Narrowfield 57/08 vs narrow 408

[VHTStark]

For you folks that have played both, what are the similarities and differences? I own an nf3 and absolutely love the narrowfields. The way they have this balanced and immediate attack that is bright but never shrill suits my playing style (very percussive, lots of alternate picking) just perfectly. Do the narrow 408's you see in the Paul's guitar, Brent Mason or ME V (I think they are narrow 408's or some iteration) have some similar qualities when it comes to feel and dynamics....or are they totally different beasts?

Thanks!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I feel they’re totally different pickups.

 

[Herr Squid]

They are different for sure. I did a quick experiment with my Studio and Paul's Guitar, comparing neck pickups only. The Narrowfield definitely has more single coil-style sparkle, the Paul's pickup is warmer and "broader" sounding for lack of a better word. The Paul's pickup seemed more dynamic than the Narrowfield, responding more to differences between light and soft playing. Mind you the strings on my Studio may be pretty dead -- I can see lines on the plain strings where they cross the frets, so they're probably about done for. The Paul's pickup does get brighter than the Narrowfield when I flip the switch to single coil mode. So I'd say they straddle the Narrowfields in the two modes.

(This very impromptu test was done with neck pickups only on an Axe-FX III on factory preset #4 "Double Verb" which models a 2x12 1966 Fender Twin Reverb)

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Very different indeed.

 

[VHTStark]

Thanks a bunch for the replies, friends. All three of you seem to agree they are quite different.....which means I am just going to have to play a PRS with the narrow 408's.

Herr Squid, thank your for doing the quick A/B test!

I have been cusious about the narrow 408 lately. Might be a core model ME V calling my name once they drop.

 

[LackingWit]

I had PTC install a Narrowfield 57/08 on my Paul’s Guitar as a middle pup. I think that Herr Squid’s description of the narrow 408 (Paul’s) straddling the N57/08 is dead on. I considered installing a 408 instead of the N57/08 in the middle. I was really only looking for a single coil sound for the middle and liked the look of the N57/08 better than another 408 in the middle (I photo shopped mock ups of both on my PG). Zero second thoughts.