Thoughts on PG Blues

[Blackdog]

Hi all,
          Just wondering what other owners of PG Blues pickups think of them, in particular how much the out of phase sound contributed to Peter Green's wonderful tone.

These are just my own observations, I'm not pretending to be an expert- but I am a tone freak.

The PG Blues humbuckers have Alnico II magnets, compared to the more usual Alnico IV's found in Les Pauls of the period.   I find them to have considerably more treble output, and this, I think, was also a major factor in Green's sound.   I've come to the conclusion that he didn't always use the out of phase sound.  Not least because output drops quite a lot when out of phase position is used, and some of Green's playing (like "Driftin'") sound to me to be on the bridge pickup.   Take a look at this clip of Gary Moore playing PG's Les Paul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqAuuIDU2sw

At around 2:06, Moore switches to bridge pickup- listen to that squeal!  I love it. 

My own BKP PG Blues equipped guitar sounds very similar: much more treble, quite a lot less gain than more conventional Alnico IV and V LP's.   No, my guitar isn't a '58 LP, or even a Gibson, but it's a well made, solid plank and these pickups transformed it.

Interestingly, the neck pickup, although modified in the PG Blues set, sounds just like any other vintage PAF when played on its own.

What are other owner's experiences and thoughts?

Oh yes, I am aware that amps etc also a major factor- but funnily enough, few people seem interested in PG's amps!  Some say he used Fenders, some say he used Oranges, some say both. 

[HTH AMPS]

few people seem interested in PG's amps!  Some say he used Fenders, some say he used Oranges, some say both. 

he used Orange/Matamps early on, then Fenders later.

with PG, I think THAT guitar and his playing were 90% of his tone - the attitude and attack still give me a silly grin...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlrB1tqNP5o&feature=related

[Elliot]

I have spent a while looking at old pictures and films of Greeny and his Les Paul - he rarely plays the neck (a clip of Long Grey Mare being the only time I've ever seen him use it), mainly the middle (like the obvious Black Magic Woman clips) and for the cutting sounds he switches to bridge (eg 'Oh Well').

[Blackdog]

Here's a great clip of PG playing "World keeps turning".  Here, he plays on bridge only- what a sound!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivS5wjwGbn8

[FELINEGUITARS]

Don't forget that some of the difference with the neck pickup of the PG blues is that it's wound with 42 gauge FORMVAR rather than plain enamel wire. Formvar insulation is thicker and will mean that each layer of wrap is slightly further away from the previous one , and this will affect the capacitance and therefore the tone of the pickup

I will add that the neck PG blues sounds pretty wonderful!!

The out of phase is cool but it's only in the both pickups on position and as soon as you turn one pickup down by even the slightest amount the out of phase sound disappears.

I usually oder my PG blues sets with 4 conductor wire so you have the choice to have it either in phase or out of phase (and you can reverse it easily with a switch or push pull pot)

[gordiji]

great vid of bb & gary,i love his composure, totally unfazed sharing the stage with gary(young man!).

[Blackdog]

Yeah, shocking news today about the death of Gary Moore.  Another legend gone.   :(

[edgie]

@felineguitars: do you have to order them both with 4 conductor or just 1 PG with 4-conductor wire will do?

I'm planning to put either a set of PG blues or a Stormy Monday neck + PG blues bridge combo for a quite dark/round sounding ES335 sound. What will be your opinion on these, guys?