Modern Eagle Pickup Question

[Blueswillismusic]

Hi Everyone,

I am new here, popped in to learn about modern eagle pickups, because I was given two but I can't find anything about them online. I don't know the year or anything really. Does anyone recognise it by this photo? I am interested in finding out what do they sound like and potentially what would be a fair price to sell them. I haven't decided yet if I should put them in a guitar. I know that would be the best way to find out what they are like. Thanks a lot!

 

[gush]

That's an RP pickup not Modern eagle. Says it right on the box.

Somewhere on the forum is a list of prs pickups with specs

 

[gush]

Does the pickup say RP on the bottom side?

 

[gush]

Bridge is 9.2 neck is 8.2

 

[ViperDoc]

It also says MODERN EAGLE on the box.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

I thought it said McErn Eagle…

I had an RP neck awhile ago but never installed it. Some people like them, and others not so much.

 

[bodia]

Mine had RPs. I didn’t care for them.

 

[JMintzer]

The ORIGINAL Modern Eagles had RP pups...

RP = Ralph Perrucci. A former long time PRS endorsee/employee and member of PRS' band...

 

[Herr Squid]

As Jamie says, those were the pickups for the original Modern Eagle guitars in the 2004-2007 time frame. At that time they were considered among the better PRS pickups. But then the 57/08 and 59/09 pickups appeared starting in '08 and those were game-changers. The Modern Eagle 2 was released with 57/08s and the RPs quietly faded away. I think many Modern Eagle owners (myself included) have since replaced the RP pickups.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Subscribed, because every days a learning day.

 

[Blueswillismusic]

As Jamie says, those were the pickups for the original Modern Eagle guitars in the 2004-2007 time frame. At that time they were considered among the better PRS pickups. But then the 57/08 and 59/09 pickups appeared starting in '08 and those were game-changers. The Modern Eagle 2 was released with 57/08s and the RPs quietly faded away. I think many Modern Eagle owners (myself included) have since replaced the RP pickups.

Thank you so much for the info. Based on this the resell value might not be that good, but any ideas what would be a fair price? Any experience with the sound of them? Thanks again!

 

[JMintzer]

As Jamie says, those were the pickups for the original Modern Eagle guitars in the 2004-2007 time frame. At that time they were considered among the better PRS pickups. But then the 57/08 and 59/09 pickups appeared starting in '08 and those were game-changers. The Modern Eagle 2 was released with 57/08s and the RPs quietly faded away. I think many Modern Eagle owners (myself included) have since replaced the RP pickups.

Yup! I replaced my RPs with a set of mixed hardware 57/08s that PRS doesn't even offer...

A mystery elf sent them to me...

 

[dilznik]

As Jamie says, those were the pickups for the original Modern Eagle guitars in the 2004-2007 time frame. At that time they were considered among the better PRS pickups. But then the 57/08 and 59/09 pickups appeared starting in '08 and those were game-changers. The Modern Eagle 2 was released with 57/08s and the RPs quietly faded away. I think many Modern Eagle owners (myself included) have since replaced the RP pickups.

But wait, there's more! In the middle of the ME1 production there was the whole deal with the Brazilian rosewood necks and they had to stop production. BUT there were a whole bunch already built that they couldn't sell. Once the production was restarted, they were able to sell the ME1's that they had laying around. BUT they had stopped making RP pickups by that time. So they did the rest of the ME1's with 57/08. The ME1's with original RP's in them WITH UNMOLESTED WIRING sell for WAY more than the ones with 58/08s. Which is wild because like $15k later someone will buy it and hate the pickups. But really those versions are probably all under beds collecting dust anyway.

As far as the OP's questions: Apparently everyone hates them but me. I was able to get the ones I have for about $100 each. If you put them in a guitar there's a 90% chance you'll hate them and a 10% chance they'll be your favorite pickups (based on my very scientific research of like 15 people mentioning them in these forums but it might be the same guy hating on them 15 times, I don't know). They happen to be among my favorites so if you want to sell them, DM me.

 

[Rider1260]

Hmmm My ME II had Modern Eagle pickups , and was told by a few folks that they were a precursor to the 57/08 but they were much lower output ( High 7s ) than the 57/08 so likely closer to the 58/15 LT

 

[dilznik]

Hmmm My ME II had Modern Eagle pickups , and was told by a few folks that they were a precursor to the 57/08 but they were much lower output ( High 7s ) than the 57/08 so likely closer to the 58/15 LT

Definitely higher gain than the 58/15LT. I put one in a Studio and I'm definitely getting more beef out of it than the 58/15LT.

 

[Herr Squid]

I think I heard at the factory when the ME IIs were announced that those pickups were 57/08s.

And the ME1's that dilznik mentions are quite the story. When production stopped on them, the guitars were held in the factory at whatever state of build when they were in. When the Braz rosewood kerfuffle subsided, they finished up those guitars with 2012-era parts. So I saw a few that were '05 wood and '12 hardware and electronics (specifically 57/08 pickups). Picking up one of those would be pretty sweet!

 

[dilznik]

I think I heard at the factory when the ME IIs were announced that those pickups were 57/08s.

And the ME1's that dilznik mentions are quite the story. When production stopped on them, the guitars were held in the factory at whatever state of build when they were in. When the Braz rosewood kerfuffle subsided, they finished up those guitars with 2012-era parts. So I saw a few that were '05 wood and '12 hardware and electronics (specifically 57/08 pickups). Picking up one of those would be pretty sweet!

A buddy of mine has one of the ME1's that was held in production and released with RP's. It's never been played except about 3 minutes by me. He could get some coin for it.