What are the specs on the S2 Mira pickups?
- Thread starter NomadMike
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John Beef
Opaque
I'm curious too. They sounds great to me based on the demos I have heard. I could post for the 15th time about how I wouldn't know because no dealers in the state of Arizona have a single S2 for me to go try, but I'm sure you're all tired of hearing it.
I haven't seen any around Richmond VA myself (plenty of SEs though), so I got it sight unseen (my wife ordered it from Sweetwater). I lucked out that I really like the sound once I got them dialed in, wouldn't mind knowing output and what kind of magnets are in them.
gball
New Member
I've been a bit curious myself. Overall, I really like the sound of them, but I have to admit that I have been thinking of trying out a set of PAF clones in the Mira. There's a vibe about that guitar makes me think it would kill with something like a set of Seth Lovers in it. I think I could live without the coil taps.
FennRx
Gibson Fanboy
I've not played an S2, but I did try out a core Mira a few months ago. I compared it to a LP Trad, a Bernie, an Se245 and an SC250 (i think, it did have 57/08s for sure). The Mira had the best sound. I bet a set of WCRs or Throbaks would sound killer.
I would think about a different set of pups than PAF. I have a friend who put 57/08's in a Mira and it didn't sound that good. He was also using a modler instead of an amp, and that may have been a lot of the problem. But it's hard to beat Mira pups in a Mira. I put SC245 pups in mine just cuz I like the covered look. SC245 pups are the same as Mira pups but covered.
Egads
One, Two, THIRTEEN!
I love the 57/08s in mine. It's a total LP Special killer. It has actually saved me a lot of money in not purchasing other similar guitars. 
I'm still on the fence about the coil splits in the Mira pickups, sometimes I love them other times they sound thin and anemic. But then I've had various split coils on my LP starting with the DiMarzio SD Dual Sounds back in, well a long time ago, and it's the nature of the beasts, So far the only authentic split pickup design I've used are the Duncan P-Rails, but they're really the opposite of splitting a humbucker by joining a P-90 and rail into a HB.
Hmmm, may have to see about getting another Mira and dropping P-90's into it.
Hmmm, may have to see about getting another Mira and dropping P-90's into it.
John Beef
Opaque
I agree, my 07 Mira is simply fantastic sounding. If I was in a 4 piece or larger band it would probably be my #1. The only mod it's had is covers added to the pickups. My CU22 with DGTs brings the beef I need as a sole guitarist in a 3 piece band. I also had a different Mira I foolishly let go. At one point I bought a set of 59/09s and installed them, but took them back out in favor of the stock Mira pickups. They have a nice character to them that the 59/09s didn't really have.
So many folks can't wait to swap out their SE pickups, assuming a less expensive guitar must have crappy pickups. They're really not as bad as many people make them out to be. I'm glad to see a lot of people coming around to them these days, especially the SE245 pickups it seems (which I haven't tried). These S2 pickups we now know are made by the same company in Korea, G&B, so I expect them to sound good as well.
So many folks can't wait to swap out their SE pickups, assuming a less expensive guitar must have crappy pickups. They're really not as bad as many people make them out to be. I'm glad to see a lot of people coming around to them these days, especially the SE245 pickups it seems (which I haven't tried). These S2 pickups we now know are made by the same company in Korea, G&B, so I expect them to sound good as well.
gball
New Member
You guys got me rethinking changing them out now. Perhaps I will just put covers on them (49.2 mm, right?). I really love this guitar and I really do like the pickups quite a bit, and I also agree completely about the quality of these Korean pickups - I have no intention of changing out the ones in my SE245 and in reality the only reason I'd even considered changing the ones in the Mira is that I too consider it a Special or SG killer and thought maybe the A2, lower-output vibe would suit it.
John Beef
Opaque
Since they're Korean made I would bet they are NOT 49.2mm since that translates to the original Gibson pickup spec of 1-15/16". SE pickups, at least the ones I have measured thus far, have been 52mm bridge and 50mm neck. I have not measured any S2 pickups, much less seen one in person much to my chagrin.
CantankerousCarl
Occasionally Onery Member
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FWIW, I think I am measuring things OK with my Radio Shack pocket multimeter (with a 3" patch cable coming out of the guitar) these S2 Mira pickups are not super high output at all, but sound amazing:
Neck: 7.37 (5.0 split)
Bridge: 8.50 (5.1 split)
Maybe I'm really a strat guy and don't know it yet
also FWIW re: splits, I found the splits on my '08 Core Mira were a tad anemic, esp. in the bridge; these on the S2 sound really good spit, for splits. I suspected some 408-type trickery to be at hand, but the resistance measurements don't bear that out.
Neck: 7.37 (5.0 split)
Bridge: 8.50 (5.1 split)
Maybe I'm really a strat guy and don't know it yet
also FWIW re: splits, I found the splits on my '08 Core Mira were a tad anemic, esp. in the bridge; these on the S2 sound really good spit, for splits. I suspected some 408-type trickery to be at hand, but the resistance measurements don't bear that out.
gball
New Member
FWIW, I think I am measuring things OK with my Radio Shack pocket multimeter (with a 3" patch cable coming out of the guitar) these S2 Mira pickups are not super high output at all, but sound amazing:
Neck: 7.37 (5.0 split)
Bridge: 8.50 (5.1 split)
Maybe I'm really a strat guy and don't know it yet
also FWIW re: splits, I found the splits on my '08 Core Mira were a tad anemic, esp. in the bridge; these on the S2 sound really good spit, for splits. I suspected some 408-type trickery to be at hand, but the resistance measurements don't bear that out.
Good info. They are just a bit less than I'd guessed (approx 9-10 was what my ears were telling me) so already in the PAF-zone. Maybe I need to experiment more with the height.
John Beef
Opaque
Those are quite a bit different than a Core Mira. the bridge measured out around 9.2K IIRC. Can't remeber the neck.FWIW, I think I am measuring things OK with my Radio Shack pocket multimeter (with a 3" patch cable coming out of the guitar) these S2 Mira pickups are not super high output at all, but sound amazing:
Neck: 7.37 (5.0 split)
Bridge: 8.50 (5.1 split)
Maybe I'm really a strat guy and don't know it yet
also FWIW re: splits, I found the splits on my '08 Core Mira were a tad anemic, esp. in the bridge; these on the S2 sound really good spit, for splits. I suspected some 408-type trickery to be at hand, but the resistance measurements don't bear that out.
Also, as far as the splits are concerned, the core Mira does not have the resistors on the split switch ala DGT, MC58, Navarro, etc. The S2 Mira does have those resistors, which is why the split is not exactly half.
Thanks Carl, those numbers are right in PAF range, and it's interesting that they're almost identical when split.
Given that my now number 2 LP in P-90 (bridge) mode is running at 8.5 I better keep a boost pedal handy for using the S2 coil split.
Given that my now number 2 LP in P-90 (bridge) mode is running at 8.5 I better keep a boost pedal handy for using the S2 coil split.
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