Anybody using 57/08 pickups in a guitar with a vibrato?

[Prina]

I heard the same thing, but who knows? They are easily my favorite PRS pickups, and I prefer PRS pickups. The exception is P-90’s. I love me some Lindy Fralin’s……

I agree with @Andrew Paul, who had my 57/08 equipped Stripped 58 a year before I got it, that the bridge can be a little weak. Fortunately easily rectified with a clean/cleanish boost and then it's great. The neck is fantastic.

@dogrocketp, which of the Fralin P-90's do you like? I've been considering the noiseless ones.

 

[Lewguitar]

I heard the same thing, but who knows? They are easily my favorite PRS pickups, and I prefer PRS pickups. The exception is P-90’s. I love me some Lindy Fralin’s……

BKP Nantuckets are pretty fine too.

 

[Lewguitar]

I agree with @Andrew Paul, who had my 57/08 equipped Stripped 58 a year before I got it, that the bridge can be a little weak. Fortunately easily rectified with a clean/cleanish boost and then it's great. The neck is fantastic.

@dogrocketp, which of the Fralin P-90's do you like? I've been considering the noiseless ones.

I have three guitars with 57/08's. Those in my 2012 Stripped 58's have the weakest bridge pickup but it's not really weak.

My newest set has the hottest bridge pickup.

 

[dogrocketp]

I like all of them in different applications, The P-92’s are very close to the dominos that I have in my EG lll. I’m rarely a fan of noiseless pickups, but the P 92’s are sweet.

 

[SinSir]

which of the Fralin P-90's do you like? I've been considering the noiseless ones.

I have the Fralin Humbucker sized P90 noiseless and its fantastic. I went on a big H90 kick and the Fralins are easily my favorite out of the handful I tried in multiple guitars. Really shine in a hog guitar. It's currently in my SG, but am dying to pick up a thinline S2 594 to try it in.

 

[Prina]

I went on a big H90 kick and the Fralins are easily my favorite out of the handful I tried

Any other ones that were close? I'll definitely try out the Fralins noiseless P90's, and already have a Gibson and a SD stacked noiseless and am considering the SD Antiquity since that's been in many of the PRS Soapies.

Also what guage strings do you think go best with the Fralins?

 

[dogrocketp]

I don’t think there’s a best gauge. That’s kind of like a best guitar or best amp. My old hands can only handle 9’s thesedays, so that’s what’s on all my PRS, except my SE Hollowbody piezo.

 

[Lewguitar]

Any other ones that were close? I'll definitely try out the Fralins noiseless P90's, and already have a Gibson and a SD stacked noiseless and am considering the SD Antiquity since that's been in many of the PRS Soapies.

Also what guage strings do you think go best with the Fralins?

You know what strings might be fun? A set of Rotosound 10's.

I have those on my PRS Soapbar with Bare Knuckle Nantucket P90's.

Get's a very cool deep twang.

 

[László]

Thanks for all the advice everyone Y’all have been very helpful! Cough cough, 57/08…..

I read somewhere that Paul was able to get ahold of Duane Allman’s Darkburst LP which had the 57 PAF’s in it from Duane’s 57 Goldtop that he traded and he felt were very special, (hence the swap), and he put those in his Darkburst
Paul used these as a reference to building the 57/08 pickups….
Is there truth to this or did I make this up in a dream?

I don't know the answer to your question, but I have 57/08s in a McCarty Singlecut from the 2014 PS run. When I play it on the DA setting of my HXDA amp (cloned from Duane's actual 'Live at the Fillmore' amp), and I set it up, "THAT" sound was exactly what came through the speaker cab, clear as a bell.

I was truly flabbergasted the first time I tried it! In fact I called several fellow studio players, and said, "You have got to hear this." They thought it was right on the money, too.

It's a benchmark tone for me.

 

[László]

Had the 57/08s in a CE22.
Have had them in various other non trem PRS and other guitars.
Not really impressed with them. Nothing special.
Never understood why people like them so much.
Pretty generic PAFs and I have tried all the boutiques and SD/Gibson etc variants.

Every player has their own take on any piece of gear you can name. Nothing wrong with yours, either. I respect it!

My take's different.

I've had them in several guitars, both with and without trems, and find they're pretty special pickups.

But as we all realize I'm sure, it's always a matter of personal expectations, playing style, musical style, associated gear, our unique hands, brains and ears, and context.

It's great when players prefer different things - it means we don't all sound exactly alike! To my way of thinking, that's a good outcome. Making music in an intensely personal way is the most satisfying.

I've used the 57/08s on an awful lot of national ad sessions since they came out. I've always loved the tone, and the clients have been happy. Perfect combination - for me! I want to make them happy, but if I'm not proud of all the details in the work, including the tone, it's a bummer.

Um...until the check comes. I'm never bummed when the check arrives!

It's true. I'm a ho.

 

[SinSir]

Any other ones that were close? I'll definitely try out the Fralins noiseless P90's, and already have a Gibson and a SD stacked noiseless and am considering the SD Antiquity since that's been in many of the PRS Soapies.

Also what guage strings do you think go best with the Fralins?

Not really, close sure, but the Frailin is still in use..I'd buy them again, and I've been debating where to use the other ones for a while now. I like SD stacked too, using the Single coil in a tele and strat. I run pretty much 10s all around. Maybe 9s or 11s, on my SG that currently has the Frailin I run 10s.

 

[Rod/]

Now you’ve me goin @dogrocketp . I’ve got a ‘93 CU22 Stoptail that I love, pictured on the left, but the Dragon 1‘s are just a bit to over the top for this bluesrock player, and I need to get it refretted with 6100 jumbos…maybe 57/08’s are the way to go on this. It does have the 5 way rotary switch. I just don’t want to lose the punch this guitar has. Is your CU22 with the 57/08’s still punchy? I’m the main lead guitarist in 2 bands and I play in the style of of Duane Allman & Warren Haynes

Decided to not spend the $$ on the 93 CU22…. But thanks for all the info….Up 4 sale at John Mann’s….

 

[Rider1260]

I believe this one to be one of the best sounding CU24s ( for me ) I have ever played , I still didn't keep it but I know where it lives and get to play it from time to time. for non Trem PRS I had a SC58 it was killer but its short scale had me move it on , Played a Mira with 57/08s tried to buy it on the spot but it didn't happen , My DC22 has a 57/08 Neck and a 59/09 Bridge that is pretty special but I would like to find a covered 59/09 to put it back to stock.
IMG_3094 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/152274366@N08/

 

[Gtrbldr]

Why didn't you keep the 57/08? I have one of its 350 siblings and love that guitar (see avatar).

 

[Lewguitar]

Ok, lets try this for the third time. I moved all day yesterday and keep hitting the wrong buttons on my phone...

What you hear in the video is what I call the 57/08 "twang" factor. Every guitar with a trem and bolt-on maple neck that I have installed 57/08s into has added clarity and a twang/bite that wasn't there prior. As a studio player I love it.

I also run my pickups low compared to most. That, combined with 9 gauge strings and higher action, promotes a weaker magnetic pull for lower output. The "hotter" the amp, the lower I run the pickups.

This a particular guitar is wired to a 5-way blade following the 2014 PRS Custom 22/24 wiring specs.

I agree, definitely not Duane Allman, but the guitar (your CE22, too) is different than a singlecut. In my original 57/08 Limited Edition SC245 the puckups had the clarity and twang, also, but there was more underlying girth because if thickness, construction, and woods used.

I sold my CU22's after I found my 95 and 97 CE22's.

The CE22's are more fun to play and seem to have a livlier sound.

Maple neck instead of mahogany. Bolt on neck rather than glued in. More Fendery.

My '00 CE22 came to me with replacement pickups I didn't care for.

I tried quite a few sets before settling on Bare Knuckle Abraxas pickups.

Still, I'd like to try a strong set of 57/08's in that guitar.

A new set. The bridge pickup seems to have more output in the new sets.