So I have two PRS SE 245s. One from 2016 and a 2017 Zach Myers. Im tossing around the idea of changing the pickups. The stock pickups are alright, they just leave something to be desired and I cant put my finger on exactly what it is. They seems kinda muddy with any mid gain settings. I play mostly Rock music. Bands such as Green Day, Metallica, Shinedown, AC/DC and the like. So not super high gain, but certainly some gain. So just curious if anyone here would care to offer some advice on a direction I should go, or leave it alone.
Pickup question
- Thread starter gablett
- Start date
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
The SE 245 p/u's aren't that bad. Have you tried adjusting the pick up height and the pole piece height already? They can be very sensitive to minor adjustments. You may want to try that first, since it's is also the cheapest! Having said that, I took the 245's out of my Bernie for (mostly) cosmetic reasons. I'm not a fan of the zebra pickups. I ended up putting a set of Bare Knuckle Abraxas pickups in it. Love them! If you go the route of a swap, there are lots of good ones out there!
gush
Where is that speedo pic
5909s, 5310s, or 8515s.............that is the answer
Well the SE 245s have their own thing going on (I wasn't a big fan either so I swapped them out in the 245 I had). For what you want, I'd recommend getting an EQ pedal to dial out what you don't like. Try it both in the effects loop and in the front end.
It's cheaper than two sets of new pickups, and since you're 75+% of the way to what you want, an EQ will get you there.
But who am I to rob a guy of new pickups??
Good luck on the hunt!
It's cheaper than two sets of new pickups, and since you're 75+% of the way to what you want, an EQ will get you there.
But who am I to rob a guy of new pickups??
Good luck on the hunt!
I took the 85/15S pups out of the SE and put HFS/VB in. Big difference.
Putting a Mann-Made trem in the CE made a big difference tone-wise...
I am almost liking the US 85/15 pups with that.
Got uncovered \m/ metal pups on order though and will try those out on the CE.
Putting a Mann-Made trem in the CE made a big difference tone-wise...
I am almost liking the US 85/15 pups with that.
Got uncovered \m/ metal pups on order though and will try those out on the CE.
I have not tried adjusting the pickup heights. I might try that. As you noted they aren't terrible pickups so if I can save money and make them work that's what I would prefer. I just didn't know if them being made overseas if they were inferior and should be scrapped.
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
This is a true statement! Big fan as well.
Good idea to try this first since there's no cost. I got the 245's in the Zach Myers I had sounding pretty good.
shinksma
What? I get a title?
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- Mar 20, 2014
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I put covers on the 245 pups in my ZM, mainly for cosmetic reasons, but also recognizing it could slightly warm up the sound (according to conventional wisdom of the Interwebz) - any added metal between the strings and the coils is going to impact the magnetic field in some way or another.
There is nothing wrong with the 245s, they just might not be what you are looking for. My suggestions would be to try adjusting overall height and/or pole pieces, and it that doesn't work, either the 57/08s or 59/09s.
There is nothing wrong with the 245s, they just might not be what you are looking for. My suggestions would be to try adjusting overall height and/or pole pieces, and it that doesn't work, either the 57/08s or 59/09s.
gush
Where is that speedo pic
You can get a used set of 5909s pretty reasonable too.
John Beef
Opaque
Magnet swaps can also make major tonal changes. I haven't used SE245 pickups before, but the humbuckers they had in pretty much all the SE models were the same from 2001-2010 or so. Those benefit hugely with Alnico 2 swapped into the bridge and Alnico 4 into the neck, IMHO.
