Pickup questions

[horax]

s2 uses Korean made pickups while core use USA made pickups.

What’s the main difference? Can YOU tell the difference?

Also, paul said in his famous “meeting Santana” video that the pickups all fed back. He said it like it was a good thing.

What does that mean, exactly? Did he mean they sounded overdriven?

 

[elvis]

All the pickup models have their own character. Different does not equal better or worse.

As for hearing the difference, you'll hear the difference between players far more than between pickups.

I believe the feedback comment refers to potting. You can fill a pickup with wax until it's dead, or you can let it vibrate a bit, which will feed back at higher volume and add to the character.

 

[Ironwolf]

s2 uses Korean made pickups while core use USA made pickups.

What’s the main difference? Can YOU tell the difference?

Also, paul said in his famous “meeting Santana” video that the pickups all fed back. He said it like it was a good thing.

What does that mean, exactly? Did he mean they sounded overdriven?

the new pickup line S2 described in the video,Outlines good goals and a strategy.
It's sort of what Japan manufacturing did to America in the 70s,
Build the absolute best quality devices, Within a very strict controled budget. Not the best ever made, it did lead to the ability to innovate, as well, America had nothing to compare to the Sony Walkman. They had to play catch-up.
As manufacturing scales up It becomes simplified And streamlined the assembly line quality goes up And the price goes down, 2 points of synergy are created.
They have a highly detailed Set of specifications so the cheaper subcomponents Must perform within 95% of the American-made. That's a purpose driven corporate strategy highest-quality for a low price,
A return to the 60s and 70s Marketing I heard all the time growing up, the absolute highest quality for the absolute lowest price,
It looks like it's working well.

 

[Mozzi]

One other difference though is that a lot of Research, Development and testing was done on the Pick-ups in the US by PRS. The final configuration is then sent to Korea (or where ever they get their imported PU's constructed) who can mass produce at a lower cost to keep the S2 prices down. Whether they have the same degree of quality, care etc or not, I don't know but they are (supposed to be) built to the same specifications as US made ones so should sound very similar...

 

[markd21]

I have never been able to try US #7 pickups. I can say with total certainty that the #7s in my two S2s offer me a quality of sound that easily equals my Core guitars. The S2s are in regular rotation and I never feel that they sound "less" in anyway. In fact, I have always joked that if PRS ever felt like hooking me up with an endorsement I'd be MORE than happy to play ONLY S2 guitars.

As far as the feedback thing....

One of the things I have noticed in using my PRS guitars on stage is that at the volume we played at, if I was near the "sweet spot" a sustained note would begin to naturally slide into a musical feedback. It's one of the things I love about PRS guitars. I get that reaction from S2 and Core guitars.