Changing pu´s on a PRS, is it a sin?

[pac90]

Its only a sin to not think the newer pickup is better, that and frying pots while muppeting soldering

 

[gush]

It's only a sin if ya bring her home late!

 

[Deli6505]

Seconded. My DGT makes my Dr. Z sound like a cotton trampoline. I would only add that the speaker cab will also contribute.

Sounds like you've been talking to Greg Koch at Wildwood Guitars!

 

[Parralax view]

I wonder if you are considered just a dead ear if you actually like the pickups in your PRS and have no intention of changing them?? Serious thought. My 04 McCarty has the "too dark" pickups in it, I don't have the stroke to be changing at will so they stay, and I'm perfect with them. That doesn't mean others have stone ear like I do, so go for it!!...;-)

 

[Kiwi]

Well, if changing pickups is a sin, I'm-a goin' to the hot place in a handbasket.

Behold my recent acquisition of a PRS SC-J from 2009. It came stock with PRS Archtop pickups. I've honestly never cared for those pickups; I've had them in three PRS hollowbodies, and I've changed them out for 53/10s every time.

But 53/10s are unobtainium now, and I had a funny feeling that a set of gold humbuckers I had sitting in another guitar might just do the trick, for the SC-J.

If I'm going to hell for pickup changes, I'm going to the hottest part of Hades ... for putting Gibson Classic 57s into a Paul Reed Smith guitar! (My guitar tech and I had a good laugh - he is in Witness Protection now.)

Turned out to be a good idea. The Classic 57s have better mids, a sweeter top, and a nice round full bottom, compared to the stock PRS Archtop pickups.

On with the show:

 

[bodia]

Well, if changing pickups is a sin, I'm-a goin' to the hot place in a handbasket.

Behold my recent acquisition of a PRS SC-J from 2009. It came stock with PRS Archtop pickups. I've honestly never cared for those pickups; I've had them in three PRS hollowbodies, and I've changed them out for 53/10s every time.

But 53/10s are unobtainium now, and I had a funny feeling that a set of gold humbuckers I had sitting in another guitar might just do the trick, for the SC-J.

If I'm going to hell for pickup changes, I'm going to the hottest part of Hades ... for putting Gibson Classic 57s into a Paul Reed Smith guitar! (My guitar tech and I had a good laugh - he is in Witness Protection now.)

Turned out to be a good idea. The Classic 57s have better mids, a sweeter top, and a nice round full bottom, compared to the stock PRS Archtop pickups.

On with the show:

Well, I'd go to hell for that hottie too! Gold looks great on it!

 

[veinbuster]

I love this guitar.

Well, if changing pickups is a sin, I'm-a goin' to the hot place in a handbasket.

Behold my recent acquisition of a PRS SC-J from 2009. It came stock with PRS Archtop pickups. I've honestly never cared for those pickups; I've had them in three PRS hollowbodies, and I've changed them out for 53/10s every time.

But 53/10s are unobtainium now, and I had a funny feeling that a set of gold humbuckers I had sitting in another guitar might just do the trick, for the SC-J.

If I'm going to hell for pickup changes, I'm going to the hottest part of Hades ... for putting Gibson Classic 57s into a Paul Reed Smith guitar! (My guitar tech and I had a good laugh - he is in Witness Protection now.)

Turned out to be a good idea. The Classic 57s have better mids, a sweeter top, and a nice round full bottom, compared to the stock PRS Archtop pickups.

On with the show:

 

[Boogie]

That is hot!

 

[Kiwi]

Thanks, gang. I'm vain and shallow about appearances, and its stunning pinstripe flame is part of its appeal. The macassar ebony headstock facing has this insane wavy ribboning going on, too. I'll try to get a picture up.

Any new humbucker set had to have gold covers, of course. Turns out PRS does not make 57/08s with gold covers (those would have been my first choice) so I was forced to ... uh ... install another brand. <looks away in shame>

-K-

 

[Kiwi]

The macassar ebony headstock facing has this insane wavy ribboning going on, too. I'll try to get a picture up.
-K-

Yeah, here we go:

=K

 

[veinbuster]

That is killer!

Yeah, here we go:

=K

 

[flux]

That calls for the face. Wow!

 

[Mole351]

Anybody ever put a set of SD 59's in a custom 24? Definitely thinking about it...

 

[Kiwi]

Turns out PRS does not make 57/08s with gold covers (those would have been my first choice) so I was forced to ... uh ... install another brand. <looks away in shame>

-K-

**UPDATE** April 19, 2018**

I recently acquired a set of 57/09s hybrids (nickel covers, gold screw heads) on the used market for somewhat less than a year at Harvard.

That's the sound I was looking for, and the SC-J is happy. The top end is sweeter and there's no longer any brittleness, and the bottom end is rounder and clearer. Somehow, I can hear the hollowness of this hollowbody guitar a bit better.

My experience, then: The Gibson Classic 57s sounded much better than the stock PRS Archtops, and the 57/08s sound just that last little bit better than the 57s.

All is right with the universe again. This fine PRS guitar has terrific PRS pickups installed in it, not That Other Brand. (And my guitar tech can get out of Witness Protection for putting in the G's. )

=K

 

[bodia]

**UPDATE** April 19, 2018**

I recently acquired a set of 57/09s hybrids (nickel covers, gold screw heads) on the used market for somewhat less than a year at Harvard.

That's the sound I was looking for, and the SC-J is happy. The top end is sweeter and there's no longer any brittleness, and the bottom end is rounder and clearer. Somehow, I can hear the hollowness of this hollowbody guitar a bit better.

My experience, then: The Gibson Classic 57s sounded much better than the stock PRS Archtops, and the 57/08s sound just that last little bit better than the 57s.

All is right with the universe again. This fine PRS guitar has terrific PRS pickups installed in it, not That Other Brand. (And my guitar tech can get out of Witness Protection for putting in the G's. )

=K

Another happy ending!

 

[tabl10s]

Yep. It's like have non-Benz rims on a Benz

 

[Deleted member 21959]

Yep.]

Jokes aside, it's anything but a "sin," in response to OP's thread title.

Changing pickups are but another way to hone in on a sound you're going for, to make your guitar and rig sound more uniquely yours if you so choose. At the end of the day, it's your guitar but a bit of experimenting here and there certainly isn't a crime. I've swapped out pickups on mine from the stock offerings to have something more in line with the sounds I've been going for, myself.

It's like have non-Benz rims on a Benz

Hahahaha. God forbid I have to change out a tire, while we're at it.

 

[Reynewan]

To me, the M pickups are the most balanced pickups prs offers.

Ive got them in my S2 SC 250 Singlecut too. IMO very underrated Pick ups with good string separation on higher gain levels. Strangely, they never gained the credit they deserved. Would love to hear them in my Mc Carty.

 

[Reynewan]

I´ve searched around the web and the forum about changing pu´s in a core PRS. From what I can tell it seems that even when people change pu´s they tend to stay within the brand? other prs pu´s that is.

I have recently bought a CE 1989 with what I can tell the old vintage pickups pre-hfs and they sound good but maybe a little "narrow" and not 100% as I want them to sound.
In my other main guitars I have put in Tom Anderson´s H2+/H1- so that´s kind of what I look in a pickups, lot´s of low and high´s but with punch of mids aswell. Very balanced I guess

Question is are there PRS pu´s that will get me what I´m looking for and am I "ruining" this old guitar in some way by doing this?

Thanks in advance!

I don´t think that you are ruining your guitar, as long you can mount them correctly. You might find interesting and very usefull sounds as well.
Personally I like Pick up swaps but I tend somehow to stay true to the PRS Pickups. For example: I have ordered individually customized Holy Diver Pickups
from BKP. Ive been waiting for them nearly 2 Months until they were built..They have arrived last week..But somehow I cannot move/deicide myself to install them in one of my PRS guitars.. It feels for me strangely like a having an affair.. It´s an very individual thing like the other guys said it here before.

 

[gush]

Ive got them in my S2 SC 250 Singlecut too. IMO very underrated Pick ups with good string separation on higher gain levels. Strangely, they never gained the credit they deserved. Would love to hear them in my Mc Carty.

I had them in my Mccarty for a while when we were doing lower tuning music. In standard pitch they sounded good but TBH, I think they are overshadowed by the PAF voiced pickups. I have replaced the Ms with 8515s.