So today's the day that I did what I never thought I would do - I've modded my much loved ME1 
I've struggled for years to get the guitar to sit right in a band mix, even though in isolation it sounded fantastic and it obviously feels wonderful to play. Even with the tonal issues of it being too bass-y and ill defined on the low end I've used it a lot, and it's now worn in like an old comfy pair of shoes. I used it for the first time in a while at rehearsal a couple of weeks ago, and after receiving complaints (yet again) from my singer that "that guitar doesn't sound right" I've had to do something about it. I have zero issues with my PS Sig, but every time I broke out the ME1 she noticed the sound went to crap. And she was right.
So a used pair of uncovered 59/09s with gold poles came up for sale last week (a perfect match for the ME) and I snagged them - they arrived today and they're now sitting nicely in their new home. I also took the opportunity to switch the wiring to the more recent 50's LP style schematic that PRS are now using, and I've put a nice old paper in oil 0.022uF capacitor in there to replace the original ceramic disc. Along with the wear and tear the guitar is showing, the open coiled pickups just look more "working guitar" to me and it seems to ooze a bit more of a rock and roll vibe.
Initial tonal reports are good. The 59/09s are hotties, with 9.4k in the bridge and 8.5k in the neck, but they sound big and full with less bass than the RP and much more mids coming through. There's still a nice top end sparkle there and any woolliness has now gone. I can't wait to give them a run out in rehearsal, where I'll take both my live guitars to give them a good back-to-back test.
I can't believe I didn't listen to all the RP haters ages ago and do this sooner, I think it's made the guitar so much more useable......
I've struggled for years to get the guitar to sit right in a band mix, even though in isolation it sounded fantastic and it obviously feels wonderful to play. Even with the tonal issues of it being too bass-y and ill defined on the low end I've used it a lot, and it's now worn in like an old comfy pair of shoes. I used it for the first time in a while at rehearsal a couple of weeks ago, and after receiving complaints (yet again) from my singer that "that guitar doesn't sound right" I've had to do something about it. I have zero issues with my PS Sig, but every time I broke out the ME1 she noticed the sound went to crap. And she was right.
So a used pair of uncovered 59/09s with gold poles came up for sale last week (a perfect match for the ME) and I snagged them - they arrived today and they're now sitting nicely in their new home. I also took the opportunity to switch the wiring to the more recent 50's LP style schematic that PRS are now using, and I've put a nice old paper in oil 0.022uF capacitor in there to replace the original ceramic disc. Along with the wear and tear the guitar is showing, the open coiled pickups just look more "working guitar" to me and it seems to ooze a bit more of a rock and roll vibe.
Initial tonal reports are good. The 59/09s are hotties, with 9.4k in the bridge and 8.5k in the neck, but they sound big and full with less bass than the RP and much more mids coming through. There's still a nice top end sparkle there and any woolliness has now gone. I can't wait to give them a run out in rehearsal, where I'll take both my live guitars to give them a good back-to-back test.
I can't believe I didn't listen to all the RP haters ages ago and do this sooner, I think it's made the guitar so much more useable......
