PRS 58/15 LT vs Suhr Thornbuckers

[KoreanDrama]

Hey guys,

I've been eyeballing a pair of 58/15 LT, that have been put out for limited release at a few retailers, put into a Strandberg and wanted to get everyone's take on the 58/15 LT as far as tonal characteristics and how they are when coil split.

I currently have a pair of Suhr Thornbuckers that I just recently had installed and wanted to know if the 58/15 LT would be an upgrade?

What I look for in a pair of humbuckers is great clarity, articulation, and generally lean toward a brighter tone. Additionally, I like split humbucker tones generally, which is part of the reason why I went with Thornbuckers, they sound pretty good as far as split tones go.

I have zero experience with PRS pickups aside from the ones in the Silver Sky SE so any feedback would be much appreciated

Thanks

 

[tedtan]

I’d be interested to hear from people who have played both, too.

 

[JasonE]

I think you will get the bright and clear sound you like from the 58/15 LT pickups. I pulled mine and put in 57/08 pickups because when switching guitars at gigs the 58/15 LT was too much of a volume drop off from my other guitars. They were also brighter than the 57/08 pickups. I have 57/08s in a number of my guitars so I knew I would like them and they would mesh well with my other guitars. The Thornbuckers are a bit higher output than the 58/15 LT pickups so I would expect to notice an output difference in them. Since PRS started using the resistors in line with the tap switches, the volume drop off has been much less. You will want to look up a PRS wiring diagram to see where those go. I would recommend putting them in.

 

[garrett]

I've had Thornbuckers in two different S2 guitars and I have LT in my 594. The LT do not deliver the clarity of the TBs, but that's not really what they're made to do. The LT will give you the classic PAF grunt and growl, and they do that very, very well. They do tap quite nicely with the PRS resistor wiring.

The Thornbucker neck has more top end and the bridge pushes the output more than the LT. The Thornbucker+ bridge (which I had on one set) goes into full rock machine territory. Some people find the output of the LT in the bridge a bit lacking.

As nice as the LT taps, I think the Thornbuckers are even better when split to screw coil using the PRS resistor wiring. The best endorsement of that is, one time at band practice I was noodling around on my S2 Singlecut Standard with the Suhr neck pickup split, and the singer said "I don't like that tone. It sounds too much like Steve Ray Vaughan." Further, when I had an S2 Standard 24 with the TBs I kept the neck pickup split most of the time because it sounded so darn good.

 

[KoreanDrama]

I've had Thornbuckers in two different S2 guitars and I have LT in my 594. The LT do not deliver the clarity of the TBs, but that's not really what they're made to do. The LT will give you the classic PAF grunt and growl, and they do that very, very well. They do tap quite nicely with the PRS resistor wiring.

The Thornbucker neck has more top end and the bridge pushes the output more than the LT. The Thornbucker+ bridge (which I had on one set) goes into full rock machine territory. Some people find the output of the LT in the bridge a bit lacking.

As nice as the LT taps, I think the Thornbuckers are even better when split to screw coil using the PRS resistor wiring. The best endorsement of that is, one time at band practice I was noodling around on my S2 Singlecut Standard with the Suhr neck pickup split, and the singer said "I don't like that tone. It sounds too much like Steve Ray Vaughan." Further, when I had an S2 Standard 24 with the TBs I kept the neck pickup split most of the time because it sounded so darn good.

Thank you so much, this is an excellent response/insight. I ended up pulling the trigger on the pickups, I'm not debating whether to put the 58/15 LT in the Strandberg I'm currently using or into my Les Paul to replace the 490R and 498T that came stock in that guitar

 

[garrett]

Thank you so much, this is an excellent response/insight. I ended up pulling the trigger on the pickups, I'm not debating whether to put the 58/15 LT in the Strandberg I'm currently using or into my Les Paul to replace the 490R and 498T that came stock in that guitar

I think the LT set would be a revelation vs. the 490/498 pickups. Never been a fan of that set and I think we look for similar things in our humbuckers. The Thornbuckers seem like they'd suit a Strandberg in my mind.

 

[KoreanDrama]

I think the LT set would be a revelation vs. the 490/498 pickups. Never been a fan of that set and I think we look for similar things in our humbuckers. The Thornbuckers seem like they'd suit a Strandberg in my mind.

Yeah those are my thoughts as well on the Les Paul. the 490/498 are a bit too hot for what I like. I considered getting custom buckers, but from my point of view, PRS seems to be a manufacturer that puts a lot more emphasis on quality control and overall seems to be a much safer buy than anything that Gibson currently puts out at the moment

 

[tedtan]

As nice as the LT taps, I think the Thornbuckers are even better when split to screw coil using the PRS resistor wiring. The best endorsement of that is, one time at band practice I was noodling around on my S2 Singlecut Standard with the Suhr neck pickup split, and the singer said "I don't like that tone. It sounds too much like Steve Ray Vaughan." Further, when I had an S2 Standard 24 with the TBs I kept the neck pickup split most of the time because it sounded so darn good.

When you say the Thornbucker does well with the PRS resistor wiring, do you mean like on the DGT or the newer TCI wiring?

 

[garrett]

DGT style. I have no real experience with TCI pickups.

 

[tedtan]

DGT style. I have no real experience with TCI pickups.

Great - thanks for clarifying, garrett!

 

[KoreanDrama]

Can any of you guys let me know what the general consensus on how well the split coil tones sound compared to other pickups/manufacturers? I've noticed several models have it as a prominent to some degree feature so I've always been under the assumption that PRS pickups are generally one of the better ones out there for splitting

 

[JasonE]

Can any of you guys let me know what the general consensus on how well the split coil tones sound compared to other pickups/manufacturers? I've noticed several models have it as a prominent to some degree feature so I've always been under the assumption that PRS pickups are generally one of the better ones out there for splitting

A lot depends on how they are wired. Adding the resistor like PRS does makes a huge difference. I am not really a fan of a split pickup. The volume drop off is too much for it to be usable to me playing live. I have to keep a boost pedal on my board just to make up that difference if I use it. PRS used to be this way as well. Once they started putting the resistor in the circuit, it made them much more usable. There is still a drop in volume but it isn't as sever with the resistor in there.

This volume drop if is the whole reason I started swapping pickups in my SAS. I wanted to get more strat quack out of the 2 and 4 switch positions. I went with a set of Fralin Unbuckers. It did what I wanted but the humbuckers sound different because they are unevenly wound to give you stronger single coil sounds when tapped. That changes the sound of them as well as affects their noise rejection ability a bit.

 

[Matte82]

Here’s my .02. I had a 2017 WL594. Amazing guitar. Pre tci pickups. This guitar was the first one I ever owned the blew me away. It was special. I got in a bind and needed money, and it was my most valuable/easy to sell quickly guitar I owned. So I decided to sell it. But I didn’t want to lose that tone. I almost swapped the 58/15LT pickups into my LP studio. But figured that would hurt resell too much. I had heard great things about Thornbuckers. And knew they were in the PAF style. So I ordered a set. Put them in my LP studio. I was astonished how close they sounded. The TB’s were a little brighter and thinner, and didn’t have the low mid growl of the 58/15LT’s. And obviously playability and fit and finish were two different worlds. But it got me by. And I had both guitars at the same time to do side by side comparisons.

And to be honest, the one complaint I had was I never could get the 58/15LT’s balanced to my liking. Either the neck was a bit boomy or the bridge a little lacking in bass.

Life goes on, and I was lucky enough to get another 594. This time one with the TCI 58/15LT’s. And imo they’re perfect. The neck and bridge now balance perfectly. Still nice and clear. Not too bright, and have that low mid growl.

Also somewhere in there I put some alnico 2 parson street humbucker in the LP studio. I really like what those did. Definitely warmer and fuller. Kind of has a guns n rose slash vibe now.

And the thornbuckers ended up in an HSH guitar I built. I think I swapped the magnets around a bit too. Don’t remember what I ended up using. Just that it wasn’t alnico 3.

So all of that to say, I think they are quite similar. But I prefer the 58/15LT’s. Both are definitely in the same ballpark of “vintage paf”. But I’ve never been lucky enough to play anything with PAF’s. I just know that’s what both pickups are going for.