About to add a Stripped 58 to the collection

[Lewguitar]

Everything comes down to personal taste and needs. For example, I wouldn't have made that choice.

The Bernies are nice guitars, don't get me wrong. But the Stripped 58 I had was a better choice - for me. I especially like what the two piece bridge does for the tone. The McCarty Singlecut PS I have is the first SC model (out of probably a half dozen) I've owned that tops the tone of the Stripped 58, and it's not by much.

So...YMMV.

I prefer the sound of a separate bridge and tailpiece too.

My ES335 has that.

Not that wrap arounds sound bad, but they just don't sound or feel quite as good to me.

 

[GuitarJammin]

I play your genre outta high gain amps. I do like the 57/08s A LOT. They sound different in every guitar I have, but great in each one. I'm sure the Stripped 58 will get the job done and be great addition! I like med output pickups with my high gain amps and hot pickups with my low gain amps (ie. Friedman runt 20, Vintage design Fender) . I also love the LT pickups in the core 594s for metal too. Clarity, Sweet clarity.

 

[boardn10]

I have never had an issue with low output of medium output pickups so I am sure I will be fine. Plus they are easily replaced.

Does anyone know if there wiring is typical of most PRS pickups in that the polarity is opposite most other pickups?

When installed the Suhr Aldrich bridge pickup wirh my PRS #7 neck Pickup, I had to switch the hot and ground so that they were not out of phase. I had to do the same installing a Tremonti Bridge pickup into my CE22 with the Dragon 1 neck Pickup. Stock PRS pickups in my experience are typically out of phase wirh many after market pickup winders, with the exception of the Tremonti pickups. That's been my experience.

Surprised the Tremontis are out of phase with the Dragons since both work with the older PRS 5-way switch.

On a side note, I rarely ever used the 5-way rotary as I've rarely ever used split options on any PRS, including a McCarty and Custom 22 that I had, so I converted them to straight up 3 position humbucking.

 

[boardn10]

It makes the guitar sound a bit more woody, and closer to a vintage a Les Paul than the earlier Singlecuts.

Great.

I love the tone of my singlecuts with one piece wraparound bridges but this will add some variety. I read that the two piece bridge mosrly adds midrange.
I also read that the shorter scale of the SC245/SC58/Stripped 58 and 594 have sharper highs compared to the longer scale.

More forgiving and softer highs and lows make sense to me but not the sharper highs.

Although my LP is brighter and more midrange sounding than my PRS Singlecuts. All sound good, just different.

I've noticed that PRS mostly uses Alnico II pickups. I have seen any with Alnico V, other than the older Dragon II pickups. Any reason for this?

 

[Lewguitar]

I have never had an issue with low output of medium output pickups so I am sure I will be fine. Plus they are easily replaced.

Does anyone know if there wiring is typical of most PRS pickups in that the polarity is opposite most other pickups?

When installed the Suhr Aldrich bridge pickup wirh my PRS #7 neck Pickup, I had to switch the hot and ground so that they were not out of phase. I had to do the same installing a Tremonti Bridge pickup into my CE22 with the Dragon 1 neck Pickup. Stock PRS pickups in my experience are typically out of phase wirh many after market pickup winders, with the exception of the Tremonti pickups. That's been my experience.

Surprised the Tremontis are out of phase with the Dragons since both work with the older PRS 5-way switch.

On a side note, I rarely ever used the 5-way rotary as I've rarely ever used split options on any PRS, including a McCarty and Custom 22 that I had, so I converted them to straight up 3 position humbucking.

That's one of the things about the 2012 version of the 57/08. I'm almost certain the two pickups in the set in my 2012 Stripped 58 were magnetically in phase with each other.

Newer sets of 57/08's now seem to be wound a little hotter, especially the bridge pickup, and they are magnetically out of phase with each other to work with PRS's newer switches.

That means you have to put them in phase by reversing the leads on one pickup if you're installing a set and using a LP style 3 way switch.

Otherwise they'll sound thin and out of phase in the middle setting of a 3 way switch.

 

[boardn10]

That's one of the things about the 2012 version of the 57/08. I'm almost certain the two pickups in the set in my 2012 Stripped 58 were magnetically in phase with each other.

Newer sets of 57/08's now seem to be wound a little hotter, especially the bridge pickup, and they are magnetically out of phase with each other to work with PRS's newer switches.

That means you have to put them in phase by reversing the leads on one pickup if you're installing a set and using a LP style 3 way switch.

Otherwise they'll sound thin and out of phase in the middle setting of a 3 way switch.

Yes they would always be in phase.

The problem is when you replace a pickup with another brand. In my 35+ years, PRS pickups are the only ones where I've run into phase issues.

What switches? The Stripped 58 guitars I've looked at don't have splitting.

My Dragons had switching and installing the Tremonti, I had to reverse the wires.

My 2001 SC did not have any switching or split coils, yet I had to reverse the wires to get other pickuos to work.

 

[boardn10]

I do hear that the 57/08 are thinner sounding compared to sonwthing like the 58/15 which are apparently fatter and fuller. If that's the case, I could see replacing the bridge pickup.

 

[Lewguitar]

Yes they would always be in phase.

The problem is when you replace a pickup with another brand. In my 35+ years, PRS pickups are the only ones where I've run into phase issues.

What switches? The Stripped 58 guitars I've looked at don't have splitting.

My Dragons had switching and installing the Tremonti, I had to reverse the wires.

My 2001 SC did not have any switching or split coils, yet I had to reverse the wires to get other pickuos to work.

PRS made at least two sets of the 57/08's, each with slightly different specs.

The oldest sets seem to be magnetically in phase like a normal set of humbuckers.

But later they started reversing the polarity in one pickup by reversing the magnet itself. J

Just like they did with the original Dragon 1 set in the 90's to work with the 5 position rotary switch which offered some nice single coil and new humbucker sounds.

That probably won't be the set that's in the Stripped 58 you're interested in.

If it's like the one I owned both pickups will be magnetically in phase.

I ought to say that the PRS 57/08 is my very favorite "paf" style pickup.

For me, it's the closest to what I remember those old pickups in the 50's Gibson guitars I played in the 60's and 70's sounding like.

 

[boardn10]

Thanks Lew.

Any idea why the #7s in my 2001 were out of phase even though it was standard braided 3-way toggle wiring (no switching)

 

[Lewguitar]

Thanks Lew.

Any idea why the #7s in my 2001 were out of phase even though it was standard braided 3-way toggle wiring (no switching)

Nope. I pretty much only know about the guitars I've actually owned and worked on.

 

[boardn10]

No worries Lew, easy fix if ever out of phase. Thanks again Lew.

 

[JasonE]

I do hear that the 57/08 are thinner sounding compared to sonwthing like the 58/15 which are apparently fatter and fuller. If that's the case, I could see replacing the bridge pickup.

I am not sure I would agree with that. I had the 58/15LT pickups in my 594 and replaced them with 57/08 pickups. The 57/08s are not thin to my ears. They are my all time favorite pickups. Once I played a guitar with them in it, I was hooked. I now have a number of guitars with them in them.

 

[Lewguitar]

I am not sure I would agree with that. I had the 58/15LT pickups in my 594 and replaced them with 57/08 pickups. The 57/08s are not thin to my ears. They are my all time favorite pickups. Once I played a guitar with them in it, I was hooked. I now have a number of guitars with them in them.

Yep. Same with me.

 

[boardn10]

I am not sure I would agree with that. I had the 58/15LT pickups in my 594 and replaced them with 57/08 pickups. The 57/08s are not thin to my ears. They are my all time favorite pickups. Once I played a guitar with them in it, I was hooked. I now have a number of guitars with them in them.

Thanks.
From demos I hear they sound huge for high gain. Excited to try them. I love my hit PRS and Suhr pickups but really like a lot of low and medium gain pickups. Played lots of medium Gibson and PRS pickups over the years. Liked lots of them.

 

[boardn10]

I am not sure I would agree with that. I had the 58/15LT pickups in my 594 and replaced them with 57/08 pickups. The 57/08s are not thin to my ears. They are my all time favorite pickups. Once I played a guitar with them in it, I was hooked. I now have a number of guitars with them in them.

Thanks.
From demos I hear they sound huge for high gain.

I prefer the sound of a separate bridge and tailpiece too.

My ES335 has that.

Not that wrap arounds sound bad, but they just don't sound or feel quite as good to me.

Everyone is different. Love my wraparounds on my Singlecuts.

 

[Lewguitar]

Everyone is different. Love my wraparounds on my Singlecuts.

So do I! Whatever works.

They all sound a little different tho: wraparound, wraparound with brass inserts, wraparound with adjustable brass saddles, individual TOM bridge and stop tailpiece.

They 're all good but they all do make a different sound and feel different against my hand,

https://imgur.com/0Hpxfiw

https://imgur.com/3zQ5ujk

 

[xchefdino]

Hey guys,

I think I'm gonna buy a 2012 Stripped 58.
It will be my only short scale PRS but will give me variety over my three 25" scale PRSs.

I have also heard the earlier Stripped 58s had a thinner pattern neck? I'm typically a fat neck guy but I enjoy variety.

Thoughts on the 57/08 pickups? Do you think the pickups can do hard rock well? I can always replace the bridge pickup if needed and if it's out of phase, can flip the hot and ground wires like I did in my '01 SC Suhr Aldrich.

I mostly a hot pickup guy.
My amps are all high gain monsters.

One bridge pickup I really like is the Rio Grande BBQ and I was thinking I could install that if I feel the urge.

My band plays a lot of 80s, 90s and 2000s rock, Alt rock and grunge. We also play some metal now and then as I do on my own and with other guys.

I also wondering how that two piece bridge impacts the tone and feel. All my PRSs have the one piece wraparound bridge, either solid or adjustable.

The Stripped 58 would be closest to my 2003 LP Standard which is a great LP.
It used to have Burstbuckers, but now has a Suhr Aldrich bridge with the stock neck pickup. My PRS CE22 has a Tremonti Bridge pickup but I still have the original Dragon.

I also have a 2001 SC with Aldrich bridge and #7 neck. Finally, my 2008 SC250 which is stock. My SC250 sounds huge, fat and clear. My '01 SC with Aldrich sounds similar but more compressed, warmer and darker. Both awesome.

Would a 2012 Stripped 58 be a nice addition to my collection?

I hated my hot 85/15 pups in my CE. I swapped out for 58/15. I love them.

 

[Glide-bpm]

I hated my hot 85/15 pups in my CE. I swapped out for 58/15. I love them.

I opted for zhangbucker.com custom hand wound Purewound pickups in my CE24. It's got killer tone and sounds great compared to a lot of my higher dollar core models!

 

[boardn10]

PRS made at least two sets of the 57/08's, each with slightly different specs.

The oldest sets seem to be magnetically in phase like a normal set of humbuckers.

But later they started reversing the polarity in one pickup by reversing the magnet itself. J

Just like they did with the original Dragon 1 set in the 90's to work with the 5 position rotary switch which offered some nice single coil and new humbucker sounds.

That probably won't be the set that's in the Stripped 58 you're interested in.

If it's like the one I owned both pickups will be magnetically in phase.

I ought to say that the PRS 57/08 is my very favorite "paf" style pickup.

For me, it's the closest to what I remember those old pickups in the 50's Gibson guitars I played in the 60's and 70's sounding like.

You and Jason have both said they are your favorite PAF style pickup as does Rod on this forum. Nice!

 

[boardn10]

So do I! Whatever works.

They all sound a little different tho: wraparound, wraparound with brass inserts, wraparound with adjustable brass saddles, individual TOM bridge and stop tailpiece.

They 're all good but they all do make a different sound and feel different against my hand,

https://imgur.com/0Hpxfiw

https://imgur.com/3zQ5ujk

Oh, I thought you didn't like the wraparound. Got ya!