McCarty pickup shootout

[Chris Carlson]

The stock pickups in my 2003 McCarty were OK, but I never was really happy...
I was looking for some bright, articulate, PAF type of pickup.
After thinking for a long time which pickups to install, I asked here and got tons of suggestions. A few sleepless nights later, I finally ordered a pair of 57/08's.

If you are in the same situation, don't really know which ones to install and don't want to spend your money on trial and error, here's a video I made with a direct comparison (under the same conditions).

McCarty stock pickups vs. 57/08's

Hopefully I can help with that...cheers.

This is great video/audio demonstration to contrast the two. really well done, thank you!


I just upgraded my pick-ups in my McCarty from the stock McCarty Pick-ups to 57/08s with the following outcomes:
1. the output seems noticeably louder, and have the pick-ups backed further away. like .125" - .120"
2. the middle position has substantial volume loss, seems like a phase cancellation issue?

anyone else have similar experience?

 

[pac90]

Phase is either magnet needing flipped or just the wiring swapped on one pickup, its probably the latter.

Cross check wiring diagram on prs pages. I think I remember PRS colours being reversed on bridge compared to neck but its been a while, and not done it often enough to remember completely

Garrett is the go to for pickup wiring, and very helpful

 

[Chris Carlson]

on the 57/08's or rather any PRS pick-up. is this correct? Red = Hot, White = Mid Tap, Black = Ground I inspected the wiring that the luthier did, and he put red to the tone pot, and white to the toggle switch. if my wire naming to the left is correct, I think that may create the out of phase volume drop, I'm seeing.

secondary question. My PRS McCarty is from 2001. it's wiring only has what looks like a 0.022uF between tone pot and volume pot. Is the newer treble bleed worth the change?

 

[pac90]

https://www.prsguitars.com/support/schematics

 

[Chris Carlson]

https://www.prsguitars.com/support/schematics

Right, mine only has a 0.22uF ceramic disk cap between tone-pot and volume-pot. worth the change?

 

[pac90]

Donno...

Cheap as chips though, could try n see

 

[FunkyFreeman]

Hmmm. As tone is totally an individual's preference. My experience with MC pups turned out to be very impressive. I recently tried them out this 20th Ann. Standard 24. MC pups have sweet mids, chunky lows, and incredible pick attack.

I have played and owned many vintage-themed PRS pups, say, 53/10 - 57/08 - Dragon II, 58/15 - 58/15 LT but the MC seems to suits my taste the best. IMHO it's a pity PRS replaced them with 57-58-LT pups. None of the new ones feels right to me - just simply too weak and too old for my applications.

 

[Chris Carlson]

Phase is either magnet needing flipped or just the wiring swapped on one pickup, its probably the latter.

Cross check wiring diagram on prs pages. I think I remember PRS colours being reversed on bridge compared to neck but its been a while, and not done it often enough to remember completely

Garrett is the go to for pickup wiring, and very helpful

Well, confirmed, looks like one of the pickups was wired backwards. Back in tone-business again. May consider the treble bleed addition still.

 

[Tag]

Nice job!!!
I prefer the 57/08s across the board. My favorite PRS pup.

 

[Chris Carlson]

Nice job!!!
I prefer the 57/08s across the board. My favorite PRS pup.

That's what a lot of people say. Pick-ups are kind of hard to evaluate, as there's not fast back-and-forth way to compare and contrast. But if they are overall pleasant to your ear, you know it. I've determined that I like vintage, low-wound, low-DCR pick-ups. but want evenness of tone across the strings.

 

[Brian]

Thank you for sharing that excellent clip!