85/15s alternative for CU22 SE semi

[Fenson]

Hi- new to the forum and just introduced myself in the new member thread. Aside from a DGT, I have 2 guitars with the 85/15s pickups- an S2 CU22 semi and the SE equivalent. I have been turning the volume down a bit on the semis to get a cleaner, warmer sound, and that certainly works, but I’m curious what pickups I might swap in to get me closer to the sound of the DGT pickups (without that cost.) I’ve seen SD JB/59 and PRS 58/15s as suggestions, and I’ve had 59s in a HBII and they didn’t have a lot of character to me. Has anyone swapped out their 85/15s, ideally in a SE CU22 with the maple neck, and gotten a more typical PAF tone that they really like? Thanks.

 

[d^rren]

If it's clean and warm you're after, you might fid the JB/59 too hot for your liking. I would go with something more like Custom Custom in the bridge and Jazz in the neck, or maybe something like an Alnico II Pro set or a Slash set, maybe even a '78 set.

 

[dogrocketp]

I bought one from Sergio (it’ll be our little secret that he sold a PRS) and went with a VB in the neck and a 59/09 in the bridge with a rotary. It’ll do damn near anything. By the way, when you’re gigging, the rotary is the schizzle for going from clean rhythmn to gain. I don’t understand at all why people don’t like them.

 

[Birdsofprey]

^ Big fan of the rotary, no different than the Wing tuners once you master them , there a godsend.

 

[SamIV]

^ Big fan of the rotary, no different than the Wing tuners once you master them , there a godsend.

The wing tuners were designed by the same people who design equipment to torture terrorists. Can you tell I never mastered them.

As far as pickups, I am not a fan of the 85/15s either. 58/15s I do enjoy in one of my S2’s. Anything in PAF territory I would be happy with. I am a fan of SD Seth Lover’s

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The wing tuners were designed by the same people who design equipment to torture terrorists. Can you tell I never mastered them.

They are tough to figure out. First you have to put the string in, and then you turn the tuner buttons counterclockwise.

https://imgur.com/IKwYUGI

 

[DISTORT6]

They are tough to figure out. First you have to put the string in, and then you turn the tuner buttons counterclockwise.

Same difficulty level as posting pics.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Same difficulty level as posting pics.

https://imgur.com/a/zM9cK9b

 

[SamIV]

Well, I do resemble the old folks in the pic. I don’t post pics here. And stay off my lawn.