Pickup Upgrade - SD Pearly Gates or Gibson 57s?

[ratrob]

Hello all,

 

I picked up up a used Sheraton II guitar in the spring. After playing the guitar all summer I'm getting ready to start my upgrades. Like many, I really would have loved a real flamed maple top Gibson ES 335 (Ted Leo is my indie rock hero) however I couldn't justify the $3000+ price tag. I decided to find a Sherri in good condition and replace all the electronics to get as close to the real 335 as possible. That being said I was ready to get a set of Gibson 57's for the guitar (std in the neck and 57 plus for the bridge) But then, I heard this video on Youtube of someone who put a set of Pearly Gates in their Sheraton.

 

 

this video really intrigued me as I hadn't really thought about SD's in the guitar. Has anybody upgraded their Sheraton to 57's or Pearly Gates? Can you let me know how your guitar sounds after the upgrades? I play some classic rock, Indie and Alternative. I'm not looking for ridiculous output but would like some crunch when needed (think radiohead or Silversun Pickups)

 

Any advice is appreciated!

 

Thanks

[stumblinman]

Burstbuckers are a good choice also. BB2 in Bridge and BB1 in neck would give you some growl when you need, but clean up really well too. I'm a big fan of them, myself. If you are going to pay for 57's, I'd get the Burstbuckers instead, since they have a little more bite. But if they are going in a semi-hollow or hollowbody, you have to be careful about feedback, since they aren't wax potted. But the tone is awesome. I have a SD SH-14 Custom 5 in my G-400, and it's a great pup too. I wouldn't hesitate to throw another Seymour Duncan pickup in a guitar, they make some good ones for less than Gibson, and sound pretty good. I'm just not a fan of the 57's personally. So.. to make a long story longer, if you are only looking 57's or Pearly Gates, go for the Gates.

[ratrob]

Thanks for the reply. I'll check out the burstbuckers too. I know I've thought about a higher output pickup but wanted to get the nice cleans. Maybe this will be the best of both worlds.