Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates

Humbucking, four conducter. Slightly overwound PAF style pickup.

Installed neck and bridge models in 2009 Les Paul Traditional. Replaced the stock Gibson 57 Classic set. I changed pickups because I have grown to appreciate Seymour Duncan pickups over the years and still have not heard a Gibson pickup that I like.

Output level is low to moderate, certainly within the PAF range. Both the neck and bridge pickups have more than enough output to get nasty, but you also get access to very nice clean tones as well. I purchased these pickups for one thing: range. I used to use hotter bridge pickups in the past and would pair them with various Duncan neck models (Jazz/Screamin Demon, PG/Custom Custom, 59/JB, and PG/JB). This time I decided to go with a Pearly Gates set for more of a vintage tone and I could not be happier. I don't get the same amount of power that I used to have with the JB or Custom Custom in the bridge position, but the sound is more useable. I can go from almost twangy to heavily distorted, and can cover everything in-between. I did not have the same amount of range or flexibility with hotter bridge models.

I am using the Pearly Gates set in my new Les Paul Traditional. I play through a 1974 Deluxe Reverb amp and use a Crunch Box and a FullDrive 2 for all dirty sounds.

I find the Pearly Gates pickups to be well balanced. The pickups cut through the live mix extremely well. Sustain is superb, and harmonics are abundant. The tone does lean toward the bright end of the spectrum, but the treble response is pleasant and is not of the icepick variety. Sometimes I roll the tone knob on the bridge pickup back to 4 for more creamy tones. Other times I roll the tone knob to ten for more sparkle, harmonics, and cut. I love the range of the pickups, they suit my various moods very well. Another important factor for me is the mid eq of the pickup. Other PAF style pickups I have tried have been too scooped sounding in the mids, the Pearly Gates pickups are just right.

I play in a modern worship band at my church, but also play classic rock, blues, and 80's metal. Major influences include the Edge, Gary Moore, Jimmy Page, and various shredders from the 80's. I find the Pearly Gates pickups to be a good match for everything I do. I would not recommend them for the detuned metal-riffing that all of the kids are doing these days. They sound fantastic in my Les Paul. I have another Les Paul on order and already have a Pearly Gates set for that one as well.

I have been playing for various churches and worship teams for over 14 years now. My instrument of choice is the Les Paul, but I began my musical journey with Stratocasters and Hendrix tunes. I have owned many Les Pauls and Les Paul-style instruments over the last several years. Nearly all of them had Seymour Duncan pickups. After using hotter bridge pickups for several years I decided to try a more vintage sounding set for my current Les Paul. I have been extremely happy with the results. My focus used to be power, now my focus is range and flexibility. The Pearly Gates pickups provide plenty of power and also give me access to cleaner and more complex sounds that were unavailable with the higher-output pickups I used in the past. I have used the Pearly Gates set extensively at home and on stage and feel that my search for Les Paul pickups is over.

The Pearly Gates are passive humbuckers with 4 conducter wiring. There are lots of different ways they can be wired. Seymour Duncan provides common wiring configurations with the pickups.

I installed these in the bridge and neck of my Dean Evo Special Select. The stock pickups with this guitar were lifeless and dull. The guitar itself is a quality instrument that plays so easily, that I decided to invest in these pickups.

I chose the Pearly Gates after listening to demos at Seymour Duncan's website.

These pickups are awesome. The wiring for my Dean allows coil-split and out-of-phase settings, and I can get quite a Strat-like sound from them. Otherwise, in full humbucking mode, these pickups really give me a fat, classic 70's rock sound that I love.

I play lots of different types of music, and use this guitar with various amps. I don't use a lot of effects. I find I can get the sound I want with little effort.

If my Dean were stolen now, I'd be quite upset. I've been playing over 30 years, have other guitars, but this one has become my favorite. I'm considering buying one for my Schecter in the bridge position, but have not decided what single coil I would buy for the neck pickup.

Make sure you have your guitar's wiring diagram before you replace the pickups if you are going to do this yourself! The wire colors on my Dean do not match the 'standard' Seymour Duncan color codes.

4 conductor passive humbuckers with nickel covers. Output readings are lower than Duncan's advertised 7.3k neck & 8.3 bridge. Mine measure 7.0k neck & 7.8k bridge. They sounds louder than those readings suggest though.

Fitted to my 2003 Tokai Love Rock LS70 Goldtop - a Japanese LP, mahogany body & set mahogany neck, maple top. Matched pair bridge & neck. Replacing the stock Tokai Mk III pickups, though I did briefly try an SD '59 neck humbucker.

For some reason, Billy F. Gibbons isn't listed as a user of these pickups, even though Seymour Duncan apparently designed them for him, to replicate the sound from his '59 LP Standard, Pearly Gates. Perhaps Billy has gone off them?

At home I play through a Cornell Romany Plus 10w Class A valve amp. With the band I use a Fender '63 Vibroverb RI. I play mainly blues, old soul (Stax, Motown etc.) & a some rock too. Picking up this guitar now makes me want to catch Billy's sound - is it my imagination or am I getting those pinched harmonics more often than I used to manage?

I briefly had an SD '59 in the neck position, & (as a Strat player for 25 years) I felt that it was a little muddy. The PG is just what I wanted from a neck humbucker, there is an openness in the top end that I don't usually hear from HBs. It's not as if they sound like a Strat neck pickup, but there's just enough openness to make them feel very responsive, even when played clean.

I fitted coil taps through push/pull pots, but I don't think I'll be using them much. But the out-of-phase wiring is excellent - Peter Green tone!

I'm wary of pickups with too much top end, or too harsh a top end. For me, these PGs get it just right, there's no harshness, they overdrive well, but they sounds good clean too, specially the neck position. Probably not a good choice for a bright instrument though, great for a Les Paul, but I wonder if I would like them on a Strat? I doubt it.

The output readings of 7.0k & 7.8k makes it look like they're quite weak, but that's not the impression that I get when playing them. I would say they are moderately loud, punchy, pokey, open & articulate, with maybe a rude edge to them. Overall - I'm very impressed.

If stolen, I would probably replace them. I'm toying with the idea of getting a set for my 335 (Tokai ES130), but maybe they wouldn't suit a 335 so well?

I've been playing for about 25 years, mainly Strats & Teles. I've only recently got the LP & I'm enjoying it. I still prefer a Strat & a Tele for gigs though.

Passive humbucking pickup with split wiring, which allows for single coil operation. Not sure about impedance.

This pickup is installed in the neck and bridge position on my Japanese Epiphone Scroll (SC 450). They replaced the original pickups which I found lacking in dynamics and tone. The guitar's original pickups did not complement the sustain and bite that this guitar has (all maple body & neck with rosewood fingerboard).

The PGs have a significantly larger output when compared to the original pickups; even the single coil selection sounds good - not the thin and brittle sound I got earlier.
I play my guitar through an old solid state marshall (5010) and I don't use effects. These pickups are incredible: they complement the guitar's tonal characteristics and realise its sound potential. Neck position sounds full, warm yet well-defined and the bridge position is bright with a real bite to it! The pickups respond well to dynamic play and the fairly bright tone is easily controlled with the tone knob.
I don't really play a particular style and focus mainly on practising technique these days - and these pickups have certainly open my eyes to what you can do with a guitar without any effects!

I have owned effects in the past, but at present I do not have anything other than my guitar and marshall amp. I would certainly buy these pickups again if I had reason to do so - I am impressed with seymour duncan quality! I have had a telecaster with lace sensor pickups, but I prefer the PGs - the warmth and dynamics are superb! I can't think of a better pickup at this moment. I was advised to have these pickups installed in my guitar by an excellent repair shop in Arnhem - and I am totally satisfied. I do wonder why pickups are as expensive as they are though... !

Humbucker pickup.

Installed in a 1954 Oxblood/special ebony finish VOS Les Paul Standard

Replaced a BB 2 in the Bridge.

SD Alnico II in the Neck.

modeled after the Rev. BFG (ZZ Top)'s PAF, Warren Haynes, Dickey Betts use it.

The BB 2 was to shrill in the highs for me; no balance with the neck. Wanted it "fatter" in the bridge.

Unreal fatness; all I can say. The treble is high, like other people havve mentioned, but the balance is rounded enough where you can control the tone better when rolling the knob down on said knob. I use a Fender Blues Junior, and the break-up is very good on this little amp; I first played it on a Diezel Herbert, so you can imagine the HUGE difference, but the PG works fine in the BJ as well. I think on its own for leads, and in the mid position with the Alnico II is fantastic, as the kind person below mentioned. These two PUPs are Reeses Peanut Butter Cups: two tastes that go great together!

I play Hard Rock, Classic, Metal: that part of the tone is in your hands alone. A good tube amp helps. I go straight through the amp with very few boxes: mainly a Line 6 ??ber Metal, EHX Small Clone, and a Dunlop CryBaby Classic with Fasel. I think this PUP is great if you like the raw, bluesy sound.

Been Playin 20 yrs. on n off, but know what I like. I worry about the treble getting on my nerves, but as the kind person below said, the Alnico II in the neck with the PG creates a balance that makes you know you got the right thing! The Pearly Gates IS the definitive vintage American Rock sound in my opinion. It works alone. I don't play as well as Dickey and Warren, so two of them would bore me out; I need some smoothness in the neck. If destroyed, will replace.

Check out the SD homepage, and match up. The Gibby BBs are great, but as you know, the tone hounds that we all are know that the LP are great in constuction, but the PUPs are not what makes 'em for th most part. Any player will eventaually upgrade, and that's the fun. PGs in the bridge just FATTEN up that weak BB 2 sound...check it out: If you are hankerin' for the grease!

A four wires passive humbucking

Installed in the bridge position of a Gibson Les Paul Classic instead of the original ceramic pickup

In the neck position an SD Alnico II pro APH 1 replaced the original ceramic pickup

I replaced the original pickups because I found the sound (clean and dist) was too metallic and inexpressive

I play the guitar into a Koch Studiotone combined with a Maxon OD808 and an MXR Microamp

I mostly play blues, power blues (ex. Cream or first AC DC), rock and hard rock

Pearly gates in the bridge position is a very good choice for the style I play (more than 20 years that I play that kind of music and I'm never bored).
But I think that I obtained the absolutely perfect sound combining the Pearly Gates with the Alnico II pro: I was surprised hearing that the mid position (both pickups) with both pickups splitted on single coil gives the sound I have ever dreamed...fantastic
I found what I was looking for!!!..the real brit crunch but a little heavier...lovely!

all passive bucker

this came stock in my fender showmaster, set in the bridge.

alot of reviews say that this pickup is definitely not a heavy pickup. oddly enough, i play primarily prog-metal with the damn thing!
has a reaaally full sound, especially when you compliment it with a tube screamer or equivalent (in my case the zoom g9.2tt).
This little bastard has AWESOME sustain, it gives a really fluid sound to arpeggios and scaled runs. CLEAN, CRISP and ARTICULATE!
when played clean, its pretty treble heavy. however, this seems to be the case with most of my other bridge buckers. if your guitar has a tone knob, this shouldnt inconvienience you much. i prefer using it along with the duncan 59' reverse polarity in my neck pos (i swear b.b. king just played something out of my amp...)

i still use this thing for all my studio lead work

if this thing got demolished, i would hold a vigil, then pick another one up.
obviously from everyone else's reviews you can get a classic rock/blues sound out of it.

what you can take from this review,
the thing can easily do metal, so long as your not lazy and actually hit your notes. crisp articulation and liquid sustain are any metal lead player's best friends.
ive been playing for 11 years, had this pickup for 4 and its still my favorite to play.
ive got a Dimarzio Evo 2 in an HM strat, and it sounded a whole lot thinner and weaker than this. as a result, this guitar has been banished to the guitar rack (damn shame).
This thing is also my number one compared to an emg 81 in my jackson rr24. why? sharper edge and waaaaaay cleaner articulation. remember, i do prog metal. heaviness is definitely there but this thing is BRIGHT!

for a non high-output pickup, those sly Seymour Duncan executives had me confused...

Passive humbucking pickup but you probably already know that.

I put this pickup in a Gibson Les Paul Special. Gives it a sweet tone! I paired the pickup with another SD Classic. These replaced the standard Gibson ceramic humbuckers. My main reason for buying it was to get that ZZ Top Pearly Gates tone. This guitar does not quite get there, but it is an amazing tone either way.

Much louder than the stock Gibson. Mine gives a crystal clear tone throughout all levels. Distorts nicely as well. Definitely not a "metal" style pickup more for classic rock or blues. I play a lot of classic rock and it is a perfect match for that. I mounted mine in the bridge, have not tried the neck version.

I have been playing for a very long time 20 plus years. Thsi is by far the best pickup I have ever had. I did just buy a LTD EC-1000 with Seymour Duncans in it and I will judget hem later. But for now this is the best.

Passive humbucking

Model of guitar or bass: a 1979 Gibson ES 335 td CRS
Position: bridge & Neck (I only use the Neck pickup)
Pickup being replaced: Dirty Fingers
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons
You musical style(s): Punkrock

Play it through a 1979 Marshall JMP 100watt amp.
I have a lot of guitars and amps, like: Gibson ES 369, Gibson Marauder, Gibson LP Special, Gibson ES 335 dot, Gretsch tennessian, Hagstrom p64 Deluxe, Epi Crestwood, fender blues deluxe amp, Marshall JCM 800 Slash amp etc..)but the combination of the Semi hollow ES 335, the pearly gates and the amp is the best i have ever heard!!
The tone is middy and a bit bassy, but dont get me wrong here...
It's definatly a good pickup for leads, high tones just cut through!

If they would die on me i would get the same ones rightaway!
Just a great pickup..

Humbucker
Passive
F Spacing

Humbucker F Spacing bridge position on American Delux Strat.
Eric Johnson PUPs on middle and neck.
This is the calssic zz top sound. LOVES overdrive, and pinched harmonics (La Grange) is just naughty!

High output compare to orginal strat humbucker.
Using Fender Supersonic amp, PUP is a little on the trebly side to balance with strat single coils , not a bad thing.
I play New Country, Classic Rock in a cover band, I use this guitar 80% of the time.

I buy/sell gear often, but I will keep this PUP in some guitar.
It is a nice hot humbucker.