PG BLUES - Anyone got em???

[Catalyst77]

Was thinking about taking out the riff raffs in my feline les paul and replacing them with PG blues.

Was wondering what they were like and if anyone else here had them in a les paul style guitar?

Are they simliar to stormy mondays? and can they handle a bit of Rawwwk as well as the more bluesy stuff?

[PhilKing]

I have them in a goldtop and they are very similar to Stormy Monday's but they do kick a bit more and they work really well with pedals.  You will notice a big dfference from Riff Raffs, because there will be less top end, however the sound will be smoother. 

[neilson]

I'm also considering getting some PG Blues for my LP - i've heard the sound files recorded by some and that out of phase sound is just sweet as pumpkin pie! I'd really like to have that out of phase sound but left wondering how well these pickups will perform when doing some malcolm young style chord chugging...

listening to PG recordings his tone sacrifices some low end for that cutting high end. will it pigeon hole the sound of the guitar these are fitted to into that PG style play?

[Catalyst77]

Am surprised thought this was a popular pickup?

[Plexi Ken]

I have them in my Les Paul Standard, the bridge is hotter than the neck, which is very clean. IMO, only consider them if you intend to use the out-of-phase sound a lot. If not you'd be better off with SM Neck/Mule Bridge with a push/pull to get the out-of-phase sound. It will sound less like PG but they'll be more flexible. However, if you're a huge PG fan... look no further, PG Blues are for you.

[Catalyst77]

I have them in my Les Paul Standard, the bridge is hotter than the neck, which is very clean. IMO, only consider them if you intend to use the out-of-phase sound a lot. If not you'd be better off with SM Neck/Mule Bridge with a push/pull to get the out-of-phase sound. It will sound less like PG but they'll be more flexible. However, if you're a huge PG fan... look no further, PG Blues are for you.

Funnily enough i'm not actually that into the peter green out of phase sound i was just after something a bit different, and there was set going on ebay.

I do love the stormy monday neck though, i take it its very close to the PG neck?

[fbloke]

I've got a set of PG Blues in my Les Paul Standard and there are similarities to the Stormy Monday but they're not identical. The out of phase sound is spot-on, but like you I'm not much into it.  I thought I would be, but I can't get it to sound as good as Peter Green, surprise surprise.   Where the PG's score very highly is balance and roundedness - PAF but with no shrill edges, it's all warmth and clarity. BUT - they're mild. If you're playing very clean blues with a quiet drummer they sound great.  But if you want a bit of cut you need to get the amp/pedals to do more work and you lose the purity of the clean tone.

My favourite tone from the PG's is the neck - it's very woody and and gets you very close to the tone that Peter Green gets on Ramblin' Pony if you work at it.  It's beautiful, but not classic Les Paul - it's very specifically like the Les Paul played by Peter Green in the Peter Green exquisite touch manner.  If you're a bit more of a growler you're going to need more beef. 

Tim got the replication exactly right, I just need more range and grit.  That's why I'm taking the PG's out and putting Black Dogs in.

[Catalyst77]

I've got a set of PG Blues in my Les Paul Standard and there are similarities to the Stormy Monday but they're not identical. The out of phase sound is spot-on, but like you I'm not much into it.  I thought I would be, but I can't get it to sound as good as Peter Green, surprise surprise.   Where the PG's score very highly is balance and roundedness - PAF but with no shrill edges, it's all warmth and clarity. BUT - they're mild. If you're playing very clean blues with a quiet drummer they sound great.  But if you want a bit of cut you need to get the amp/pedals to do more work and you lose the purity of the clean tone.

My favourite tone from the PG's is the neck - it's very woody and and gets you very close to the tone that Peter Green gets on Ramblin' Pony if you work at it.  It's beautiful, but not classic Les Paul - it's very specifically like the Les Paul played by Peter Green in the Peter Green exquisite touch manner.  If you're a bit more of a growler you're going to need more beef. 

Tim got the replication exactly right, I just need more range and grit.  That's why I'm taking the PG's out and putting Black Dogs in.

Thanks for that, its just what i needed to hear

Coincidentally i have a set of black dogs in another LP i know they polarise opinion but i really like them, you certainly wont regret the swap i'm sure.

[neilson]

So to summarise the conversation so far, PG Blues pickups don't really have much gruff outside of the Out of phase sound? If you compare them to a stormy monday or a Black Dog would you say they lack agression.

I am convinced that my playing will not be able to replicate Pete Green's style and that I'll feel slightly disheartened  I spent all that money when really I should be studying Greeny more instead of putting it down to pickups!!

I would be willing to go for it if I liked the sound of the neck and bridge independently - but from the comments so far if you like other dirtier kinds of music it might not be the way to go.

[fbloke]

So to summarise the conversation so far, PG Blues pickups don't really have much gruff outside of the Out of phase sound? If you compare them to a stormy monday or a Black Dog would you say they lack agression.

I am convinced that my playing will not be able to replicate Pete Green's style and that I'll feel slightly disheartened  I spent all that money when really I should be studying Greeny more instead of putting it down to pickups!!

I would be willing to go for it if I liked the sound of the neck and bridge independently - but from the comments so far if you like other dirtier kinds of music it might not be the way to go.

They have no aggression but lots of soul. It's a cliche, but they really do reflect the character of Peter Green.  I think if you turned your amp up, learned to play from a very deep place and perfected the vibrato and phrasing of PG they would be amazing.  I have Stormy Mondays in my 335 and I love them.  For my taste a Les Paul needs a bit of hard edge and I need higher output.  If you can say what you need to say with great taste and subtlety and you want an out of phase sound, go for the PG's.  To be honest, the out of phase sound started to get on my nerves after the novelty had worn off.   

The trick is to get a balance I think - no-one sounds like Peter Green and no-one should want to sound like Gary F*cking Moore!    Just kidding.....

[neilson]

Gary Moore has a place in my music collection. But Peter Green is a reason why I love music.

What you say about the novelty waring off speaks volumes to me - I do get bored easily and like you say, Pete played great, end of story, out of phase or not.

Think I'm heading towards a riff raff or a black dog - in my opinion once cranked thru some gain and fx pedals I think even the biggest tone seakers would find it difficult to tell the difference between two similar BKPups, the fact is they all good so I'm starting to worry less about which and just look forward to the time I can afford the upgrade.

[mikeluke]

OK - what about sticking one as a neck pup in an SG? Any thoughts on that one?

Regards

Mike