Using aftermarket pickups in your PRS

[Jekylmeister]

I received and installed the covered Duncan JB I had mentioned above into the bridge position of my Korina WL 594. It had exactly the effect I hoped for - much hotter than the covered 57/08, but still with good clarity and blends well with the neck 58/15lt in both humbucker and split modes.
There's a reason the JB is supposedly the best selling replacement pickup - it sounds great! My 594 will be getting a lot more use with my band now.

I replaced a HFS in the bridge position of my Custom 24 with a Duncan JB hoping for a little more kick. I cannot tell the difference and am thinking about putting the HFS back in. Maybe use the JB on my Les Paul.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

I replaced a HFS in the bridge position of my Custom 24 with a Duncan JB hoping for a little more kick. I cannot tell the difference and am thinking about putting the HFS back in. Maybe use the JB on my Les Paul.

Isn't the HFS a ceramic magnet? I went from a ceramic Gibson Dirty Fingers to a Duncan JB in an Explorer I used to have and found the JB to be much more versatile and warmer.
I have my LP set up with a Duncan Jazz in the neck and Alternative 8 (very hot wind, alnico 8 magnet) in the bridge and I am pretty happy with that setup, it's just too frickin' heavy to play for more than 15 minutes standing up!

 

[Deleted member 21959]

Isn't the HFS a ceramic magnet?

The HFS is, indeed, a ceramic magnet pickup.

 

[bodia]

I replaced the stock pickups in my Bernie with the Bare Knuckle Abraxas set because I wanted a little more oomph. They are perfect but my fave pickups at the moment are the BK Rebel Yells that are in my S2 Singlecut. They have a lot of punch without going into metal territory, they clean up really well and the balance of tone between bridge and neck is spot on.

I agree. The Abraxas set in a Bernie is great!

 

[Reynewan]

Hi, im pretty new here but I have already some experience with Pick up swaps. I like also High Gain Sounds and do I have an Mc Carty MT and a S2 Singlecut which I am modding all the time. Ive replaced the both S2-HFS with the PRS- \m/ Metal Pickups. they sound really welll/transparent and clear even at high gain distortion levels a low tuned Guitar, They clean up well as well, when you wish to change from a harder to softer songpart without pushing the foot switch.

 

[Reynewan]

Ive ordered myself recently the Bare Knuckle Holy Divers which are also used by Bill Keliher(Mastodon)and Iam considering tu put them either in my S2 or into my US-Hamer Special.
The 57/08 pick ups gained generally extraordinary positive reviews, but they arent probably the best ones for detuned stufft due their low output level. As far as I know the BKP´s War Pig should also be fine for low tuned high gain guitar.

 

[Reynewan]

The only aftermarkets I've got in my PRS SE Mushok are PRS 59/09s.

However, once i get rid of a few things on eBay Im planning on a S2 Singlecut Standard, gutting it and then putting in a McCarty bass i have and a Seymour Duncan Nazgul or Pegasus as its going to be my Drop B/C Standard guitar. As for a SE SVN, thats the opposite bridge to the S2 Singlecut plan, with a Sentient in the neck probably.

I can't fault PRS standard pickups, even the S2 ones. The SE ones, well, are fair game and get their backside replaced ASAP, unless they are sorted like the Henderson or Holcomb models from standard.

You mean the unfortunately discontinued Baritone Model from Mike Mushok? Ive made surprisingly realy very good experiences on aggressive sounds with the 59/09s in my Mc Carty MT and I wouldnt change them, but Ive also never went lower then C standard with them. So no idea how they sound on B or A tunings.

 

[Reynewan]

Hi

Remember when you purchase a pair of high gain pick ups with high output to get as well 550k potentiometers and eventually good capacitors. This makes a difference as well.

 

[Reynewan]

This is not meant to create any arguments, just a legit question...... With the plethora of pedals available, why switch pickups? There are countless boost and distortion pedals available. There are some amazing EQ pedals and preamp pedals with lots of tone shaping capability.

I've swapped pickups in the past, but I've found that with so many pedal choices available for tone shaping today I prefer to keep my instruments stock. With a pedal I can dial in my tone, and get that tone with the push of a button (or buttons). If I want to go back to the stock sound, I just push the button (or buttons) again.

I will admit that I have a strong preferences for keeping my guitars stock.

Thoughts?

Also the Amp plays in my opinion generally astill the most important role. Even without distortion pedals, if you´re using for example an Diezel or Rectifier with their gain amounts and one additional little floor equalizer. You can keep often the Stock-Pick ups inside, as long as they arent really misplaced or generally bad.

 

[Deleted member 21959]

Hi

Remember when you purchase a pair of high gain pick ups with high output to get as well 550k potentiometers and eventually good capacitors. This makes a difference as well.

For the most part, I'm inclined to agree. But a few exceptions stand out if memory serves. I'm almost positive some Jacksons back in the day with the SH-4 JB pickup had 250k pots. But don't quote me on that.

Fortunately, for my PRS, I actually like their pot... pots, yes I said pots, as is.

 

[Reynewan]

Yep. I considered both Bare Knuckles and Duncan’s when looking for something ‘different’ for my McCarty guitars. Ultimately, I ended up with PRS pickups (although different from the stock pickups in those models).

The biggest pickup swaparoo for me so far has been this one:

And boy was that a good decision! I have been high fiving myself all damn day.



Solved all of my ‘issues’ with the guitar (and there weren’t that many issues to begin with). Only thing that would have made it more perfect would have been cutting the wood to slant the bridge pup... but I wanted to avoid unnecessary woodwork.

Looks pretty unique..and surely sounds pretty unique as well. Fine Guitar!!