Has anyone swapped the probucker 1&2 in a 50s standard for duncan pearly gates set?
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Probuckers are excellent pickups, very dynamic and with good separation. I bet you'll find that if you lower them, especially for the neck pup. Here are my 2 SGs with Probuckers 1&2 and they sound great, although different.
2004 G400 Vintage
Gibson SG Tribute
Well, who knows what accouts for wide differences in opinion but thats what we have here. I don't find them very dynamic low or high. But i have them high because the neck picku sounds a lot better that way and the bridge is fine up high too. But never the less, i really don't wanna discuss how good the PB's are or how to adjust them etc. I just wanna hear what anyone who's tried the PG's in their place thinks of the difference.
The Convert
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ProBuckers always strike me as a bit aggressive, so dropping them makes sense to me. I have a set of pearly gates in my Gibby Classic LP. They’ve become my favorite “PAF” style HB. That LP is my daily driver. I don’t know that I’d call them ideal for clean-cleans, but I’d say taking a Boston tone down to a La Grange level of clean while sounding great all the way down is possible, depending on your amp, etc, of course. Good luck!
Drummerdad
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I swapped mine out for SD Seth Lovers. Much better in my opinion. Definitely more dynamic and with better clarity.
Guitarman
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Excellent discussion topic. I have never been one to modify much, but I started collecting seriously in 2018. The first action plan was to buy one of every Epi Elite or Elitist in the Standards and Customs. Quick history lesson, Gibson decided to go out on a limb, another dumb Gibson idea, and make the entire Gibson portfolio in the Fuji Gen, Japan starting with the Elite moniker which Ovation threatened to sue Gibson, Imagine that. So for 2002-03 they all were Elite's. After the threat Gibson changed the name to Elitist. Didn't take the higher ups to come up with that. And they sold so well in Japan and here that Gibson shut the production down in 2008 due to cannibalizing Gibson's business, THEIR OWN BRANCH OF GUITARS!!!
So my first acquisition was a Elite Les Paul Standard in Tobacco Sunburst with Pearly Gates pups and stainless steel frets/ both aftermarket. This guitar, unlike my other Elite/Elitist is the only one that has non-original pups/the 50SR and the 60ST. My Pearly Gate's have that "it" factor. Some times a little muddy, but powerful midrange and tapered high end articulation. Compared to my other Elite/Elitist/Gibson Supreme and other Epiphones, they are hands down the best. But as there are people then their are opinions. And that is just that! It's you, your guitar and the tone you are chasing. Some find it easy and some tear up the world finding that "right" sound.
And, it's the particular guitar, weight, manufacturing and all that goes into a particular guitar. Show me a wall of hanging guitars, all like models and each will sound different. Don't get me started on acoustics. But that's for another topic outside this post.
So my first acquisition was a Elite Les Paul Standard in Tobacco Sunburst with Pearly Gates pups and stainless steel frets/ both aftermarket. This guitar, unlike my other Elite/Elitist is the only one that has non-original pups/the 50SR and the 60ST. My Pearly Gate's have that "it" factor. Some times a little muddy, but powerful midrange and tapered high end articulation. Compared to my other Elite/Elitist/Gibson Supreme and other Epiphones, they are hands down the best. But as there are people then their are opinions. And that is just that! It's you, your guitar and the tone you are chasing. Some find it easy and some tear up the world finding that "right" sound.
And, it's the particular guitar, weight, manufacturing and all that goes into a particular guitar. Show me a wall of hanging guitars, all like models and each will sound different. Don't get me started on acoustics. But that's for another topic outside this post.
Equalphone
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You've probably already seen this, but SD has some samples of both ends here: https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/pearly-gates
They seem to clean up well and drive pretty hard (my scale) too.
Yeah, but sound samples tell me nothing when it comes to how they react to my volume knob, and with a treble bleed to boot. Not just in how clean they get but how the tone changes when rolling down. Some stay middy, others not as much. The more i think about it the more i think i need to go with A5 even tho these pups didn't sound great when i tried a mag swap.
Equalphone
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You're saying you put A5's in the Probuckers? Or something else?
yeah, tried it in the bridge. It changed it in ways i wasn't crazy about but i think in the neck it might be worthwhile. But i just wanna get a new set. I'd like to try the PG's but i'll lose a ton of $ if i don't like em. I've had a lifetime of wasting money on pickups due to the fact you can't know how u will like them till you buy them. Soi have a hard time pulling the trigger, especially when they're 1/2 of what the guitar cost.
Darkness
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The cost of the guitar only matters if you plan to sell it.
It's very hard to get an idea what pickups will sound like with your specific gear. Your amp, your amp settings, your effects, your tone/volume settings, etc. Best you can do it seek some youtube videos of the pickups and hope to find something close enough to your gear and listen with good headphones. Even the ln you're at the mercy of how it was recorded and how youtube compressed the file.
If you've already messed around with the stock pickups and are not happy, sounds like you need a change anyhow right?
guitarmals
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I have an Epiphone I love but the Alnico V Classic Pro humbuckers were just a bit muddy on the low end. I chose to put SD Antiquity Humbuckers in. They are more articulate and more balanced but are quieter and not as lively. SD Antiqities are
Alnico II magnets. I wonder if I switch out the II’s for the V’s if I might get the tone I crave?
DHart
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A5s will give you a little bit more output and more noticeable high-end "sparkle". I like that for the neck position!
The bridge position doesn't need A5, as the string tone captured at that position is harsh and bright to begin with.
Equalphone
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Yeah, like speakers. LOL.
See if you can find some used. That cuts your cost to roughly what you can get for them used.
I've used the PG 's .... Not much difference from the PB's . If you don't like strong mid-range ..... steer clear of the Pearly Gates . Alnico Classic /Classic + are a good " Clean " pickups . .010 N , .022 B caps sound wonderful . Never felt the need to change my 50's Standard pups . I do country and blues . If you're wanting " Clean " tones your not finding with the PB's ..... might steer clear of anything marketed as "vintage " those will likely be " Mid " centric in their tone .
The Convert
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I think it might be of benefit to agree on what clean means. To me, clean means not breaking up. This is separate from EQ in my mind, I will definitely agree that PGs are quite mid-balanced, but I think the reason they are less clean, even for a PAF variant, is that they are hotter than a more traditional PAF. Most PAFs are more mid heavy than single coils or “modern” HBs, because mids cut through the mix really well, so that was a desirable feature that’s been accentuated over time. Of course amp and the rest of your signal chain plays a big role as well.
AJ Richetti
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There's No way I would swap Epiphone probuckers out for Pearly Gates or any other humbuckers
guitarmals
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Great advice! Thanks.
the SD pearly gates are great pickups.
But... the prop-bucker is going to have a TON of overlap with the SDpg. Not saying there isn't a reason to make that swap... but you're not going to hear a night and day difference.
Duncan pickups all have a "thing" kind of a high mid range focus that is really great. And the only thing that will do that is a Duncan. same goes for dimarzio... different characteristic "thing".
If you're looking for something else? some extra little bit of "Jene sai quoi?" then you'll need to look outside the PAF flavor family of pickups. OR into something a little more custom or with a higher output etc...
At least... if you want a BIG difference. The pro-bucker is a totally solid, hard to beat PAF flavored pickup.
honest. gibson nailed it with that pickup.
But... the prop-bucker is going to have a TON of overlap with the SDpg. Not saying there isn't a reason to make that swap... but you're not going to hear a night and day difference.
Duncan pickups all have a "thing" kind of a high mid range focus that is really great. And the only thing that will do that is a Duncan. same goes for dimarzio... different characteristic "thing".
If you're looking for something else? some extra little bit of "Jene sai quoi?" then you'll need to look outside the PAF flavor family of pickups. OR into something a little more custom or with a higher output etc...
At least... if you want a BIG difference. The pro-bucker is a totally solid, hard to beat PAF flavored pickup.
honest. gibson nailed it with that pickup.
I've already decided to pass on the PGs. After trying a A5 in the bridge pickup and then watching a PB vs PG video where they sounded pretty much identical i decided it would likely be a waste of $. Thing is i like the PBs just find on 10, but i ride my volume control constantly for various degrees of clean to drive and while i know a maple capped standard is pretty middy and i was just hoping a better pickup would clean up in a better way. The low end just gets kinda dull and lacking in crispness/clarity.(yes, i have a treble bleed and tried 250, 500 and 1000pf) It could be another pickup will get me more of that but i'm not sure i wanna jump down the pickup rabbit hole. I was so sure A5 would do it but it doesn't. Could be the bridge and/or the tailpiece are responsible, and that would speak t why an A5 magnet ddn't do much towards my goal. But i don't wanna go down that rabbit hole either. And truth is, i've jumped the gun anyways because i haven't used it with my band yet and as you know things become radically different there vs home. So in about 2 weeks i will find out the truth and go from there.
