Has anyone ever seen or know for sure a PRS SE Bernie Marsden in Black?

[Lewguitar]

@Lewguitar, have you ever tried Wolfetone pups?

I really like the Wolfetone Marshallheads I have in one of my Bernies.

They've become a favorite pickup set.

But not with the A5 magnets Wolfe normally provides.

Too bright for me.

I put a ROUGHCAST A2 magnet in each pickup instead and then they start to sound like a 57 or 58 Gibson PAF or PRS 57/08.

Wolfe does offer them as an A2 version but he uses polished A2 not roughcast A2.

I'm fussy and prefer the sound roughcast Alnico gives to a pickup.

Seems rounder. Not so ice pick in the ear sharp.

Good for warming a bright pickup if you think it needs it.

 

[Max Headroom]

I really like the Wolfetone Marshallheads I have in one of my Bernies.

They've become a favorite pickup set.

But not with the A5 magnets Wolfe normally provides.

Too bright for me.

I put a ROUGHCAST A2 magnet in each pickup instead and then they start to sound like a 57 or 58 Gibson PAF or PRS 57/08.

Wolfe does offer them as an A2 version but he uses polished A2 not roughcast A2.

I'm fussy and prefer the sound roughcast Alnico gives to a pickup.

Seems rounder. Not so ice pick in the ear sharp.

Good for warming a bright pickup if you think it needs it.

There is also a pair of the marshallhead on eBay too at $235.

What would you go with?

Think more blues and Santana like tones looking for here.

 

[Lewguitar]

There is also a pair of the marshallhead on eBay too at $235.

What would you go with?

Think more blues and Santana like tones looking for here.

Well I play blues and I use the Marshallheads.

But for me changing the magnets to Alnico 2 is a must.

Too bright for me otherwise.

Santana's tone is hard to get.

When I want to move in that direction I use my CE22's with Dragon 1's.

The dragon neck is Alnico 4 but the Dragon 1 bridge is a hot ceramic magnet pickup.

Carlos used to love hot ceramic magnet pickups like the Duncan Distortion.

 

[Max Headroom]

Well I play blues and I use the Marshallheads.

But for me changing the magnets to Alnico 2 is a must.

Too bright for me otherwise.

Santana's tone is hard to get.

When I want to move in that direction I use my CE22's with Dragon 1's.

The dragon neck is Alnico 4 but the Dragon 1 bridge is a hot ceramic magnet pickup.

Carlos used to love hot ceramic magnet pickups like the Duncan Distortion.

Decisions, decisions!
Thanks for all of the great information so far.
I think my biggest challenge at the moment is picking the right pups, not particularly worried about installing them (famous last words..lol)

 

[Lewguitar]

Decisions, decisions!
Thanks for all of the great information so far.
I think my biggest challenge at the moment is picking the right pups, not particularly worried about installing them (famous last words..lol)

You could always just go with the PRS 57/08 set.

They're still my all time favorite set of pickups.

 

[Max Headroom]

You could always just go with the PRS 57/08 set.

They're still my all time favorite set of pickups.

At $400 a set that's a little rich for this project at this time.
Nice but eek!

 

[Prina]

I really like the Wolfetone Marshallheads I have in one of my Bernies.

I'd forgotten you'd mentioned them before. So many Bernies that I lost track.

There is also a pair of the marshallhead on eBay too at $235.

He's having a sale now and you may be able to get them new for less than that.

 

[Max Headroom]

The SD lineup is outstanding.
Just been reading about the Pearly Gates based on Gibbons 59 LP.
Sounds very intriguing.
Anyone tried them in a PRS?

Sometimes more research is good and sometimes it leads you down some deep rabbit holes...lol.

 

[Lewguitar]

The SD lineup is outstanding.
Just been reading about the Pearly Gates based on Gibbons 59 LP.
Sounds very intriguing.
Anyone tried them in a PRS?

Sometimes more research is good and sometimes it leads you down some deep rabbit holes...lol.

Not in a PRS but in Les Pauls and Stratocasters.

The PG is a really nice pickup. PAF based.

In a Korean made SE the PG would be a huge upgrade. I haven't tried any Indonesian made PRS humbuckers so I can't comment.

But I haven't liked any of the older Korean made humbuckers.

Seymour Duncan has two lines of pickups.

Those made on the main assembly line and those made in the Duncan Custom Shop owned by Seymour and run by MJ...his long time friend and his best pickup winder.

The Custom Shop version of the Pearly Gates sounded better to me. More character. More texture.

And it uses ROUGHCAST instead of POLISHED alnico 2 magnets.

Most of the Duncan Custom Shop versions of Duncan's regular line of humbucking pickups use ROUGHCAST magnets and I think all of the regular productions humbuckers (59, PG, etc.) use polished magnets.

 

[Max Headroom]

Not in a PRS but in Les Pauls and Stratocasters.

The PG is a really nice pickup. PAF based.

In a Korean made SE the PG would be a huge upgrade. I haven't tried any Indonesian made PRS humbuckers so I can't comment.

But I haven't liked any of the older Korean made humbuckers.

Seymour Duncan has two lines of pickups.

Those made on the main assembly line and those made in the Duncan Custom Shop owned by Seymour and run by MJ...his long time friend and his best pickup winder.

The Custom Shop version of the Pearly Gates sounded better to me. More character. More texture.

And it uses ROUGHCAST instead of POLISHED alnico 2 magnets.

Most of the Duncan Custom Shop versions of Duncan regular pickups use ROUGHCAST magnets and I think all of the regular productions humbuckers (59, PG, etc.) use polished magnets.

You sir, are a veritable fount of information where pups are concerned!
That darned rabbit hole just keeps getting deeper and darker

 

[SinSir]

There is also a pair of the marshallhead on eBay too at $235.

What would you go with?

Think more blues and Santana like tones looking for here.

I've had plenty of both and without question I'd go wolfetone. Marshallhead in the bridge and DrV in the neck.

Nothing against the SDs, a good set that's high on my list for major manufacturers, but Wolfe is the man. I prefer the A2 in the MH, but more bite go A5.

 

[Prina]

Not in a PRS but in Les Pauls and Stratocasters.

The PG is a really nice pickup. PAF based.

In a Korean made SE the PG would be a huge upgrade. I haven't tried any Indonesian made PRS humbuckers so I can't comment.

I also have the PG in a single H Strat. Great pickup, vintage/moderate output and way better than the stock pups in my humbucker SE245. Don't remember anyone not liking a PG.

Having said that, already having a PG is big reason that I'm interesting in trying Wolfetones in the SE245.

not particularly worried about installing them (famous last words..lol)

Duncan's Pickup Installation 101 is a great resource

 

[SinSir]

Having said that, already having a PG is big reason that I'm interesting in trying Wolfetones in the SE245.

Did I mention Wolfe is the man? And Marshallhead in the bridge and DrV in the neck? Lol

Seriously give him a try. He's a super nice guy, easy to deal with, been around forever, and his pickups sound amazing. Especially in a singlecut. He's very well known around the LP parts. Plenty of guys using his pups in even custom shops. A very broad overview of my order of top 3 pickup of choices are...

PRS-Obvious
Wolfetone-Specialty winder
SD-Majors

If you email Wolfe he'll also lead you to what he recommends for a tone you're after and even do a custom wind.

Gotta give Lindy Frailin some props too, especially for his humbucker sized P90. Absolutely the best H90, and I've tried a bunch.

 

[Prina]

Did I mention Wolfe is the man? And Marshallhead in the bridge and DrV in the neck?

Just ordered a Marshallhead A2 / DrV set. Sent him an email and he responded within minutes and recommended short mounting legs for PRS.

Having 25% off made the decision easier.

 

[SinSir]

Just ordered a Marshallhead A2 / DrV set. Sent him an email and he responded within minutes and recommended short mounting legs for PRS.

Having 25% off made the decision easier.

Excellent! Looking forward to your report on tone.

 

[Max Headroom]

I like EMG's in my bass.

Not in my guitars.

For this guitar I modified a set of Duncans. JB for the bridge with a roughcast A5 magnet and a 59B used as a neck pickup with a roughcast A4 magnet. Sounds like a Dragon 1 neck now.

Sounds really, really, REALLY GOOD! As good as pretty much any boutique set.

Here's how it looks now:

https://imgur.com/tZ3nQCB

https://imgur.com/468IVxF

https://imgur.com/LGeCvbB

Well after all the talk I went with your first suggestion.
Pups ordered and will order magnets later.
Working away all next week so will be likely a Sunday project in one week.

 

[Max Headroom]

@Lewguitar
So checking Addiction FX, they show rough cast magnets A5 and A4 but in two different lengths?
2.36" and 2.50".

Any idea offhand which I would need for the JB and 59?

 

[Lewguitar]

@Lewguitar
So checking Addiction FX, they show rough cast magnets A5 and A4 but in two different lengths?
2.36" and 2.50".

Any idea offhand which I would need for the JB and 59?

2 1/2"

The shorter 2.36" is probably to duplicate the shorter magnet Gibson went to in the 60's when they started making humbuckers that became known as "T-Tops". T-Tops were always alnico 5 as far as I know.

I prefer 2 1/2" but the T-Tops get a cool sound too. A little less bass and little more open voice.

If you get into magnet swapping it's a great way to create your own tone.

Get some roughcast A2 too.

 

[Max Headroom]

2 1/2"

The shorter 2.36" is probably to duplicate the shorter magnet Gibson went to in the 60's when they started making humbuckers that became known as "T-Tops".

You da man!
I would have guessed 2.5" but thought you would know for sure.
Thanks again.
Now hopefully I can change the magnets without breaking anything, seems easy enough especially as will not be in the guitar so will have my complete work bench to use without a guitar in the way.

 

[Max Headroom]

Ran out of time to get this done today as the better half insisted on going out as her first Sunday off work in about 7 weeks…fair enough.
However tomorrow afternoon is set aside for the fresh pups install.