Well today I replaced the pickups in my '00 CE22...

[Lewguitar]

This is the one that I got cheap because the previous owner replaced the Dragon II's with Duncans, but didn't know how to solder or rewire a guitar. I put new volume and tone controls in and reused the guy's 3 way switch.

Here's how it looked when I got it:

https://imgur.com/kIiLw9M

Here's how it looks now:

https://imgur.com/lVquVJm

I've been on the lookout for a set of pickups for this guitar that sound as good to me as the Dragon I's in my '95 CE22 and CU22.

In this guitar, I've been using a Duncan 59B as the neck pickup and a Duncan JB as the bridge pickup. They balance nicely and sound great together. I prefer an 8K neck pickup.

I replaced the polished A5 magnet in the 59B neck pickup with a roughcast A4 magnet like the Dragon I used. That reduced the bass a touch and made the mids a little chewier. I replaced the polished A5 magnet in the JB with a roughcast A5 to soften the sizzle in its treble.

That is now a killer pickup set.

Anyone who likes hot pickup sets (like the Dragon I set) would enjoy that 59/JB set. They don't sound quite the same, but you can play the same things with either set.

But today I replaced that set with a John Suhr SSV neck humbucker and SSH+ bridge humbucker set. I used the 3 way switch already there.

Awesome pickups. Slightly different sound from any other humbuckers I've used. They sound killer with distortion and overdrive but there's also an acoustic quality about them. They sound nice strummed.

The SSH+ seems at least as powerful as my Dragon I bridge pickups. It seems to have a slightly more open voice than the Dragon I, that is not quite as dense. Compared to the JB it has a lot less of that nasal honk and treble sizzle some complain about.

The SSV neck pickup startled me! It sounds great overdriven and it's hotter than most neck humbuckers in today's "paf" sets. But it has clarity and note separation. It has almost an acoustic quality when I strum chords, but it's killer for bluesy lead too.

I love the Dragon I set. It's my favoite set of PRS pickups. And I like it even better with the old rotary switch selections.

But these Suhrs sound great too!

 

[BigChrisW]

I've been very impressed with Suhr pickups. I have a Thornbucker + in my HSS Strat and it's awesome. Great looking guitar. What's the truss rod cover?

 

[Lewguitar]

I've been very impressed with Suhr pickups. I have a Thornbucker + in my HSS Strat and it's awesome. Great looking guitar. What's the truss rod cover?

The guy who owned it before me painted the truss rod cover with some mystical symbols.

I guess to get his mojo working.

I kind of like it but I ordered a new one from PRS.

 

[JasonE]

I have 3 Suhr guitars. I like the pickups in them. They all have different pickups in them. Two are HSS guitars so I have two versions of their single coils as well as a few versions of humbuckers. They all do well for my needs.

 

[Lewguitar]

I have 3 Suhr guitars. I like the pickups in them. They all have different pickups in them. Two are HSS guitars so I have two versions of their single coils as well as a few versions of humbuckers. They all do well for my needs.

I'm especially impressed with the neck pickup in this set but the bridge pickup is also terrific.

I'm surprised that they're so high in output yet maintain such clarity.

At this early point, I'm more comfortable with the denser, warmer tone of my Dragon I's - the clarity and breathiness of the Suhrs will take some getting used to.

I think I prefer the Suhrs over the Duncans...even though the Duncan's have been sounding great and are also top notch.

The JB has a mid range honk, like a Tubescreamer almost, that's cool but can be too much. The Suhrs don't have it at all.

The Dragons do have a bit of honk but I like the way it's voiced in the Dragons.

 

[Lewguitar]

Extremely impressed with these Suhr humbuckers. Going to try them out tonight at the local blues jam.

Going to call ahead and see if I can bring my HDRX 20 watt and let others play through it.

They won't let you bring your own amp and take the time to set it up. Gotta keep the show moving. But maybe if I get there early and leave it on stage for a couple of sets so others can try it...

Last time I had to play through a Boss Blues Cube! That was humiliating.

Anyways, I found some great pickups for this guitar...and my buddy Aj is going to be gifted the old Duncans that were in it (59 and JB) for his SE Singlecut that still has the Korean pickups it came with.

 

[BigChrisW]

Extremely impressed with these Suhr humbuckers. Going to try them out tonight at the local blues jam.

Going to call ahead and see if I can bring my HDRX 20 watt and let others play through it.

They won't let you bring your own amp and take the time to set it up. Gotta keep the show moving. But maybe if I get there early and leave it on stage for a couple of sets so others can try it...

Last time I had to play through a Boss Blues Cube! That was humiliating.

Anyways, I found some great pickups for this guitar...and my buddy Aj is going to be gifted the old Duncans that were in it (59 and JB) for his SE Singlecut that still has the Korean pickups it came with.

"my buddy Aj is going to be gifted the old Duncans that were in it (59 and JB) for his SE Singlecut that still has the Korean pickups it came with"

I love this! He'll love them. New pickups in my SE245 transformed it from good to great.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The guy who owned it before me painted the truss rod cover with some mystical symbols.

I guess to get his mojo working.

I kind of like it but I ordered a new one from PRS.

It’s a Wiccan curse that makes your winky smaller. Don’t ask how I know.

 

[Lewguitar]

"my buddy Aj is going to be gifted the old Duncans that were in it (59 and JB) for his SE Singlecut that still has the Korean pickups it came with"

I love this! He'll love them. New pickups in my SE245 transformed it from good to great.

Couldn't agree more. Putting great pickups in a SE makes them sound a lot more like a CORE model.