I’ve originally tested it on my LP R0, which is a traditionally a brighter guitar than an R9, arguably because of the thinner 60s neck. I did it on the R0 because of the soldering simplicity. I’ve since tried on my 2017 LP standard T and LP Standard 50s achieving similar results. Woods are mahogany body, maple top, mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard. The R0 and Standard 50s has a ABR-1 tune-o-Matic bridge, but the thumbwheel on the R0 is screwed directly on the wood, while the Standard 50s the thumbwheels are screwed to studs that are drilled into the wood. The 17 Standard T has a Nashville bridge. To my ears the R0 indeed sounded marginally brighter than the Standard 50s. I’ve used new D’Addario NYXL 10-46. I’ve set the pickup height at 3/32” on the low E and 2/32” on the high E. Ive used a Marshall Origin 50, a Vox Ac15 (1x12 greenback speaker) and a Victory Sheriff 22.
This is my personal preference, the Mule is on of my favorite neck pickups, but the bridge the Mule is nowhere near as good as the Riff Raff or Black Dog. I thought the Black Dog sounded amazing paired with the 58/15 LT, I just liked the Riff Raff slightly better with the 58/15 LT. The Black Dog is not overly hot, so it doesn’t really overpower the 58/15 LT like I originally thought it would. What I like about the Black Dog is how BK managed to create a mid focused pickup that doesn’t sound overly nasal or boxy. It’s just a beautiful sounding pickup that is pure unadulterated unapologetic uncensored raw and primal rock-n-roll. I added a touch of reverb from Neunaber Immerse, a bit of delay with Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. Amps were played relatively clean. I then added a bit of gain from Smallsound/Bigsound Mini Overdrive v2. Please don’t ask me to post videos or sound bites of my tests.
While I was trying things out I did give it a go with the regular 58/15. Sounded great, but I realized I like the 58/15 LT even better. I gotta say, kudos for PRS for making amazing pickups. It’s hard to make those 58/15 or 58/15 LT sound bad.