Changing pu´s on a PRS, is it a sin?

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.

Interesting, cause Ive got a MT Mc Carty with 59/09s. Never played them in lower Tunings, but I am absolutely satisfied with them in E-Standard or in Dropped D. Very full and clear distortion sound.
I´ve heard und used the Ms only in the S2 SC 250 Singlecut to date, where they did a good job on lower tunings.
I mean I´ve had to replace the S2`s HFS and the whole electronics for PRS Core Parts(dont mistake them with the original Core Line HFS pickups). So there might be a sound difference between the MC and the Single cut on lower tunings, when you equip them with the M´s.
Here is a Video with the Ms on low tunings on a singlecut(but its a Tremonti SC). Sounds good for me. PS: The 85/15 have a fantastic reputation. Wish PRS would give them free to the selling market in Europe. Would love to try em out.


 
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.

So then I will probably reconsider swapping the M´s into my Mc Carty. Thanks for the tip.
 
So then I will probably reconsider swapping the M´s into my Mc Carty. Thanks for the tip.

Remembr that I prefer the PAF styled pickups so the Ms may work well for you.

What I will end up with is 8515 neck and 5909 bridge in my Mccarty. I had 5909s in it before and only switched to the Ms for the low tuning. I absolutely LOVED the 5909 bridge in standard or Eb. I think the 8515 neck is an incredible pickup but the bridge is just ok so I'm looking for another 5909 bridge to put in it. I think it will be perfect once that is done.

The Ms were the most balanced pickup I've ever heard. Great note separation and almost impossible to make them sound muddy.
 
Remembr that I prefer the PAF styled pickups so the Ms may work well for you.

What I will end up with is 8515 neck and 5909 bridge in my Mccarty. I had 5909s in it before and only switched to the Ms for the low tuning. I absolutely LOVED the 5909 bridge in standard or Eb. I think the 8515 neck is an incredible pickup but the bridge is just ok so I'm looking for another 5909 bridge to put in it. I think it will be perfect once that is done.

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Are you considering using the 59/09 also for lower tunings as well?
AND: How did you get the 85/15s? Did you buy them separately or already in a PRS-Guitar? Guess the second option(?).



 
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 dropped a set in a Santana with a maple neck and Ebony board. It screams!
 
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Never heard the originals (I bought this one used), but these Duncans rock this S2 Custom 22..
 
I have a McCarty that was upgraded with 57/08s before I bought it, and they are absolutely perfect. Articulate, responsive, fat when driven and chimey when clean. They also have a certain 3-D character that I haven't found in any other pickups, although my 59/09 has a hint of it. These are among my very favorite PAF-flavored humbuckers, right up there with boutique makers and custom winds.

I also recently swapped out the Dragon1s in my CE22 in favor of a reissue T&B "'85" set. I've loved the original T&Bs in my oldest PRS ever since I bought it back in '87 and was trying to get similar sound in a guitar that wasn't quite so irreplaceable, so I could travel with it. The reissues have delivered exactly what I wanted. They're almost Fendery in a couple of the 5-way positions, yet hot enough in full series mode to drive an amp well, and they retain wonderful definition at gain. Very much like the originals; I think the slight differences in character are likely due to the nature of the individual instruments they're in.

My only SE is a 30th Anni whose stock G&B humbuckers are a bit lackluster. I have a Duncan 59N and a Perpetual Burn waiting to go into this one. But I don't play the guitar very often so it isn't high on my priority list.

Other than these three, I have no desire to change pickups in any of my other PRS.
 
Well, if changing pickups is a sin, I'm-a goin' to the hot place in a handbasket.

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.

The Classic 57 and 57+ were actually designed for Gibson by Tom Holmes, IIRC. Holmes's own PAF style pickups run in the $650/pair these days. Lots of people treat them (Gibson Classic 57/57+) as boutique pickups and put them in lots of really nice, non-Gibson guitars. Maybe knowing that, you can find a luke-warm spot in Hades? :)
 
The Classic 57 and 57+ were actually designed for Gibson by Tom Holmes, IIRC. Holmes's own PAF style pickups run in the $650/pair these days. Lots of people treat them (Gibson Classic 57/57+) as boutique pickups and put them in lots of really nice, non-Gibson guitars. Maybe knowing that, you can find a luke-warm spot in Hades? :)
I have both the Classic 57/57+ set and a set of Tom's 450/455s. The 57 Classics are pretty good where they are (in a Johnny A semihollow). There seem to be some who just don't like this set but I find no fault at all with it- they often get raves from players who put them in 335 types and other semis. The Johnny A is a little different since it doesn't have a center block- the back and sides are carved from a single piece of mahogany so the only seams are around the top edge. But I still consider it a semi because the bridge posts are set into the wood- there are islands in the carve underneath the posts and tailpiece studs so they attach directly to the back piece.

But the Holmes are on another level, some of the most transparent humbuckers I've ever used. They're right up there with the PRS 57/08s on my favorites list. I like to describe the 57/08s as rose colored glasses; they add their own coloration but enhance everything. The Holmes are more like a magnifying glass, they reveal so much detail and nuance that it can be downright startling.
 
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