That’s because pickups are only a part of tone. I have the hot rodded set and can get this tone so close you wouldn’t know what was what. Amp and quality effects affect tone far more than pickups. You just need a quality set with the resistance level appropriate to achieve the sound you are looking for. I’ve always felt like slapping a individual’s name on a pickup was an absolutely ridiculous marketing ploy. But that’s my opinion. Well maybe not my opinion exactly because I have learned it’s absolutely true.
Out of all the pickups I've come across and tried. I've never complained about the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates. A set of these in just about any less Paul is going to sound fantastic if you like that bluesy classic rock vibe. I have a set in my R7 and I absolutely love them. They make a cheap guitar sound good and a good guitar sound great.
This is true, I love those pickups and I think they're very special, so much more than just a "ZZ Top tone" pickup. This guitar was 100% improved with them in. Thanks for watching and commenting, please consider subscribing if you haven't already!
I just bought a new Les Paul Classic myself and I am about to change out the stock pickups with a set of Pearly's that I had in a Burnt that I sold to get the Classic. That was always the plan from the point of purchase. Great content man. Just stumbled upon the channel, new subscriber. Great playing.
@@MaxRossellMusic oh yeah I found it at a music going out of business got a great deal ..haha didn't get to go on vacation like 4 years..I sure love it better than anything I've played...
I have a 2004 LP Classic Gold Top. Absolutely phenomenal. I installed a set of SD Antiquities. One of the neat sounding Gibsons I own now. And mine has a one piece back..."good wood" era lol. Idk, I just know it's killer. And I did the same thing, I aged the body with the compressed air trick. Looks great. I also aged the hardware...I added historic rings on mine as well. Had no problem I just screwed them down, they will "mold" to the carved top. And to be honest the snot green inlays look sweet with the Gold finish. Cheers friend!!
Here's an example of a "dog" 70s Les Paul. I had a black custom where the body was made from several scrap pieces glued into a block before shaping. You could hold it up in the sunlight and see all the glue seams. The guitar was super heavy and wouldn't sustain for beans. I think when people talk about "bad wood" Les Pauls, this could be some of what they're talking about. I just bought a set of those pickups for a new SG. They sound great on that gold top.
Thanks dude, and thanks for watching and commenting! Yeah, I have played a couple of boat-anchor 70s Lesters that just sounded dead. 70s/80s wasn't the best era for Gibson in general.
Well, if you search youtube for a certain video with 20 les pauls from 52-2008, they play each les paul in succession and its clear in the comparison that the 1973 les paul is a dog. Completely lifeless
Loved the video ! Thinking of getting the Pearly Gates for my Gibson Les Paul Studio, would you recommend them. Love Billy Gibbons and Gary Moore. Best of luck with the channel 👍
Thanks for your question. I find the Pearly Gates bridge a bit hotter and brasher in the midrange, and the neck a bit thicker. The SD59s aren't PAF clones per se but they do have much more of a vintage voice, the SD PGs feel a bit more modern (as in modern rock n' roll, not metal or anything)..
They're just standard Seymour Pearlys like you'd get off the shelf anywhere. Not sure when the pickups were made but I bought them new in early 2021, I imagine that a set you got now would be identical. The guitar is a 2003 Classic. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I really like your channel. And it's what you played that was the most appealing. Not all thus heavy metal thrash stuff. I am 71 years old but I still love rock and blues. I am getting to a point where I probably will get rid of my collection of Gibson and Fender guitars and all of my amps. Trouble is that I have two grandsons bur they never took a shine to playing or being a fanatic about guitars and amps. I have quite the collection of great guitars. Les Pauls and a Gibson Lucille from 1994. Les Paul custom black beauty from the custom shop. Shame not having anyone to pass these guitars onto. Have an assortment of amps 1965 Fender Bandmaster blonde amp and matching cab, Mesa Tremoverb from 1994. Vox AC30 from Brian May endorsed amps. One Ceriatone HRM 50 watt head, one JTM 45 Marshall all point to point wired , a Mesa Boogie Revolver rotating Leslie cab made in 1995. Vox cab with WGS Alnico speakers Marshall cab with Alnico speakers
I have to replace a dead pickup in my Les Paul. I'm considering gettiny a pair of Pearly Gates pickups. I love classic rock, especially the tones of ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It sounds like these pickups might fit the bill. Are they your favorite pickups now?
just put a SD 59 on the neck and a SB pearly gates on its ass, it hasnt arrive yet but cant wait now. put it on on a epi custom silver burst and got them with no chrome covers.
I love gold tops. Too me the only true Les Paul's are gold tops, Honey burst (preferably satin finish) or Black Beauties. I own a 2002 Black Beauty with a bigsby and 3 humbuckers (burst bucker set and a George Lynch signature splittable in the Middle) And schaller lock tuners. All hardware gold ofc.
Hey, thanks for your comment and good question. I installed vintage pickup rings and set the pickups about 1mm above level with the top. That gives around 5-6mm from the strings.
Always hated pearly gates, I've had a few guitars coke with them and always changed them but you get unbelievable tone. Esp getting the neck to be so bright
It's definitely a taste thing, I've heard a lot of people say they're not really into the Pearly Gates vibe. There's also other variables like the guitar, the wiring, the pots etc., you need the whole "50s wiring" thing to get the most out of these, or any PAF-style pickup I reckon. End of the day though there's loads of pickups that other people make sound amazing and I always seem to get garbage tone out of. I think some pickups just work better for some people's playing style than others. Thanks for watching and commenting!
The fingerboard looks a bit dry. Would be worth oiling the fingerboard if it hasn't been done recently as it's possible for the fingerboard to shrink causing the neck to have a permanent +ve bow which can prevent the truss rod from being able to adjust to correct for the string tension. Great guitar though.
It's just a light piece of rosewood and the lighting makes it look even lighter. Don't worry, I'm fanatical about conditioning my guitars. If you check out one of my latest videos I demonstrate a coloured wax that can be used to darken lighter fretboards.
Well, I disagree with the good wood comments. The early 2000 models were well built and prior to the VOS years. Once VOS demand took off the higher quality builders went to the custom shop and the regular guitars were not the same. Also, good wood does happen and can last several years. That comment this guy made was dumb because it is the same as saying all years were the same in either pickups or wood. I disagree....because I have felt and heard differences specifically. I have no doubt that some years are better. PLus....at times builders get cheap with quality and it does translate. I am not a PRS fan but he believes in top quality components and his guitars sales reflect it even though I am not a fan. In my opinion, and the fact I have played different years Les Paul's and SG's,.....these early 2000 years Gibson were excellent compared to today. Anyone who says otherwise...., to me is wrong as this guy is for saying that.
Just to pick you up on a point, what I'm saying is not the same as "all years were the same in either pickups or wood". So I'd thank you to not put words in my mouth. What I'm saying is you can't point to a Les Paul from year 19XX and say it'll necessarily have "better" or "worse" wood than a Les Paul from year 19YY without trying it out. Everybody knows the only consistent thing about Gibson is their inconsistency and you have to play the individual guitar before you can tell how good it is. There are tons of guitars from the so-called "good wood" eras that are crap, and tons of guitars from less well-regarded eras that are great. You're entitled to your opinion, obviously, but before you go calling people "dumb" make sure you've understood what they're actually saying.
Maybe you do. The real meaning of "stolen valor" is someone who wears military uniform, insignia or awards without ever having served, so using the phrase to describe people who own artificially aged guitars implies that people who own guitars with genuine age-wear see themselves as equivalent to real war heroes. Which is objectively just a little bit cringeworthy.
Jesus, the solo at the end was just magical. Just an awesome example of the beautiful sound of that guitar. We'll done.
Hey thanks man, I really appreciate that.
By far my new favorite guitar channel. Thanks for being real and thanks for your talent.
Look forward to more videos. Ty ty ty.
Welcome! Thanks so much for your kind comments and your support!
I've been watching several TH-cam vids featuring Pearly Gates pickups and your tone is the best!
Thanks, I appreciate it!
No kidding, dude. Those notes just drip off that LP like honey. And the way those pickups wail and cry.
That’s because pickups are only a part of tone. I have the hot rodded set and can get this tone so close you wouldn’t know what was what. Amp and quality effects affect tone far more than pickups. You just need a quality set with the resistance level appropriate to achieve the sound you are looking for. I’ve always felt like slapping a individual’s name on a pickup was an absolutely ridiculous marketing ploy. But that’s my opinion. Well maybe not my opinion exactly because I have learned it’s absolutely true.
Out of all the pickups I've come across and tried. I've never complained about the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates. A set of these in just about any less Paul is going to sound fantastic if you like that bluesy classic rock vibe. I have a set in my R7 and I absolutely love them. They make a cheap guitar sound good and a good guitar sound great.
th-cam.com/video/SggowQzhqbA/w-d-xo.html
This is true, I love those pickups and I think they're very special, so much more than just a "ZZ Top tone" pickup. This guitar was 100% improved with them in.
Thanks for watching and commenting, please consider subscribing if you haven't already!
I'm going from '57 classics, to PG. I'm a bit apprehensive because I have never tried PG's.
Great video, information shared, and most excellent playing. Sharing this video with other players looking into these humbuckers…
Thanks man, I appreciate you watching, and thanks for the kind comment. Cheers!
I just bought a new Les Paul Classic myself and I am about to change out the stock pickups with a set of Pearly's that I had in a Burnt that I sold to get the Classic. That was always the plan from the point of purchase. Great content man. Just stumbled upon the channel, new subscriber. Great playing.
Thanks man! Welcome to the channel and thanks for watching and commenting. I hope you enjoy your Classic/Pearly pairing as much as I did!
@@MaxRossellMusic thanks Max. I just recently started a channel myself. Please check it out.
@@davidbrowning6762 Excellent stuff! You have one new subscriber!
@@MaxRossellMusic Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Great demo. Nothing like a les paul. I have a 1957 3 pickup it's been my main guitar for 20+ years..love the gold top. 2thumbs up.
Thanks man! Is your '57 a Black Custom?
@@MaxRossellMusic oh yeah I found it at a music going out of business got a great deal ..haha didn't get to go on vacation like 4 years..I sure love it better than anything I've played...
Totally worth it when you find a really special guitar.
I just got my first one, and I can't wait to learn to play it
sounds great mate fantastic job
J'adore ton son!! ❤
J'adore ces micrs!!!!
Je pense installer le set sur ma future LP...
Merci pour cette vidéo
I have a 2004 LP Classic Gold Top. Absolutely phenomenal. I installed a set of SD Antiquities. One of the neat sounding Gibsons I own now. And mine has a one piece back..."good wood" era lol. Idk, I just know it's killer. And I did the same thing, I aged the body with the compressed air trick. Looks great. I also aged the hardware...I added historic rings on mine as well. Had no problem I just screwed them down, they will "mold" to the carved top. And to be honest the snot green inlays look sweet with the Gold finish. Cheers friend!!
Sounds awesome! I hope you're enjoying those Antiquities. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Very, very good - thank you - and that is one beautiful instrument
Thank you! Thanks for watching and I appreciate the comment.
Here's an example of a "dog" 70s Les Paul. I had a black custom where the body was made from several scrap pieces glued into a block before shaping. You could hold it up in the sunlight and see all the glue seams. The guitar was super heavy and wouldn't sustain for beans. I think when people talk about "bad wood" Les Pauls, this could be some of what they're talking about. I just bought a set of those pickups for a new SG. They sound great on that gold top.
Thanks dude, and thanks for watching and commenting! Yeah, I have played a couple of boat-anchor 70s Lesters that just sounded dead. 70s/80s wasn't the best era for Gibson in general.
How did they work out for you?
@@qua7771 Plan to put them on this week. I have a few projects waiting in the wings but I'm not going to procrastinate on this one.🙂
Well, if you search youtube for a certain video with 20 les pauls from 52-2008, they play each les paul in succession and its clear in the comparison that the 1973 les paul is a dog. Completely lifeless
Wow! That thing sounds like a angel choir!
Thanks man, and thanks for watching!
Loved the video ! Thinking of getting the Pearly Gates for my Gibson Les Paul Studio, would you recommend them. Love Billy Gibbons and Gary Moore. Best of luck with the channel 👍
Thanks for the comment man, and thanks for watching!
Beautiful. Just showed up in my videos.
great video.. do you know whta is the diference about seymour duncan 59 and Perly Gates in sound ?
Thanks for your question. I find the Pearly Gates bridge a bit hotter and brasher in the midrange, and the neck a bit thicker. The SD59s aren't PAF clones per se but they do have much more of a vintage voice, the SD PGs feel a bit more modern (as in modern rock n' roll, not metal or anything)..
Got Epiphone Les Paul Special 2 with Pearley's sounds great
Nice! Goes to show that even more affordable guitars can be great guitars with the right pickups in.
Hey! Are this standard PG or custom shop? And year of production?
Sound fabulous
They're just standard Seymour Pearlys like you'd get off the shelf anywhere. Not sure when the pickups were made but I bought them new in early 2021, I imagine that a set you got now would be identical. The guitar is a 2003 Classic. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I really like your channel. And it's what you played that was the most appealing. Not all thus heavy metal thrash stuff. I am 71 years old but I still love rock and blues. I am getting to a point where I probably will get rid of my collection of Gibson and Fender guitars and all of my amps. Trouble is that I have two grandsons bur they never took a shine to playing or being a fanatic about guitars and amps. I have quite the collection of great guitars. Les Pauls and a Gibson Lucille from 1994. Les Paul custom black beauty from the custom shop. Shame not having anyone to pass these guitars onto. Have an assortment of amps 1965 Fender Bandmaster blonde amp and matching cab, Mesa Tremoverb from 1994. Vox AC30 from Brian May endorsed amps. One Ceriatone HRM 50 watt head, one JTM 45 Marshall all point to point wired , a Mesa Boogie Revolver rotating Leslie cab made in 1995. Vox cab with WGS Alnico speakers Marshall cab with Alnico speakers
I have to replace a dead pickup in my Les Paul. I'm considering gettiny a pair of Pearly Gates pickups. I love classic rock, especially the tones of ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. It sounds like these pickups might fit the bill. Are they your favorite pickups now?
Not really my favourite. I would definitely recommend them for classic rock tones though.
@@MaxRossellMusic Thanks, I appreciate the feedback! (Might need hotter pickups for that pun to work!)
When you said you had to shave the pickup rings, you meant the bottoms of the rings, where they meet the body?
That's correct, yeah.
Would that be the song ‘Run’ I hear in the dirty and the solo part?
That's the one, well spotted!
Riff in the intro is sick ! what's the name of the song ?
Thank you for the video great info.
Thanks! That riff is just an intro thing I used to use on my videos, it's not part of a song. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@MaxRossellMusic Can I use it ?
Send me a direct email for licensing enquiries.
just put a SD 59 on the neck and a SB pearly gates on its ass, it hasnt arrive yet but cant wait now. put it on on a epi custom silver burst and got them with no chrome covers.
Nice! I just got a Jackson with a '59 in the neck, they're so good. Have you got it yet?
@@MaxRossellMusic oh yes and it looks and sounds fantastic
I love gold tops. Too me the only true Les Paul's are gold tops, Honey burst (preferably satin finish) or Black Beauties.
I own a 2002 Black Beauty with a bigsby and 3 humbuckers (burst bucker set and a George Lynch signature splittable in the Middle)
And schaller lock tuners.
All hardware gold ofc.
I want to get one because of buckethead. Buckehead is legit.
Damn right he is!
Amazing tone! I just got them in and am experimenting with the height. What is your pickup height?
Hey, thanks for your comment and good question. I installed vintage pickup rings and set the pickups about 1mm above level with the top. That gives around 5-6mm from the strings.
Always hated pearly gates, I've had a few guitars coke with them and always changed them but you get unbelievable tone. Esp getting the neck to be so bright
It's definitely a taste thing, I've heard a lot of people say they're not really into the Pearly Gates vibe. There's also other variables like the guitar, the wiring, the pots etc., you need the whole "50s wiring" thing to get the most out of these, or any PAF-style pickup I reckon.
End of the day though there's loads of pickups that other people make sound amazing and I always seem to get garbage tone out of. I think some pickups just work better for some people's playing style than others.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
What in particular did you not like about them. I've been looking for critical input regarding these.
The fingerboard looks a bit dry. Would be worth oiling the fingerboard if it hasn't been done recently as it's possible for the fingerboard to shrink causing the neck to have a permanent +ve bow which can prevent the truss rod from being able to adjust to correct for the string tension. Great guitar though.
It's just a light piece of rosewood and the lighting makes it look even lighter. Don't worry, I'm fanatical about conditioning my guitars. If you check out one of my latest videos I demonstrate a coloured wax that can be used to darken lighter fretboards.
Come on man, no sample clean (ish) tones on the bridge???
Wonderful tones otherwise 👌
Why do "guitar influencers" always drown their demos with boomer reverb?
To annoy you. Not you personally, just anyone who uses the word "boomer".
Well, I disagree with the good wood comments. The early 2000 models were well built and prior to the VOS years. Once VOS demand took off the higher quality builders went to the custom shop and the regular guitars were not the same. Also, good wood does happen and can last several years. That comment this guy made was dumb because it is the same as saying all years were the same in either pickups or wood. I disagree....because I have felt and heard differences specifically. I have no doubt that some years are better. PLus....at times builders get cheap with quality and it does translate. I am not a PRS fan but he believes in top quality components and his guitars sales reflect it even though I am not a fan. In my opinion, and the fact I have played different years Les Paul's and SG's,.....these early 2000 years Gibson were excellent compared to today. Anyone who says otherwise...., to me is wrong as this guy is for saying that.
Just to pick you up on a point, what I'm saying is not the same as "all years were the same in either pickups or wood". So I'd thank you to not put words in my mouth.
What I'm saying is you can't point to a Les Paul from year 19XX and say it'll necessarily have "better" or "worse" wood than a Les Paul from year 19YY without trying it out. Everybody knows the only consistent thing about Gibson is their inconsistency and you have to play the individual guitar before you can tell how good it is. There are tons of guitars from the so-called "good wood" eras that are crap, and tons of guitars from less well-regarded eras that are great.
You're entitled to your opinion, obviously, but before you go calling people "dumb" make sure you've understood what they're actually saying.
We call “relic’d” guitars “Stolen Valor.” 🤣🤣🤣
Maybe you do. The real meaning of "stolen valor" is someone who wears military uniform, insignia or awards without ever having served, so using the phrase to describe people who own artificially aged guitars implies that people who own guitars with genuine age-wear see themselves as equivalent to real war heroes. Which is objectively just a little bit cringeworthy.