Pearly Gates for a Telecaster [Archive]

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qball

08-22-2008, 12:46 AM

Does anyone know what the differences are between these two Telecaster/Esquire pickups

BG-1400 Lead Stack for Tele (http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/telecaster/bg14002930k_for/)

and

Pearly Gates for Telecaster (http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/telecaster/pearly_gates_fo/)

Both are Custom Shop, bridge position, hum-cancelling, Pearly Gates pickups. I'm just wondering if there is any inherent differences between the two.

GAT

08-22-2008, 12:52 AM

Well, let me tell you all about the BG.

It's GREAT!!!!!!!!!

I just got a NAMM 1/100 Fender Top Bound Esquire with the BG in it. It is an amazing pickup. Very thick and fat, no ice pick, BUT it has plenty of chime and cleans up very well.

I think the Pearly Gates is a variant and not as hot.

qball

08-22-2008, 08:11 AM

Yeah, I keep hearing really good things about the BG but nothing about the PG for Tele. There has to be a difference.

Those NAMM Esquires are what got me interested in the BG :)

todd richman

08-22-2008, 09:29 AM

I have had the BG in the past and it is amazing. While not sounding like a bucker version of Pearly Gates, it did have a huge sound while still retaining some of the charm that makes it a Tele or Esquire pickup. Billy does use these also-they are not just some custom shop creation by Seymour. From the looks of it, the PG for Tele seems to be the same format as the JB Jr and Lil 59. Essentially a humbucker shrunk down to single coil size. I played the JB Jr for a while in a Tyler and never liked it-too sterile for me.

GAT

08-22-2008, 09:32 AM

Yeah, I keep hearing really good things about the BG but nothing about the PG for Tele. There has to be a difference.

Those NAMM Esquires are what got me interested in the BG :)

I've had a lot of guitars and this is one of the finest I have played or heard. Mine is an Ice Blue Metallic and not too relic'd.

Rumble

08-22-2008, 10:18 AM

If I had a real Tele, I'd go with the BG because it looks like a Tele p/up. The PG doesn't look Tele enough for me. But that's just cosmetic. I doubt there's an astronomical diff in sound from these, but I've tried neither.

And just for shear entertainment value, here's my whacked out Tele clone (Telefunken) that has both heaven and hell covered with a SD "Pearly Gates" at the neck, and a DiMarzio "Humbucker From Hell" at the bridge.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1332/telebodypx2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

dzo

08-22-2008, 10:31 AM

I have the BG in an aluminum bodied tele. It's has high output for a tele pickup but still maintains the essence of a tele. Todd described it well above.

Cotton

08-22-2008, 10:46 AM

qball - i think there is a clearance difference between the BG and PG. The PG is a side by side dual thin coil that should fit in most tele routes. The BG stacks on coil on top of the other and requires a deeper route for clearance in some teles.

About 10 years ago, i went to SD's custom shop and had them make me a PG for tele bridge. I believe the PG CS of that day is pretty close to the BG of today. And that '99 CS pickup was the most spectacular bridge pup that ever rode my '97 Anderson Hollow T. The pickup had all the musical harmonics that nature could muster...

Good luck! Cotton

baimun

08-22-2008, 10:51 AM

I'm happy to read these reviews of the BG... I'm planning on putting one in my Esquire.

http://baimun.home.comcast.net/~baimun/contours1.jpg

I'm planning on using the 4 contuctor wiring to make the 3 selection on the switch the reduced power setting, middle is the stacked coil with tone control, and all the way back for stacked with no tone control loading it.

GAT

08-22-2008, 10:54 AM

qball

08-22-2008, 06:05 PM

Thanks everyone, I think I'll stick with my original plan of ordering a BG-1400. I can't wait to hear it!

Cotton

08-23-2008, 10:57 PM

qball from who are you ordering the bg1400? thanks,

Cotton

qball

08-23-2008, 11:02 PM

Probably straight through Seymour Duncan, I'm in Australia so it's the cheapest way.

wingwalker

08-23-2008, 11:03 PM

They are quite different...the BG-1400 is a stacked Telecaster style lead pickup that uses vintage style alnico rod magnets but is humbucking and quite hot! Think a cross between a Telecaster and a filtertron and able to be thick and nasty or brighter and with a little twang. I have one and really dig it for a different vibe from my other Tele pickups...FWIW, you'll have a hard time finding a neck pickup that doesn't get blown away by the BG but it kills as an Esquire.

The Lil PG is a side by side bucker that uses am alnico 5 bar magnet and has adjustible poles, like a little PAF style pickup made to fit in a Tele...I;v enot tried one yet but it shoudl be pretty cool...

qball

08-24-2008, 01:19 AM

Would the PG for Tele run ok in the standard Tele bridge or would in need a straight plate.

LP Deluxe

08-24-2008, 01:34 AM

I've had a lot of guitars and this is one of the finest I have played or heard. Mine is an Ice Blue Metallic and not too relic'd.

I got one of those guitars NAMM Esquires too. Mine is Burgundy Mist.

http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/41517/2550238010091556115S600x600Q85.jpg

Killer guitar! Big and articulate. And what beautiful neck. The BG is a great pickup...it's all the things that you described.

Dave

wingwalker

08-24-2008, 01:39 AM

Would the PG for Tele run ok in the standard Tele bridge or would in need a straight plate.

It'll run in a trad plate...

wingwalker

08-24-2008, 01:42 AM

I got one of those guitars NAMM Esquires too. Mine is Burgundy Mist.

http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/41517/2550238010091556115S600x600Q85.jpg

Killer guitar! Big and articulate. And what beautiful neck. The BG is a great pickup...it's all the things that you described.

Dave

DAMN! Thats HOT!!!