PRS 305 Pickups

[Tikabear]

I love my 305. When I got it, I changed to 9 gauge strings from 10s simply because I was using them on my other guitar. It set up fine and played extremely well. It took awhile to get the pickups set to my liking - the neck and neck-mid positions were too bassy for me. If I set my amp to compensate for those positions, the mid, mid/bridge and bridge had too much high end; even with the tone rolled way down. After much tinkering, I finally got them to my liking and wrote down the measurments. I went back to 10s on my guitars and wondered why I ever switched to 9s (they sounded better on a custom 22 I had with the neck PU selected). I have not been able to find factory specs on the 305 PU height adjustments(checked website) - does anyone know?

 

[dmatthews]

Great question sir. I went through the same thing with mine. I was used to 9's on my other guitars, but the 10s are the real deal for me on 305.
Looking forward to the answer...

 

[markie]

Dunno, might be worth checking into 513 settings ..........

 

[dmatthews]

I have been favoring my 305 lately...amazingly versatile axe.

Totally underrated axe IMHO Bob...

 

[swede71]

Try what Fender use for vintage singlecoils.1/8 on the bass side and 3/32 on the treble side.Start with that and then adjust to your likings.Worked for me with a EMG DG-120 set on my strat.Check this vid for a review on this guitar and the pickup height http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDEkNLUb43c
Very cool guitar.I would like to compare the 305 to the DC3.The pickups sounds great to me.

 

[Dancing Frog]

dancingfrog knows all that is 513 and 305...unless someone from PRS HQ wants to answer this...

I honestly believe the best way to do it is to use your ears and fine tune it to taste...just don't overtilt the pups and don't bottom them out...because it can damage them...very small changes make an extremely large difference...i used quarter to half turn increments when I was dialing mine in...I have been favoring my 305 lately...amazingly versatile axe.

I generally start at 3/32" and go from there. You typically don't need more than a turn one way or the other. They're all different. What works for one doesn't always work for another.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

These are the specs from our website. As it mentions, "season to taste"

The pickups on your new instrument are fully adjustable by turning the height adjustment screws at each end of the pickup. With the high and low E strings (E and G strings for the Electric Bass) depressed at the last fret the measurement should about 2.5/32 (5/64”) on the treble side and about 3/32” on the bass side of both pickups. You may season to taste if you wish.

 

[Spikedog007]

I have been favoring my 305 lately...amazingly versatile axe.

Totally underrated axe IMHO Bob...

Totally Agree! To me it's a playable Strat that has tones close to a Strat but beefier. If you didn't notice, I never liked playing Strats. Everyone I've played just felt uncomfortable and the necks never felt right in my hands.