PRS Listening?? - Long Pickup Legs don't fit! ):-(

[GavQuinn]

So I went out and bought a HFS humbucker brand new from Thomann for my USA Custom. You can see the product page below, all looks normal, nothing to see that's out of the ordinary.

https://www.thomann.de/ie/prs_pickup_hfs_treble.htm

I got it yesterday and went to install it last night and it has long mounting legs. I mounted the pickup and it's a hair's width from the strings, so I lower it all the way I can, until the screws let go of the legs and it's still less than 1mm from the strings. I removed the ring and screws, the pickup is standing on its legs in the cavity, still way too high.

In short, PRS's pickup that featured in the Custom is for sale after market. It just won't fit a custom as the pickup cavities on a tremolo guitar are too shallow. What a load of shite, honestly, such a disappointment.

To add - why in the name of all holy are they making aftermarket pickups with 1/2 inch long legs? There's no benefit to making them with long legs. Short legs will fit anything. Nothing on Thomann's site or on the box stating that this won't fit a guitar with a trem.

This was a foolish oversight in my opinion, an easy avoided blunder. Every pickup I ever ordered from BKP, Monty's etc, I always opt for 4 conductor wire and short legs. It's common sense - if you ever want to sell them (I often do) and some guy with a Strat or coil tap is looking - he can actually use it.

Common sense, guys, honestly..

 

[Boogie]

Hmm...it fits my CU24 with trem just fine. You know, the guitar that came stock with the HFS? If this were an SE that you’re trying to retrofit, I might see how. The pickup routes are probably different than the USA models. (Admittedly, I’ve never measured the depth, but I’ve also never put my HFS in any other guitar)

Pictures might help.

 

[GavQuinn]

Hmm...it fits my CU24 with trem just fine. You know, the guitar that came stock with the HFS? If this were an SE that you’re trying to retrofit, I might see how. The pickup routes are probably different than the USA models. (Admittedly, I’ve never measured the depth, but I’ve also never put my HFS in any other guitar)

Pictures might help.

You know, the guitar that came stock with the HFS? Yep;
In short, PRS's pickup that featured in the Custom is for sale after market. It just won't fit a Custom as the pickup cavities on a tremolo guitar are too shallow. What a load of shite, honestly, such a disappointment.

No pictures my man, you'll have to take my word for it. It's too tall in my Custom 22. I know it came stock, but the older pickups had shorter legs. It's the squabbin I got, the legs are long, like a PAF. If the squabbin HFS came stock it was in a newer guitar, in which case either; a - the newer guitar had deeper routing, b - the stock pickup had shorter legs.

 

[Boogie]

I know it came stock, but the older pickups had shorter legs.

I totally believe you, but this statement simply isn’t true. My 2001 CU24 has a long leg HFS. Conversely, I’ve installed long leg pickups (Seymour Duncan Antiquity) in both SE and S2 guitars and can confirm that it’s a tight fit but they work perfectly for me.

It’s certainly possible that PRS is routing the CU22 more shallow than before and that could cause a problem for you.

 

[AP515]

Boogie is right, and you are right. Make sure it's the pickup legs hitting the bottom of the pickup cavity and not the screw. I suspect it's the screw. I have had to replace after market screws with 1/8th inch shorter screws to keep from bottoming out on the wood.

 

[drdoom8793]

Boogie is right, and you are right. Make sure it's the pickup legs hitting the bottom of the pickup cavity and not the screw. I suspect it's the screw. I have had to replace after market screws with 1/8th inch shorter screws to keep from bottoming out on the wood.

Same, it's much more likely that the screws are a tad bit too long. I've had that problem a few times. Never had pickup legs that are too long.

 

[GavQuinn]

I totally believe you, but this statement simply isn’t true. My 2001 CU24 has a long leg HFS. Conversely, I’ve installed long leg pickups (Seymour Duncan Antiquity) in both SE and S2 guitars and can confirm that it’s a tight fit but they work perfectly for me.

It’s certainly possible that PRS is routing the CU22 more shallow than before and that could cause a problem for you.

Fine, I'm not trying to argue man, I don't mean to come off that way. I'm annoyed with the situation itself, really. Mine's a 2002. Thomann were good enough to agree to take it back. I advised them it's too tall for the guitar.

It's definitely the legs, I measured with a ruler, It's standing straight up on the legs. Disappointing. I know I could change the baseplate, but it's an expensive pickup, so I'll just return it. The other option would be to sink a hole with a 1cm drill bit, deepen the hole by 4mm, but I'm aware that the trem cavity is underneath, so I'd be reluctant to do that. I also notice that the body carve has the bridge pickup ring sitting taller than the neck's in relation to the strings.

Also, I agree about the SEs, I've had SEs that take a long leg, no problem, my Starla also.

I guess with manufacturing, they probably move sections of the production around, updates, different programs for routers, etc - just from a manufacturing standpoint.

 

[GavQuinn]

Same, it's much more likely that the screws are a tad bit too long. I've had that problem a few times. Never had pickup legs that are too long.

Any time I've ordered from BKP someone says; 'wait, if it's a PRS you want to get the short legs to be safe'.

 

[GavQuinn]

Boogie is right, and you are right. Make sure it's the pickup legs hitting the bottom of the pickup cavity and not the screw. I suspect it's the screw. I have had to replace after market screws with 1/8th inch shorter screws to keep from bottoming out on the wood.

I have heard that some PRS models don't take the long leg, it's not surely just mine, is it? The cavities do look shallow where the legs go. I wonder if that's cos of the trem cavity to the rear.

 

[bodia]

I have heard that some PRS models don't take the long leg, it's not surely just mine, is it? The cavities do look shallow where the legs go. I wonder if that's cos of the trem cavity to the rear.

You're right, some are different. One of the CE bodies that I bought, and rebuilt had the same issue. I just routed deeper. Scary, for sure, but it worked out.

 

[Collywobbles]

Jon Gundry at ThroBak told me I would need short legs if I wanted to fit their PAF replicas in my '88 Sig - they do both long and short leg versions.

 

[Ovibos]

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Boogie is right, and you are right. Make sure it's the pickup legs hitting the bottom of the pickup cavity and not the screw. I suspect it's the screw. I have had to replace after market screws with 1/8th inch shorter screws to keep from bottoming out on the wood.

I think AP515 got it right, make sure the screws aren't hitting the bottom of the cavity. And keep in mind, we use two different sized pickup height adjustment screws. If memory serves me, they are 1" for the neck pickup and 1 1/8" for the bridge pickup, so make sure you're using the proper screw in the proper position.

 

[László]

Doesn’t seem fair to complain that current pickups PRS is offering don’t fit in an 18 year old model. And that’s assuming you installed them correctly.

But it’s good you got your money back.

 

[darkbluemurder]

Old thread but I could fit a Duncan with long legs into my S2 but I had to use shorter screws. The height adjustment is now limited but still sufficient. But if I were to buy a replacement pickup I would specify short legs to make fitting easier.

 

[Broseph]

I clip the pickup screws if it’s too long. That way I can easily adjust the pickup height. Some of them come real small and won’t work at all. If you turn down the pickup and have it flush with the rings and the whole thing comes undone then the screw is too short.
As far as i have experienced: the modern CE line, the SE Zach myers, and the entire s2 McCarty line can easily take long legged.

 

[gush]

I've swapped a ton of prs pickups around with several different guitars and I've never ran into that but to be fair I'm not an expert.

I did put a Gibson pickup in my McCarty once and had that long leg problem.

When I got one of my 97ces the neck pup wouldn't lower. When I pulled pickup off I found that previous owner had neck screws in wrong place. The two long screws were sticking up through pup cavity.

Since strings were off I just switched screws around but it made me nervous thinking what else had been jacked with.

 

[darkbluemurder]

The Lawrence L-500 did not fit the neck cavity of my Single Cut. They are as deep as the long legs. Other than deepening the route (which I did not want to do) there was nothing I could do to make it fit.

 

[boardn10]

Old thread...

I agree, most PRS guitars I've used required short legs. In my SC 2001 I had to use short leg Aldrich pickups.
My SC250, I'm going to install a Rio BBQ tomorrow and it has long legs. Ugh.
I talked to Wolfe at Wolfetone and he confirmed you need short legs for PRS.
Short legs fit anything, so just make em short, done!
Les Paul's take short or long.
Oddly my 2001 seems to be longer legs. I need to open up my SC250 and verify.

 

[Prs Mods too]

Yup, my 02 custom 24 had short legs. Didn't know until I tried to change the bridge pup. I just chiseled out some of the cavity and I was set.