Sanity Check - Should I Do This?

[Longneck Tenon]

Replace Them With The PRS \M/ Pickups And Thank Me Later.

\M/ = ?

 

[Longneck Tenon]

I'm not sure I'd describe what I hear as sparkly. Maybe rounded and full.

When I listen to this tone all I can think about is Page.

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[SinSir]

\M/ = ?

PRS Metal. A ceramic based pickup that reads hot but is more versatile than the name and specs imply. PRS uses it in the Cu24 Floyd.

 

[Bogner]

\M/ = ?

Metal

It Is A Very Nice Pickup And Does Far More Than The Name Suggests. IMO It Is The Best Pickup PRS Makes Overall For Many Things.

 

[doublescale1]

I put Fralin noiseless P90's in a G&L ASAT Special I had - Lindy recommended a 5% underfund neck PU and he was right about that - I have a Les Paul with Gibson stock P90's to compare the Fralins to and they are so close maybe your dog could hear the differences - all the pick attack variances comes through accurate to your input with the Fralins just like with the Gibsons.

 

[dogrocketp]

I say 57/08 neck, 59/09 bridge.

 

[Bogner]

I say 57/08 neck, 59/09 bridge.

Very Good Combo!

 

[JasonE]

57/08s are always the right answer.

 

[Black Plaid]

I imagine there's a good reason PRS doesn't make or sell the old McCarty pickups any more.

 

[Alan Jurgens]

Can you get 59/09 covered or 57/08 uncovered? Having 1/2 covered and the other not would wear me out.

 

[SinSir]

Can you get 59/09 covered or 57/08 uncovered? Having 1/2 covered and the other not would wear me out.

Used is the only way to get covered 5909. They pop up, but only occasionally. When I was looking it took a bit, but all of a sudden I had a line on multiple.

Same with squabbin 5708, used is the only way. Though those pop up even less. Admittedly I never look for them though. I like the 5708 are covered.

I thought I wouldn't like the mix of a squabbin and covered until I picked up my Tremonti. I really like the look. I did lots experimenting on other pickup swaps in various guitars. The squabbin in the neck and covered in the bridge I didn't care for. A normal bobbin and covered in the bridge I did. A covered in the neck and squabbin in the neck I liked.

 

[JasonE]

Can you get 59/09 covered or 57/08 uncovered? Having 1/2 covered and the other not would wear me out.

They did make the 57/08s with squabbins, uncovered.

Used is the only way to get covered 5909. They pop up, but only occasionally. When I was looking it took a bit, but all of a sudden I had a line on multiple.

Same with squabbin 5708, used is the only way. Though those pop up even less. Admittedly I never look for them though. I like the 5708 are covered.

I thought I wouldn't like the mix of a squabbin and covered until I picked up my Tremonti. I really like the look. I did lots experimenting on other pickup swaps in various guitars. The squabbin in the neck and covered in the bridge I didn't care for. A normal bobbin and covered in the bridge I did. A covered in the neck and squabbin in the neck I liked.

I wasn't even aware they had made the 57/08s uncovered until I found the P22 Trem that I bought. It has them. They are the hotter version and sound really good. This is the only set I have that are not covered.

 

[gush]

I am going after a sparkly middle position sound more than anything so that might work.

I could email or text some short sound clips of mine if you want.

 

[László]

I have owned a 2007 core McCarty since new, 100% stock. It still looks and plays great. But compared to my other guitars the pickups just aren’t doing it for me and sound dull and lifeless. I actually prefer the 58/15S pickups in my 594SE. One thought is to try some humbucker sized P90’s, remove the coil taps and go with 50’s wiring. The more sane approach is to just replace the pickups with 58/15’s.

Thoughts?

If it helps I bought a couple of McCartys in 2006 and 2007. One had humbuckers, the other had P-90s.

Even though I'm a humbucker player 95% of the time, I preferred the one with the P-90s. Here's the caveat: the choice might depend on the amp, the tones you like, and the music you play.

I felt my Two-Rocks (two channel Onyx models) sounded best on the lead channel with the P-90s and other single coil guitars. Clean on those amps, it didn't matter.

With other amps, for example my Tremoverb, I preferred the humbuckers.

The 58/15s will give you a glassier top end and less rawness in the midrange than most P-90s. But sometimes what the P90 offers is exactly what you want.

I don't know if this helps. Here's a short piece I composed to demonstrate the difference between a 594 with humbuckers, and the 594 Soapbar, through the DG30 amp. You can hear the differences in midrange and top end. The amp settings didn't change.

The first melody line is the P-90; the second is the humbucker. The chording in the background was the neck pickup on the soapy with the volume rolled back.

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman%2Fmessy-22

 

[Longneck Tenon]

Thanks for this. I played around with it and an EQ pedal this weekend and that really breathed some life into the stock pickups. I am leaning toward either SD Seth Lovers or 58/15 LT’s, but for now I am pretty pleased with the sounds I am getting.

 

[thewesdavis]

I am going after a sparkly middle position sound more than anything so that might work.

I really love my old Dragon 1s, for what it's worth...

 

[László]

Thanks for this. I played around with it and an EQ pedal this weekend and that really breathed some life into the stock pickups. I am leaning toward either SD Seth Lovers or 58/15 LT’s, but for now I am pretty pleased with the sounds I am getting.

Solving the problem without having to buy new pickups is the best solution!

 

[Kiwi]

I have owned a 2007 core McCarty since new, 100% stock. It still looks and plays great. But compared to my other guitars the pickups just aren’t doing it for me and sound dull and lifeless.

Thoughts?

I had exactly the same experience with my 2002 McCarty. It's the stock McCarty pickups: Dull and lifeless. I tried Duncan Alnico II Pros and then finally sold it around 2007. The rest of the guitar was flawless and I hated to part with it, but ...

That was before PRS came out with 57/08s and the others in the 50s series like 59/09s. Way, way better pickups.

I'd get a set of 57/08s and try those out.

=K