85/15 vs 57/08 vs 59/09

[guitarman001]

I'd love to hear demo's of these, one by one. I have the 57/08s and 59/09s.
59/09s have, I think, more treble and can be a bit more cutting and less "wooly." I prefer the 57/08s, I must say. Both great, though. Would love to hear a like-for-like comparison but haven't seen anything like that on youtube. Going a step further, why not a full pickup comparison on the website? Throw in HFS etc...

 

[mitchewr]

I just got a custom 24 with the 85/15s. I'll try to get a demo recorded and post it on YouTube this week. I really really like these new pickups. They're virtually perfect. I love em.

 

[AaeCee]

When it comes to the 57/08 vs. 59/09, I'll take 53/10's over both of them! ; - ) Easily my favorite PRS set to date, but I haven't played or heard (live) the 85/15's yet, and from the clips I've heard they sound fantastic.

 

[guitarman001]

When it comes to the 57/08 vs. 59/09, I'll take 53/10's over both of them! ; - ) Easily my favorite PRS set to date, but I haven't played or heard (live) the 85/15's yet, and from the clips I've heard they sound fantastic.

What are 53/10s!?
ADD THOSE TO THE LIST lol!! I MUST hear all these side by side

 

[guitarman001]

I posted this in another thread but thought I'd do so here, too. Did I make a mistake going for Cu24s if I want "the sound"? I need to try some more out.

I MUST try a custom 22. There was a demo on youtube of a Cu24 vs a Cu22 and the Cu22 sounded MUCH better but had different pickups, so not a valid test. I suspect the larger distance between pups made the Cu22 a lot warmer. However I chose my 24s based on the ease of playability factor (easier to get to higher frets). Starting to doubt myself. There are just so many variations... I've yet to try a 513, never tried a 408... people keep saying DGTs are great... but if I want a more Les Paul tone I'd best go for a McCarty model. Gah!

 

[Whitecat]

One thing of note is that 85/15s are currently only in 24-fret 25" scale instruments which by their very nature are going to have a different sound than say a McCarty Singlecut with 57/08s which is a 22 fret 24.5" scale guitar -,so to be absolutely fair you'd want to compare other 24-fretters with that (or pull the 85/15s out of a CU24 and pop them in something with fewer frets).

53/10s are my favourite of the lot too but of course impossible to get now outside of Private Stock... 57/08s are a close second.

I will say too (again) that the 30th CU24s are the best sounding CU24s PRS has ever made... no doubt partly because of those pickups!

 

[Boogie]

You need to take a look at Chris Reynolds' fantastic PRS Pickup Shootout videos. Yes, it predates the 85/15, but all of the other pups you mentioned - and about 30 others you may never have heard about. I may or may not be heavily biased toward the test guitar. :biggrin:

My experience with the 85/15 lead me to compare it to the 59/09. Similar output power and similar sound but more refined. Sweeter top end roll off, as dynamically responsive as the 57/08 and 59/09, and an absolute joy. I want them for my Cu24.

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I will say too (again) that the 30th CU24s are the best sounding CU24s PRS has ever made...

...and I completely agree. It's hard to imagine, and it's completely subjective, but I totally agree.
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[ozboy]

I listened to quite a few of the Chris reynolds pup tests. Lovely guitar player Chris as well. It was hard for me to really differentiate them all. Some stood out but others seemed very similar. Even with the same player, guitar and amp slight variations in the piece of music make it harder to see the pup differences, at least when your ear is as bad as mine.

 

[mitchewr]

A buddy of mine just ordered a regular Custom 24 with the 59/09s so we'll be able to a/b those pretty soon.

 

[BrianC]

The 53/10s and the 85/15s are the same pickup, just one has a cover and one doesn't. Obviously this will affect sound slightly but overall they're the same. And of course the guitar you use will have a big affect as well. A buddy of mine just ordered a regular Custom 24 with the 59/09s so we'll be able to a/b those pretty soon.

What is your source for this information???

 

[XiXora]

Might mean 58/15?

 

[mitchewr]

Might mean 58/15?

Lol wow. #Fail. Yeah....In my mind I was thinking 58/15s.

Ignore my ramblings haha

 

[AaeCee]

What are 53/10s!?
ADD THOSE TO THE LIST lol!! I MUST hear all these side by side

53/10's are the third variant of the _/_ breed, and IMO the closest to a true PAF type sound. They have a great sparkle to the top end and some good thunk at the bottom, with a balanced and punchy character throughout the range. Some have said they even seem to have a little P-90 vibe mixed in, and I know exactly what they mean. Output is decent but not high, and they're great for everything from jazz to country to blues to classic rock, but wouldn't be particularly well suited to metal or the likes.

Unfortunately, they used a special wire made by elves sprinkled with magic dust, and as the elves ran out of the dust, the wire is in limited supply and only currently used for some PS pieces and limited runs. If you can find a set, grab them! Even if you don't like them, they'd be an easy sale.

 

[László]

53/10's are the third variant of the _/_ breed, and IMO the closest to a true PAF type sound..

Having owned an SC58 with the 53/10s, two others with the 57/08s, and having a lot of experience with the original PAFs back in the day (and up to recent times playing friends' vintage guitars as well), I have to respectfully disagree. The 57/08s are far closer to the original PAF, to my mind one of the best sounding PAF style pickups out there.

I understand it, Paul had in mind a humbucker that would be influenced by that sweet, early Telecaster tone when he designed the 53/10, hence the "53" designation. The 1953 Telecaster is regarded as a sort of "ideal" Telecaster by aficionados of that model. I'm going to guess that it's no coincidence that Paul chose that year to name the pickup.

In fact, PRS introduced the pickup with the phrase, "Inspired by the tone of single-coil guitars from the 50’s..."

The PAF humbucker wasn't invented until 1955, and wasn't introduced by Gibson until 1956.

I love the 53/10s, they are clear, beautiful, warm sounding pickups. But they're not very close to a PAF in tone. They weren't intended to be.

 

[Raven17]

Just spent a few hours comparing the three pickups in question, plus a few others and the 85/15's in my PS ME have made a believer out of me. Also for (poops) and giggles I ran the 85/15's vs my Bare Knuckle cold Sweats and Miracle Man pups and have to say I'm convinced that the 85/15's will be popular for along time to come! To be fair the 85/15's were in a private stock, but all of the other pickups were in guitars are PRSi as well.
85/15's in PS ME
BK Cold Sweats in a Brazzy Navarro
BK Miracle Man in a DGT
57/08's in PS Violin II
59/09's in a CU24

:beer:

 

[AaeCee]

I love the 53/10s, they are clear, beautiful, warm sounding pickups. But they're not very close to a PAF in tone. They weren't intended to be.

Sorry, but you're just wrong. ; - }

LOL, OK, so maybe not technically wrong, but honestly, the set in my SCHB is way closer to that side of the spectrum than the PRS I had with 57/08's (a SC 58), which to my ears sounded a good bit warmer than anything I ever owned with Seth's, BB's, or 57 Classics (which are as close as I've ever come to an actual PAF). Maybe it's my particular set up, but the 53/10's share so many of those qualities s/a a chimey high end, the classic mid-range honk and that harmonically rich middle position, which I never totally got with the 57/08's.

Others have challenged my assertion as well so maybe I just haven't heard either PRS set in enough guitars, but when I compare with my rather broad selection of Gibson Historic's, that's the way I hear 'em. I do however concur with your description of "clear, beautiful, warm" as well.

 

[yankeebulldog]

What is your source for this information???

:dontknow:

 

[Raven17]

What is your source for this information???

I'd be shocked if this is in any way true......they sound not at all alike. :dontknow:

 

[yankeebulldog]

I'd be shocked if this is in any way true......they sound not at all alike. :dontknow:

I agree and there is no way the cover is making that much of a difference. I've owned a few guitars with 53/10s (covered and uncovered) and recently played Pete's with covered 85/15s. They aren't that close and the cover makes little difference.

 

[AaeCee]

I'd be shocked if this is in any way true......they sound not at all alike. :dontknow:

Look a few posts back…..he realized he mis-posted. He meant that the 85/15's and 58/15's are the same except for the cover.

I remember when I made a mistake once too, but it was long, long ago…. ; - )