A tale of two McCarty pup swaps...

[dmatthews]

Welp...
After 6 months of thinkin' about it, I finally committed.
At the time of purchasing my 2019 AP SC SH, I also bought some 58/15LT+ pickups.
I just dropped two guitars and the pups off at my tech's place.

So... These...





Are going into this...



And the pups that come out of the 594 are going into this McRosie...



Even though PRS has since quit making/using the 58/15LT+ in single cuts, I REALLY wanted to try them.
Along with that, I've found the original McCarty pups to be a tad muddy, so this change seemed to fit them both. We shall see in a few days...

And now, a word from Tom Petty...

 

[bodia]

Love it! Standing by to hear what you think

 

[dmatthews]

Love it! Standing by to hear what you think

Cheers mate!
The 594 has become my number one, so the idea of changing it was harder to get to than I thought it would be.
I think the 58/15LTs going into the McRosie will bring it right back up into rotation more often.
At least that's the plan...

 

[Andrew Paul]

I’m looking forward to hearing your review of this pickup swap. I am surprised you found the original McCarty pickups a tad muddy.

Keep us posted!

 

[dmatthews]

I’m looking forward to hearing your review of this pickup swap. I am surprised you found the original McCarty pickups a tad muddy.

Keep us posted!

Cheers mate!
Muddy might have been a bit harsh, maybe "darker"?
Or I'm spoiled by 58/15 and 57/08?
Or maybe the rosie neck does something?
In any case, can't wait to try these out, hopefully mid next week.

 

[Andrew Paul]

Cheers mate!
Muddy might have been a bit harsh, maybe "darker"?
Or I'm spoiled by 58/15 and 57/08?
Or maybe the rosie neck does something?
In any case, can't wait to try these out, hopefully mid next week.

I hear ya. Funny how my 1995 10th anniversary McCarty pups sound fantastic. I actually like them better than the 5815s I have in my private stock 594. I used to have a strip 58 with 57/08. Those are really nice pickups.

You mentioned the Rosie neck. Now here’s something I found over the years. I’ve had many Santana models over the years. I finally found the one that I can’t live without, and it has a rosewood neck which I believe affected the sound which somehow made it just right for me. But then again, who the hell am I LOL

 

[dmatthews]

I hear ya. Funny how my 1995 10th anniversary McCarty pups sound fantastic. I actually like them better than the 5815s I have in my private stock 594. I used to have a strip 58 with 57/08. Those are really nice pickups.

You mentioned the Rosie neck. Now here’s something I found over the years. I’ve had many Santana models over the years. I finally found the one that I can’t live without, and it has a rosewood neck which I believe affected the sound which somehow made it just right for me. But then again, who the hell am I LOL

Yup, that's why no single thing satisfies all comers.
We all have different ears, gear, wants, and desires.
I drove to the tech's place with some trepidation, but now I'm just excited...

 

[SinSir]

Smart move to my ears! LT or 5708 are always a win in my book even against their grand pa McC.

 

[Bogner]

Cheers mate!
Muddy might have been a bit harsh, maybe "darker"?
Or I'm spoiled by 58/15 and 57/08?
Or maybe the rosie neck does something?
In any case, can't wait to try these out, hopefully mid next week.

In All Sincerity, I Think All Those Factors Pay A Part. I Look Forward To Your Results And Can Agree With Your Thought Process On What All You Are Trying To Do. Hopefully It Works Out Better Than Expected!

 

[Prina]

I used to have a strip 58 with 57/08. Those are really nice pickups.

Agreed! That guitar is here now, as you know, and the 57/08 neck pickup is fantastic.

We all have different ears, gear, wants, and desires.

I like the 58/15 (non-LT) bridge pickup in the P245 better than the Stripped 57/08 bridge. More bite & clarity, though part of the sound might be due to the stoptail bridge.

Like others, looking forward to the tone report on both gits.

Hopefully your switches will work out as well as my pickup changes have. Two of the three were instant home runs and the third was a major improvement, with a set of A4 mags waiting to replace the A2s & hopefully knock those out of the park too.

 

[dmatthews]

Smart move to my ears! LT or 5708 are always a win in my book even against their grand pa McC.

Got my fingers crossed. It "feels" like it makes sense, and of course is reversible.

In All Sincerity, I Think All Those Factors Pay A Part. I Look Forward To Your Results And Can Agree With Your Thought Process On What All You Are Trying To Do. Hopefully It Works Out Better Than Expected!

Cheers mate. Feels weird without the number one here.

Agreed! That guitar is here now, as you know, and the 57/08 neck pickup is fantastic.


I like the 58/15 (non-LT) bridge pickup in the P245 better than the Stripped 57/08 bridge. More bite & clarity, though part of the sound might be due to the stoptail bridge.

Like others, looking forward to the tone report on both gits.

Hopefully your switches will work out as well as my pickup changes have. Two of the three were instant home runs and the third was a major improvement, with a set of A4 mags waiting to replace the A2s & hopefully knock those out of the park too.

Thanks for the encouragement mate!
I've not felt the desire to make changes like this before. Should be revealing!

 

[Simon Says]

Love it

 

[Andrew Paul]

Agreed! That guitar is here now, as you know, and the 57/08 neck pickup is fantastic.


I like the 58/15 (non-LT) bridge pickup in the P245 better than the Stripped 57/08 bridge. More bite & clarity, though part of the sound might be due to the stoptail bridge.

Like others, looking forward to the tone report on both gits.

Hopefully your switches will work out as well as my pickup changes have. Two of the three were instant home runs and the third was a major improvement, with a set of A4 mags waiting to replace the A2s & hopefully knock those out of the park too.

I'm glad that baby is still rockin'!!!

 

[WA Paul]

Sweet!

But RW necks needed 59/09s

 

[dmatthews]

Sweet!

But RW necks needed 59/09s

Oooohhh... Maybe step 2!!!

 

[gush]

Cheers mate!
The 594 has become my number one, so the idea of changing it was harder to get to than I thought it would be.
I think the 58/15LTs going into the McRosie will bring it right back up into rotation more often.
At least that's the plan...

I put LTs in my 2000 McCarty and I'm so freakin happy with it.

I will admit, neck PU level with ring worked great but had to do a fair amount of tweaking to bridge PU to get it to a good spot. It is set a bunch higher than I normally run bridge PUs.

 

[dmatthews]

I put LTs in my 2000 McCarty and I'm so freakin happy with it.

I will admit, neck PU level with ring worked great but had to do a fair amount of tweaking to bridge PU to get it to a good spot. It is set a bunch higher than I normally run bridge PUs.

Awesome news! Thanks for that... it's pretty much what I was hoping for!

 

[gush]

Awesome news! Thanks for that... it's pretty much what I was hoping for!

I have mine set up so neck doesn't split just bridge splits. I love bridge split with neck full together.

I love that neck pickup tone so much that I don't want to split it

All this while running through HDRX20 head.

I have a large cab 1x12 with V style celestion, 1960a cabs with G12T-75s and g12-65s, 1982b greenbacks and finally a Mesa roadking 4x12.

I think all of these cabs go really well with HDRX20 head.

 

[gush]

Awesome news! Thanks for that... it's pretty much what I was hoping for!

I even put 8515.set in my 97ce24 that sound really good.

 

[dmatthews]

I have mine set up so neck doesn't split just bridge splits. I love bridge split with neck full together.

I love that neck pickup tone so much that I don't want to split it

All this while running through HDRX20 head.

I have a large cab 1x12 with V style celestion, 1960a cabs with G12T-75s and g12-65s, 1982b greenbacks and finally a Mesa roadking 4x12.

I think all of these cabs go really well with HDRX20 head.

Awesome! I do plan on keeping the neck split, but seriously looking forward to the change!