Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates

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.

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 ...

Pickup features: Passive Trembucker
Impedence or other specs: 8.5k DC Resistance, 6.5khz resonant peak

Model of guitar or bass: Ernie Ball Musicman Silhouette (hardtail)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: EMG 85
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Duckbucker in middle, no pickup in neck
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons (?)
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: After fifteen years of EMGs, I realized they were not for me. Too sterile, no dynamics.

Perceived output level: Mid output, slightly lower when split.
Tone: Balanced tone, slightly quacky. Bright when split.
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a number of boutique effects and a Boogie Mark 1 amp. I did a lot of research before chosing this pickup; I'm a huge fan of Billy Gibbons and even though my guitar is relatively small and light, the Pearly Gates is a good match and is exactly what I was looking for: A mid-output PAF-style pickup with a balanced, slightly bright tone.
I've got the PG at the neck and a Duckbucker in the middle. I left the old EMG single-coil in the neck just to keep out dust--it's not connected. I'm using a five-way switch:
1. Neck humbucking
2. Neck split
3. Neck humbucking and middle
4. Neck split and middle
5. Middle
The PG has a great single-coil sound, like a slightly less edgy stock texas strat tone. It blends very well with the duckbucker.
With the PG alone in humbucking mode, the sound is great for classic rock or hard rock. It's not hot enough for modern metal sounds but it stands up great to a heavy distortion pedal. Harmonics really jump out.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play in a modern rock band and I'm going for a classic rock sound. This is the perfect PU for me.

Comments: If this pickup were destroyed or stolen, I'd get another one of the same thing.
I've been playing for 22 years and have owned and played scores of guitars, amps, and effects.
What I like: Solid, versatile sounds, split and un-split. Clear and balanced, bright but not brittle.
Dislikes: None. Like I said, this was a carefully-considered decision.
I compared this pickup to DiMarzio and Bill Lawrence and chose this one because it gave me the tone I wanted.
I'm satisfied with this pickup. It's the sound I've been looking for.
In chosing pickups, many things must be taken into account: Guitar's mass, wood, bridge type, scale, playing style, effects, amp, etc. A pickup that sounds great on one guitar might sound like ass on another. For my uses, this pickup is as close to perfect as I can get.
The folks at Black Rose Customs were great. They responded to my e-mails politely and professionally. One item on my order was not in stock (no place I called had it either), and they shipped my order free to make up for the delay.

Pickup features: Humbucking - passive
Impedence or other specs: not sure

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les-Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibson Burstbucker Pros.
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons and Warren Haynes
You musical style(s): Classic Rock / Hard Rock / Blues Rock
Reason for pickup change: Gibson pickups were too hard sounding and didn't sing!

Perceived output level: PAF level output
Tone: Warm, middy with top end SNARL! (not harsh or ice pick bright though)
Sonic evaluation: I play Gibson Les-Pauls with a fairly high action with 11 gauge strings though a Marshall 2100 SL-X. The only effect I use is a crybaby wah. I was really disapointed with the gibby pups. Though they are good pups, they weren't for me. I was after that classic overdrine LP tone, thick, warm, singing, round and creamy - similar to Warren Haynes tone. I read Warren used these so thought I should check them out. However, I was worried that some reviewers felt the bridge pup to be to harsh or trebly. Anyway, decided to go for it and ordered a pair with nickle covers. Got them fitted.... and.... LOVED THEM! My set have nickle covers and this may cut some of the top end, but what I get is exactly what i wanted - creamy, thick, singing LP tones. My tone is now somewhere between Warren's tone on the new Allman Brothers DVD and his early Gov't Mule sounds - just what i wanted! I don't get any of the thin, harsh treble that some users have complained from. Perhaps they just suit my rig?

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is pup set is a perfect match for the kind of stuff I play.

Comments: I would buy them again if they were stolen.
I've been playing for 24 years and play Les-Pauls through Marshalls.
I love the fact these pups are thick and creamy.
At this moment I'm totally satisfied.

Pickup features: "Patent Applied For" TEXAS BLUES ROCK TONE...ala Billy Gibbons & ZZ Top
Impedence or other specs: Check Seymour's Site...

Model of guitar or bass: Kramer Elliot Easton Pro Pacer Imperial NOS Parts Project...Custom Assembled for me!
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Selected especially for this guitar.
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Custom Custom Trembucker Spaced
Artists using this pickup: Um......Billy Gibbons...Me...Everyone below.
You musical style(s): SRV, Jimi, RHCP, Iron Maiden, Various Distorted Power Chord Riffing and Searing Leads...
Reason for pickup change: None...I picked this one for my project

Perceived output level: Patent Applied for Texas Sizzle...this pickup has a lot of grind to it's sound...it's not high out put...but it certainly packs a meaty gritty wallop in the neck. Can easily do dark death/heavy metal w/a distortion pedal and the right settings. Very versatile pickup...great for straight Jazz/Blues as well.
Tone: Very Bassy/Middy...but still retains that mid/treble sizzle. It's not really a distortion by any means but more of a dirty fuzz effect that this pickup imparts tonally.
Sonic evaluation: Kramer into 1978 Marshall JMP 2103 Combo-50w 2x12 Celestion Greenback equipped...only pedal I use is a Boss Metal Zone...as it covers every gammit of driven distortion that you could ever need.
I really...REALLY...like this pickup in the neck. It matches up pretty well w/the Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge...once I balanced out the heights of each pickup so that they're elevated/lowered to the "sweet spot" and pretty much balanced in output when I switch between the two. I have it coil tapped...but it still doesn't really sound anything like a true single coil. Nice cool neck sound when tapped.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Didn't I already answer this question???

Comments: Highly Recommend this pickup as an outstanding neck position addition to your guitar. No regrets. Love the sound I get w/it...Vintage Classic Blues Rock in the neck...grit, grind, sizzle...call it what you will...but this pickup just kicks ass for any style...except classic single coil stuff...and you can accomplish a nice single coil sound w/it tapped and blended w/the Duncan Custom Tapped as well in the middle position on the 3 Way Toggle.

Pickup features: humbucker - passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: "the heritage" les paul style guitar
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: shaller
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: billy gibbons
You musical style(s): blues/rock
Reason for pickup change: needed p/u w/ more body

Perceived output level: slightly more than paf
Tone: slightly middy
Sonic evaluation: I am using a custom modded, point to point wired, 50 watt head into two cabinets, each with a 12" jbl speaker.I split the cabinets on either side of the stage.The amp has 3 channels and I can use either 6L6 or EL34 tubes. - No effects.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a good p/u for blues/rock. It is a detailed and dynamic p/u but can sound very smooth mated with a warm guitar.

Comments: With my set-up, this p/u is amazing. Very dynamic. I have no tone control on my guitar, so with the guitar volume on ten, I can get bright, screaming harmonics. Turn down the volume and the sound gets warmer and cleaner.
For me, this is a wonderful p/u. - It does everything I ask of it.
The top end is bright and the bottom is warm and detailed - not muddy. But keep in mind that the character of a p/u can depend on your amp, the settings, the speakers, your guitar and the way you play.
Get yourself a good amp, a good guitar, some decent speakers, heavy strings, guitar lessons and this p/u won't do you wrong.

Pickup features: Humbucking / Passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Heritage H-150CM
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Custom ordered on the guitar from Heritage
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan JB (bridge)
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons......dont know who else.
You musical style(s): Classic rock, Aerosmith, Zeppelin, U2
Reason for pickup change: No change, ordered the guitar from Heritage with this pickup.

Perceived output level: Sounds like a hot rodded Duncan 59, its louder and more aggressive.
Tone: Good balance between bass/mids/treble-more muddy than a 59.
Sonic evaluation: Using it in the neck position of a Heritage H-150CM (basically a Les Paul, only better). Using Fender tube amps w/Visual Sound Ultimate OD pedal and EH Small Clone Chorus pedal. Also have a Heritage H-150CM with Duncan 59's in it. This pickup sounds very full, with a nice balance of bass, mid, and treble. Compared to the 59's, which are my favorite pickups, it sounds louder and darker. It definitely has more gain, and has more of a "rude" sound. If you look at the tone chart on Duncans website, you would think that this pickup would sound very close to a 59, but it does not. They are night and day. The Pearly Gates is very full and warm distorted, and has a lot of sustain. I can get some very nice sounds by rolling the volume off a tad. This pickup is a little muddy sounding compared to my 59's, but still sounds great on its own. It does what I wanted it to do: give me nice fat neck humbucking tones without being a wall of mush. As mentioned earlier, it sounds like a hot rodded 59 or PAF style humbucker. Sounds good clean, or distorted. I can still get enough clarity in my notes to satisfy me, although the 59's are much clearer/brighter.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good match for classic rock/blues, bad for metal.

Comments: If I had to order my guitar again, I would still have this pickup installed. I wanted a neck humbucker that was hotter than my 59's. I also wanted the pickup to retain some clarity, and not be muddy. For me, the Pearly Gates is the right fit. It sounds much better than the stock pickups in my friends Gibsons, and suits my style well. I have had Dimarzio pickups in the past, and like Seymour Duncans better. The pickup balances well with my JB in the bridge, the two work well together. I like the pickup, and if I could change anything, I might give it just a tad more treble. Other than that, I think it is a great value.

Pickup features: 4 Conductor Alnico 2 Humbucking (Passive)
Impedence or other specs: DC Risistance: Neck= 7.3K Bridge= 8.5K Resonant Peak: Neck=7.5khz Bridge=6.5khz

Model of guitar or bass: PRS McCarty
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock McCarty Humbuckers http://www.prsguitars.com/showcase/current/current.html
Other pickups on guitar: Have had SD Jazz in Neck was cool but to clean,SD JB in Bridge to bright and harsh,Pealy gates in neck is killer stayed with it need brge pu . Tried Fralin,Suhr,and many others than tried Pearly gates bridge keeper
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons ZZ Top
You musical style(s): Jazz,Blues,Fusion,Rock,Country,80's metal
Reason for pickup change: The PRS Stock pu's where to mudy through my rig there not bad pick ups but just doesn't complement my tone.

Perceived output level: Pearly gates not an ultra hot pick up is has more treble than a PAF sounding pick up. Pearl gates have good harmonic tone and when the treble is to much I roll off my tone. You really need a Tone Controll with these pick ups to get a number of tones other wise can be to harsh some times but over all a killer pu for my gtr rig and the Tones I love.
Tone: The Pearly Gates are not a Muddy or Bassy pick up It does have bite/Treble blance is cool.
Sonic evaluation: I use The SD Pearl gates in my PRS McCarty I have changed the Bridge to a tone Pro tune-O Matic rap around Bridge this bridge,killer! in tone to the stock PRS Bridge highly recomend this mod. I use a stereo Rig Wet/Dry/Wet think EV,Steve Lukather,Micheal Landau. My rig is as such: Rivera 100W Custom Rake head tone are dumble and marshall mix very cool. This is my Dry set up using a Marshall 4X12 Loaded with (2) weber 60 watt Chicago speakers and (2) 60 watt Thame speakers.
Rack: Pl8 Pwr supply,Bob Bradshaw/CAE Mini Mixer,
Carvin DCM-1000 Pwr amp for Tc D-Two,TC G-Force run these units 100% wet. Cabs for my wet set up are Rivera 2X12 loaded with (2) Chicago 60 watt speakers and Vincenzo 2X12 loaded with (1) Vinatge 30 and (1) Thame. after the DCm-1000 in my rack there's a rack drawer keeley comp,Analog Man Jucier exact like dan armstrong Orange squeezer killer! Voodoo Lab Micro-Vibe,Arion Chorus Pedal,Fantone Peach Fuzz Pedal. after the rack drawer there is a Bob bradshaw/CAE Interface, Bob Bradshaw/CAE 2X4. Pedal Board: Bob Bradshaw/CAE RS-10 Controller,(2) Boss FV-300L Vol. Pedals for TC D-Two and G-Force Vols;Boss 100 Guitar Vol Pedal no longer made,Vox wah moded by Bob Bradshaw/CAE.
http://www.rivera.com/
http://www.webervst.com/hps.html
http://www.customaudioelectronics.com/
http://www.robertkeeley.com/Audiokt88/okguitar.html
http://www.analogman.com/rossmod.htm

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Blues,Rock,Country,Jazz,Fusion, 80's Metal the Pearly Gates are a very good match for all these styles through my rig . The tone I went after are Larry carlton,Robben Ford,Micheal Landu,Steve Lukather of Toto,Mark Knofler,Black crows,EV.

Comments: I would buy the SD Pearly gates again I have been playing since I was 12yr old now 39. What I love about these pickups are that they cut through a trio or a full 5 pice or more group very cool pick ups. I have tried other product Fralin,Anderson,Tom Holmes,John Suhr Humbuckers,other Duncan's just to name a few thes are killer pickup for my style. Through a rig like mine you need a pickup that will cut through and keep the high's alive the Pearly Gates do this very well and I have seen Billy Gibbons rigs that are close to my set up and his Les Pauls are hollow has his tech scoop out the wood in the body all use thes on his reissue Les Paul. The search is over ver cool Pick ups.

Pickup features: Humbucker, Alnico II
Impedence or other specs: 8.51K DCR

Model of guitar or bass: 93 Strat Plus with nothing original left except the body and neck, and half the bridge
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Duncan c5
Other pickups on guitar: rio single coils
Artists using this pickup: Monkeyman Tate, Apeman Nate, Spaceman Pete, Poop Shanmugan
You musical style(s): Folkabilly Blues Rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted more highs, less output

Perceived output level: PAF ish
Tone: Balanced, with enough treble and mids - not as much bass or low mid umph as the C5
Sonic evaluation: This is a great pickup. I've been blown away by my last two Duncan purchases. This and a Broadcaster tele lead that happened to be overwound to about 8K.
Anyway, this pickup is great. I don't dig Alnico II magnets, never have, never will. Except for this one. I've tried the C5, '59, Alnico II Pro, and others I can't remember. This is my favorite in the strat. I've found Alnico II mags to mush out on the clarity and low end when driven, but this pickup doesn't. It's snappy and articulate, chimey. Yes it has some high end presence, but it's sweet, yet nasty. The mids and highs are balanced and have character. I love it. It responds well to tone knob adjustments throughout the spectrum. I use it with 500K pots in the strat. Matches pretty well with single coils as far as output. I don't know how it would work in a LP or a 335, etc. I don't think I'd ever try the neck version, no way I'm putting anything but an Alnico 5 in the neck (can you say mush?)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: rockamonkey (it's well suited for this)

Comments: At least for now, I'm satisfied. I'm now in a chime phase and this pickup works great for chime but has bite and a woody timbre when you really dig in. The last guy said it was like a tele and a PAF got together, and that's an apt description. It doesn't compress as much as other hb'ers, or maybe the compression is just more useful and suits the tonal spectrum of this pickup. It responds better than most humbuckers I've tried for dynamic playing. Better than Duncans I've tried, more like a PAF replica (i.e. Peter Florence voodoos which are chimey and respond very well to picking nuances). Pretty versatile, fairly classic tone.

Pickup features: (Passive humbucking)
Impedence or other specs: 8.5 K or so, bridge position

Model of guitar or bass: Warmoth "Tele-Paul" with mahogany body, maple neck, 2 HB
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Duncan JB
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Jazz in neck position
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): rockabilly, blues , honky-tonk country, alt-country
Reason for pickup change: JB is a great rock pickup, but a bit too much output and too middy for what I'm doing.

Perceived output level: In the range of a vintage PAF as far as output, maybe a tad hotter. Medium output.
Tone: It's like a cross between a PAF and a good tele bridge pickup - a humbucker that never gets muddy. Has a high end that rivals a Gretsch Filtertron, but with more mids. Fantastic pickup for texas blues-country-rock . If you're not into the tele sound at all, you probably won't like this pickup. I wanted the result of a Les Paul and a Tele who got drunk at a party and did the nasty. The alnico 2 magnets take the harshness out of the high end. You get a nice compression similar to a vintage PAF.
Sonic evaluation: I play through a ho-made '59 Bassman circuit and jump it into a ho-made 5E3 tweed deluxe. I use 12 inch speakers, so they smooth out the highs even more. I plug my guitar into a Reverend Drivetrain and an Ibanex Analog Delay, then into a Fender outboard reverb, then into the amps. Sounds very fat but sparkly.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a vintage humbucker with bite - a perfect pickup for Texas blues-rock and alt-country. I use TV Jones Filtertrons in a Guild Starfire as my main rockabilly axe. I use this one for loud Texas stuff and alt-country (Joe Ely, Wilco, etc.). This pickup gets a great "redneck humbucker" tone. If your into a dark-sounding, non-Fender, "woman tone" or metal, I'd steer clear of this one. Great for those who like some bite from their vintage humbuckers.

Comments: A great all-around humbucking pickup if your taste leans more toward 4X4 pickup trucks than Mazda Miatas. Not for jazz, metal, or anything else more "city-fied."