Are Paul's and 408N pups the same?

[Phyl]

Pauls' guitar have normally a couple of 408N pups both at the bridge and the neck.

But this one has "Paul's" pickup (?) at the bridge:

http://img1.iwascoding.com/4/2016/01/05/A5/7BB9EF89EC8D4B37842CEE9DBFEBF2B7.jpg

I thought "Paul's" pickup is just the 408N used as treble pickup instead of the regular 408 treble, but in another case I see another Paul's guitar with both pickups named as "Paul's":

http://static.centrochitarre.com/me...ab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/img_9437_3.jpg

Does anybody know if those pups are really different?

 

[dsenoj]

The hangtag for my Paul's Guitar says "Paul's" for the bridge pickup and "408" for the neck pickup. My understanding is that Paul's Guitar has a normal 408 neck pickup but the bridge pickup is wound like a regular 408 bridge pickup but on a narrow bobbin like the neck pickup. I suspect that the guitar with both pickups labeled as "Paul's" is just mislabeled but it's possible that it has a Paul's bridge pickup in the neck position.

 

[László]

I will bet it means the guitar has a Paul's Guitar pickup set.

 

[Phyl]

The hangtag for my Paul's Guitar says "Paul's" for the bridge pickup and "408" for the neck pickup. My understanding is that Paul's Guitar has a normal 408 neck pickup but the bridge pickup is wound like a regular 408 bridge pickup but on a narrow bobbin like the neck pickup. I suspect that the guitar with both pickups labeled as "Paul's" is just mislabeled but it's possible that it has a Paul's bridge pickup in the neck position.

it could be, even though "Paul's" pickups are not even quoted by the PRS website...

 

[Phyl]

I will bet it means the guitar has a Paul's Guitar pickup set.

well, I don't find any description of them on the PRS website though.. and those gears are not sold at a private stock guitars price...

 

[László]

well, I don't find any description of them on the PRS website though.. and those gears are not sold at a private stock guitars price...

Yes, that's right. But if it says next to Pickups on the tag that the bridge pickup is a "Pauls Guitar" pickup, then I think it's a safe bet that they are in fact the same pickups that come on the Paul's Guitar.

Especially since the hangtag in your pic says it's a Paul's Guitar model.

Seems kinda obvious to me.

Since it's hand-written with ball point pen, and not by a machine, a human being must have written it. It was not carved in stone by the gods of guitars.

And maybe that's what that particular human being calls the Paul's Guitar bridge pickup? Just a thought...

 

[Phyl]

Yes, that's right. But if it says next to Pickups on the tag that the bridge pickup is a "Pauls Guitar" pickup, then I think it's a safe bet that they are in fact the same pickups that come on the Paul's Guitar.

Especially since the hangtag in your pic says it's a Paul's Guitar model.

Seems kinda obvious to me.

Since it's hand-written with ball point pen, and not by a machine, a human being must have written it. It was not carved in stone by the gods of guitars.

And maybe that's what that particular human being calls the Paul's Guitar bridge pickup? Just a thought...

yes it would be a reasonable explanation, my only doubt is that in the other case quoted (http://img1.iwascoding.com/4/2016/01/05/A5/7BB9EF89EC8D4B37842CEE9DBFEBF2B7.jpg) I've found "Paul's" for the treble and 408N for the neck (should be both 408N according the PRS website description), so that tag puzzled me having no description of "Paul's" pups anywhere on the web

 

[ViperDoc]

The hang tag should tell no lies. You could cross reference directly with PRS using the serial number.

 

[justmund]

What Les said. One guy who wrote the hang tag was being literal (that's what's written on the back of those respective pickups IIRC) and one guy likes his collars to match his cuffs.

Simple inconsistency due to 2 different people writing the hang tag.

 

[justmund]

That's what's written on the back of my triple pack of narrow 408s.

 

[Phyl]

That's what's written on the back of my triple pack of narrow 408s.

thanks a lot!

that's clear to me: "Paul's treble" pup is the 408N used on the bridge (I guess with some adjustment), while on the neck the Paul's guitar has a regular 408N (bass). The issue is about how they write it on the hang tags on those gears...

 

[László]

thanks a lot!

that's clear to me: "Paul's treble" pup is the 408N used on the bridge (I guess with some adjustment), while on the neck the Paul's guitar has a regular 408N (bass). The issue is about how they write it on the hang tags on those gears...

You are the only one who's ever made an issue over it, so I therefore am awed by your insistence on sticking to the exact words written by a worker on a hang tag in a factory! Congratulations on your persnickety-ness! Not that it was of the slightest interest to anyone else, but it sure shows some grit, determination, and a stick-to-it spirit.

Sadly, we had another member who used to get very concerned about tiny little discrepancies in hang tags, case dates, sweet switch washers and how headstock ears absorbed stain, who unfortunately passed away. So it's fortunate that we now have someone take his place here.

Welcome! I'm willing to bet that you will find another mystery to get us involved in, soon.

 

[rugerpc]

Pie needed here too?

 

[justmund]

Les, you forgot "Forum Guitar"

Yes, pie is needed.

 

[László]

Pie needed here too?

Les, you forgot "Forum Guitar"

Yes, pie is needed.

Forum guitar...man oh man, I went ballistic over that.

OK, gimme a slice of pie.

 

[Herr Squid]

This may just muddy the waters, but there seem to be more names than pickups out there. Working from memory:

I think I've gotten 57/08 pickups labeled "MEII" from the PTC (labeled as such because they had gold pole pieces) and one was labeled with a printed sticker and one with ball point pen. This did not bother me. They sounded great.

IIRC, SC245 pickups were MIra pickups with covers. I have "Exp 2012" pickups that are 53/10s with gold pole pieces.

The point being that the factory seems to label pickups for the guitar they go into, rather than the actual specs of the pickup. And pickups with basically identical specs can go under different names.

 

[justmund]

Nope, no mud

The classic example of this is the "P22" pickups which started as uncovered 53/10s then went to uncovered 57/08s. The only way to tell is to post your date of manufacturing on this forum and we all take wild, uninformed guesses, or alternatively, email PRS customer service for the actual information.

 

[Phyl]

You are the only one who's ever made an issue over it, so I therefore am awed by your insistence on sticking to the exact words written by a worker on a hang tag in a factory! Congratulations on your persnickety-ness! Not that it was of the slightest interest to anyone else, but it sure shows some grit, determination, and a stick-to-it spirit.

Sadly, we had another member who used to get very concerned about tiny little discrepancies in hang tags, case dates, sweet switch washers and how headstock ears absorbed stain, who unfortunately passed away. So it's fortunate that we now have someone take his place here.

Welcome! I'm willing to bet that you will find another mystery to get us involved in, soon.

ok,ok I hope to involve you on some new metaphysical issue!

before deciding to spend 3-4k (a lot for me) on an online shop I usually try to understand what model I'm actually going to buy (and, ok, I have too much faith on PRS perfection in presenting their stuff.. I'm a quite new PRS fan)

 

[Kazz]

Nope, no mud

The classic example of this is the "P22" pickups which started as uncovered 53/10s then went to uncovered 57/08s. The only way to tell is to post your date of manufacturing on this forum and we all take wild, uninformed guesses, or alternatively, email PRS customer service for the actual information.

...and now covered 58/15s. Dunno' if they're still labeled P22 or not, but it seems likely.

 

[justmund]

...and now covered 58/15s. Dunno' if they're still labeled P22 or not, but it seems likely.

Yeah I believe there's a phasing issue because of the piezo, so the magnet is flipped in them, or something.

Oh, 58/15s are just covered 85/15s, and 85/15s are just uncovered 58/15s...