My Stripped 58 has 57/08 pickups that are weaker than I'd like...

[Lewguitar]

The reason I'd be willing to part with the SC58 is simply that my Bernie Marsdens all sound better and the neck shape is more comfortable for me to play.

I've put MannMade locking tuners on them all. PRS Paul or MannMade aluminum tailpieces w/brass saddles on all. PRS 57/08 pickups in two and Duncan Antiquity and Wolfetone Marshallheads in two.

With all those upgrades, they all sound as good or better than my SC58.

Someday I'll put bone nuts on them.

https://imgur.com/rhjJgJm

https://imgur.com/fuydfm0

Brass infused PRS Paul bridge/tailpiece:

https://imgur.com/EVZbqY9

 

[Jazzedout]

Of course!

Sorry to state the obvious, but sometimes this little tweak does the trick.

 

[Lewguitar]

Sorry to state the obvious, but sometimes this little tweak does the trick.

Right.

Another reason I prefer the hotter version of the bridge 57/08 is that the way it matches the volume of the neck 57/08, is more to my liking.

I don't have to adjust the neck pickup further away from the strings to find the balance between the neck and bridge pickups that I'm looking for.

When I've been playing rhythm on the neck pickup and it's time to solo on the bridge pickup, I like to feel a little increase in volume when I switch to the bridge pickup.

I definitely don't want to sense a volume drop when I go to the bridge pickup.

 

[JasonE]

I did it. Followed your instructions and it looks pretty good. Thanks for the tip.

I have two Duncan pickup covers and I used a large green Scotchbrite pad to create a brushed nickel finish on one.

Easy to tell which one got the brushed treatment,

Easy to do too. Took a couple of minutes.

Maybe I over did it...but that's why you practice first.

https://imgur.com/q2g6uLp

https://imgur.com/lUfQqOL

That looks good. That trick has been floating around the PRS community for many years. I haven't seen anyone post about it lately so your pictures may bring it back to life. It really is easy to do and has good results.

 

[László]

I did it. Followed your instructions and it looks pretty good. Thanks for the tip.

I have two Duncan pickup covers and I used a large green Scotchbrite pad to create a brushed nickel finish on one.

Easy to tell which one got the brushed treatment,

Easy to do too. Took a couple of minutes.

Maybe I over did it...but that's why you practice first.

https://imgur.com/q2g6uLp

https://imgur.com/lUfQqOL

Looks pretty darn good to me.

 

[Lewguitar]

Looks pretty darn good to me.

Me too. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

 

[SinSir]

Me too. I guess you can teach a stubborn old dog new tricks.

Fixed it for you

Jokes aside, I get it man, to tweak on a guitar for it to become your own. Hard to put anything up against it after the work. My se Cu24 Floyd is like that for me. I've swapped and tweaked everything, sounds fantastic and plays just as good. Sure it's not core, but my fingers and ears didn't get that memo.

 

[SinSir]

The pickups in the 2012 SC58 measure 8.15K and 8.92K.

CU22 - PTC installed in 2009, Bridge 8.95k, Neck 7.84k
SC-58 Stock 2012 pickups, Bridge 8.64k, Neck 7.79k

8.91k bridge and 8.16k neck in mine.

The 5708s in my '09 Ted are 8.77k (bridge) & 8.1k (neck).

My '13 SC58 reads 8.56 in the bridge and 7.93 neck from the jack and a patch cable.

Vs current listed PRS specs

57/08 PRS Pickups

Inspired by the classic 1957 humbucker and introduced in 2008, the 57/08 by Paul Reed Smith are made with vintage-style wire and wound in-house. Treble Pickup Magnet: Alnico 2 DC Res: 8.9k Cover: Nickel Bass Pickup Magnet: Alnico 2 DC Res: 8.5k Cover: Nickel Compatible with: 3-way, 3-way...

us.prsaccessories.com

 

[JasonE]

My '13 SC58 reads 8.56 in the bridge and 7.93 neck from the jack and a patch cable.

Vs current listed PRS specs

57/08 PRS Pickups

Inspired by the classic 1957 humbucker and introduced in 2008, the 57/08 by Paul Reed Smith are made with vintage-style wire and wound in-house. Treble Pickup Magnet: Alnico 2 DC Res: 8.9k Cover: Nickel Bass Pickup Magnet: Alnico 2 DC Res: 8.5k Cover: Nickel Compatible with: 3-way, 3-way...

us.prsaccessories.com

I wonder when they changed the spec on them...

 

[Lewguitar]

I wonder when they changed the spec on them...

I don't know but Paul says if they don't sell they stop making them.

So they must be selling.

 

[Prina]

Just waiting for when PRS releases the "57/08 LT"

 

[László]

Fixed it for you

Jokes aside, I get it man, to tweak on a guitar for it to become your own. Hard to put anything up against it after the work. My se Cu24 Floyd is like that for me. I've swapped and tweaked everything, sounds fantastic and plays just as good. Sure it's not core, but my fingers and ears didn't get that memo.

Gotta say, that's one very pretty guitar!

 

[SinSir]

Gotta say, that's one very pretty guitar!

Thank you sir!

 

[JasonE]

Just waiting for when PRS releases the "57/08 LT"

Depending on how much less they would wind them the old ones seem to be that.

 

[SinSir]

Depending on how much less they would wind them the old ones seem to be that.

I wonder when they changed the spec on them...

Man, I wonder too and starting to agree with you more and more.. my SC58 is playing in the 5815LT area. I feel like I got the best of both worlds, 5708LT.

I really ran my SC58 through the paces this weekend. Lots of pedals and amps. With a good amount of A/B to other guitars, put it against new 5708, uncovered 5909, covered 5909, 5815LT, and 5815S.. even peppered in a little Tremonti, Vela, 8515, and DW tomahawks for fun.

Verdict- I wouldn't change these pickups or guitar for anything. It absolutely kills. Sounds amazing and the pattern neck is probably my favorite profile. Very very happy I scored this guitar. Has some of the most beautiful clean tones, especially with the volume rolled off, and will take about any dirt I throw at it, but nails the creamy OD tone perfectly. Really impressed with these older 5708. They don't have quite the push of the newer ones, but man the knobs and/or a stomp open up new worlds of tone. Maybe it will become a collectible

Here's the cavity if anyone is wondering. Thought it was interesting there's a .033 on both the neck and bridge. I usually run .015/.033 or two .022 in a Les Paul.

 

[JasonE]

I pulled my SAS out this weekend when I was working on the CU22 and measured the pickups. These always seemed hotter to me than the others I have. They have shiny covers and all of my other ones, except the set I put in my 594 are brushed. The newest ones I have are the hottest and are shiny. The ones in the SAS measured 8.87k for the bridge and 8.15k for the neck.

Now that an uncovered set has been mentioned, I have another guitar I need to pull out. I have an uncovered set in my P22 Trem that have the square bobbins. I am not curious as to what those measure out at. That guitar I think is a 2015.

 

[SinSir]

I pulled my SAS out this weekend when I was working on the CU22 and measured the pickups. These always seemed hotter to me than the others I have. They have shiny covers and all of my other ones, except the set I put in my 594 are brushed. The newest ones I have are the hottest and are shiny. The ones in the SAS measured 8.87k for the bridge and 8.15k for the neck.

5708 in my SAS just rip! For days, big full and loud.. Bridge measures 9.23, which is playing in the 5909 sandlot in readings and umph. Add that to the swamp ash and we've got a monster.

 

[doublescale1]

put a mini-clean boost on your board and have at it.

 

[SinSir]

There ya go. That's about the reading that my best sounding 57/08 bridge pickups get. Under 9K doesn't sound as good to me.

I wouldn't call it my best sounding, but a full body beast, absolutely. My SC58 with the lower reading is so dang articulate and sounds phenomenal. They're different but I wouldn't say one is better than the other. There were times I preferred either of the two during the shootout.

 

[JasonE]

I pulled the P22 Trem out. Here is where they measure. These look to be the new spec variant but are uncovered. I love the way the guitar sounds.

8.37k for the Neck
9.19k for the bridge