Pickup recommendations for a core Custom 22

guitar_man_man_man

NeW mEmBeR
Joined
Sep 9, 2022
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Hey all, looking for recommendations for new pickups in my core custom 22 - decided the Dragon II pickups were a little too bright and sterile for my tastes.

This guitar is basically going to be my traveling beater, so I would love for it to be as versatile as possible - blues, rock, and hard rock are a must, but would like it to not be too loose/boomy for a decent tight metal sound. Will be playing it through plugins on my laptop if that makes any difference. I have a 594 DC with the wonderful 58/15LT pickups, but they don't cover high-gain as well as I'd like. I also have a 35th anniversary custom 24 with the 85/15 pickups which I like for their versatility and am heavily considering.

That said, I'm sort of split between the 85/15 and 57/08 pickups - i know the 85/15 will do the job, but I do already have a guitar that has them. Feels a bit redundant and I've heard good things about the 57/08. Would also be open to considering others that the PTC carries.
 
Duncan 59 neck, Pearly Gates bridge if you want aftermarket options.
Sending it to the PTC for some other work, so just looking at PRS options, but have heard great things about both of those choices. Maybe for my next axe!

My CU 22 currently sports a McCarty Set and I love it

IMG_6453 copy by https://www.flickr.com/photos/152274366@N08/
Beautiful guitar and awesome amp - definitely miss mine occasionally, but the kemper does a good job keeping my amp GAS at bay. Are the McCarty pickups the 58/15 pickups or something else? Can they do the tight gain sounds on channel 3?
 
Beautiful guitar and awesome amp - definitely miss mine occasionally, but the kemper does a good job keeping my amp GAS at bay. Are the McCarty pickups the 58/15 pickups or something else? Can they do the tight gain sounds on channel 3?
No, McCarty pickups (the original design/model) are not quite like the 58/15 pickups. The 58/15 are like a very refined version of the 57/08, which itself was kind of a more-refined McCarty pickup. I would say, evolutionarily, it went McCarty (unrefined) -- 57/08 -- 58/15 (much more refined). Out of these three, the 58/15 would most likely be best for tight gain.
 
No, McCarty pickups (the original design/model) are not quite like the 58/15 pickups. The 58/15 are like a very refined version of the 57/08, which itself was kind of a more-refined McCarty pickup. I would say, evolutionarily, it went McCarty (unrefined) -- 57/08 -- 58/15 (much more refined). Out of these three, the 58/15 would most likely be best for tight gain.
I've seen it said multiple places that the 58/15 is just a covered 85/15 - is that true? If so I could just get the 58/15s and try them without covers for something different. Not sure if that's true though!

This right here!
Did you do this pickup combo as well? How would you describe the sound? Or do you have any clips of it?
 
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When it comes to pickups a person really needs to address a few things before doing anything.

1. What are the natural sonic strengths and weaknesses of your guitar?
2. What does your guitar excel at and in what aspect does it fail/lack which causes you to want to change something?
3. What type of tones do you gravitate towards?
4. What was the guitar/type that the aftermarket pickup was built around?
5. What are the woods involved? Woods have their own sonic characteristics.

Once you identify these things it helps a person to pinpoint viable options for their specific set of circumstances. Asking for opinions is great but most given are most likely not relevant to your personal quest, they will just be somebody else's favorite pickup.
 
I've seen is said multiple places that the 58/15 is just a covered 85/15 - is that true? If so I could just get the 58/15s and try them without covers for something different. Not sure if that's true though!
That is not true. Confirmed here by Shawn, who worked for PRS. I used to be one of those people that thought that but can honestly say I was wrong after spending a fair amount of time with both pickups over multiple guitars.

I agree with others, go 57/08 and 59/09 combo route.
 
I've seen is said multiple places that the 58/15 is just a covered 85/15 - is that true? If so I could just get the 58/15s and try them without covers for something different. Not sure if that's true though!

That is not true. Confirmed here by Shawn, who worked for PRS. I used to be one of those people that thought that but can honestly say I was wrong after spending a fair amount of time with both pickups over multiple guitars.

I, too, might've been one of the ones saying the 58/15 & 85/15 were "the same except for the covers," but I don't stand behind that idea anymore either. (I got that idea in my head from a pickup chart put together by PRS that seemed to imply they were the same; in reality, I think somebody did a "copy+paste" of a section in the chart and forgot to update the pasted one with correct info.)

I'll add more here: 57/08's are excellent, if you do more low/mid gain stuff; 59/09's are killer for hard-rock and maybe higher gain/metal. (For modern nu-metal/hi-gain, I'd do 85/15 though.) 58/15 are great too, kind of right in the middle of the 57's & 59's; but good luck finding any real-deal 58/15 because they're pretty rare.
 
I've seen is said multiple places that the 58/15 is just a covered 85/15 - is that true? If so I could just get the 58/15s and try them without covers for something different. Not sure if that's true though!


Did you do this pickup combo as well? How would you describe the sound? Or do you have any clips of it?

I had the combo in my Custom 24 for a while and it was very versatile. I also have the combo in my HB Spruce. The 57/08 is a great neck pickup, and the 59/09 has a little extra mid oomph that helps it cut.
 
I, too, might've been one of the ones saying the 58/15 & 85/15 were "the same except for the covers," but I don't stand behind that idea anymore either. (I got that idea in my head from a pickup chart put together by PRS that seemed to imply they were the same; in reality, I think somebody did a "copy+paste" of a section in the chart and forgot to update the pasted one with correct info.)
This chart? Apparently it was an incomplete training document. It certainly added to some confusion for me as much as it helped. Still refer to it occasionally though. Notice the 58/15LT readings are wrong too.

pups-1979e84e0b1facf87.png
 
When it comes to pickups a person really needs to address a few things before doing anything.

1. What are the natural sonic strengths and weaknesses of your guitar?
2. What does your guitar excel at and in what aspect does it fail/lack which causes you to want to change something?
3. What type of tones do you gravitate towards?
4. What was the guitar/type that the aftermarket pickup was built around?
5. What are the woods involved? Woods have their own sonic characteristics.

Once you identify these things it helps a person to pinpoint viable options for their specific set of circumstances. Asking for opinions is great but most given are most likely not relevant to your personal quest, they will just be somebody else's favorite pickup.
1&2. The dragon IIs handled metal well on the bridge, and neck did a decent regular and pushed clean. Overall though, definitely sounded very harsh and trebly last time I played it.
3. Blues, rock, and hard rock are what I usually gravitate towards. I do like to occasionally play more modern clean and metal tones, but definitely lean more towards vintage tones overall.
4. Just looking at PRS pickups, seems that a lot of custom 22s came with 57/08s up until the 85/15s came out. Most 22 fret PRS guitars these days seem to come with 58/15LTs (studio, special, maccarty, etc.).
5. Rosewood board, mahogany neck and body, maple cap.

That is not true. Confirmed here by Shawn, who worked for PRS. I used to be one of those people that thought that but can honestly say I was wrong after spending a fair amount of time with both pickups over multiple guitars.

I agree with others, go 57/08 and 59/09 combo route.
Good to know! Sounds like that's been debunked then. Also sounds like 57/08 neck and 59/09 bridge is pretty much the consensus around here for a good all-rounder.
I, too, might've been one of the ones saying the 58/15 & 85/15 were "the same except for the covers," but I don't stand behind that idea anymore either. (I got that idea in my head from a pickup chart put together by PRS that seemed to imply they were the same; in reality, I think somebody did a "copy+paste" of a section in the chart and forgot to update the pasted one with correct info.)

I'll add more here: 57/08's are excellent, if you do more low/mid gain stuff; 59/09's are killer for hard-rock and maybe higher gain/metal. (For modern nu-metal/hi-gain, I'd do 85/15 though.) 58/15 are great too, kind of right in the middle of the 57's & 59's; but good luck finding any real-deal 58/15 because they're pretty rare.
Sounds like a 57/08 neck will get nice round cleans and blues tones and a 59/09 bridge will get some good rock/hard rock/classic metal tones. I think that would fit the bill nicely.

I guess the only other thing to consider is how well they split. The TCI 85/15s I have on my 24 split really well, wondering if the older 57/08 and 59/09 pickups would do as well. Planning to get the drop-in 3-way and push-pull - can't stand the rotary...

Edit: Found this nice comparison video between 57/08, 59/09, and Metal pickups - I think I'm almost sold on the 57/08 neck 59/09 bridge combo. I also found this recent video of a custom 22 from 2021 with the TCI 85/15s. Might just be the way it's recorded or the set-up, but the 85/15 pickups sound just a little more modern/HiFi than I think I'd prefer.

Edit 2: Aaaand I just realized the 57/08 59/09 combo will be one covered and one uncovered pickup. That definitely wouldn't be my aesthetic preference, but I might just have to make a sacrifice for the tones. :rolleyes:
 
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1&2. The dragon IIs handled metal well on the bridge, and neck did a decent regular and pushed clean. Overall though, definitely sounded very harsh and trebly last time I played it.
3. Blues, rock, and hard rock are what I usually gravitate towards. I do like to occasionally play more modern clean and metal tones, but definitely lean more towards vintage tones overall.
4. Just looking at PRS pickups, seems that a lot of custom 22s came with 57/08s up until the 85/15s came out. Most 22 fret PRS guitars these days seem to come with 58/15LTs (studio, special, maccarty, etc.).
5. Rosewood board, mahogany neck and body, maple cap.


Good to know! Sounds like that's been debunked then. Also sounds like 57/08 neck and 59/09 bridge is pretty much the consensus around here for a good all-rounder.

Sounds like a 57/08 neck will get nice round cleans and blues tones and a 59/09 bridge will get some good rock/hard rock/classic metal tones. I think that would fit the bill nicely.

I guess the only other thing to consider is how well they split. The TCI 85/15s I have on my 24 split really well, wondering if the older 57/08 and 59/09 pickups would do as well. Planning to get the drop-in 3-way and push-pull - can't stand the rotary...

Edit: Found this nice comparison video between 57/08, 59/09, and Metal pickups - I think I'm almost sold on the 57/08 neck 59/09 bridge combo. I also found this recent video of a custom 22 from 2021 with the TCI 85/15s. Might just be the way it's recorded or the set-up, but the 85/15 pickups sound just a little more modern/HiFi than I think I'd prefer.

Edit 2: Aaaand I just realized the 57/08 59/09 combo will be one covered and one uncovered pickup. That definitely wouldn't be my aesthetic preference, but I might just have to make a sacrifice for the tones. :rolleyes:
If it’s going to the PTC, ask about covered. When mine went in I managed to get a covered 57/08 and 59/09
 
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