58/15 LT Questions

Skeeter

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
194
From all I've heard, these pickups are nice and clear, and split beautifully in the 594's.

However, in comparing to the general benchmark historic, they sound a little thin and bright - at least to my ears - in comparison to that classic thicker, creamy tone.

The SC594's with LT's seem to get closer, and because of that key structural similarity (vice the DC) that makes sense.

But I was wondering how much these LT pickups might be holding back the 594's from the thicker grunt one might expect/prefer from that type of guitar. FWIW, I never found the 57/08s to have enough power in the bridge position of most PRS. Not by a lot - I do like DGTs, or 59/09s in the bridge. And the 57/08s are absolutely fantastic in the neck position.

I thought the regular 58/15's were an improvement in the bridge- more mids, punch - but then they went backwards (IMHO) again with this LT version in the bridge.

So, are the LT's similar enough to Burstbuckers such that these various shootouts and demos are fair? To me they sound more like classic 57's, which I'm not a fan of for the same reasons - too thin. Anyone swap out the LT pickups for something that got closer to "that" tone? Or like McCartys of the past - is the brighter, more articulate thing just what makes them inherently distinct from the historics?

Sorry for the long post, hope that made some sense. In short, I'd like to hear from people that have tried different pups in their 594's. It would be great if a slightly hotter PAF in the bridge gets the DC 594's even closer to the classic tone.
 
Last edited:
The LT are bright and articulate, but never thin. In my hands, and in the DC 594, they nail the late 50's LP thing.

It seems you like hotter pickups, which is cool. Here ya go: http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/higher-gain-pickups-for-the-beloved-594.21956/

As a public service, I offer a free, environmentally friendly disposal program for 58/15 LT pickups. Just send your unwanted LTs to me and I'll take care of them!
 
Just joined the forum, although I have been playing PRS guitars professionally since 2008. Most of that time has been spent on 513s, which is still my main guitar, but I have recently picked up a 594 (2016 Artist package) and saw this comment here. I listened to every online demo I could find prior to considering the purchase, with the intention of finding a guitar that matched the sound of my 1972 SG, which has the old Gibson T-Top pickups in it. What made that guitar so special is that it could rock with the best of them for the styles I play (I don't do metal very often, so massive distortion isn't my goal), and remain articulate enough to hear the chord variations, even on the neck pickup into an overdriven amp. This is not an attribute you find in the hotter pickups out there.

I can say that the 594, in person through an amp instead of computer speakers, sounds very full and authoritative when pushed, and remains full and round when clean. These pickups are exactly what I was looking for, and in the original (DC) body shape, which is a tad thicker front to back than my 513s, it is every bit the capable foil to my BB Pro equipped LP Standard. Not as hot as the LP, but as full for sure.

I also want to find a SC 594, but it appears my finances will have to recover first! Or, perhaps I can find someone to trade my Les Paul with... I am that certain the 594 is a better fit for me. I hope you found your answers! And like Garrett, I'd be happy to store any 58/15LT pickups you don't need!

UPDATE: After a wild December in which I did also acquire a SC594, I have spent a bunch more time with these pickups and can see why people have differing opinions on them. They are, in fact, very much like the PAFs of the 50s and have a lot of the T-Top character as well. When the replacement pickup boom swept the guitar communities in the 70s, this is the sound players were replacing for hotter, more midrange-focused pups. I'm no metal player, but that's a "for instance" where I can imagine you might want more punch and output in your pickups. Classic rock was invented on the PAF style pickups, and the 58/15LT is perfect there. Set wrong (using, for instance, the same settings I use on my 513s), the 58/15LTs can sound a little brittle and thin. Set up correctly for the pickup, and it just sings. So, with a little more experience to back my very first impression comments above, I still love the sound but can understand why some folks might replace them. My offer stands to accept any that you don't need!
 
Last edited:
I hated the pickups in my lp standard, they lacked any real nuance or clarity, just gritty and flat feeling. I replaced them with sd black winters, under chrome covers. I thought the BW’s were the best thing, other than my fishman fluence classics in an esp.

I bought my 594 because it looked great and I liked the neck. After spending a little time with it I realized what I was missing with really hot pickups. These pickups are great, just so clean and clear. I can put a clean boost in front of my amp to get that hot input sound but still really clear and articulate. They are very sensitive to height because of the output level, but once well adjusted they are not thin or weak sounding.

These pickups would give bare knuckles or lollars a run. Maybe even better boutique winders. These are not the mass produced trash 57’s or bb pro’s. those pickups are just there to fill space on guitars they make. These are made and designed to make a better instrument. I had every intention of pulling them out and going for something else. I even have 2 sets of bkp’s ready to go. Don’t even bother. Adjust the bridge up to where it sounds fullest and back the neck down, get a good boost pedal and enjoy.
 
I fully underestimated the power of the pickup swap until I put BKP Mules in my second 594 and compared the two. Then I put a combo of a Mule neck and a Riff Raff bridge into my Tremonti and those rock. I have a set of BKP Abraxas waiting to go into a project guitar, so I’ll have to tell you about those later. And I will. Oh yes...I will... ...

If you want more “balls and chunk” (Mike Portnoy quote), get some higher gain pickups and report!
 
Hi Everyone,

I just joined. I have just ordered a 2019 McCarty. I'm being told it has the 58/15LT's...are those tci tuned? From what I've been reading it should have standard 58/15's

I figured I'd ask you guys.

Thanks
 
From what I've learned to date the 594 with TCI enhanced pickups are not yet available to dealers. Perhaps by this Spring.
 
From what I've learned to date the 594 with TCI enhanced pickups are not yet available to dealers. Perhaps by this Spring.

FYI - My 594 has them - purchased November 2019.
RYrm4cd.jpg
RYrm4cd.jpg
 
Last edited:
Great! So where was the 594 purchased from? The dealers I called all pretty much told me the same story about not being available yet yadda yadda yadda.
 
Great! So where was the 594 purchased from? The dealers I called all pretty much told me the same story about not being available yet yadda yadda yadda.

I got it new from Woody's Music near Rock Hill, SC. I bought it off Reverb, but they are a brick-and-mortar establishment. The TCI pickups were a surprise. They weren't listed as being a feature and I didn't know they were installed until I received it. I assumed PRS had started shipping them. I guess I got lucky!
 
Thank you. I hope they sound great.

They absolutely do sound great. Now, are they any different than the non-TCI pickups? I have no idea and no reference point because this is the only 594 I have played and the only PRS with 58/15's that I have played.

Compared to DGT pickups, the bridge is less hot and has less midrange. The 594 neck pickup sounds clearer and - to these ears - has more overall tonal range than the DGT neck pickup. That's the only comparison I am able to make playing through my rig and all things being equal. (Both guitars are great and all of the pickups are great, but the guitars each have a voice of their own. And while they cover some of the same sonic ground, they are different in many ways. Of course there's trem vs two-piece bridge, scale differences, pickup differences, 2-Vol 1-Tone vs 2-Vol 2-Tone etc. so that's to be expected.)
 
Vintage Metal, like a Metallica/Megadeth sound?
Lmao! “Vintage” metal still makes me giggle, but I’m old so it doesn’t take much to entertain me. ;)

Umm, no. Grunge, punk, and some ‘70s hard rock stuff, yes. But then again, I’ve been accused of sounding very ‘Satriani-esque’ with my DGT, which surprised me too. So, who knows...maybe!
 
FYI - My 594 has them - purchased November 2019.
RYrm4cd.jpg
RYrm4cd.jpg

I'm looking at ordering a McCarty 594 in the next few weeks too. Did yours come with the Phase III locking tuners or the new nonlocking PRS is installing in the 2020 models?
 
Back
Top