57/08 versus 53/10?
- Thread starter Evan
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wardog
What the gravy and cheese!!!!
I like the 53/10's in my ME Quarto more than the p22 as well. But it is a comparison of 2 different constructions in instruments. The ME is solid with covered pickups and a rosewood neck. Where the p22 has less wood due to components and the pickups are uncovered. My MC58 has a solid body with covered 57/08's and it sounds different then the ME and P22. All three sound awesome and can do great thinks as I dial in for a sound. The only way to really answer your question is to do a shoot out. If your up to it; swap the pickups between guitars and see how they compare.
I've had both in SC58, SC245, and Stripped 58 models. Since the guitars, the electronics, and hardware are so similar, I figure that's a decent base for comparison. Here are the differences I found:
The bridge 53/10 has a rounder attack and, slightly less bright sound than the 57/08, which has a more searing attack. It responds well to the volume and tone controls when they're rolled back.
The neck 53/10 is warmer, but maybe a little more detailed and three dimensional than the 57/08, but they seem closer in tone in the neck position. I should add that both are beautiful sounding pickups.
The bridge 53/10 has a rounder attack and, slightly less bright sound than the 57/08, which has a more searing attack. It responds well to the volume and tone controls when they're rolled back.
The neck 53/10 is warmer, but maybe a little more detailed and three dimensional than the 57/08, but they seem closer in tone in the neck position. I should add that both are beautiful sounding pickups.
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enigma
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53/10 and 57/08 are my favorite PRS pickups. IMO, 57/08 has slightly more bite in tone to best cover classic rock, for example. 53/10 is slightly more smooth though it can easily cover 57/08 areas as well. It's a toss up, but if I were to splice hair then I do prefer 53/10 for smooth lead tones over 57/08 and 57/08 for more rhythmic tones.
That's particularly interesting to me, as I find the 53/10s to have a considerably more searing voice than the 57/08s in my McCarty 58.
Like, much hotter and more searing.
May I ask what guitars you're seeing this in? For me, I find the 53/10s vastly more modern-sounding and, frankly, scorching when compared to the lightweight 57/08s. Or am I missing something?
Like, much hotter and more searing.
May I ask what guitars you're seeing this in? For me, I find the 53/10s vastly more modern-sounding and, frankly, scorching when compared to the lightweight 57/08s. Or am I missing something?
enigma
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I think we're saying similar things, but semantics are getting in the way. I like 53/10s for leads because, in your words, they are "scorching" and yet smooth. 57/08s have a more transparent voice with better overtones, thus I like them more for rhythmic tones. My experience with 53/10s was with a ME Quatro and 57/08s with SC58 and ME II.
I guess words like "searing" and "rounder" don't mean much in describing sound.
If you think about an ADSR envelope, I found the 57/08 to have a sharper, slightly more gradual attack, and the 53/10 to have a faster, more blunt attack, in my SC58 and Stripped 58 guitars.
On my guitars, the neck pickup on the 53/10 was more open, a little clearer.
This was with both pickups at their factory heights and settings. Every guitar and every setup is different, and a slight difference in pickup height can change things quite a bit. YMMV and all that.
If you think about an ADSR envelope, I found the 57/08 to have a sharper, slightly more gradual attack, and the 53/10 to have a faster, more blunt attack, in my SC58 and Stripped 58 guitars.
On my guitars, the neck pickup on the 53/10 was more open, a little clearer.
This was with both pickups at their factory heights and settings. Every guitar and every setup is different, and a slight difference in pickup height can change things quite a bit. YMMV and all that.
Andres GTR357
New Member
Hello, this is my first post, I'm thinking of getting a PS with Brazilian Rosewood Neck. I'm down to three models a Mcarty DC, a Violin II or CU 24 with McCarty thickness. I Play clean and with very low gain and think 53 are the way to go, What do you guys think?
PS: not considering a SC as I want my first PS to be DC
PS: not considering a SC as I want my first PS to be DC
django49
New Member
^^^^
Can PRS legally ship BRW out of the USA?
Can PRS legally ship BRW out of the USA?
sergiodeblanc
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Andres GTR357
New Member
PRS has woods with full CITIES documentation that can be shipped outside USA, I'm the PRS Dealer for Costa Rica and have gotten a couple of Pieces with Brazilian Rosewood, with the proper CITIES Documentation. One is a beautiful PS Tony McManus, which he played a little in a concert we did with him down here.
But back to the question, which guitar do you recommend most for 53's and BRN?
But back to the question, which guitar do you recommend most for 53's and BRN?
Hopeful Sinner
Angry Southern Gentleman
I have 53/10s in my McCarty Rosewood and while not Brazilian, the pairing of a McCarty, solid rosewood neck and 53/10 pickups is an astounding combination.
There is a warmth and clarity in that guitar that I have yet to achieve with or hear in another. So, I would definitely recommend the McCarty.
I think the 22 frets, stoptail, McThickness and solid rosewood neck are just magical together...
Andres GTR357
New Member
Thanks very helpful, any other comments?
I think it depends what you're going for in terms of sound.
I found that the 53/10 neck pickup with my SC58 was the jazziest/bluesiest sounding pickup I've played on a PRS. I loved it. The bridge pickup - and this is just my thinking - really would be an amazing match with a semi hollow or hollowbody, where that round tone could really make the guitar sing.
Andres GTR357
New Member
Again the more I think about it the 53s are the way to go, looking for a woody piano like attack, and would think they will work nice with .11 strings.
LJD
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Got em in my HBII. They aren't going anywhere. Even though they're potted they're microphonic, the right amount, and they pick up the acoustic sound of the body really well. I had the 57/08s in there first. The 53's are clear in the neck, with more warmth and fatness than the 57s. The 57s bridge has a little more harmonic richness, more modern tone.
Andres GTR357
New Member
It's beginning to sound like McCarty Semi-hollow with 53's and Braz neck
Awesome!
It's beginning to sound like McCarty Semi-hollow with 53's and Braz neck
I'm late to the party, but hell yeah, that sounds like an amazing combination!
My P22 (53/10) just went into the shop, so I got reaquainted with my McCarty 58 (57/08s).
What I came away with, is that the 57/08s are amazing, until you use the neck pickup with the low E and A strings. Just horrible. Unusable, really. And I've had it set up by the best. It's still yucky in that range. Such a shame, for an otherwise stellar guitar.
But maybe it's the McCarty's neck, or how great it is everywhere else, but I couldn't stop playing it. It's just a delight.
TL
R; The McCarty 58 is flawed, but amazing when it's in the groove (top 4 strings).Now that I have the P22 back (53/10), however, this right here is the ****. Smoking blues tone in the middle position, SEARING in the bridge, and mellow and sweet in the neck. Not to mention the WHOLE OTHER GUITAR you get with the piezo. And you do -- believe me. Running that into an LR Baggs para DI, then into your mixer....goddamn...you've got an acoustic, a 12-string, and the best electric in the world (Custom 22). Oh, and split coils in position 2 and 4? Yikes, I actually see where the money goes.
Man oh man. It only saddens me because I think this might be the last guitar I ever truly need.
It is -- IMHO -- the perfect setup.
I'm biased, of course, but of the 18 guitars I've owned in the last 4 years....the P22 is, hands down, the finest.
Hope that helped a bit!
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