Pickups For PRS SE Floyd Custom 24

[mflemmer2]

I'm looking to replace the stock pickups (PRS SE HFS bridge, SE Vintage Bass neck) on my PRS SE Floyd. GREAT guitar, especially for the money, and the pickups aren't terrible, but I do want to upgrade. It has a mahogany body (with maple top), and rosewood fingerboard. I definitely want to keep the tone fairly modern, since I already have a Les Paul and Stratocaster with vintage sounding pickups.

I want the lows to stay tight and articulate even with reasonably high gain, but I don't want extremely dark sounding pickups---the highs are important to me as well. I don't want "ice pick" highs, but neither do I want them to be so fat they lose their edge.The mids can make their presence known (as opposed to scooped), but not be overwhelming. I'd like for pinch and tapped harmonics to be relatively easy to find. Since I play a variety of genres, cleans are somewhat important too, both humbucker and split coil, but I don't expect them to sound like the '57 Classics in my Gibson when clean. I considered the PRS \m/ (metal), but I can't believe they're that much better than the others I'm considering to justify spending around $200 per pickup. I'm mainly looking at Dimarzio, and the pickups I'm most interested in so far are these: Illuminator (neck & bridge--I'm a HUGE John Petrucci fan, and I've heard that these do have PAF traits while sounding modern), Liquifire (neck), Transition (neck & bridge--someone else suggested these, but I'm not sure about the lows with high gain), Mo' Joe (bridge--I've heard the harmonics are great, but what about cleans?), and Steve Morse (bridge).

I'm also considering the following Seymour Duncans: Custom (TB-5 bridge), Jazz (neck--once again, not sure about the lows with high gain), and Sentient (neck--CLEANS?). I may even get a bridge PU from one brand and neck from the other. My 2 preamps are a Peavey Rock Master moded to sound like a hot-rodded Marshall JCM800, and a Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp (Mark IIC+ sounding), along with a Peavey VTX power amp. I also have too many pedals to mention here, but the Boogie is the extent of my available amp gain (although I can goose it with a clean boost), and Dream Theater-like tones are as heavy as I need. Hopefully I'm not asking for too much from one set of pickups. The overdriven tones are my main priority, but I'm obviously looking for versatility, including better cleans than the stock pickups provide. I would like to keep the suggestions primarily between these 2 brands. ANY help is appreciated, and the more detail the better. Thanks in advance!

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm playing around with pickups, but I've just started, so don't have any advice for you yet. I just bought all the ones I'm interested in, because I don't know if the pickup is going to sound exactly like the online sound clips and/or meet my very specific needs until I install them. So just posting for commiseration/moral support.

I'm looking more for dynamics, jangle, extension (in both directions [of frequency]), and body. I'm looking at the Pearly Gates, the Jazz/JB, as well as the Air Norton/Tone Zone combination.

I will be following this thread with interest.

 

[Coopster]

You know, I've been kind of thinking about what I'd do with one of these. I'm considering giving up my Ibanez and picking one up just because I like the necks on these better but I'd definitely want to change the pups. I've got a Mo Joe in my RG and I really like it. Harmonics jump out easily and it's still very articulate and clear under distortion. I'd probably go with that again and a possibly a Gravity Storm in the neck as I liked that pretty well in another guitar I had.

 

[mflemmer2]

Wow, I expected more response, considering it is a question regarding a PRS guitar, and on a PRS forum. Anyway, since my original posting, I've narrowed it down to the following: Dimarzio--Illuminator (bridge & neck), or Steve's Special bridge with Gravity Storm neck. Seymour Duncan--Custom or Pegasus bridge, Sentient neck. I appreciate all responses, but if we could please keep it to these choices, I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

 

[sleary]

I'd say the semour Duncan Pegasus

 

[mflemmer2]

I'm playing around with pickups, but I've just started, so don't have any advice for you yet. I just bought all the ones I'm interested in, because I don't know if the pickup is going to sound exactly like the online sound clips and/or meet my very specific needs until I install them. So just posting for commiseration/moral support.

I'm looking more for dynamics, jangle, extension (in both directions [of frequency]), and body. I'm looking at the Pearly Gates, the Jazz/JB, as well as the Air Norton/Tone Zone combination.

I will be following this thread with interest.

Well, Dusty, I know you're interested in this thread, but it's kinda drying up. I'm trying to decide between a Seymour Duncan Pegasus/Sentient combo, or DiMarzio Illuminator (neck & bridge). It might be a while until I decide, buy them, and install them. Stay tuned (if you have nothing better to do, that is).

 

[blackthorn]

Duncan Pegasus/Sentinient sounds very good in an non FR SE C24. They are modern pups with vintage flavour, so you have good crunch and distortion tone with nice cleans. The same with DiMarzio Transitions that have nice splits in addition.

 

[mflemmer2]

Duncan Pegasus/Sentinient sounds very good in an non FR SE C24. They are modern pups with vintage flavour, so you have good crunch and distortion tone with nice cleans. The same with DiMarzio Transitions that have nice splits in addition.

Thanks, blackthorn---I'm assuming your guitar is the same wood as mine, mahogany with a maple cap. I assume those Duncans don't sound too dark in it, and are the highs reasonably crisp? I know the mids are somewhat prominent, but I don't want them taking over the sound with the mahogany. That is my main concern, since their website states they're best in bright to semi-warm woods. Mahogany doesn't really fit into that category, but I realize there's a maple top, and that the PRS body isn't as chunky as a Les Paul. Otherwise, they're my top pick right now. I can't seem to find clear answers regarding the same question on the Illuminators. Please clarify---I decided against the Transitions because someone at DiMarzio said they're not as tight with high gain, and are even more mid heavy.

 

[blackthorn]

I can't say that Transitions are mid heavy, maybe that are a modern PAF voicing pickups, with more mids and little compression. I don't know about Illuminators, from YT seems to have a very modern voicing like all Petrucci's pickups, For me SD's in Custom 24 are the perfect set, very well matched with wood from guitar. But everything is relative, 2 guitars from the same loth can be very different.

 

[mflemmer2]

I can't say that Transitions are mid heavy, maybe that are a modern PAF voicing pickups, with more mids and little compression. I don't know about Illuminators, from YT seems to have a very modern voicing like all Petrucci's pickups, For me SD's in Custom 24 are the perfect set, very well matched with wood from guitar. But everything is relative, 2 guitars from the same loth can be very different.

Thanks for the reply, blackthorn (COOL user name, by the way). One other thing: I just (last night) stumbled onto the (Jason Becker) Perpetual Burn bridge pickup. It seems well suited for many styles, similar to the Pegasus. Have you had a chance to try it out, and if so, how does it compare to the Pegasus?

 

[vchizzle]

The Duncan Custom and Jazz work great in PRS customs with the same woods. The Jazz is my favorite neck pickup for more modern music. It's very clear and musical without getting muddy at all. I've only had it in 22 fret guitars and have never experienced them to be too bass heavy, that's why I like them. 24 fret you'll have a little less fullness in the neck than a 22 fretter, so I think it would work just fine. I've used the custom 5 more than the regular custom and it was quite awhile ago. I liked both just fine but can't remember a lot of details about them. The USA PRS HFS is very much in that realm as well.

 

[blackthorn]

Don't have the chance to check Perpetual Burn, but from YT samples looks like a nice pickup for what you need, it is medium output and alnico 5. It looks like is more vintage sounding than Pegasus, so both of them are nice choice for what you need.

 

[sumpe]

hiya,
I am trying to revive the thread, mainly because I think you were in the same path I was walking towards pick-ups. I am very interested in trying the Illuminator but was wondering if you tried Duncan Pegasus/Sentinient combo instead.
would be great to hear of your experience with what you did in the end...let us know

ps: I am looking for a warm and tight sound that does not get muddy with high gain on a PRS SE Custom 24 (vintage trem)

 

[The Fight]

Mby you should try a Tremonti set?

 

[sumpe]

Thanks - I looked into them . They do not seem to fit the bill for me, unfortunately.
I will continue looking/researching into options for a tight sound for metal and yet clear and warm enough for blues. Still curious about the Illuminator set but it seems people have not tried and posted these on the PRS SE Customs ...

 

[CrazedFandango]

Digging up this old thread as I'm considering a pickup upgrade on my SE Floyd too.

If there's any further info or experience, I'd gladly hear it.

Thanks

 

[Callan]

Digging up this old thread as I'm considering a pickup upgrade on my SE Floyd too.

If there's any further info or experience, I'd gladly hear it.

Thanks

There's a Few things missing from this thread for me, do you play live/at home and if at home, do you play solo or with some kind it backing (tracks, recording etc.), And at what volume?

I think once you get to a certain level you are looking for different flavors of great and you need to be specific on what you want.

I personally like bare knuckle pickups and have them in 3 PRS guitars.

 

[CrazedFandango]

This is for live use with a band. The band I use this for, I play with quite a lot of gain. In my other bands, I play a stratocaster or telecaster, but that don't work as well for the chunky riffing that this calls for.

I play as loudly as I need to, to be heard over a loud drummer.

 

[Boogie]

Commenting on some of the suggestions above, based on my direct experience...with a loud drummer in both cover bands and originals.

Dimarzio FRED: the later iteration was the Mo’ Joe. After trying to use these in a multitude of guitars And having played them in his signature guitar (JS1200), they work optimally in a basswood body only. Even when I play the JS1200 today, I’m mesmerized and almost shocked like the first time playing it. The sum of the parts defies the individual pieces. It’s one of my all-time favorite guitars for almost anything. Shocker, right? Yeah, I was shocked too. But drop those pickups in a mahogany or ash body, and it’s just “meh”.

Dimarzio Andy Timmons: same as above. Anything other than an alder body just doesn’t pop out the harmonics like Andy’s signature model. Don’t get me wrong...they sound very good on their own and accentuate the host guitar’s individual personality, but that’s probably straying from the sound you had in your head influencing you to buy this pickup in the first place. Worth a try, though.

PRS 59/09: time and time again, I go back to this pickup in my Custom 24. My unsuccessful attempts to enjoy the HFS led me to try nearly every other pickup I could locate, and his one fits best in my band applications. It resonates, has tons of harmonic content, squeals and flies into controlled feedback easier than most other options, and has the right bite to pop out of the mix without that HFS harshness. It keeps the CU24 modern sounding. While I had a set of 57/08s in at one time, I never got the results I’ve personally heard in other Customs. Maybe it’s my guitar, or my ear, or my hands, but the 59/09, in mine works.

 

[CrazedFandango]

I will check out the 59/09 combo.

SD antiquities may also be an option.