Black Pickup Rings are looking great (before and after pictures)

[Johan Allard]

Hi guys,

First post in the forum. I've just got my black pickup rings from PRS Accessories today and throught I'd show you a couple of before and after pictures. I think they look a lot better.

To the left is my PRS 408 in faded whale blue. I replaced the tuner buttons with Ebony tuner buttons as well for an even darker look.
To the right is my Custom 22 (2002) in Dark Cherry Burst. I've previously replaced the pickups with Bareknuckle VHII's and the 5 way rotary with a Free-way Ultra switch so I just replaced the tip of the Ultra switch with a black one to match.

I think they are an awesome looking pair. Now I just need a single cut, and then maybe a....

 

[justmund]

Welcome Johan, that's a fine looking pair you have there. We love mods here (well OK, most of us...)

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Nice!

 

[László]

Lovely guitars and welcome!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Right on!
Welcome.

 

[The Fight]

Hey man I as well changed my pickups and pickup rings to black, on my Tremonti not to long here. It seems to make The guitars look more serious and by the way your two look great.

I was curious to how you like the BK vhii? Especially compared to the original pickups?

 

[CoreyT]

Welcome to the forum.
Your guitars look very nice and "more business like" with the black rings.
I too had black rings put on my 408 a short time back, really improves the looks IMO.

 

[coyote]

Interesting. I had imagined black pup rings would be a significant improvement. But to my own eyes, it's about equal.... and I can see where the designers would think the white rings distinctive.

I'm wondering if pup rings that match the binding color would work.

 

[Johan Allard]

Welcome to the forum.
Your guitars look very nice and "more business like" with the black rings.
I too had black rings put on my 408 a short time back, really improves the looks IMO.

Thanks guys,

and yes Corey, yours is another great example of black pickup rings looking better. Nice flames!

I think it would be really cool if there's was a wide range of pickup ring colours to choose from. Since most (all?) flame tops goes from dark on the edges to brighter in the middle, it would probably look awesome if the pickup rings matched the outer darker colour of the top.

 

[tip]

Interesting. I had imagined black pup rings would be a significant improvement. But to my own eyes, it's about equal.... and I can see where the designers would think the white rings distinctive.

I'm wondering if pup rings that match the binding color would work.

Yes I wanted to match the binding and got real Stripped Maple polycoated pick up rings installed on my CU22 and I love it. ($45, custom made on eBay). Easy to put back the originals if i ever sell this.

I also dig your black! Way better than the off white plastic ones. Did you countersink the two middle screws? I did. It looks smooth not screw head sticking up.

 

[dogrocketp]

Those look like Phil Henderson`s rings. The first pair he made went on his own custom 24.

 

[markintime]

John, I'm on your side here. +2! I did the same treatment on mine (the Vela doesn't need anything more - she came with awesomeness). So, here's more before and after.

The before:

The after:

Switch tips and trem tip have to match for the well-dressed look. And it re-enforces my preference for the non-zebra look in pickups.

And btw, welcome to the forum with such a cool entrance!

 

[Dusty Chalk]

You even swapped the pickups to get rid of the zebraness? Win!

 

[markintime]

You even swapped the pickups to get rid of the zebraness? Win!

Yep, ordered it that way. So now, I have a set of completely unused PRS HFS/VB that are available, seeing as how I have no plans to ever make use of them. I paid for them to install the 09's and they sent the originals to me. But I got a good deal, so no real problem there.

 

[guitarman001]

I love the polycoated rings! And wooden rings! Must say I prefer white rings to black.
Are the standard rings just plastic?
I remember mine cracked on my SE Torero but no cracking on the USA ones so far - different material??

 

[guitarman001]

What ARE polycoated rings!?

 

[Maertl513]

The one and only prescription against suffering from wrong coloured pickup rings is ordering a guitar with direct mounted pups.

I admit, these small modifations have a big impact to a more attractive outlook of certain guitars (f.e. depending on the colour of the instrument).

 

[rubalup]

I prefer the white/cream rings on that guitars, but unfortunately they're not mine... so enjoy them!!!

 

[vchizzle]

I much prefer black rings on most guitars. Nice move!

 

[shinksma]

I put black pickup rings on my Spalted SE ZM. The original "stock" color of Trampas Green probably looks best with the cream/creme rings, but the black really brings out the black spalt lines in the finish. Also changed the switch tip.

Before:

After:

EDIT: Oh yeah, and I put covers on the pickups, obviously - I didn't mind the zebra look, but was really hankering for the covered look.