Why the 85/15 S hate?

[dogrocketp]

The pickups are part of the total sound. You have to factor in the amp, strings action, basically everything. My 30th anniversary has the stock pickups. I got a serious compliment on a blues gig playing them. The musician said the guitar sounded perfect, and it sure as hell ain’t my playing.

 

[Mike Burch]

the Orig poster said 25th not 35th and the 85/15s would not be listed as muddy on my list. The ones in my SE245 are muddy compared to the 85/15s but both sound good. I prefer the ones in the 245 but play ability of the se24

 

[Herr Squid]

I've been really surprised with the pickups on the 35th Anniversary SE. Before I bought it, I was asking for info about the guitar and people on various forums were telling me that the pickups on it can't handle metal and that I should get a regular CU SE and maybe swap the pickups if I find them not hot enough. I went ahead and bought the 35th SE and these pickups have given me the metal tone I've been hearing in my head for decades. They give the tone with an underlying warmth that I find so inspiring whether I'm playing with gain, crunch or just clean. I love these pickups and seriously doubt I'll ever consider swapping them.

I've never understood the "can't do metal" comments about pickups. I enjoy the spectrum from Scorpions through Meshuggah and to me it's always been about the amp. In fact even on the highest-gain setups I play, I find I like the sound of 57/08s or even 58/15LTs better than the super-hot bridge pickups in guitars like my OG Fender HM Strat. All I can guess is that the guys saying such things either have wimptastic gain stages, or there's a particular thing they hear in specialized pickups like EMGs that nothing else gives them.

 

[Herr Squid]

I would not expect a new line of SE pickups that are to only be used in the SE Pauls guitar and this one-off limited edition. It doesn't make financial sense, to me.

One thing that the company definitely does, and has for a long time, is to introduce a new feature on a limited basis, sell it on exclusivity, build some buzz about it, then make it available more widely in the product line. Examples: 22-fret necks, stoptails, 57/08 pickups.

 

[singularity6]

One thing that the company definitely does, and has for a long time, is to introduce a new feature on a limited basis, sell it on exclusivity, build some buzz about it, then make it available more widely in the product line. Examples: 22-fret necks, stoptails, 57/08 pickups.

Fair enough!

I'm planning on taking the guitar into a local shop that sells SE's. I want to do a comparison.

The TCI pickups on Paul's Guitar (American) are mini humbuckers. Is he doing something new with those pickups? Possibly! He did seem pretty excited. Paul himself has a pretty keen ear, and would probably tell you that there are differences between a humbucker and a mini version of that humbucker. The pickups on the SE are normal-sized humbuckers which is part of why I'm skeptical.

The other thing that I'm not seeing are new patents. Paul applied for patents regarding pickup covers in 2004 and for the bobbins in 2006. If he came across some new way to wind pickups, I suspect there'd be a patent (or, at least a registered trademark.) These things do take time, however.

 

[shimmilou]

If it is a 25th Ann (as you originally stated), then you bought it used, no telling what pups are in it, but the 85/15 S were not in that guitar when new, they hadn't been invented yet. If it is a 35th Ann, and you bought it new, it surely has the TCI S pups in it. One way to know what pups are in it, is to remove a pup and look at the back for ID.

Of course, pics would be nice, it could be a Hello Kitty guitar for all we know.

 

[merciful-evans]

I have recorded more solos using 85/15 S (SE Custom 24) than any other type of pickup. They are articulate and rich. Especially the neck pickup properly EQed.

Some other pickups I have available are:

PRS 85/15
Rickenbacker 00060/62
Creamery 00062
Creamery Domino Split Coils
Gibson 57 Classics
Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday
Bare Knuckle Yardbird

 

[Barry Walker]

I'm not crazy about these 85/15 pickups on my new Custom 24. I believe they are quality pups and probably sound just the way PRS intended. But, they are way too bright and brittle, and I can't seem to get any mid-range crunch in the bridge pup and little sustain on the neck pup. I just picked up an equalizer in an effort to boost some of the mid-range, but still struggling. My Mexican telecaster has more warmth and mid-range tone, played through the same amp, etc. (it just booms, screams and sings) I'll tinker with the 85/15's some more, but may end up looking for some humbuckers to drop-in. Kind of disappointing for the most expensive guitar I've ever purchased.

 

[dcm_guitar]

I'm not crazy about these 85/15 pickups on my new Custom 24. I believe they are quality pups and probably sound just the way PRS intended. But, they are way too bright and brittle, and I can't seem to get any mid-range crunch in the bridge pup and little sustain on the neck pup. I just picked up an equalizer in an effort to boost some of the mid-range, but still struggling. My Mexican telecaster has more warmth and mid-range tone, played through the same amp, etc. (it just booms, screams and sings) I'll tinker with the 85/15's some more, but may end up looking for some humbuckers to drop-in. Kind of disappointing for the most expensive guitar I've ever purchased.

We're always searching for the tone in our head. Honestly, a CU24 is almost certainly never going to sound like a Tele neck. If you already have that sound covered with your Tele, then searching for a different tone from a different guitar is a good thing.

Now, the CU24 may just absolutely not produce the tone you want. PRS (and the Customs in particular) have their own tonality that is not like a Fender and not like Gibson. They are their own thing. You may not like the tone (and there's not a darn thing wrong with not liking the tone), but PRS builds their guitars (ESPECIALLY the Customs) to create their own voice.

I would say, first listen to your CU24 in terms of what it sounds like that is entirely different than the other guitars you have. Is there any part of this tonality you like? Can you EQ the tonality that accentuates its unique voice AND produces a tone you find pleasing? IF yes, then work with the pickups as they are.

If you can't get it to produce a tone you like AND you like how it plays and looks and feels then look into a pickup swap.

If it doesn't produce the tone you want and you aren't passionate about how the guitar plays, looks and feels then sell it and find something else. Guitars are tools AND they should encourage you to want to play and improve and explore. If the instrument doesn't do that for you then get a different instrument; no matter how expensive or pretty or popular it is.

However, I would really encourage you to not try to reproduce the tone of your Tele. The Tele already owns that tone, you have no need to reproduce it. Try to discover the voice of your new CU24 and determine if that voice provides something you like and want to pursue.

Tone searching is a never ending quest. One day you'll have it and the next you'll be searching for something totally different.

 

[singularity6]

I was strumming my guitars unplugged and comparing the tones between them. I have an Ibanez RG 270 from the early/mid 90's, an Ibanez Iceman IC500b, a DIY Carvin Bolt-T Kit and the PRS SE Custom 24. Unplugged, the PRS was by far the brightest sounding guitar on its own. Strangely, the RG had the most "bass." I probably won't swap out the pickups in the PRS, and if I do, it won't be anytime soon... though I'm curious as to how much it would change if I were to drop something like a Duncan JB in the bridge.

 

[merciful-evans]

I'm not crazy about these 85/15 pickups on my new Custom 24. I believe they are quality pups and probably sound just the way PRS intended. But, they are way too bright and brittle, and I can't seem to get any mid-range crunch in the bridge pup and little sustain on the neck pup. I just picked up an equalizer in an effort to boost some of the mid-range, but still struggling. My Mexican telecaster has more warmth and mid-range tone, played through the same amp, etc. (it just booms, screams and sings) I'll tinker with the 85/15's some more, but may end up looking for some humbuckers to drop-in. Kind of disappointing for the most expensive guitar I've ever purchased.

Hi Barry, welcome to the forum.
The thread is specifically about the 85/15 S (SE version). Your pickups are similar enough though. Here's a comparison vid.

dcm gave good advice I think. Instead of trying to make the guitar sound like the tone in your head, accept the tone it has and try to get the best from it with EQ / compression / etc. If you find its still not doing it for you, is it too late to return or exchange the Custom24?

 

[Straight_six]

I've never understood the "can't do metal" comments about pickups. I enjoy the spectrum from Scorpions through Meshuggah and to me it's always been about the amp. In fact even on the highest-gain setups I play, I find I like the sound of 57/08s or even 58/15LTs better than the super-hot bridge pickups in guitars like my OG Fender HM Strat. All I can guess is that the guys saying such things either have wimptastic gain stages, or there's a particular thing they hear in specialized pickups like EMGs that nothing else gives them.

I couldn't agree more. Although I rarely do it I can get a perfect metal tone from the stock pickups on my SE Santana.

 

[OGORMANIA]

I've been really surprised with the pickups on the 35th Anniversary SE. Before I bought it, I was asking for info about the guitar and people on various forums were telling me that the pickups on it can't handle metal and that I should get a regular CU SE and maybe swap the pickups if I find them not hot enough. I went ahead and bought the 35th SE and these pickups have given me the metal tone I've been hearing in my head for decades. They give a tone with an underlying warmth that I find so inspiring whether I'm playing with gain, crunch or just clean. I love these pickups and seriously doubt I'll ever consider swapping them.

Glad you went with the 35th Anniversary. I was one of the dudes on reddit talking to you about it.

Since I've had it I tweaked my pickup heights a lot, really dialed them in and have had a different experience with the guitar since I got it.

Like you, I can get really nice high gain tones out of it, where before it was a bit squishy and unwieldy.

I actually kind of felt bad that I may have mislead you, so I am glad to hear you went with your gut and not some squid on the internet.

 

[GrumpyOldDba]

85/15s are awesome pickups. Lots of good pickups right? I love them ... gibson 57s for me or the TCI pickups or 85/15s to me these rank up right at the top for me. So many good Seymour Duncans also and lots of specialty made ones by various people ...

Enjoy what you have congrats!

 

[dogrocketp]

I'm not crazy about these 85/15 pickups on my new Custom 24. I believe they are quality pups and probably sound just the way PRS intended. But, they are way too bright and brittle, and I can't seem to get any mid-range crunch in the bridge pup and little sustain on the neck pup. I just picked up an equalizer in an effort to boost some of the mid-range, but still struggling. My Mexican telecaster has more warmth and mid-range tone, played through the same amp, etc. (it just booms, screams and sings) I'll tinker with the 85/15's some more, but may end up looking for some humbuckers to drop-in. Kind of disappointing for the most expensive guitar I've ever purchased.

Keep in mind that you'll have to adjust your amp settings to be different than your tele settings.

 

[Mark 10top]

I now have (3)SE's (1) McCarty 10 top and (1) chRS. SE's are (2) exotic tops, (1)rosewood (1)ziricote and (1) semi-hollow. Guess what PU's were in all 3. Surprise 85/15s. Currently have 1 SE with original PU's. Funny how all 3 sound completely different now. I bought 2 ESP 1000's last year (1)Koa top (1)Maple Flame top. Both guitars sound completely different because they came stock with different PU's. It is obvious I like PRS guitars but try changing the PUs to something different once in awhile

 

[Glide-bpm]

Only reason I took the 85/15s out of the bridge on my SE CU24 Floyd was because I had a wicked custom hand wound zhangbucker.com pickup. It was a prototype I bought from him dirt cheap. I have 4 or 5 different pairs of his pickups plus some single ones installed. I'm assuming @bodia still has his inaugural set installed in a guitar...

 

[bodia]

Only reason I took the 85/15s out of the bridge on my SE CU24 Floyd was because I had a wicked custom hand wound zhangbucker.com pickup. It was a prototype I bought from him dirt cheap. I have 4 or 5 different pairs of his pickups plus some single ones installed. I'm assuming @bodia still has his inaugural set installed in a guitar...

Negative. They were still in the Knaggs when I sold it.

 

[Glide-bpm]

Negative. They were still in the Knaggs when I sold it.

Oucho......

 

[Henry2]

Here a guy comparing an SE to a Core model. The link should open at the short sound samples towards the end of the movie. Even for YT sound quality, pretty easy to tell them apart.

I actually do like my "S" pickups in my S2 Custom 24 a lot.