doc.

 

[ledzepp29]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

the solos in cheap sun glasses were what got me to buy the pearly gates and I'm very satisfied. I said to myself that the solo was probably the real pearly, but if it sounded anything like that that would be awesome. its cool to know that that solo was a seymour duncan PG!! thanks

 

[jeremy]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

cool stuff doc! love those pgs!!

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

Shameless bump!

B

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

I will say this...the PG is very much a PAF type tone but somehow it has a different charater and vibe...I love these pickups, and I think they have a sound that is very much their own! Pearly gates always had a late 50's Les Paul type sound but somehow different, and Ithink that the Duncan PG pups capture that pretty well...They do fine in lots of guitars, but if you put them in an LP and a Billy F Gibbons approved amp/fuzz box set-up you will be as close as any mortal can get the "The Tone"!!!


BTW...as a history lesson...does anybody here know why Billy calls that guitar Pearly Gates?

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

BTW...as a history lesson...does anybody here know why Billy calls that guitar Pearly Gates?

Because it takes him into Heaven? Just guessing...

 

[tiefightertk069]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

BTW...as a history lesson...does anybody here know why Billy calls that guitar Pearly Gates?

Wasn't that the name of the Cadilliac he sold to buy the guitar or something?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

Wasn't that the name of the Cadilliac he sold to buy the guitar or something?

we're grtting warm...I heard it was a Packard, and I heard he gave it away to a girl to get to LA, and she sold the car and sent Billy the money...that's just what I heard. The car in question was named Pearly Gates...so now the guitar carries the name.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Some Cool Info: PG and Gibbons

Thanks,

I had forgotten about that interview. Billy is one of a kind (don;t think I'll be using a quarter as a pick anytime soon though :smoker: )

Jeff