Gibson pickups in a PRS

[YetAnotherRushFan]

I have a PRS Core custom 24 and a Gibson Les Paul standard. I love the playability of the PRS which is miles ahead of Gibson IMO. Wow I think no one can argue that the Gibson sound is "better", I really like the sort of raw, unrefined tone that the Les Paul has.

(Unlike what a lot of people say, the PRS is not lighter in tone at all: it's darker, with more bass.)

I been thinking for a long time over what may be responsible for this difference in sound end of course I thought of pickups. Gibson burstbucker pickups have mismatched windings to intentionally mimic manufacturing defects of the 50s. I believe this is what gives them that's slightly hunky, raw sound.

I am not going to touch my beautiful core PRS but I thought about getting another, maybe an S2, and trying burstcuckers in it. Has anyone done this and found that it brings the sound very close to Gibson LP?

(Yes of course I know there are other differences like a small difference in scale length, angle, etc.. That's why I'm asking how big of a difference pickups will make.)

 

[Tony M.]

You may be in for a surprise when you get that S2.
You may decide to keep it just the way it is.

I have Gibsons. Some have pickup changes.
I have S2s. They all have their stock pickups.

 

[Jazzedout]

What type of pickups are in the PRS?

 

[tonedover]

dunno but i put pearly gates in my se custom 22 semi hardtail and i love the tonal improvement over the old pups, which were the old G&B 245 cheapo pups that used to come in SE (they now put supposedly better pups in the SEs)

https://imgur.com/a/HC5juCA

ive been considering getting diff pups for my LP studio with BBPros

my S2 Vela has the stock pups and they are going nowhere

 

[tonedover]

I have a PRS Core custom 24 and a Gibson Les Paul standard. I love the playability of the PRS which is miles ahead of Gibson IMO. Wow I think no one can argue that the Gibson sound is "better", I really like the sort of raw, unrefined tone that the Les Paul has.

(Unlike what a lot of people say, the PRS is not lighter in tone at all: it's darker, with more bass.)

I been thinking for a long time over what may be responsible for this difference in sound end of course I thought of pickups. Gibson burstbucker pickups have mismatched windings to intentionally mimic manufacturing defects of the 50s. I believe this is what gives them that's slightly hunky, raw sound.

I am not going to touch my beautiful core PRS but I thought about getting another, maybe an S2, and trying burstcuckers in it. Has anyone done this and found that it brings the sound very close to Gibson LP?

(Yes of course I know there are other differences like a small difference in scale length, angle, etc.. That's why I'm asking how big of a difference pickups will make.)

what pups in it? unless we know the baseline we cant help as much

 

[AP515]

I put burstbuckers in an SESC and they were a nice choice. Good pickups, but I think your Custom will still sound like a Custom. Try it and let's see. You don't have to worry, the work is completely reversible.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I have and had Gibson pickups in a couple PRS... they both sounded like guitars.

 

[YetAnotherRushFan]

You may be in for a surprise when you get that S2.
You may decide to keep it just the way it is.

I have Gibsons. Some have pickup changes.
I have S2s. They all have their stock pickups.

I'm not saying THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH PRS PICKUPS. I'm just saying I want a PRS guitar with as close to LP sounds as I can get.

(Note: I tried a 594 and the Vintage neck was not for me. I want Pattern Reg.)

 

[Tony M.]

I understand what you said and/or did not say. No need to shout.

It's worth a try. The mod is reversible if you aren't happy with the results.
My personal opinion is that the burst buckers will not sound the same
in an S2 body as they did in the LP body.

but...

You may like the end result anyway in ways you did not anticipate.
It's an experiment. You'll never know unless you try it out.
Go for it and let us know.

 

[YetAnotherRushFan]

Didn't mean to shout. I actually already have an S2 22 Standard as well. I could use that one.

I read that routing may need to be done as Gibson pups are taller, so I might take it to a tech, and found out the local shop is not taking biz now thanks to the virus...

 

[88prs]

I put SD Alnico Pro II's in my S2 and it sounds great. Hope it will always sound like a PRS, only a bit different, not better just different. I have an R8 for when I want that sound, but it gets little use. My Core's and S2 sound awesome and what I like. Rock on PRS!

 

[Tony M.]

Be careful with routing and drilling.
The S2 bodies are considerably thinner than an LP body.
Yes?
No?
Maybe?

Are Burst buckers available with short legs?
..or can you swap the backplates for ones with short legs?
Maybe contact Larry or Seymour for different backplates?
They may be willing to sell them separately.

 

[YetAnotherRushFan]

I have and had Gibson pickups in a couple PRS... they both sounded like guitars.

Ok, so where do I get those trombone pickups again?

I put SD Alnico Pro II's in my S2 and it sounds great. Hope it will always sound like a PRS, only a bit different, not better just different. I have an R8 for when I want that sound, but it gets little use. My Core's and S2 sound awesome and what I like. Rock on PRS!

To clarify again, I LOVE PRS sound (along with everything else) and most of the time want that. But for some things - esp. AC/DC for me - that "raw" Gibson sound seems more "authentic."

If I can get close to that with Burstbuckers in a PRS axe, with its super-playable neck, that would be sweet.

(It's not like the LP is a bear to play but after playing it, I pick up the Cu24, and its like, wow, this thing plays itself. I think the 10" radius must be about ideal, along with the neck carve.)

 

[Tony M.]

https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and...ickup_Kits_and_Parts/Humbucker_Baseplate.html

This may be available in a short legged version.
Give them a call and see.

 

[AaeCee]

Sacrilege!!
Let's get him!!!


JK, OP.
I think it would only work out well if done with a 22 fret PRS where the pickup location is like a LP.

 

[YetAnotherRushFan]

Sacrilege!!
Let's get him!!!


JK, OP.
I think it would only work out well if done with a 22 fret PRS where the pickup location is like a LP.

For the neck pup, yeah. I'm concerned mostly with the bridge. But the pickup question is general... will a B-Bucker in a PRS give me that Gibson brashness.

 

[YetAnotherRushFan]

What type of pickups are in the PRS?

I missed this. 85/15s. Great pickups!

(Again I would leave this Cu24 as-is and get another to put Gibsons in... depending on what I could get a deal on might be a 22 or 24, Core or S2. In fact I have an S2 22 Standard I might use, though I also really like that one just the way it is.)

 

[11top]

PRS makes great pups, but Gibson’s new Custombuckers are awesome, too.

 

[gush]

Didn't mean to shout. I actually already have an S2 22 Standard as well. I could use that one.

I read that routing may need to be done as Gibson pups are taller, so I might take it to a tech, and found out the local shop is not taking biz now thanks to the virus...

I got a wild hair and put a Gibson 500T in bridge position in my McCarty. That was a long time ago and it didn't stay in there long.

Legs were almost too long to fit but I was able to buy super tiny wood screws and go through threaded leg holes.

Screwed it to the cavity floor and that put it about the right height . No adjustments of course.

This guitar was a gift from my wife so I'll never sell it and the holes in the wood are so small most people would not notice.

 

[AaeCee]

For the neck pup, yeah. I'm concerned mostly with the bridge. But the pickup question is general... will a B-Bucker in a PRS give me that Gibson brashness.

I believe they would. Still, I'd think that a BB set in a PRS would be most satisfying in a 22 fret model, especially one with a shorter scale length like a LP, as in the end, you'd still expect more of that certain sound in all positions.