Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates

Humbucker with 4-conductor wiring. Fits standard Gibson-type Les Paul, SG, 335, etc.

Installed in the neck position of a Heritage H-140CM. This is a guitar based on the Les Paul design, with a much narrower body.

Output level is slightly higher than the PAF pickup. It sounds great with a Krank Distortus Maximus distortion box, Hermida Mosferatu, and the Durham Sex Drive or Durham Mucho Boosto. The 4-conductor wiring enables coil tapping, which is essential for those of us who want to be able to choose single coil clarity or humbucker overdrive at the flick of a switch. Excellent for blues, blues-rock, classic rock wailing.

I am combining the Pearly Gates in the neck with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge position. Highly recommend this combination.

2 Les Paul projects. Telecaster FMT.

Pleasing balanced sound with both maple and mahogany solid bodies. Excellent note bloom on solos. One of the best of breed for traditional rock and roll genre, and fairly versatile with coil tap options. Will make even crappy guitars sound like money.

Given the needs of shredders and thrashers in the last decade these seem be viewed as old school, iconic, the 70s-80s LP sound I guess. Still, a great all around HB if you're not into that hot ceramic thing. You can play them all day and not get bored. They balance well between neck and bridge, I have a "matched" non-PG in one of my guitars and it doesn't sound nearly as good as two PGs in the other..they make a nice set. Change in volume or tone control yields a big change in sound and dynamics. Only HB I've tried that rivals the overall playbility characteristics of PGs are Gibson Classic 57s. Never muddy, and they love pedals behind them. One of best for what they do, fair price.

Humbucker, specs listed elsewhere.

Epiphone Les Paul Ultra, stock pickups have a "classic" sound, but not enough gain for my tastes. I replaced the bridge pickup with the PG.

Output:medium, a little louder than stock. Currently using a Carvin MTS3212 compbo amp with JJ tubes stuff inside and a compressor in front to drive the signal. The PG has less mids than a Duncan Distortion, but it has a nice upper mid presence which is exactly what the Epiphone Ultra needs. The chambered body has a LOT of natural midrange so a big mid pickup, like the Seymour Duncan Screamin' Demon simply won't work well. With the PG I can dial just a little off the highs with the tone knob and the sound is cutting (through effects) yet still sweet. For rock, a little country, and heavy metal, the Pearly Gates is a great pickup!

I'd get it again, and again, and probably once more after that too, should I be thrice cursed! I've been playing badly since 1987, over half my life so far. I've also tried a JB and the Screamin' Demon in this guitar. Both had a little too much midrange, although the JB is a cool-sounding, it didn't have enough "balls". The Screamin' Demon had enough of those, but too way too much midrange too. I'm satisfied for the moment, but have a new Vox AD120VTH head on the way, and may want something a little brighter later, like Gibson's 498T. I'll just have to see how it all sounds together.

Passive Humbucking
Alnico 2 bar
Neck: 7.3k resistance
Brdige:8.5k resistance

1996 Heritage H-150CM
All positions
Stock Schaller pickups
None
Designed for Billy Gibbons
Rock
Stock pickups were ok, but had no life to them.

About same output as stock Schaller's (+ or - some).

Great tone. Neck is about what I expected - mellow, but still playable. Bridge is good for lead and cuts very well. Together they sound even better balancing out to a nice rythm/lead sound.

Play through a Marshall DSL50 and a Mesa Boogie standard 4x12 vintage 30 speakers. Only have an MXR KFK-1 EQ and a BOSS NS-2 Noise suppressor pedal.

I must admit I just bought them and installed them so haven't played them for too long, but so far I'm impressed. These are the first Duncan pickups I've ever used and I must say they are wonderful. The quality of wiring is same as Schaller pickups I had, but they had top notch wiring as well. I tried a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge first because I had an Epiphone les paul I had tried that in and it sounded fine. Completely different in the Heritage. Sounded too bassy and little too much output for it. It gave me all the Rock sounds I was looking for - AC/DC, KISS, Van Halen, ZZ Top, all of the older classic rock etc.. I really wasn't expecting the change to make that much difference, but these pickups break up much easier than my Schaller pickups and even the Super Distortion. That's the kind of distortion anyone should want to have and I'm glad I finally found it.

If I lost or had these pickups stolen I would definately buy more of these, and I would recommend them to anyone at least as far as my Mahogany bodied, maple top guitar goes.

I've been playing for about 5 years and have been through a few amps including a Stilleto Deuce head. All along I thought the sound I was looking for was in the amp itself. I didn't take the time to try a different brand of pickup and this is the one that gave me the sound I've been looking for all along. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good Rock sound. They will literally melt your face off. My best investment yet in sound.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: TB-PGBL - Alinco 2 magnet, black, 8.31K, Fender spacing.

Model of guitar or bass: Gordon Smith Graduate Slimline - British made Les Paul style
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan JB4
Other pickups on guitar: Gordon Smith own humbucker in neck
Artists using this pickup: ZZ Top apparently
You musical style(s): Blues / Jazz
Reason for pickup change: The JB4 was 1) Grating on the ear 2) Overpowered the neck pickup 3) Wrong spacing for guitar. A bit of a one trick pony I guess to "rock" for my tastes.

Perceived output level: Medium - Alinco 2 after all
Tone: On THIS GUITAR (one piece mahogany body, mahogany set neck with rosewood fingerboard and Tune-o-Matic bridge) it was nicely balanced with tame-able treble.
Sonic evaluation: My own design 2 channel 50W combo amp (1 channel Super Reverb) other channel Matchless EF86 - alike) with Super Reverb Output stage. Single Celestion Vintage 30 12" speaker. Usually just guitar into amp. I can, at last, play using the bridge pickup for an hour without stopping or swopping. It has a much "flatter" frequency response in this rather dark sounding guitar but in a brighter one the treble could be to much. Sounds way way better than the JB4 through a Tube Screamer. Good note definition, could do with a little more bass end so hieght adjustment is required to compensate.
Balances nicely with GS neck pickup (9.1K) giving a good varienty of sounds. Very pleased - fitted now for 3 months.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Works well with THIS guitar - read other peoples reviews as well.

Comments: Still in the honeymoon period but very pleased with the change and now play bridge only a lot - quite a change. Works well into either channel of amp, which is fairly trebly in the first place. Would buy it again (flinching at UK price of ?100 new however). My conclusion (limited experience here) is that lower output humbuckers produce much better (harmonics/balance/..) sounds - You can after all always boost the signal if you need to.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: 8.5k AlNiCo 2

Model of guitar or bass: 1994 Fender Stratocaster American Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan JB Model
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Fender Single Coils
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: The JB was really too hot for my singles.. I can't stand the output jump anymore. I prefer balanced sets.

Perceived output level: Good balance with stock singles, for an humbucker
Tone: Middy as hell
Sonic evaluation: First of all, I'm talking about the stock Alnico2 Duncan PEARLY GATES, not talking about the plus. The pickup is on a 1994 Fender Am Std Strat (alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard). My amp is a Laney VC30 210, it's a small vintage style all tube amp (except for reverb and loop, but that's another story :D). The amp matches greatly with strats, and I have to say that the PG is able to load the amp just perfectly. It produces some kind of pre-dist midboost, which is just perfect for a good rock crunchy sound. On the tone controls of the amp I boost bass and highs to 7 and do a little cut on the mids (4). Cuts through like hell. I recently installed an home made Blender pot and mixing the PG with the neck single produces a very good Rickenbacker sound (amazing!!). Unfortunately the 4th position is not really the best, but of course it's impossible that a split PAF sounds like a strat, so...

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mainly Rock music with my bands and I really like the good old stuff, from Hendrix to Van Halen. But I kinda got tired of humbuckers on strats. I'm waiting to get a Twang Banger.

Comments: I would not buy it again, but just because I tend to prefer singles, not surely because it sounds bad.
I've been playing 13 years and I hope I always will!! I own this Strat and a Korean replica (which sounds killer, to me :DD), a Laney VC30 amp, and several pedals that I use depending on the situations. Usually I just plug into my Rat and then straight to the amp. I use the rat to get a more distorted sound for solos, my main sound is the drive channel of the amp and the volume and tone knobs on the guitar.
I really love the middy sound and the great dynamic response, especially for early Van Halen sounds.
Compared to the JB they sound really different, anyway the PG is more focused on the midrange, while the JB on my strat sounded way too bright and confused, and last but not least the JB overpowered terribly my poor little single coils. I chose it because I wanted a low output warm pickup, and it does it pretty good.
It's good the way it is, a good PAF style pickup, nothing more nothing less, as every Duncan pickup I've tried.
I'm always searching for that sound, but this pickup led me to a good one, a really good sound. It's been a good and trusty friend!

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: 490R/498T
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock and Blues
Reason for pickup change: The bridge pickup in my Les Paul was too thin, harsh and dry. The neck pickup was too dark and muddy.

Perceived output level: A few jalapenos, but nothing to make you rush to the water jug.
Tone: The neck is smooth, and smoky. The bridge pickup snarls, but is throaty, warm and round.
Sonic evaluation: Gibson Les Paul through an Egnater TOL combo. Effects are only an occasional Fulltone Wah.
I really, really like these pickups. I changed out because the neck pickup (490R) was way too dark and muddy. It had no character. The Pearly Gates neck pickup is what I want. It's smooth and mellow, but with a sweet spot. It's not muddy and sludgey.
The bridge pickup is really nice. The 498T was way too harsh and thin. The neck pickup definitely has a sharp bite, but it also has soft, moist lips and a thick warm tongue. It's a great feeling . . . I mean tone.
Clean, the neck pickup sounds nice. It yields a woody tone with a round sound coated with a slight gliss. The bridge is a bit thin and brittle when used alone. But when used in combination with the neck pickup, the two sound nice together played clean.
I've read that some say these are harsh or too bright. I can understand that if you've become accustomed to the darker tones that have gained favor lately in metal bands with guitars tuned down somewhere between a step and two and a half steps.
If, however, the tones to which your ear has become accustomed include those cranked out by Billy Gibbons in the 70s and 80s, Duane Allman and Dicky Betts in the 60s and 70s, Gary Rossington in the 70s and 80s, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford in the 70s and Neil Schon in the 70s (but not the 80s or 90s), then these puppies are right on the freakin' money.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Perfect match for bluesy rock and classic rock and hard rock.

Comments: I own a lot of guitars, and some of them have interesting pickups. One has vintage Joe Bardens. Another has a Gibson minihumbucker in the neck, a single coil in the middle and a humbucker in the bridge. These are very, very good pickups.
The Pearly Gates are a great replacement for stock Les Paul pickups. They will definitely open up new avenues of tone. For instance, I can play through both pickups clean and get away with a passable Mark Knopfler on "Sultans of Swing" (but only when I don't screw up the G to D arpeggio in the second solo, which only happens half the time, but I guess I can't blame that on my pickups.) Though the tone is thicker, because the pickups produce a warm woody character, I can get away with it. With the 490R/498T, I wouldn't even try.
These are the pickups that should have come with that $2,000 Les Paul. They are the best $180 I have spent on gear. I couldn't be happier.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: Unsure

Model of guitar or bass: 2001 Epiphone Sheraton II
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Epiphone pickups
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons
You musical style(s): Rock/Country/Blues
Reason for pickup change: Wanted better quality pickups

Perceived output level: Honestly, I have little to compare them to in terms of how hot they are as I don?t play many guitars one right after the other. To me, these pickups are pretty hot. They are not quite as hot as a '99 Les Paul Standard with stock pickups.
Tone:
Sonic evaluation: I have received so many compliments on the tone of my guitar (with these pickups) from very accomplished and active players, many who have been playing longer than I have been alive. As stated, my main guitar is a 2001 Epiphone Sheraton II. In addition to replacing the stock pickups with the Pearly Gates, I have had the p/u selector switch and jack changed to better quality electronics, and have installed a 70s Bigsby B12 with a Chet Atkins arm. This is the tremolo with the stabilizer bar that the strings run under. I intend on upgrading the tuners in the future, buy for now they suffice. I use Elixir 10s: they are worth it. I realize that with the money I have put into this guitar I could?ve bought something of better quality, but this is an axe that now is very unique both aesthetically and sonically: and it actually plays very nicely with perfect action and itonation. In addition to the Sheraton I play a 2001 American Series Telecaster stock.
I use a Fender Hot Rod DeVille 4x10 tube amp. This a great amp for the money. Note: This is a very loud amp and weighs much more than Fender claims. I play my guitars through: DOD 270 A/B box > Boss TU-2 Tuner > 80s ProCo Rat > Visual Sound Route 66 Overdrive/Compressor. Note: I don?t always have the Rat in the line-up. I do not use the amp?s own overdrive channel as does not have a sound I am very fond of: its bland.
Playing clean these pickups are beautiful. The neck is ballsy but not muddy. It seems to be perfectly ?rounded?. We all know how neck pickups can have flat, uninteresting tones. This pickup is well balanced and, to me, is perfect for playing clean blues especially when playing fingerstyle. The bridge pickup when clean can actually provide some really cool twang.
When playing the guitar through the Route 66 I can find some great tones. I can?t say that the tones are like any one guitar player or guitar/pedal/amp configurations but to me provide somewhat familiar and at the same time unique tones. The neck pickup can range from great mellow rhythm to the dirty bass that sounds like a train rumbling on the tracks. The bridge pickup is, however, my favorite. It sounds amazing! My picking technique comes through great. It has a great dirty sound that is just pleasing as hell to the ears.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play rhythm (and pick up a few lead parts and fills) in a three guitar, bass, drums original rock band. With trepidation about using these words, I will attempt to describe our sound. We are heavily influenced by what I consider REAL country music, not the Nashville pop stuff on the radio these days, rockabilly, punk, and so many other sources. The pickups in my guitar help make a great three guitar sound among the Telecaster and Stratocaster(s) in the band. Half the time I use only the bridge pickup. The majority of the remainder of the time I have the p/u selector in the middle with the neck volume on about 6 and the bridge volume at 10. As I said, I?m very happy with the sound I get from my setup and it works beautifully in our band. If you need a good rock n roll pickup, consider the Pearly Gates. They are a great set of pickups for blues, country, and rock. Obviously it is not a metal pickup, but is probably well suited for jazz.

Comments: I don't anticipate having any problems with these pickups, but I suppose if need be I would replace them. I bought these pickups on a recommendation from a guitar tech because I didn't really know what I wanted, just something to replace the shoddy stock Epiphone pickups. I am very pleased with the sound I have achieved.

Pickup features: 4 conductor passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: around 8k (??)

Model of guitar or bass: 2000 Gibson Les Paul SL
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Rio Bastards
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Traditional blues, funk, some country.
Reason for pickup change: The Rio Grande's are nice pups but are too dark on this particular guitar for my tastes. Before the Bastards I had Duncan 59's in it & I liked those alot. But, instead of going back to those again I thought I'd experiment with the PG's just to see how it sounded.

Perceived output level: Slighty hotter than the 59's but nowhere near as hot as the Bastards. I think these would be considered medium output depending on how they are wired. They drive a tube amp just about perfect IMO.
Tone: They have a deep bottom-end, somewhat scooped mids & a sharp top-end. It seems to me that they are close to what a vintage (low output) type single coil would produce as far as treble goes. No problem as long as you know how to use your tone / volume controls & EQ the amp properly.
Sonic evaluation: I use this guitar & a Strat through a Super Reverb reissue. Minimal effects, just wah & sometimes a compressor & overdrive. I finally figured out that to get good tone you really only need a good guitar, a good tube amp and a bit of talent ;)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good match for what I play. Probably good for many other styles, too.

Comments: I have these pups both wired in parallel & also have the volumes wired individual of each other for more versatility. The bridge pup is a bit week this way but I mainly stay in the neck & neck / bridge positions anyhow. They have a great "open" sound similar to a single coil but with the bottom-end of a humbucker. A very good tone & character to my ear. This is the sound I've been looking for all along for this guitar. I've actually had these pups for years tucked away because they were in a cheap H-S-H project guitar I had & really didn't sound very good in that so I threw 'em in the closet with the rest of the junk & forgot about them until now. Glad I stumbled across them again & I think these will be in my Les Paul for a long time.

Pickup features: Humbucking, PAF replica.
Impedence or other specs: 8,1K... Lower than said on the website, even if it doesn't affect the sound.

Model of guitar or bass: LP model.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: SH4.
Other pickups on guitar: SH1.
Artists using this pickup: See the last letter in the alphabet, duplicate it and add the world "Top".
You musical style(s): All I can eat.
Reason for pickup change: As I'm getting old (but not really wise), I wanted a "roots" and vintage tone instead of the rock sound of my previous SH4.

Perceived output level: PAFish... According to my frequency analyser, 2 or 3 db louder than my SH1 neck.
Tone: A little trebly and rough.
Sonic evaluation: Rears up, reacts to the attack, bites when you beat it.. Without cover, it sounds a little harsh (but not glassy as the SH4); with a nickel cover or a 100 pf capacitance, its tone is better. Its height must be adjusted very precisely, as with every good pup... Same frequency response than with a SH 1 BUT there is more highs between 10 and 15 khz and less after... Square tonal curve, where the response of the SH1 is round...

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good match for all styles if you know how to tweak your amp, effects and controls... For example, I'm using a "no load" pot as a general tone control, with a capacitor of 2n2 which reacts like a mid-boost . So, I can play what I want, through my Boss GT6...

Comments: I'm happy now but I was at first a little surprised because this pup doesn't really sound as an alnico 2 model (which has in theory a "spongier" and "warmer" tone than alnico 5: see what says SDuncan himself on his website).With the SHPG1, the tone is brighter and tighter than expected, maybe because the end of its screws is chamfered ( less steel and weight seems to give a brighter sound: see the "blade" polepieces of some wellknown models). In fact, I'd say that this pup has a strong character and that it needs some care/time to do what you want. It's not easy to ride a stallion! To conclude, thanks to the Seymour Duncan customer service, especially to P Gill who gave me a precious advice, by answering to my own email: you can be a little anonymous french guitarist (stranger in the night,lalalalalaa) and nevertheless exist for a great brand like Seymour Duncan ...