A8 Pearly Gates - awesome

[alex1fly]

So while I should be studying for my exam in an hour, I thought I'd share my new experiences with the A8 Pearly Gates. I've been questing for "more rock" out of my Les Paul bridge pup, with the main threads being

http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/s...+pickup&page=2
and
http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/s...8+pearly+gates

So A8 sounds AWESOME in the PG. It started with A2 (sweet, but mushy), spent most of its time until now with A5. A5 sounded very good, close to what I wanted, but a little harsh in the highs, lacking some chunk in the lows, but it sounded like my guitar. With A8 the harsh highs are rounded off, not like A2 but just less intense than A5, while still very present even when rolling off treble/tone knob. Fuller highs, I'd say. The whole pickup just sounds FULL. The entire tone is very round, and very present. There is ROCKING kick in the lower mids, and this is what I've been wanting. On my Spider III I dialed up the Mesa model, turned the treble down a bit and pushed the mids, played an old riff of mine that I've always desired a certain tone for, and BAM it was there. Exactly what I've wanted for all these years. There is still complexity from the mismatched coils. Palm mutes are big, but not mushy. But one of the best things about it is that it doesn't sound compressed like the Custom or Custom 5 that I tried in this guitar. Big, hotter, but still sounds like a Pearly Gates and a Les Paul. For rhythm, it turned this guitar from a medium beast to a huge monster. The higher output and treble taming of A8 helps the lead tone sing rather than sting. There is nice string click when cleanly playing fast leads - not a compressed click, and it doesn't click if your technique is sloppy, but a good click when I nail the notes.

There may be some string pull but I can't really tell - I had the A5 PG pretty close to the strings so I did back it off with the A8. Cleans DO still sound good, but they are closer to breakup, and there's a tad bit of fizz - but its aurally pleasurable fizz. The A5 fizz was a bit much, but this fizz sounds more natural, more like an overdriven amp. Turning the guitar volume down to around 8 gets nice cleans though. Its just a "bigger" sound... more lower mids, sweeter top end, chunkier palm mutes, but without the drawbacks of ceramic magnets or the hotter Custom family. It still sounds organic, PAF, round, all that good stuff but it handles higher gain tones MUCH better than the stock PG and the A5 PG. I can not say how hot it is; less hot than a Custom though. Picking strength doesn't affect the tone as much as the A5 PG, but its not too hot to let subtleties in articulation come across... I actually find it easier to do clean articulations with A8. I do plan on using it for a jazz group and some blues soloing sounded nice.

I did some searches and "purist vintage with balls" was a phrase used to describe an A8 PG. I agree, though I don't have enough experience to be a purist. It is vintage with balls. I would not compare A8 to ceramic/A2/A5 because it just sounds different. I love it though, it is darker, kicks harder, and sings more sweetly than the A2/A5 PGs, has extra output but is not compressed. I am very satisfied, and while I haven't yet used it through my main amp at practice or a show, I don't see it leaving my guitar anytime soon. I'll make an addendum after I use it at practice. I may still try a 59/Custom hybrid, but this pickup sounds so good to my ears.

I got my A8 magnet from Wymore Guitars for 8 bucks plus shipping, they do sell them as singles.

I encourage anyone to try this if they want vintage with balls, vintage meets modern, any of that crossover ground without upgrading to a Custom. A8 turned out to give the PG many of the qualities I like. I can't compare it to other hotter PAFs like the Demon/Brobucker/PATB3, but the tone comes down to one word: awesome.

[AmpegV4]

Interesting, thanks for that post. I did a search and found the webpage here:

http://www.shop.wymoreguitars.com/ca...?categoryId=29

Are the magnets listed on that page the exact same size and strength as those usually used in Duncan/Gibson pickups?

And what's the story behind A8 magnets? I've read elsewhere that they're more expensive (and this website confirms that) so what is it about how they're made that makes them cost more? (and sound better, YMMV)

[cvansickle]

Interesting.... I have a Crazy 8 on the way, and it's replacing a JB in a Floyd guitar that has painful highs.

[fab.regnaut]

As a long time user of the Demon with alnico 8 , I am very happy to see AlexFly1 trying one thing that I have always been recommanded ; alnico 8
in low resistance pickup !
The description is accurate for this vintage punch with balls !
It could be as well the receipy of Dimarzio's D-Activator ; low winding and powerfull magnet (ceramic here) .

[alex1fly]

Interesting, thanks for that post. I did a search and found the webpage here:

http://www.shop.wymoreguitars.com/ca...?categoryId=29

Are the magnets listed on that page the exact same size and strength as those usually used in Duncan/Gibson pickups?

And what's the story behind A8 magnets? I've read elsewhere that they're more expensive (and this website confirms that) so what is it about how they're made that makes them cost more? (and sound better, YMMV)

They are the same size as Duncan magnets, but I can't attest to the strength comparison... though Wymore's A5 feels about as strong as Fender's A5 from a Tex Mex HB, and Wymore's A8 was stronger than both with the fridge test. As far as the cost, I read on an old thread that A8 contains titanium... could be true or not
I think part of the reason they sound very good (in my opinion) is that they are strong enough to be responsive like ceramic but you still get the true AlNiCo vibe. I don't know why the highs are tamed over A5 though, and that's one of the reasons why it sounds very good (again in my opinion).

As a long time user of the Demon with alnico 8 , I am very happy to see AlexFly1 trying one thing that I have always been recommanded ; alnico 8
in low resistance pickup !
The description is accurate for this vintage punch with balls !
It could be as well the receipy of Dimarzio's D-Activator ; low winding and powerfull magnet (ceramic here) .

Now I will recommend it with you! I can see the comparison with the D-Activator; I haven't played with them but from what I heard on Guitar World's (or whoever) video demo of them they are much more compressed and active sounding than the A8 PG in my opinion. The PG still sounds vintage, but has higher potential for harder rocking and you can still turn the guitar volume down a bit for less intense tones.

[subanots]

you lost me at spider III......

[Fusion1]

Wow great review Alex! Surprised you didn't try the A8 in the Screamin Demon. Did you ever try that in the neck at all? It was a nice pup for jazzy/fusion stuff. Seems like it would compliment something like the PG8 in the bridge.

[xxxplorer]

I may have to try that in a 59! I like the 59 alot, but wish it had more bite and more oomph... so maybe that is the answer.

[Simon_F]

Interesting. I have an old Ibanez Super 70 which I think has an A8 magnet. I had it in the neck position for a while with a Custom in the bridge. Think I'm gonna try it in the bridge position with either a PG or Jazz in the neck. I may try putting the A8 magnet into a Custom too!

[AmpegV4]

I think I saw an old ad somewhere that Ibanez says the magnets in its 70's pickups have magnets which are not like the cheap magnets used in other guitars, or something like that?

Can anyone else confirm that A8's are expensive because they contain titanium? or what is it?

And it would seem that A8's may be the best sounding magnet of all, but they never caught on because of the extra cost?

[alex1fly]

I would have liked to try A8 in the Demon, or try the Demon at all, but I traded it with a forum bro for a PATB-1... which is the pickup I've been GASing for since my first visit to the Seymour Duncan site so I may have to try and pick up another Demon somewhere! I'm going to order another A8 to throw in my neck PG when it gets here (been waiting 6 weeks?). Some say A8 is too strong to work in the neck, some have A8 sets, so I'd just like to try it and see.

xxxplorer - try it. It is like a new pickup, only you keep the same base tone you like and add the output and growl.

Simon - I read that in some old threads, about A8 in Ibanez's Super 70. Did you find that the pickup had too much string pull? Many people who have tried the Custom 8 seem to like it a lot, and many of the words they use to describe the tone and improvements are exactly what I'd say about the A8 PG... except the PG will probably be less compressed and have more sparkle on the high end.

[Simon_F]

Simon - I read that in some old threads, about A8 in Ibanez's Super 70. Did you find that the pickup had too much string pull?

I didn't notice excessive string pull. I only took it out when I bought a set of BKPs I wanted to try. I think I'm going to try it in the bridge position of another guitar, with a PG in the neck.

[xxxplorer]

I will try it hopefully next week! I have been pretty content with my Bill Lawrence Pickups in there, but I have always had a thing for the 59... We shall see!

[Ascension]

Good review of the PG A8. I have a couple of PG bridges that I may try that swap in.
I have a couple of Customs with A8 mags now as well as a Crazy 8. the A8 is my all around favorite mag for tones. Smooth and buttery on the highs like the A2 but tighter in the bottom, much more ballanced and less harsh on the high end than the A5 and sweeter and less harsh than the ceramics with about the same output if not a little more. Tha A8 is not as open and organic as the A2 or the A5 in a low output wind like the PG. However it is the most ballanced of all the mags I have tried so far and adds a very modern charcter to the tone with a solid PUNCH in everything I have used them in.
In particular the A8 Customs I have really seem to jump out in the overall mix on solos with out being overwhelming.
The Crazy 8 also while being much more compressed and darker than the Custom with the A8 still seems to cut through on the solos well. There is just something about the tones of the A8 that makes it really snap out in the track on the solos!
One thing I can assure you is that the string pull is subsantialy higher and they don't like to be right on the strings. I could tell the difference in just re-tightening the screws that attach the bobbins to the base plate. You can really feel the higher pull on the screwdriver from the slugs with the A8. The increase in magnetic strength between a A2 or 5 and a A8 is quite noticable!!

[alex1fly]

That is a good description Ascension, especially about the modern character and the punch. I've found my hard rock tone. I tweaked my screw levels to balance the string to string response and ended up sinking the high E and B and raising the G quite a bit to compensate for the wound string I use. After the tweak my guitar sounds even better, more alive and responsive. At practice today we were vocalist-less so I could hear the guitar better, cleans were very woody and authentic, though I had to run my guitar volume at 8 to keep it cleaner but it still overdrive the amp nicely when I strummed hard. Having the extra output made the guitar's volume more useful, because turning it down reduced gain more than volume. Distorted tones were very clear and tight, everything sounded balanced, I could hear all the notes in chords even with a lot of distortion. There was more sustain and it felt a LOT more like a lead player's pickup than with A5. Both distorted and clean tones struck me in an odd way that could only make me think "wow, that's what a full, rocking Les Paul sounds like." Big and full but not harsh in the highs, juicy and authentic tone but with the extra power to sound more like a good rock/hard rock tone when you want (IMO). I'm quite pleased with it so far.

[fab.regnaut]

Very good review Ascencion , you will surprise if you try the PG with alnico 8 , in low resistance p-u the alnico 8 is at home !

[revolution]

Ascension,modify that guitar to make the Crazy 8 dangle instead of mounting to the wood. You may find it to not be as dark.

[hamerfan]

Hi, i own two A8 mags since nearly two years and put it into some pups. its true what Ascension said. i like it best in not too low resistance (a 7k and 7.7k with 42awg) and not too overwound pups: the low resistance loose a lot of it openess and high dynamics, the overwound ones (11k of 42AWG) it lost definition and too much highs. Still did not swap it into my PG+ and my demon. So far it liked it best in Custom an in a JB.
This also my problem with the A8: its too balanced. If a pup has a special character the A8 seem to even it out. And the character is gone at least. You should use it to support the strength of an pickup. Most A2 pickups for the bridge seem to get a tighter bass and some overly scooped A5 pups sound fuller with an A8.

BTW The PG+ sound so much better with a 250k volume. But i surely will try with a A8 and a 500k.

[Fusion1]

Sorry to hijack, but has anyone tried a 59/Custom hybrid with an A8?

[blueman335]

It would seem that A8's may be the best sounding magnet of all, but they never caught on because of the extra cost?

The unit cost isn't really a factor when they're bought in bulk. Manufacturers want as few magnets as possible in inventory, and most only use A5's & ceramics. Ideally they like to use the same one for bridges as in necks, not for tone, but for simplicity on the production line. I think A8's have more character and tone than ceramics in the bridge position, but A8's are too hot in the neck.

The "best" magnet depends on your style, wood, amp, etc. I take out all of the A2's from my neck PU's (too dark & lifeless for that position), and A5's out of some bridge PU's (when they're too bright). What I replace them with is more A4's than anything else.

To me, A8's are kind of extreme. I have one in a 500T in a V, and that's probably enough for me. A4's are more versatile and should be used more often than they are, especially by the big manufacturers. And yes, they should also use A8's instead of so many ceramics (give us more choices!). But since we have 7 guitar magnets to choose from, everyone can tweak to their heart's content.