85/15 vs 57/08 vs 59/09

Man so I've been going back and forth between the 57/08 and 59/09, almost a month, mby longer. Can't decide which ones to get. So I've decided to get both!
Brushed nickel 57/08 for my single cut, Brushed nickel 59/09 for my 88 ce, and uncovered 59/09 for my cu24. Also to add I've gotten two sets of DAllen Powerage pickups both covered and uncovered for another ce and cu24.
I'm really looking forward to the 59/09, I'm really hoping they'll get me closer to what I'm looking for.
 
Whitecat said:
Discontinued in the sense they no longer use them in Core builds but they are still available for Artist Pack or Private Stock orders.
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It seems that PRS considers 57/08's still the best ones, selling them only on more expensive guitars.. In that sense, 59/09's possibly are rated at a lower quality, being traded...
 
Phyl said:
It seems that PRS considers 57/08's still the best ones, selling them only on more expensive guitars.. In that sense, 59/09's possibly are rated at a lower quality, being traded...
Click to expand...

Not sure about that - PRS usually thinks that their latest are always the greatest.
 
Whitecat said:
Not sure about that - PRS usually thinks that their latest are always the greatest.
Click to expand...

PRS has a very smart marketing strategy: if they thought 58/15's were better than 57/08 they wouldn't use the latter only on the highest end guitars.. when they put 57's on sc245, the 245's pups started being traded.. so, my impression is that in PRS own judgment the ranking is: 57/08's, 58/15's (and 85), 53/10's leaving to the general public 59/09's even though with a quite high price...

(my personal conclusion is that buying a 57/08's set for my Bernie has been the best deal I could do!!)
 
Yeah, I still kinda disagree. You can get HFS/VB pickups on Artist Packs as well and based on your theory those would rank at the top also, but I know very few people who would say they prefer those...

Also, it could be that there is a finite supply of 57/08s left and they are just making them available until they run out.
 
Whitecat said:
Yeah, I still kinda disagree. You can get HFS/VB pickups on Artist Packs as well and based on your theory those would rank at the top also, but I know very few people who would say they prefer those...

Also, it could be that there is a finite supply of 57/08s left and they are just making them available until they run out.
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yep, you're possibly right.. However, the 5XXs are commonly seen as the best they have done ever (as well as DGTs), and I do think that what I wrote is still their own ranking.. I didn't consider the supply issue which could explain their marketing, even though a supply issue can be hardily understandable (and, yes, we do have too little infos about how they produce their 5XXs..)
 
I wish PRS would supply proper demonstrations of their various pickups on their web site like Seymour Duncan does.

I have an SC250 Core that could maybe benefit from a pickup swap. The stock pickups were absolutely perfect for what I was doing in 2008 when I got it. But, as my tastes change, I feel like those pickups are too hot and don't clean up well.

PRS pickups are quite expensive. And some require shipping the guitar to Maryland for factory installation. Yer the web site doesn't tell us much more about their pickups beyond vague descriptions like "vintage alive character".

Why should I ship my Core guitar to Maryland and pay top dollar for pickups with the mystery grab bag sound? Don't tell me about magic wire machines and fairy dust. Let me hear them.
 
JTroska said:
I wish PRS would supply proper demonstrations of their various pickups on their web site like Seymour Duncan does.

I have an SC250 Core that could maybe benefit from a pickup swap. The stock pickups were absolutely perfect for what I was doing in 2008 when I got it. But, as my tastes change, I feel like those pickups are too hot and don't clean up well.

PRS pickups are quite expensive. And some require shipping the guitar to Maryland for factory installation. Yer the web site doesn't tell us much more about their pickups beyond vague descriptions like "vintage alive character".

Why should I ship my Core guitar to Maryland and pay top dollar for pickups with the mystery grab bag sound? Don't tell me about magic wire machines and fairy dust. Let me hear them.
Click to expand...

Youtube is your friend my friend ;)
 
Phyl said:
It seems that PRS considers 57/08's still the best ones, selling them only on more expensive guitars.. In that sense, 59/09's possibly are rated at a lower quality, being traded...
Click to expand...
No, I'm with whitecat. I think they're putting their most popular pickups in as the default. At the level of the 57/08s and the like, it's no longer about which are better, just which are more to an individual's liking.
 
Dusty Chalk said:
No, I'm with whitecat. I think they're putting their most popular pickups in as the default. At the level of the 57/08s and the like, it's no longer about which are better, just which are more to an individual's liking.
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Suppose you'ld like a new guitar with 57/08's.. now you need to buy an Artist or Private model instead of a Core which can be an issue...
 
Hey guys my 57/08s just came in and I decided to check out the resistance on both pickups. And I'm just curious, the chart that I found said my treble pickup is supposed to be 7.91K but actually is 8.62K. I know it's not that much of a difference but is that normal? And I'm curious if it's a bit hotter, not that I'd notice. My bass pickup lines up with the chart as normal. Pretty sure this is OK, any one else has these numbers?
 
The Fight said:
Man so I've been going back and forth between the 57/08 and 59/09, almost a month, mby longer. Can't decide which ones to get. So I've decided to get both!
Brushed nickel 57/08 for my single cut, Brushed nickel 59/09 for my 88 ce, and uncovered 59/09 for my cu24. Also to add I've gotten two sets of DAllen Powerage pickups both covered and uncovered for another ce and cu24.
I'm really looking forward to the 59/09, I'm really hoping they'll get me closer to what I'm looking for.
Click to expand...

I have been playing the 1993 CE24 with the 59/09 neck and 57/08 bridge, it's out and out my favourite player. Do not know if the alder body, maple neck and rosewood/maple bits give any credence to my belief, but they come together with these pick ups and the tone is just right. I think the main preference is the other way but very happy, split tones are just right too.
 
Snoopygore71 said:
I have been playing the 1993 CE24 with the 59/09 neck and 57/08 bridge, it's out and out my favourite player. Do not know if the alder body, maple neck and rosewood/maple bits give any credence to my belief, but they come together with these pick ups and the tone is just right. I think the main preference is the other way but very happy, split tones are just right too.
Click to expand...
Yeah wow a 57/08 in a ce? Now the gears in my head are turning again..
 
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