Rider1260
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- Jun 9, 2013
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I have tried to put a meter on my 408 and have had no luck getting a reading ;( yet believe there is some voodo in there.
List of PRS Pickup Specs
- Thread starter CantankerousCarl
- Start date
John Beef
Opaque
I put an Alnico 5 in a HFS in my baritone for a while. It really took off the edge that made that pickup sound very "nu-metal" in a baritone. I can only imagine that an Alnico 2 would round off those metal edges even further. In fact if I still had the HFS I would probably try that.
After trying a DGT bass and a 59/09 bass in my CU22, I came back to the stock Dragon 2 neck pickup because it sounds the best with the least muddiness and the best detail and clarity. So, my experience is the exact opposite of yours. If you end up finding a neck pickup you like better, can I call dibs on your D2 bass?
I don't know if you're running a rotary or if you have McCarty switching, but it sounds like you might need to take a look at some of the humbucker sized singles out there. I have had guitars that refused to clean up no matter what humbucker I had in the neck. Those guitars were very well served by a Fralin P-92 in the neck. That pickup will clean up even the most muddy of guitars and they sound really amazing.
guitarman001
New Member
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- Sep 12, 2014
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I'm trying to diagnose a problem on my 2013 Cu24. 57/08 pups.
One week the neck-mid position cut out. The next the neck position cut out. Volume just came in and out for a few seconds. Then was ok again.
PRS said it may be a faulty switch/wiring or pickup. I took a DVM to it:
Continuity looks good.
The casing of the pots is the ground potential which is the same as the jack.
I check the resistance from the pot casing/jack to the pot terminal (not the variable terminal):
NECK: 7.94 kohm
NECK-MID: 580 ohm
MID: 3.1 kohm
MID-BRIDGE: 2.24 kohm
BRIDGE: 5.02 kohm
--> Is this correct? I thought they were the same pickup so the neck and bridge readings would show the same resistance?
Going by the table on page 1 57/08 in neck & bridge have practically the same resistance?
One week the neck-mid position cut out. The next the neck position cut out. Volume just came in and out for a few seconds. Then was ok again.
PRS said it may be a faulty switch/wiring or pickup. I took a DVM to it:
Continuity looks good.
The casing of the pots is the ground potential which is the same as the jack.
I check the resistance from the pot casing/jack to the pot terminal (not the variable terminal):
NECK: 7.94 kohm
NECK-MID: 580 ohm
MID: 3.1 kohm
MID-BRIDGE: 2.24 kohm
BRIDGE: 5.02 kohm
--> Is this correct? I thought they were the same pickup so the neck and bridge readings would show the same resistance?
Going by the table on page 1 57/08 in neck & bridge have practically the same resistance?
shallbe
New Member
Interesting that my favorite PRS pickups ever are the old Artist Treble and Artist Bass, and they use Alnico 4. I really like the DGT pickups as well, but these are just better all around for me. I got a mint set from the early 90's and dropped them into my CU22AP and WOW! Everything I wanted to hear out of that guitar. I don't know why they don't make these uncovered beauties anymore.
Here it is, next to its near twin CU24AP from the same year.
Here it is, next to its near twin CU24AP from the same year.
John Beef
Opaque
There's definitely a problem in there somewhere. The bridge pickup is not the right reading, actually none of them are other than the neck alone.
shinksma
What? I get a title?
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- Mar 20, 2014
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- 5,318
I think you've touched on this in your specific thread about a pickup going out. probably should post this update there, it might get lost in this thread. I'll cross-post there too, probably best place to continue the discussion.
Yes, the pickups will be very close, but may not be as identical as measured in the second table on Page 1. Variations can and do occur. However, you have a much larger variation, which leads me to believe you have a stray/bare wire/strand grounding out either partially or totally.
I would do a few things to isolate:
1. Make sure it isn't the cable you are using. Because I've had cables fail "out of the blue", so just because it worked yestserday and you didn't "do anything" overnight, it might have just finally broken.
2. Test the resistance while pulling and pushing on the wiring - helps to have two sets of hands (I suggest you get someone's help rather than waiting to evolve a second pair...
) If you have a loose strand or bare piece of wire, it should present itself at this point.3. Measure the resistance right at the pickups. if you can, disconnect/de-solder them first. Then you can wring out the remaining wiring point-to-point if the pickups measure good.
My guess is you have a bad/contaminated blade switch, since the problem has shifted and seems to be position-sensitive.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
So does anyone know what magnets are in the Dragon 2 set yet? Alnico 5 is what I read most often. The OP thinks Alnico 2. The Santana set is often described as being the Dragon 2 set but with vintage cable. Anyone know what Carlos used in his pre-PRS days? I know he favored 50's pafs. But those could have been A2, A4 or A5.I only know of two lists of PRS pickup specs. The first is the old one from 1995:
The second is this newer one:
I'd sure like to know what the magnet type is in the Dragon 2s. I suspect Alnico2.
PRS never reveal magnet types...
Well I wonder how all those charts in this thread came about? I'm just curious because someone recently described the 85/15's as "hot" and that struck me as odd because I usually don't like "hot" pickups these days. Today, I typically like the Alnico 2 style pickups. I really like the 57/08's. But I also really like whatever PRS is doing with their new CU24's etc. which have the new 85/15's installed. You can dial those guitar into anything from raw gritty 59 Les Paul PAF sound to Strat-like tone to that so called "woman tone" and play some soft smooth jazz. So, I know what pickups I usually like, and I know that I love these guitars which have the 85/15's installed in them, so I'm just curious as to what the actual pickup specs might be. Not a big deal, just wondering really.
I have two CU24's, one with the 85/15's and one with the 57/08's. My other two PRS guitars are just plain nifty and bring something unique to the table but the current core line CU24's are arguably the best they've ever made.
Tearing open the pickups methinks - you can tell ceramic from Alnico but you can't narrow down the Alnico easily. Possibly in a lab, but I know of no scientician with time for that.
For whatever reason, I'm beginning to think that the only difference between the Alnico pickups (2, 5 etc.) is how strong of a magnet they are. I don't know hot to measure magnet strength but I'm sure someone knows how to do that. But ultimately, I don't really need to know, I'm just curious.
Basauri
Diamonds x Guitars deal with Paul
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2016
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Ok, secret about magnets. But, what about the wire?
Recent pickups such as 57s, 59s, 85s, 58s... use plain enamel because PRSh got "vintage" enamel wire; and older pickups?
My SC245 with 245 pickups, for example, I think that are Alnico V because they sound bright and have hot output, but dont know if PRS used poly coated then or always was plain enamel.
Recent pickups such as 57s, 59s, 85s, 58s... use plain enamel because PRSh got "vintage" enamel wire; and older pickups?
My SC245 with 245 pickups, for example, I think that are Alnico V because they sound bright and have hot output, but dont know if PRS used poly coated then or always was plain enamel.
Basauri
Diamonds x Guitars deal with Paul
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2016
- Messages
- 373
I quote myself because I´ve just swapped magnets in my SC245 pickups and can offer some info:
- I swapped to AlNiCo IV and as a result the sound is rounder, less sharpy and have a little less output, so yes, stock magnets are AlNiCo V.
- If Mira pickups and 245 are the same, Mira pickups are AlNiCo V too.
- 245 pickups have enamel wire, I´ve checked it and its colour is brown, not shiny copper.
- With enamel wire, AlNiCo IV magnets and a DC resistance of 8,31k and 9,04k, now these pickup are in the hot vintage ballpark
John Beef
Opaque
Interesting. I heard a while ago that Mira pickups have Alnico 2 mags, but mine's pretty bright so A5 would make sense.
Korina & Mahogany
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- Feb 2, 2019
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So awesome!!! Thanks.I only know of two lists of PRS pickup specs. The first is the old one from 1995:
The second is this newer one:
I'd sure like to know what the magnet type is in the Dragon 2s. I suspect Alnico2.
Instead of specs, which seems not that relevant on prs pickups (take the D1 bridge for example), I would prefer to have a full list of all pickups since 85, with criteria like output level, dark/brite, tone chart...
To me the sound itself is more interesting than numbers.
To me the sound itself is more interesting than numbers.
matonanjin
New Member
YES!!!!! YES!!!! THIS!!!!!
I fully realize terms like "full" & "bright" & "thin" and all the other terms used to describe tone are the height of subjective. And the numbers are as objective as one can get. But unless one wants to become an expert in electronic engineering all these numbers are purposeless. Coming from a highly scientific industry I feel confident I could learn this with minimum study. But I don't want to.
Some of you have seen my thread about looking for a Santana in Chicago. Increasingly it's looking like a Santana may not be my next PRS (because of the neck profile). Going to Chicago Music Exchange today it would be really helpful to have an idea what 85/15 pickups sound like compared to 408's compared to 58/15's compared to TCI' s compared to..........
We need a chart.
As much fun as it is trying new guitars I don't want to have play all 86 PRS guitars at CME to find the tone I want.
A reference would be very helpful. I have to believe it would help any shopper like me. And that would prove helpful to PRS marketing and dealers like CME.
I read again the tables + the comment below, the D2 description is written on PRS accessories web site:
Not as “Vintage" sounding as a McCarty and not as “Modern” sounding as an HFS.
Treble Pickup (Nickel: ACC-3012 | Gold: ACC-3014)
Not as “Vintage" sounding as a McCarty and not as “Modern” sounding as an HFS.
Treble Pickup (Nickel: ACC-3012 | Gold: ACC-3014)
- Magnet: Alnico 4
- DC Res: 12k
- Cover: Nickel
- Magnet: Alnico 4
- DC Res: 8k
- Cover: Nickel
