Studio Guitars... Does having 3 pickups bug you?

38Roars

Bless the Blues
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
292
I have had a couple of them, but I cant seem to find where I should use all the differnt voices you have available...
And I constantly think I am going to bang the middle one with my pick!

Whats your take... I mean they sell, so lots of you must dig em!!
 
It takes some getting used to for sure. I always used to keep the middle pickup on strats way lower and I do the same with the studio, at least flush with the pickup ring. I really dig the neck + middle pickup combination for clean tones, kind of like a strat on steroids.
 
I've got 2 x guitars with Narrowfields in Neck/Middle and 1 x triple soapy, I've never had a problem hitting the middle pickup with my pick, and can't live without the pos 2 & 4 sounds, clean or dirty I just dig them.

Something Les said made me twig though, I use quite small picks (Dunlop Jazz III Ultex). This might be a reason why I don't hit the pickup, because there's very little pick protruding past the strings.
 
My dad's got one and loves it. He's historically been a Strat man, but hardly ever plays one now. I think he traded his Hiland for this one. No looking back. I've played quite a bit and love it (except for his damn half flats--come on! Strings are SUPPOSED to squeak). The middle pu doesn't get in my way at all, either. If it does, just pick harder! :)
 
I had a CU22 Soapbar, 3 pickups. There's a small learning curve on where to pick if you're using a standard pick. When I had one, I sometimes used a small mandolin pick, but now that I've switched to Jazz III variants full-time, it'd be easier.
 
I regret parting with mine. I think it is highly underrated. So many useful tones out of it. I made the mistake of trading it + cash for a Sig Ltd, at least it was a mistake for me.
 
I dont think that i use it at all with the band except when in positions 2 and 4. But oh, i so like positions 2 and 4 on the 513...
 
My Studio is my favorite axe. Most of my love of the Studio is owed to the NarrowFirld pickups. The ONLY major gripe I have with the guitar is the 57/08. If any of you are members at the "other" PRSForums ;-) you've heard me state my observations too many times already. For those of you who arent members there...well since day1 of owning my Studio I have not understood why they ever put a 57/08 in that guitar with the NF pups. The bucker is just so underpowered compared to the NFs on that platform. I tried height adjusting till I was blue in the screwdriver and still the NFs outdid the 57/08.
Hey...I love the tone of the 57/08...and I REALLY love the NFs but together, to me, they don't work. I found myself having to use either or onstage but not both. If I switched from the NFs to the bucker there was a big drop in volume and balls and bottom end and power. At first I was using only the NFs and after a couple of gigs I found myself using only the bucker.
Decided it must be time to try something else in the bridge position.
I had/have an old HFS from my CE but I pulled it from that guitar cause I dont play metal and the HFS was a little scooped, hot, and dare I say...sterile for me. I considered putting it into the Studio but yeah..that ceramic mag would do the same in the Stood as it did in the CE.

Found buddy in the FS forum at the other PRSForums site was selling abarely used Duncan Custom Custom. Researched it and found it has an A2 mag in it and measured around 14K. PERFECT.

Well...now my Studio is a MONSTER! It's balanced and the split coil is actually useable now. Even IT keeps-up to the NFs almost.
OK so what was the question in the OP again? lol...oh right...the number of "voices" and that middle pup getting in the way..
Well like I said...NOW I find ALL the positions useable..and I do use all of them now..even in the same song.
I THINK I kept hitting that middle pup at first but I can't remember. What I DO remember though is that after playing the Studio and going to the Strat, THEN I would hit the middle pup all the time..on the Strat..and I used to be a Strat guy and never noticed that before.
Maybe I compensated for the Studio and got used to that placement and when I went back to the Strat I kept hitting the middle pup?? I know I was hitting the strat's middle pup a lot at first and even consoiously thought about it but...by the next night I had forgotten so I guess I either got used to it or moved my hand a little.
SO...if you find that middle pup getting in the way, don't worry...after a few hours of playing it, that will stop. Or you may stop noticing it?? IDK but I dont have any trouble (any more..if ever) with mine.
And to the poster who said "well they are selling..."...yeah I don't know about that. There dont seem to be many out there and a LOT of people who DID buy them, turned around and sold them pretty fast..like a poster in this thread did. As far as I could tell, a lot of people who bought Studios and sold them went to a DGT.
I've said..no I've predicted it before and I'll do it again.
I think the PRS Studio will soon be discontinued (like the NF3 or SASNF or whichever got chopped). Especially if they don't put a hotter pup in the bridge than the 57/08 (as awesome as that pup is...it just isnt for this platform).

YMMV...but I LOVE my Studio!!!
 
I hate having a middle pickup. I really do and if it didn't, I would have bought a SAS hands down.

But having said that, I understand sometimes is necesary like with my 513. I hate the middle for playing, but I know it helps with certain tones.
 
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