5708 Pickup reviews.

[Matt H.]

I have a 2009 coming soon, and it has the 5708 pups in it. I have a Santana and an early custom 22 with Seymour Duncan's in it, and both sound fantastic, but I'm not sure what to expect with the 5708's.

According to the seller, it remains unplayed.

Opinions?

Just trying to stay distracted until it arrives!

 

[AP515]

It will at least sound very good. Whether it sounds fantastic or not depends on a few things. The early 57/08's were still getting tweaks. Some were in the fantastic category, others just very good. Like all guitars, a lot also depends on the quality of the wood tone. Most are great, others have low response wood. It is just the luck of the build. When you roll it all together you have a high risk of getting something fantastic.

 

[Matt H.]

It will at least sound very good. Whether it sounds fantastic or not depends on a few things. The early 57/08's were still getting tweaks. Some were in the fantastic category, others just very good. Like all guitars, a lot also depends on the quality of the wood tone. Most are great, others have low response wood. It is just the luck of the build. When you roll it all together you have a high risk of getting something fantastic.

Can I ask how you came to this conclusion? I'm not challenging it in any way, but knowing how meticulous PRS is about everything they do, I am having a hard time thinking they didn't have the pickup specs nailed down before production. I don't think they believe in happy accidents.

I am still looking for information about the creation of this particular one, because I've read where PRS actually acquired ether the wire or equipment that was used to make the original 57's.

 

[andy474x]

Can I ask how you came to this conclusion? I'm not challenging it in any way, but knowing how meticulous PRS is about everything they do, I am having a hard time thinking they didn't have the pickup specs nailed down before production. I don't think they believe in happy accidents.

I am still looking for information about the creation of this particular one, because I've read where PRS actually acquired ether the wire or equipment that was used to make the original 57's.

The story, as I recall it, is that PRS was (and probably still is) partnered with someone who had come to own the machines that made the wire for Gibson in the 50’s, and had just been sitting unused for years. PRS made a deal to get exclusive rights to the wire made on those machines. They also worked with the company to add digital control to the machines to create consistency of the wire, I guess the first batches they had made were very inconsistent, so they computerized the control of the machines to help.

As far as the pickups themselves, they’re fantastic, like @AP515 said, the rest is up to the guitar they’re in. Very detailed, punchy, great mid push but not at the expense of any other frequency. I’ve had some Dimarzio and Duncan pickups, and they’re nice, but the PRS 57/08 and 59/09’s have been my absolute favorites.

 

[AP515]

Can I ask how you came to this conclusion? I'm not challenging it in any way, but knowing how meticulous PRS is about everything they do, I am having a hard time thinking they didn't have the pickup specs nailed down before production. I don't think they believe in happy accidents.

Paul is a non-stop tinkerer. They modded many version of pickups as they went along. At least that is what has come down to us over the years.

 

[dogrocketp]

The 57/08’s are my personal favorites of all the PRS pickups. I have a set in my 03 CE 24. I took the guitar to an open mike. The house guitar player had left the room when the group before me went up, and he was still gone from the room when it was my turn. I started my solo on the first tune and he came in in a damn big hurry to hear what the sound was. Afterwards he asked me about the guitar.
The pickups are clear, with a very nice even response from top to bottom. The low E string string is very full, and above the 12th fret it just sings. As others have said, there were wire inconsistencies early on. We don’t know when this was resolved to Paul’s satisfaction. The odds are way in your favor that they’ll be outstanding.

 

[Matt H.]

The story, as I recall it, is that PRS was (and probably still is) partnered with someone who had come to own the machines that made the wire for Gibson in the 50’s, and had just been sitting unused for years. PRS made a deal to get exclusive rights to the wire made on those machines. They also worked with the company to add digital control to the machines to create consistency of the wire, I guess the first batches they had made were very inconsistent, so they computerized the control of the machines to help.

As far as the pickups themselves, they’re fantastic, like @AP515 said, the rest is up to the guitar they’re in. Very detailed, punchy, great mid push but not at the expense of any other frequency. I’ve had some Dimarzio and Duncan pickups, and they’re nice, but the PRS 57/08 and 59/09’s have been my absolute favorites.

Thanks, this is great information. I too have a collection of about 20 guitars, and only a couple remain stock, with sets of Dimarzio's and Duncans with all manor of coil tapping, series parallel and phase inverted options, push pull pots and mini toggles, and their have been a couple magic accidents that stand out.

According to all the online research I've done, no one ever swaps out PRS pickups.

The 57/08’s are my personal favorites of all the PRS pickups. I have a set in my 03 CE 24. I took the guitar to an open mike. The house guitar player had left the room when the group before me went up, and he was still gone from the room when it was my turn. I started my solo on the first tune and he came in in a damn big hurry to hear what the sound was. Afterwards he asked me about the guitar.
The pickups are clear, with a very nice even response from top to bottom. The low E string string is very full, and above the 12th fret it just sings. As others have said, there were wire inconsistencies early on. We don’t know when this was resolved to Paul’s satisfaction. The odds are way in your favor that they’ll be outstanding.

Thanks for sharing such great information. The guitar was supposedly one of the first to get the 5708's in an '09 year guitar, so maybe some of the early ones. I've been around the block enough to know that guitar, pickup and amp relationships are hit and miss, but I have the guitar and amp combos covered exceptionally well at this time, just waiting for the new PRS 5708 equipped addition to enjoy.

 

[93studiolite]

I just got my S2 Custom 24 back after having some non TM 57/08’s installed. I’m not sure if the non TM means a whole lot, but they are much clearer and a lot more articulate than the import Vintage/HFS set they replaced. I didn’t get a lot of time to mess with amp settings and everything last night when I was playing, but a like them A LOT.

 

[Callan]

According to all the online research I've done, no one ever swaps out PRS pickups.

In that case, I am no one... but there are others like me.

Back to 57/08, I took them out of my hollowbody because I didn't like the balance between neck and bridge. I felt the mules were an upgrade - for me, in this specific guitar.

I like 57/08's in my 245, and also donated the HB set to my Gibson Les Paul, and they are both great.

They are great pickups and I wouldn't worry about them.
If they aren't your flavor then you can swap them out, but no need to worry or second guess a guitar with 57/08 pickups.

 

[ScottR]

You can expect greatness...they are killer!

 

[HANGAR18]

I have a 2009 coming soon, and it has the 5708 pups in it. I have a Santana and an early custom 22 with Seymour Duncan's in it, and both sound fantastic, but I'm not sure what to expect with the 5708's.

According to the seller, it remains unplayed.

Opinions?

Just trying to stay distracted until it arrives!

Opinion only, your mileage may vary... the 57/08 pickups are "low output" pickups but just a little hotter than normal low output pickups. What is normal? I don't know.
As best I can tell, they are remarkably similar to the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups... if not identical.
https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/pearly-gates