PRS Studio or PRS with Two NarrowField Pickups: Which would you choose?

[HANGAR18]

I'm considering a new PRS from available dealer stock and here is what I'm struggling with.
A PRS Studio model which has a 59/08(?) in the bridge position, one Narrowfield in the center and one Narrowfield at the bridge OR... a PRS (something) with Two Narrowfield pickups only. (No middle pickup, just a Narrowfield at the bridge and a second Narrowfield at the neck.)
If you had to choose one over the other, which would you choose?

I already have different PRS guitars with big humbuckers and coil taps, but nothing with Narrowfield pickups. I thought maybe a Narrowfield in the bridge might make for some really good sounding AC/DC covers.

Opinions?

 

[Raven17]

Love my Studio and yes, it's a 57/08 in the bridge.

 

[Whitecat]

Sounds like maybe it's a McCarty Narrowfield?

I think I'd try that out if you already have 22-fret guitars with an HB in the bridge...

 

[garrettb]

In my limited experience with Narrowfields (15 minutes playing a Studio), I don't think I could imagine having them without a middle pickup. The in-between sounds with them were fantastic.

 

[Whitecat]

In my limited experience with Narrowfields (15 minutes playing a Studio), I don't think I could imagine having them without a middle pickup. The in-between sounds with them were fantastic.

That's a worthy point. I'm not too bothered personally as I've got a couple Strat-a-likes as well as an NF3, but if one didn't have or didn't have access to any kind of Strat then this might be a concern.

With a Studio, you'd get one in-between position anyway...

 

[Raven17]

That's a worthy point. I'm not too bothered personally as I've got a couple Strat-a-likes as well as an NF3, but if one didn't have or didn't have access to any kind of Strat then this might be a concern.

With a Studio, you'd get one in-between position anyway...

One with the 5-way and one with the coil tap, there's so many great tones to find with a studio.

 

[wardog]

do the studio!!!! I love the mine. I played a NF3 and I liked it a lot too. I would take either of them over the 2 nf option one.

 

[Egads]

Definitely the Studio!

 

[HANGAR18]

One with the 5-way and one with the coil tap, there's so many great tones to find with a studio.

do the studio!!!! I love the mine. I played a NF3 and I liked it a lot too. I would take either of them over the 2 nf option one.

Definitely the Studio!

What does the bridge humbucker sound like when you grab the push/pull knob and cut it down to a single coil? A passive single coil Strat sound or a gritty/sharp/bright P90 sound?

 

[Raven17]

What does the bridge humbucker sound like when you grab the push/pull knob and cut it down to a single coil? A passive single coil Strat sound or a gritty/sharp/bright P90 sound?

With the 5-way in the #1(full bridge) position with knob up = P90
In the #2 with knob up it's more strat single coil sounding

 

[wardog]

With the 5-way in the #1(full bridge) position with knob up = P90
In the #2 with knob up it's more strat single coil sounding

I agree with position on, position 2 maybe more tele sound to me, but that is how versatile the studio is.

 

[Tim]

I love my Swamp Eagle with 3 NFs!!! I LOVE the Bridge position and I had it wired so both neck and bridge can be selected together.

You can get a real great raw crunch out of that bridge NF!!!

If you already have a few guitars with regular HB's in the Bridge maybe the 2xNF guitar might be that other flavour your might like!!

 

[Hopeful Sinner]

I'd go Studio over the McCarty Narrowfield as you'll get the best of both worlds with the Studio. It has McCarty thickness, arguably the best bridge pickup PRS has to offer and a couple Narrowfields for good measure. My journey to loving my Studio model was arduous but now, at the end of the day I absolutely love that guitar. It is super versatile and if you are the type of player that uses the tone and volume knobs for anything other than a fast track from 0 to 10 and vice versa, you will not be disappointed. I get some of the sweetest cleans and blues tones out of that combination of pups and adjusting the volume and tone really opens up vast possibilities.

 

[HANGAR18]

I made an attempt last night for the two Narrowfields but an agreement couldn't be reached regarding the asking price. (I always negotiate, especially when a trade-in is involved like I'm doing right now with this effort.)
But, I am hearing what you Studio model fans are telling me so a Studio model isn't out of the question at this stage of the game.
I'm planning to travel into the People's Republic of Maryland this weekend to investigate a new store that I heard about here in this forum which is said to have a very large selection of PRS guitars. (Chuck Levin? Not listed on the PRS web site.)
The players on the youtube tone demos usually play better than I do so I've been relying pretty heavy on them for this decision, but I may need to actually plug in some of these guitars at some of these stores and crank them up. (I'm very self consience when it comes to irritating my fellow shoppers.)

 

[garrettb]

I made an attempt last night for the two Narrowfields but an agreement couldn't be reached regarding the asking price. (I always negotiate, especially when a trade-in is involved like I'm doing right now with this effort.)
But, I am hearing what you Studio model fans are telling me so a Studio model isn't out of the question at this stage of the game.
I'm planning to travel into the People's Republic of Maryland this weekend to investigate a new store that I heard about here in this forum which is said to have a very large selection of PRS guitars. (Chuck Levin? Not listed on the PRS web site.)
The players on the youtube tone demos usually play better than I do so I've been relying pretty heavy on them for this decision, but I may need to actually plug in some of these guitars at some of these stores and crank them up. (I'm very self consience when it comes to irritating my fellow shoppers.)

The proper name is Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center. People often just call it Chuck's or WMC. I bought a guitar from them online years ago. It's a legendary PRS dealership. I think you'll have fun in there!

 

[maxtuna26]

I'd go with the 2 NF one, less fuss is more fun for me because I like it simple! But, well...that's just me and my personal opinion. :dontknow:

 

[WSchaferJR]

I'd go with the studio for sure! The 57/08 is an awesome bridge pickup, and the narrowfields make for killer neck/middle pickups. I almost bought the studio I played, even though I was in the market for a 408. They really are great guitars!

 

[HANGAR18]

With the 5-way in the #1(full bridge) position with knob up = P90
In the #2 with knob up it's more strat single coil sounding

I agree with position on, position 2 maybe more tele sound to me, but that is how versatile the studio is.

Is there a volume loss between the bridge humbucker cut in half and the middle & bridge Narrowfield pickups?
I'm guessing that would be the case and so that would then be an arguement in favor of having a Narrowfield in the bridge position instead of a conventional humbucker.
Even if there are only two Narrowfields in the guitar, there wouldn't be any volume loss between the two of them.

 

[wardog]

Is there a volume loss between the bridge humbucker cut in half and the middle & bridge Narrowfield pickups?
I'm guessing that would be the case and so that would then be an arguement in favor of having a Narrowfield in the bridge position instead of a conventional humbucker.
Even if there are only two Narrowfields in the guitar, there wouldn't be any volume loss between the two of them.

For the studio, it is some lose when the bridge hmbkr is split. so it's sound with the middle NF is slightly lower. You get a more twangy bright tone like a tele (to me). I like it alot. in full humbucker it growls like a.....
When I am just noodling on it, I really like the neck or middle ( 3 or 5) positions. Really can't say what I don't like about the studio. If has replaced any thought (and guitars) of getting another strat/tele.

The NF3 is different, they are full tone all the time so it is ballsy and even less volume drop in the 2 and 4 position. I assume the McCarty NF is similar vol tone of a 2 pick hmbkr.

 

[Sage]

If it were me, I'd go for the Studio. The McCarty Narrowfield is just underwhelming. If I wanted a narrowfield at the bridge, I'd be looking at the SAS NF or the NF3. But the McCarty Narrowfield has been pretty quickly supplanted by Paul's Guitar, which is both more versatile and better-looking.