Why not the PGn and JB?

hanumanlangur

hanumanlangur

New member
Ever heard of a person pairing a Pearly Gates with a JB? I haven't, but it occured to me the other day that this could be an excellent combination. Both have a bit of a bright voicing, have a bump in the upper-mids that gives them a bit of a singing quality, are harmonically rich, sensitive to picking technique, etc. Despite the A2 magnet, it almost seems like the EQ and response of the Pearly Gates is closer to the JB than an A5 neck pickup like the '59 is.

I'm starting to get really curious about this, but I don't have another guitar to try it out in. :(

Any thoughts on this? Has anyone tried this combination?
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

I was listening to the sound clips on the seymourduncan main site, and the combo I liked was a PGn, and a DD in the bridge spot. For some reason I don't dig the JB clip on the site.

edit: I just listened to the clips again (JB, DD bridge, and Invader bridge) and I must say that my Invader bridge sounds way more piercing than on the site.

But anyway, my point was, yeah I thought of the PGn and a JB. I might actually end up putting a JB in where the Invader is in a few weeks... I saw one of my favorite guitar players playing through a TSL with a JB in a strat, and it was ****in' balls to the walls - sounded amazing.
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

I did it on my Hamer. The PGn was great, and the mix was good, but I'm not a huge fan of the JB's loose bottom.
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

That would propably be the ultimate lead guitar set (well Alternative 8 might be even better). Rhythm stuff wouldn't be as good, but, if JB was good enough for Dave Mustaine, I think it'll do that sorta stuff just fine.
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

hanumanlangur said:
Ever heard of a person pairing a Pearly Gates with a JB? I haven't, but it occured to me the other day that this could be an excellent combination. Both have a bit of a bright voicing, have a bump in the upper-mids that gives them a bit of a singing quality, are harmonically rich, sensitive to picking technique, etc. Despite the A2 magnet, it almost seems like the EQ and response of the Pearly Gates is closer to the JB than an A5 neck pickup like the '59 is.

I'm starting to get really curious about this, but I don't have another guitar to try it out in. :(

Any thoughts on this? Has anyone tried this combination?
Click to expand...

It is an excellent combination in mahogany for sure!

Michael Angelo Batio used that combo for a couple of tracks on his "No Boundaries" album. "Peace" remains my favourite MAB tone to this day and he used that combo on that song.

If i were a rich man (la la la la la la la la la) i'd have 2 set neck mahogany guitars, 1 with the Duncan C5/Jazz combo, the other with the JB/Pearly Gates. Both are sweet combos and Duncans sound especially great in mahogany for some reason.
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

I read back in the 80's or 90's Greg Martin from Kentucky Headhunters used that combo in his les paul.

I had a set in my Westbury deluxe for bout 8 years. Sounded good, but one day I decided to warm up my guitar(maple body) with an alnico II and cc. Haven't looked back.
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

rivera213 said:
It is an excellent combination in mahogany for sure!
Click to expand...

Not in my mahogany guitars. JB's just don't work for me; tried several in several guitars. Maybe my ears are sensitive to that ice pick spike. It's the most overrated PU I've ever used.
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

blueman335 said:
Not in my mahogany guitars. JB's just don't work for me; tried several in several guitars. Maybe my ears are sensitive to that ice pick spike. It's the most overrated PU I've ever used.
Click to expand...

It all depends on how you play it. You can get harsh tones out of it if your picking technique is harsh, but you can also get warm, full tones with rich harmonics that almost sound like a neck humbucker. As Seymour wrote in the 1982 SD catalog....
My favorite all-around humbucker is the JB Model. That's the one I use myself. [...] The SH-4 is very sensitive with the best harmonics you ever heard. It gives you the best of both worlds: from sweet warm tones to raw rock and roll.
Click to expand...

He got it right: it's a very sensitive pickup that really responds to the way it's played.
 
Re: Why not the PGn and JB?

It's a great combination.

I have it in my PRS CU22.

NEVER TO BE REPLACED !!!!!!!!
 
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