How to Identify Particular Pickups on a Used Guitar Purchased

[desertrat]

I purchased a custom made/modified swamp ash Strat-style guitar used. It has a Fralin single coil neck pickup, a Duncan Seymour single coil middle pickup and a Don Mare single coil bridge pickup. I can't determine any more about the individual pickups than this. I'm guessing that it cannot be known by anyone just by looking at the pickups (excuse my ignorance, please). I suppose my question begs another question, or two, such as, why do you want to know, or what does it matter unless you don't like the sound or plan to modify something? I do have a couple of reasons I could go into, but I'll keep it short here. Secondly, does this current pickup selection/set-up seem "unusual" or atypical? Or, does it give clues about what kind of sound and character the owner was trying achieve? Keep in mind I don't have much experience with electric guitars, so take it easy on me I'm just trying to learn and it's steep learning curve. Thanks for your insights.

 

[László]

If the original owner doesn’t know, maybe there’s a serial number on the back of each pickup and you could contact Duncan, Don Mare and Fralin to ask?

 

[shimmilou]

I purchased a custom made/modified swamp ash Strat-style guitar used. It has a Fralin single coil neck pickup, a Duncan Seymour single coil middle pickup and a Don Mare single coil bridge pickup. I can't determine any more about the individual pickups than this. I'm guessing that it cannot be known by anyone just by looking at the pickups (excuse my ignorance, please). I suppose my question begs another question, or two, such as, why do you want to know, or what does it matter unless you don't like the sound or plan to modify something? I do have a couple of reasons I could go into, but I'll keep it short here. Secondly, does this current pickup selection/set-up seem "unusual" or atypical? Or, does it give clues about what kind of sound and character the owner was trying achieve? Keep in mind I don't have much experience with electric guitars, so take it easy on me I'm just trying to learn and it's steep learning curve. Thanks for your insights.

If not a PRS, perhaps you should try that brand’s forum for more knowledgeable answers.

 

[desertrat]

If not a PRS, perhaps you should try that brand’s forum for more knowledgeable answers.

Great idea - - I didn't think of that!!

 

[desertrat]

If not a PRS, perhaps you should try that brand’s forum for more knowledgeable answers.

I understood it was modified PRS

 

[shimmilou]

Pics?

 

[merciful-evans]

likely the builder was curious and trying out pickup options. After doing that, what becomes of the pickups? He's going to use them somewhere. That begs the question, are these ones he likes least?

Really the only thing that matters though, is how you rate them. They are all pretty decent well regarded pickups. That shouldn't influence your opinion (but invariably we cant help that). I don't much like Duncans, but love the cheap Chinese Hagstrom 58s (that everybody removes and disposes of). I cant be wrong because my ears did the choosing.

Trust your ears.

 

[desertrat]

Pics?

I'll have to wait a week or two to be able to post some pics, as I'm driving down to L.A. to pick up the guitar next week. The photos I do have, while stunning, and pretty cool to look at, are under copywrite protection by the painter, which would show pretty much the completed project after final assembly, and those are the only pics I know of - and I really wasn't interested in getting any more photos anyway. Now, given that, it may be that my initial information on what comprised the basis for the new custom model as originally being a PRS (which is what brought me to the forum) possibly is inaccurate. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I've spent a bit of time trying to determine a more complete and accurate history. I was able to get some really interesting background on the guitar's development and its great success in achieving the project goals by the technician, who also provided interesting assessment by the guitarist, as busy as he is, I doubt I'll learn too much more