Pickups between McCarty and DGT

[Kine]

Not very versed in PRS pickups and wondering what types of PRS pickups fall "between" the tones of the McCarty and DGT.

Since I got my McCarty back, I do find the tone (as Hopeful Sinner mentioned) a bit muddled. The DGT is much more present (for lack of better description). Would 53/10's or 57/08's fall in between the two?

I have played 59/09's and those were a bit hot for my tastes and would think those to be a little bit gainier than the DGT's. However, I'm unsure as I played them before I got my DGT.

Any thoughts?

 

[John Beef]

I had 59/09s in an old Mira for a while and didn't find them to be especially hotter/gainier than the DGTs in my Custom 22. Those are what I would have recommended. You can't really get 53/10s any more, they're discontinued.

 

[Kine]

Thanks Mr. Beef. I composed my post rather quickly and in the middle of work so was a bit rushed... I do know the 53/10's are discontinued.

It's not that the tone of the McCarty is bad, by any means. More just curious if there's a pup that falls in the middle... if that even makes sense!

It could also be that I get a bit of a more muted tone from the McCarty since it's actually a McRosie and maybe the neck offers more bassier notes.

 

[John Beef]

Oh, I had a McRosie for a couple years and even had DGT pickups in it for a little while. In fact it sounded best with DGTs but that was before 59/09s were widely available. Many people have said both 57/08s and 59/09s work really well to bring some of those highs back from the warm sound of the rosewood neck. I tried probably 8 or 9 sets of pickups in that guitar and could never find the right pickups (specifically the bridge pickup) that both delivered the warmth that the rosewood neck brought to the party while also providing some cut-through-the-mix frequencies - it was always one or the other.

Pardon my rambling... after I sold the McRosie to my friend, I ended up buying a Mira. Several months later I bought 59/09s for the Mira just to check them out, since a set came up at a decent price. I decided that I liked the Mira pickups well enough that the extra $$ at the time (you couldn't buy them separately yet so there was a premium on the used market) wasn't worth having tied up in the 59/09 pickups. So, I put them up for sale and ended up selling them to the same guy who bought the McRosie, who installed them in that guitar, and as far as I know plays it that way to this day. Sadly he moved to Los Angeles so I can't call him up and borrow the guitar to check out.

 

[László]

I had a number of really nice McCartys over the years, and I honestly think that the 57/08 is a much better pickup, well-suited to the McCarty. It's what I'd swap out the McCartys for.

But I am more of a vintage style pickup guy, anyway.

 

[jfb]

I had a number of really nice McCartys over the years, and I honestly think that the 57/08 is a much better pickup, well-suited to the McCarty. It's what I'd swap out the McCartys for.

But I am more of a vintage style pickup guy, anyway.

I have 57/08's in two of my guitars. Love them for pretty much everything.

 

[andy474x]

If memory serves, David Grissom played a McCarty before his sig model came out, so I feel like the McCartys would be somewhat close to the DGT spec. I know that doesn't really help, just a fun fact. That being said, one of the most beautiful, sparkly humbucker tones I've ever heard was a McCarty 58 through an AC30.

 

[Kine]

Thanks Gentlemen, sounding like I may have to check out a couple of different sets. I think with the way the McRosie is designed that having a lil more output could be a good thing. Brighten things up a bit... We'll see. I'm gonna mess around with the eq on my amp a bit more and see if that doesn't help things. I just find that the DGT has so much more clarity.

 

[Hopeful Sinner]

Hey man, find a set of 53/10s like now. You will NOT be disappointed...

If you are, I would relieve you the burden of a set of those pups in a heartbeat! They breathed such new life into my McRosie.

All three varieties of the 5X/XX pickups are top shelf stuff.

 

[Kine]

Hey man, find a set of 53/10s like now. You will NOT be disappointed...

If you are, I would relieve you the burden of a set of those pups in a heartbeat! They breathed such new life into my McRosie.

All three varieties of the 5X/XX pickups are top shelf stuff.

I'll be on the lookout! I think a lil more punch and top end will do the McRosie well. I'm on board.

 

[Kine]

Got a set of 57/08's off the bay comin my way! Tough to find the 53/10's it seems these days... Thinkin the 57/08's may add some good flavor.

 

[andy474x]

Got a set of 57/08's off the bay comin my way! Tough to find the 53/10's it seems these days... Thinkin the 57/08's may add some good flavor.

You won't be disappointed!

 

[Hopeful Sinner]

Got a set of 57/08's off the bay comin my way! Tough to find the 53/10's it seems these days... Thinkin the 57/08's may add some good flavor.

Looking forward to a tone report!

 

[jfb]

Got a set of 57/08's off the bay comin my way! Tough to find the 53/10's it seems these days... Thinkin the 57/08's may add some good flavor.

No way you will dislike those pups. Quite likely my favorite...EVER!!!!