57/08s are now available aftermarket...

[Phyl]

that's a GOOD NEWS

last year I was lucky to find on the market an used 57/08 pair for my Bernie Marsden and was simply GREAT

However, Paul Reed Smith - a really nice person who is able to transmit his passion to all of us - a few years ago said that

"This whole building [the PRS factory staff] wants to sell these pickups - the 57/08, 59/09 and 53/10s - separately," concludes Smith. "But the day we do that is the day we sell less guitars, because someone will buy the pickups and won't buy a guitar. That ain't gonna happen… and you can quote me on that!" So I did it!

(MusicRadar 2011: http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/prs-me-quatro-486824)

Naturally things can change as well as the market! What I do think is that 57/08s have been the best ones (for the market) among the 5X XX's pups group for years.

But recently PRS produced something even better: 58/15LTs

Are those the new "holy grail" PAF? apparently yes, looking how the SC and DC 594 have been commented!

 

[Basauri]

My MC58 came with 57/08s as stock, and I really like them. Now we know that they're alnico II which surprises me due to their clear and well articulated tones (Gibson BB I &II are alnico II and, in comparison, sound... like having a blanked on the speaker).
I have no experience with LTs, but have tried several PRSi with 58/15 and these pickups are even more articulated. They sound, to me, brighter than 57s but in a good/sweet way, some kind of vintage-but-modern focused. Many bright pickups are shrill and ear piercing, but PRS has done his homework with this 58s.
Anybody want to sell his set?

 

[garrett]

that's a GOOD NEWS

last year I was lucky to find on the market an used 57/08 pair for my Bernie Marsden and was simply GREAT

However, Paul Reed Smith - a really nice person who is able to transmit his passion to all of us - a few years ago said that

"This whole building [the PRS factory staff] wants to sell these pickups - the 57/08, 59/09 and 53/10s - separately," concludes Smith. "But the day we do that is the day we sell less guitars, because someone will buy the pickups and won't buy a guitar. That ain't gonna happen… and you can quote me on that!" So I did it!

(MusicRadar 2011: http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/prs-me-quatro-486824)

Naturally things can change as well as the market! What I do think is that 57/08s have been the best ones (for the market) among the 5X XX's pups group for years.

But recently PRS produced something even better: 58/15LTs

Are those the new "holy grail" PAF? apparently yes, looking how the SC and DC 594 have been commented!

I think it makes sense to sell them now, since they aren't the factory installed standard anymore. I definitely get Paul's point from several years ago. Probably the same reason they don't sell the XX/15 models.

The LT is holy grail material for me, but that's largely because I like lower output humbuckers. I'm sure other players prefer the stronger output and low-mid push of the 57/08 set.

 

[shallbe]

Nice. I still prefer the old A4 Artist pickups though.

 

[shinksma]

OK, so just remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people.

So I have a stupid question:

I honestly don't know what I like about any of the pickups that are in any of the guitars I have. I play the guitar, the pickups work, I may tweak or fiddle with the pedalboard and/or amp, it sounds pretty darned good. I do hear the differences if I "study" it (i.e. do a back to back comparison of two different guitars), but my guitars are all different on purpose, so I don't know how much is the pickup vs the rest of the guitar. And just pickup up a random guitar, plugging in, and wailing I don't say to myself, "hmm, this needs more low-mid bite, I should switch to the CU24".

So to help edumacate me, are there any YouTube videos or anything where someone takes two identical guitars (or better yet, the same guitar over time) with different pickups, everything else the same, and demonstrates the tonal/sonic/magic differences?

To me, almost everyone else on the internet sounds great playing their guitars, so I honestly don't know if their guitars and pickups sound the way they do because of microphones, amps, effects, or fingers.

 

[MichaelS]

So in about 7 years we might see aftermarket 85/15s?

 

[John Beef]

OK, so just remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people.

So I have a stupid question:

I honestly don't know what I like about any of the pickups that are in any of the guitars I have. I play the guitar, the pickups work, I may tweak or fiddle with the pedalboard and/or amp, it sounds pretty darned good. I do hear the differences if I "study" it (i.e. do a back to back comparison of two different guitars), but my guitars are all different on purpose, so I don't know how much is the pickup vs the rest of the guitar. And just pickup up a random guitar, plugging in, and wailing I don't say to myself, "hmm, this needs more low-mid bite, I should switch to the CU24".

So to help edumacate me, are there any YouTube videos or anything where someone takes two identical guitars (or better yet, the same guitar over time) with different pickups, everything else the same, and demonstrates the tonal/sonic/magic differences?

To me, almost everyone else on the internet sounds great playing their guitars, so I honestly don't know if their guitars and pickups sound the way they do because of microphones, amps, effects, or fingers.

So, this is all Metal, which may not be your thing, and they're all hotter Duncan humbuckers. However, this video is a real benchmark for how a good pickup comparison video should go. Same player, same (exact) guitar, same recording setup, same riffs, all played together with a "band" so you can hear how it sits in a mix. Also, they keep the name of the pickup right on the screen so you can A/B whatever models you want.

 

[garrett]

OK, so just remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people.

So I have a stupid question:

I honestly don't know what I like about any of the pickups that are in any of the guitars I have. I play the guitar, the pickups work, I may tweak or fiddle with the pedalboard and/or amp, it sounds pretty darned good. I do hear the differences if I "study" it (i.e. do a back to back comparison of two different guitars), but my guitars are all different on purpose, so I don't know how much is the pickup vs the rest of the guitar. And just pickup up a random guitar, plugging in, and wailing I don't say to myself, "hmm, this needs more low-mid bite, I should switch to the CU24".

So to help edumacate me, are there any YouTube videos or anything where someone takes two identical guitars (or better yet, the same guitar over time) with different pickups, everything else the same, and demonstrates the tonal/sonic/magic differences?

To me, almost everyone else on the internet sounds great playing their guitars, so I honestly don't know if their guitars and pickups sound the way they do because of microphones, amps, effects, or fingers.

All of the above, really. It's a game of subtleties. Fingers, ears, technique, and rig all factor in, as well as the sonic properties of each individual guitar. It's all about that last 1%, which I think is mostly about feel. Everything affects the way a player feels, and the better your rig makes you feel, the more enjoyment you get.

A more practical reason I like low output humbuckers is that they match better with my single coil guitars, so I can change back and forth without having to redo all my settings.

So in about 7 years we might see aftermarket 85/15s?

Only if Paul switches to something he likes even better! There's only so far you can push the envelope, and he's got things darn near perfect now.

 

[Phyl]

I think it makes sense to sell them now, since they aren't the factory installed standard anymore. I definitely get Paul's point from several years ago. Probably the same reason they don't sell the XX/15 models.

The LT is holy grail material for me, but that's largely because I like lower output humbuckers. I'm sure other players prefer the stronger output and low-mid push of the 57/08 set.

they don't sell the XX/15 for a reasonable marketing strategy, in a few years maybe the will (and starting from the 58/15s I suppose)

well, 57/08s seem to be in the same PAF ballpark, a little bit lower than 58/15s which can sit in between 57/08s and 59/09s...

anyway the 58/15s haven't had a big success in the market to my understanding; looking at the 2017 PRS run, 58/15s are used just in the "classic" McCarty and in the 12 strings hollowbody models in the core electrics..

in conclusion we have 2 good news: the LTs are great and 57/08s are finally available to the public: a win-win move!

 

[garrett]

anyway the 58/15s haven't had a big success in the market to my understanding; looking at the 2017 PRS run, 58/15s are used just in the "classic" McCarty and in the 12 strings hollowbody models in the core electrics..

I'll disagree with you on that because their uncovered twins, the 85/15, are found in the Customs (excepting the Floyd) and the CE. The S2 and SE models even got their own version of the 85/15 this year.

 

[Phyl]

I'll disagree with you on that because their uncovered twins, the 85/15, are found in the Customs (excepting the Floyd) and the CE. The S2 and SE models even got their own version of the 85/15 this year.

I was referring to 58/15s... apparently people like the 85/15s which I'm not sure they are the 58/15s uncovered, PS explains in a different way the numbering:

 

[Phyl]

I think it makes sense to sell them now, since they aren't the factory installed standard anymore. I definitely get Paul's point from several years ago. Probably the same reason they don't sell the XX/15 models.

It's a specific marketing strategy which has not been the same for other pups. For instance, 59/09s have been sold while were still installed. For 53/10s they are still not on sale while are practically not installed anymore in the core electrics...

 

[Basauri]

^ This

 

[shinksma]

So, this is all Metal, which may not be your thing, and they're all hotter Duncan humbuckers. However, this video is a real benchmark for how a good pickup comparison video should go. Same player, same (exact) guitar, same recording setup, same riffs, all played together with a "band" so you can hear how it sits in a mix. Also, they keep the name of the pickup right on the screen so you can A/B whatever models you want.

Thanks, had a quick listen on my phone just for a taste, but I'll need more serious time in front of a proper computer with good sound system (i.e. my home office, since I can't access youtube from work...), so perhaps this weekend, over a coffee.

 

[garrett]

It's a specific marketing strategy which has not been the same for other pups. For instance, 59/09s have been sold while were still installed. For 53/10s they are still not on sale while are practically not installed anymore in the core electrics...

I'll quote Shawn from the other 57/08 thread:

Paul always says "We are in the guitar business, not the pickup business". Meaning, we want to sell guitars not pickups. Typically, he will allow us to sell pickups after they've been out for a few years, he held firm the 57/08's until now.

In the case of the 53/10, they were on sale for a while, but PRS are no longer able to source the wire used. They are still listed as a Private Stock option, so there must be a stash held back for those special requests.

 

[dogrocketp]

My understanding is that some of the materials to do the 53/10`s are impossible to get consistently. i`d love to get a set and drop them m my SAS. That would probably be pretty nasty for funk rhythmns. I put 57/08`s in my 2003 CE24 after deciding that the HFS/VB combination was too shrill for that particular guitar. THe end result makes me very happy, and other guitar players complement me on the tone of the guitar. Another example of the same model with the same stock pickups might sound different. The whole idea to me is to chase the sounds we hear in our heads with our guitars and amps. No pickup or guitar model is intrinsically better to me, as long as it`s a PRS. And that`s a good excuse to have more than one (or three, or 8, or ten, or more).

 

[Phyl]

I'll quote Shawn from the other 57/08 thread:




In the case of the 53/10, they were on sale for a while, but PRS are no longer able to source the wire used. They are still listed as a Private Stock option, so there must be a stash held back for those special requests.

Ok thanks. It seems the 53/10s have had a difficult life - anyway they were used successfully for a limited BM SE run.

If the statement quoted - PRS is in the guitar business not pups business - was entirely true, we should see some guitars with Duncans or Di Marzios which is not the case. And anyway, this would not fit with PS statement I mentioned above, which seems different.

(MusicRadar 2011: http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/prs-me-quatro-486824)

My final assessment is still the same: 57/08s have been considered the best PRS pups until LTs now installed on 594s. Now 57/08 can be sold on the market, there's something even better...

 

[sergiodeblanc]

If the statement quoted - PRS is in the guitar business not pups business - was entirely true, we should see some guitars with Duncans or Di Marzios which is not the case.

McCarty Soapbars, CU 22 Soapbars, KL 380, Holcomb, Waring, and Cantanese ... But I get what you're sayin', kinda.