You guys using the Pearly Gates and what do you think of them?

[357mag]

How many of you guys have experience with the Pearly Gates set? I've long been thinking of trying a set. I play mostly hard rock and metal with lots of gain.

 

[beaubrummels]

I've used them, one of my favorites. Great all around set, could be a factory default for Gibson type guitars. Has more brightness than other pickups. Great for an SG or warmer Les Paul. One of the best stock necks you can buy. Has some bottom end thump to them also. Reasonably tight. Something like a 59 then add some top and bottom end to it, but none of the negatives people complain about the 59 (PG is not so scooped in the bridge, PG neck is not tubby)

 

[David Garner]

I have the Custom Shop set in one of my Les Pauls and love it. It’s not my first choice for metal, though it will do heavier rock just fine. I have the JB/59 set in my other LP and that’s the one I reach for when the gain gets dialed up.

 

[Artie]

What beau said. I have a set also. Love 'em.

 

[jeremy]

i have a set and i love em but i dont play the heavies much any more. a buddy of mine plays metal with a fractal and he uses a pgb and loves it in his jacksons

 

[Toejam]

I've got the PG set in my '97 PRS CE24, and it sounds great. Does metal with lots of gain really well. It's relatively tight sounding unlike how most A2 magnet pickups can get a little loose/flubby. Seems well balanced in sound, not too warm in the neck and not too bright in the bridge.

 

[Securb]

I have the neck with a P-Rails bridge. The one thing I can say is the PGn splits really nice. The best Stratty sound I have heard with a split humbucker.

 

[Artie]

The best Stratty sound I have heard with a split humbucker.

That's good to know. I've never tried my PG's split. I'll check it out.

 

[Aceman]

I have had a set or two. Currently, I have A PGn/Custom in a Dean Cadillac, and a PG set in another Caddy, with my 9k PG in the bridge.

Honestly, they are my favorite PAF style set period, and I would play about anything with them. Are they Uber-tight ceramic screamers? No. Am I going to suss out authentic Ride The Lightning? No.

But, I play Ratt, Dokken, Skid Row, Cinderella, GnR etc with them and am just fine with that.

 

[Mincer]

They are best in darker guitars. They are also not as powerful as most hard rock or metal pickups, so you might need to boost the signal with a pedal or preamp gain down the line.

 

[Liam1963]

I have a couple of sets, love them!

 

[Drak]

I have a PGB in the bridge of a Chinese 335 paired with a DiMarzio DP211 EJ neck in the neck.

So, it's not really designed to be a rock machine, and the PG still sounds great in there.

IIRC, I'm running 250K pots in it.

 

[Ascension]

Running a PG Neck in my Purple Quilt Carvin DC 127 hardtail with a Perpetual Burn in the bridge. Love the PG neck in particular for a nice sweet clear neck pickup. The set is really cool in a 24'75 scale mahogany neck and body guitar but can be pretty bright in longer scale brighter guitars. In the right guitar with the right amp they are pure magic for sweet smooth blusey tones to hard rock.
Live tones with the DC 127 PG neck PB through my Mesa F 30 this is a fantastic clear sweet and very versatile pickup combo.

 

[Ascension]

They are best in darker guitars. They are also not as powerful as most hard rock or metal pickups, so you might need to boost the signal with a pedal or preamp gain down the line.

Agreed but with a really dynamic fluid touch sensitive high gain amp like my PRS Archon or MT 15 they absolutely kill. These amps REALLY like lower output pickups that are very dynamic and touch sensitive with a pickup like the PG the combination really shines. Very clear sweet and articulate with some serious attitude they play VERY well with the fluid smooth singing melodic tones from amps like this as also does the SNS set.

 

[beaubrummels]

Running a PG Neck in my Purple Quilt Carvin DC 127 hardtail with a Perpetual Burn in the bridge. Love the PG neck in particular for a nice sweet clear neck pickup. The set is really cool in a 24'75 scale mahogany neck and body guitar but can be pretty bright in longer scale brighter guitars. In the right guitar with the right amp they are pure magic for sweet smooth blusey tones to hard rock.
Live tones with the DC 127 PG neck PB through my Mesa F 30 this is a fantastic clear sweet and very versatile pickup combo.

The PG neck really is the quintessential PAF neck pickup. Solves every problem people complain about neck HB pickups.

 

[esandes]

Agreed but with a really dynamic fluid touch sensitive high gain amp like my PRS Archon or MT 15 they absolutely kill. These amps REALLY like lower output pickups that are very dynamic and touch sensitive with a pickup like the PG the combination really shines. Very clear sweet and articulate with some serious attitude they play VERY well with the fluid smooth singing melodic tones from amps like this as also does the SNS set.

The beauty of SD pups is they are also attack sensitive just like how you describe the amp. I love when I dig in and the pup gives the amp the extra juice.

anyway nice to hear about the PG. I have a dark sounding strat that I'd like to bring back to life.

 

[Ascension]

Have a little different perspective on the PG as of today. This morning was at a local shop and they had a mint PG Trembucker bridge in Zebra for almost nothing. It now resides in the bridge of my Purple Quilt Carvin DC 127 hardtail with a PG neck also in Zebra. Really liking the set in this guitar dynamically open and touch sensitive . Great overwound PAF tone that plays very well with a good high gain amp like my Zinky or the PRS's. In this guitar it has bite but is not harsh has a big sweet tone and has great clarity. It's no metal monster but is a solid classic rock / blues to big smooth clean tone guitar and gives me something that I didn't have as a tool.

 

[hamerfan]

My main complaint with the PG set is the weak bridge pickup (btw i have 2 bridge models these measure 7.9 and 8.1 out of the circuit). I swapped some mags in like UOA5, A8 and an A6. I highly recommend the A6.

 

[Aceman]

Pearly Gates neck and bridge at 1:28 to end

 

[EliasBolton]

Running a PG Neck in my Purple Quilt Carvin DC 127 hardtail with a Perpetual Burn in the bridge. Love the PG neck in particular for a nice sweet clear neck pickup. The set is really cool in a 24'75 scale mahogany neck and body guitar but can be pretty bright in longer scale brighter guitars. In the right guitar with the right amp they are pure magic for sweet smooth blusey tones to hard rock.
Live tones with the DC 127 PG neck PB through my Mesa F 30 this is a fantastic clear sweet and very versatile pickup combo.

Thank you!