Advice on Pickups for my first PRS (SE Bernie Marsden)

[Pistolero357]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post and I hope I posted this in the correct section. I grew up as a death metal guitarist (I'm almost 40) although I've always enjoyed Pink Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson, Van Der Graaf Generator, Rush, etc. So now I really love playing progressive rock, jazz and even classical.

I have a couple Jackson guitars and an ESP LTD but since I saw Porcupine Tree and Opeth playing PRS guitars and heard how amazing they sounded I decided I wanted one, so I went to the store and played a Custom 24 and it was even more perfect than I could ever imagine, then I saw the price tag haha. Anyway I am selling the LTD to a friend and buying a PRS Bernie Marsden as a starting point and hope to buy a Custom P24 next year.

Anyway I plan on replacing the stock pickups on the SE Bernie Marsden. The PRS SC 245 or SC 250 seem like the logical choices but the HFS Treble and Vintage Bass are just as tempting, I am leaning much more towards the SC 245 though, because I understand they have a more "vintage" sound.

I have my Jackson Randy Rhoads for playing metal, so I don't need the PRS set up for shredding, I want a more traditional sound that I can use with a Laney tube amp and get a kind of 70's Black Sabbath sound at the heaviest I think. I am welcome to any and all suggestions because I am honestly going into this completely blind and any help would be very greatly appreciated. I can't wait to enter the world of PRS! Thank you in advance for reading...

TLDR: I want to know which pickups would best suit the SE Bernie Marsden: SC 245s, SC 250s, HFS Treble and Vintage Bass or another set I am not thinking of.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I'd honestly try an' keep it in your pants until you can afford the "even more perfect than I could ever imagine" Custom 24.

You know what you want. Go get it.

Bernie Mardsen SE: $400 + PRS HFS/VB/245/58/59/etc: $300 = $700 = half the cost of a used CU24. Keep your eye's on the prize.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I'd see what pickups were already in there first. And then I'd spend some time trying to dial them in via pickup height. Then I'd think about swapping them out.

They also make Custom 24 guitars in both the S2 and SE line...

 

[bodia]

I think Sergio and Dusty make great points. I would definitely wait until I had the Bernie in my hands and spent some time with it. The SE245 pickups that come with the Bernie are actually quite good, especially for the price. The Bernie was a STEAL, even at retail pricing. Such a great guitar. I've got one, and a handful of core models. The Bernie is a keeper, for sure. Having said that, if you're looking to mod it, I would do the nut first. The neck is a little wider than the typical Wide Fat PRS neck carve, but a core WF nut will fit just fine and will do wonders. I ended up doing a little more to mine (Phase 3 locking tuners, MannMade 2300 bridge and a set of Bare Knuckle Abraxas pickups, and Amber PRS lamp shade knobs). Did it need eveything I did to it, no. But, I wasn't saving for anything else at the time. Besides that, I just wanted to.

Good luck! The Bernie is a great guitar as is, and also as a platform for some fun upgrades.

Welcome to the Forum, and congrats on your first PRS!

 

[andy474x]

Bodies nailed it, the SE 245 pickups in the Marsden are awesome. Great balance, a little heat but not too much. Give them a fair shake, you may like them.

That being said, if you still want to upgrade later, get a set of 57/08 or 59/09's. They are some of the best!

 

[Alan Manning]

I bought my Bernie with a mind to mod it but when I plugged it in it sounded to good to mess with.
one day I maybe will but that day's not here yet. It really is a cracking guitar, don't be too hasty give it a go first.
Good Luck!!!

 

[garrettb]

The big question is: Why? To make the best decision, you need to know what it is about the stock pickups that you want to change (too dark/bright, too weak/powerful, etc).

 

[tyfu20]

I have a BM that I bought modded with USA nut, Gotoh bridge, and SD Whole Lotta Love HB's that sounds great, but my ZM with the SE245's gets equal love as I have the pu's adjusted for the sounds I have bouncing around in my big ole head. Play around with it before you make the swap. Good luck!

 

[IanC]

If anyone wants to sell their original 245 bridge pickup from a PRS SE Bernie Marsden, I'm looking to buy one. Managed to short mine out while putting a nickel cover on it! It's now useless and I'm after a replacement.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

If anyone wants to sell their original 245 bridge pickup from a PRS SE Bernie Marsden, I'm looking to buy one. Managed to short mine out while putting a nickel cover on it! It's now useless and I'm after a replacement.

Deguassed the magnets?

If yes you can re-guass them, there are videos on YT.

 

[pac90]

I'd honestly try an' keep it in your pants until you can afford the "even more perfect than I could ever imagine" Custom 24.

You know what you want. Go get it.

Bernie Mardsen SE: $400 + PRS HFS/VB/245/58/59/etc: $300 = $700 = half the cost of a used CU24. Keep your eye's on the prize.

remember those days, guit-flation!

 

[Rockula]

I'm really trying to resist this very tempting set:

https://reverb.com/item/37791373-cream-t-pickups-bernie-marsden-bernie-bucker-pickups

Info is still sparse. Not cheap, but if Bernie himself says they sound eerily like The Beast...

 

[Nick59]

Hi....message for Ian Chappell.
Contact me if you are still after an original BM bridge pickup. Thanks.
Nick59