How do 57/08s sound in eg. sc245 vs P22 vs custom22?

[Michael_DK]

How do 57/08s sound in different instruments - eg. sc245 vs P22 vs custom22?

I am in the process of considering a new gear purchase (once I have unloaded some of my current gear), and I am just wondering how big a difference there is between these different guitars with the same pickups in them. Is it a huge difference or just in the 5% range etc...

Also interested in hearing what your experience is regarding trem vs stoptail - Again, keeping the pickups constant...

If you have any experiece to share, I would love to hear it!

 

[tiboy]

I'm not sure this will help, but I have a P22 IRW neck/ebony board with uncovered 57/08's and had a Stripped 58 with covered 57/08's. Very different sounding guitars. I suspect the neck/board difference accounts for the majority of the different sound. The Stripper was LP ish. The P22 much more modern sounding.

 

[Michael_DK]

Thanks, tiboy.

Yeah, it's pretty difficult to cut the neck out of the equation . I guess a covered pickup also sounds a bit different than an uncovered one. So many variables......

You say the P22 is more modern sounding - how would you describe that sonically?

 

[sleary]

A covered pickup to an uncovered is 0.1% difference.

Thickness, density, pours and type of wood all make differences.

Stop tail to term....I'm actually really liking a stop tail. Seem to really bring my mc soapy to life. Terms are good too as I have them on mostly of my prs's ...

 

[swede71]

The character of the guitar will shine through whatever pickup you use.Im not saying pickups dont matter,they do but as i view it the character of the guitar will still be there.Some pickups sounds better in one guitar and others sounds better in another guitar.

 

[vchizzle]

Michael, I think the differences would be as you'd expect. The SC245 is going to sound the "biggest", will have the most bottom end due to the extra body mass. P22 will fall in the middle since it has McCarty thickness and the CU22 will probably be the brighter, least beefy of the 3. For whatever reason, in my stripped 58, I prefer 5909. I moved the 5708 into my McCarty standard which I like them best in that guitar.

 

[László]

Also interested in hearing what your experience is regarding trem vs stoptail - Again, keeping the pickups constant..

With a trem there is often a resonant sound due to the big hole cut for the trem and the trem strings vibrating within the guitar. Vibrating springs are what's also used in a guitar amp reverb tank, so there's a certain cause/effect there. On certain guitars this can be airy, on others a bit twangy, on some kind of a hollow sound, but in any case you can hear it.

A lot of people feel that stop tails will have a bit more sustain and a more focused sound. I honestly think that depends on the guitar's construction, the type of stoptail, etc. I find that stoptail is a bit more focused, and maybe a little thicker on most PRS.

There is also a difference in feel. A PRS with a trem has a softer feel, less string tension on bends, etc. It has a different neck angle from a stoptail.

I personally have no preference. Both are great, and it's nice to have choices that way.

 

[Egads]

I currently have three Stoptail guitars with 57/08s: an original Mira, a Singlecut Hollowbody Standard, and a Singlecut Hollowbody II. All sound very different. The construction and materials makes a huge difference. Think about the pickup as a microphone (yeah, novel concept, I know). Whoever is singing throu the microphone is going to have their own voice. The mic will color that voice, but it's not going to make two people sound like eachother (unless they already do).

So, the short answer is that you obviously need one of each. Duh.:hello: