PRS Pickups "Fill in the Blanks"

[Leathan]

I hate buying new pickups.

The simple fact is: you never really know exactly how they'll sound or behave in a particular guitar until you buy them, wire them in and play them. It's always a kind of a "sight-unseen", or rather, "sound-unheard" thing.

I've had a Bernie for about two years now and I'm thinking it's time to swap out the stock Korean pickups for a pair of slightly hotter, more character-full pickups.

Below, you'll see examples of the kind of metrics Dimarzio and Duncan use to describe their pickups. Can anyone "fill in the blanks" for some of the PRS models? Or just point me to where these kind of metrics are written down for PRS pups.

Heh, a little picky I know, but I really think it pays off to research one's choice of pickups. Thanks in advance for any input.

DiMarzio DP223 PAF Bridge Humbucker 36th Anniversary

Output: 285 mV
DC Resistance: 8.60
EQ: 5.0 / 6.5 / 6.0 (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable: 4 Conductor
Magnet: Alnico 5

Seymour Duncan SH-1

Output: Moderate
DC Resistance: 8.13 k
Resonant Peak: 6 KHz
EQ: 8 / 3 / 6 (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable: 1-Con Braid Shield
Magnet: Alnico V Bar

PRS SE245 (My current pickups, stock in the Bernie Marsden SE)

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

PRS 59/09

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

PRS 57/08

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

PRS Dragon II

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

 

[Jock68]

Too many variables, I am not sure that the information above would be enough to help you. I have put Gibson 57 Classics into many Single cut guitars and they all end up sounding differant. I know what my ears think is the best sounding( Gibson LP Custom 68) and I have been trying to get that sound replicated into the guitar that I feel most comfortable playing ( PRS SC58) and failed. Use this as evidence to go out and buy as many guitars as you can.

 

[Whitecat]

57/08s for a PRS take on the vintage PAF. They will be expensive though! Excellent pickups.

59/09s for a more modern PAF flavour. Hotter. I don't like them as much as 57/08s.

SH1s are great and won't cost the earth. Especially good in the neck.

I don't like Dragon IIs at all. They seem to lack 'sustain' for want of a better way to describe it. Haven't yet found a guitar that I think makes them sound good.

YMMV!

 

[Chuckblues]

Here's a short clip of my Bernie with Bare Knuckle Mules . A bit pricey but less than 57/08

https://soundcloud.com/charles-kerr/klon-demo

 

[DHW]

I hate buying new pickups.

The simple fact is: you never really know exactly how they'll sound or behave in a particular guitar until you buy them, wire them in and play them. It's always a kind of a "sight-unseen", or rather, "sound-unheard" thing.

I've had a Bernie for about two years now and I'm thinking it's time to swap out the stock Korean pickups for a pair of slightly hotter, more character-full pickups.

Below, you'll see examples of the kind of metrics Dimarzio and Duncan use to describe their pickups. Can anyone "fill in the blanks" for some of the PRS models? Or just point me to where these kind of metrics are written down for PRS pups.

Heh, a little picky I know, but I really think it pays off to research one's choice of pickups. Thanks in advance for any input.

DiMarzio DP223 PAF Bridge Humbucker 36th Anniversary

Output: 285 mV
DC Resistance: 8.60
EQ: 5.0 / 6.5 / 6.0 (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable: 4 Conductor
Magnet: Alnico 5

Seymour Duncan SH-1

Output: Moderate
DC Resistance: 8.13 k
Resonant Peak: 6 KHz
EQ: 8 / 3 / 6 (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable: 1-Con Braid Shield
Magnet: Alnico V Bar

PRS SE245 (My current pickups, stock in the Bernie Marsden SE)

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

PRS 59/09

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

PRS 57/08

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

PRS Dragon II

Output:
DC Resistance:
Resonant Peak:
EQ: (Treb / Mid / Bass)
Wiring/Cable:
Magnet:

The Duncan's and dimarzios listed are all lower output than the stock pups. That's not a bad thing though. Most will tell you that with modern gain on amps and distortion pedals they will do anything you want but a vintage output will remain tighter where a high output likely will get muddy at the extreme end of things. Any paf clone should be pretty low. Unless you have a truely vintage amp you can go with a good vintage voiced pup. Even the vintage reissue amps should have plenty of gain on tap.

The common thing you'll see when reading about what's available is the 36th's are probably the best bang for the buck and bare knuckle are probably the absolute best. There's about $200 difference between a set though. There's loads of Duncan's of every flavor on the used market and few 36th's, this tells me something. Shelling out near $400 for a set of bk mules or 57/08's is an option but that's a ton of cash, more than I paid for my se 245 lol. Unless I can find a used set of something better with an f spaced bridge I'm going with 36th's.