Right pickups for GMP ?

[wantowail]

Hi guys

Long time member but not really a poster. Also not much of a pickup swapper, but just recently put a Harmonic Design Super 90 in the bridge of my Strat, which now KILLS, and it got me looking around to see what else I could maybe improve on.

I've got this GMP semi-hollow Pawn Shop Deluxe (excuse the crappy pic)

It's has a Mahogany body with a western maple top, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard and currently has an Alnico Pro II neck and Custom Custom bridge.

Tone is OK, but nothing special. I have a set of nickel covered Pearly Gates N/B I was thinking of putting in and was wondering what they would bring to the table with this guitar?

I also have a Harmonic Design Vintage Plus neck pickup I could pair with the PG bridge.

Opinions? Thoughts? Appreciate any comments you can offer about these ideas.

[Lewguitar]

A PG bridge and HD Vintage Plus neck? That should be a really interesting set - maybe a great set.

I don't hear much about Harmonic Design these days but they were a pretty popular boutique pickup for a while. I have a set of HD V+ Classic humbuckers that I had in a Hamer solid body for a while. Didn't love that particular guitar but I loved the HD pickups so when I sold the Hamer I kept the HD pickups. I'll put them in another guitar someday. I think they have a great tone. Refined and classy but real nice overdriven tones too. Sort of reminded me of Larry Carlton's tone.

[DrNewcenstein]

Depends on what you're after tone-wise. I had a similar guitar (Jackson Mark Morton sig - chambered mahogany body with maple top) and the 59s that came with it sounded great, especially when split together. Roll back the Tone knob for a mellow/muted-but-sparkly clean Jazz solo tone, open everything up for a nice Major Chord tone, throw on the neck with a hint of grind (just enough to sustain, nothing Metal) and they sing like birds.

[wantowail]

Well don't have any '59s so...

OK, not really that good describing tone but here goes - I just feel like the APII/CC doesn't really stand out - it's not bad, but there's a muffled sound/feel to both pickups like there's tone there to be had but a blanket is over the amp (Savage Macht12 BTW if that helps any). Looking for a more dynamic (maybe not so compressed?) out front, rock tone with a nice high end.

Anyhow if there's anybody with experience with the PG/PG or HDV+/PG setup would like to hear from them. Thanks