Anybody out there customised their PRS?

[Bluesrocker99]

Some years back I spent several months drooling over a McCarty Soapbar Goldtop, it looked (still does!) fantastic, classy but not flash, and eventually succumbed to the inevitable and bought it.
I was determined to love this guitar and did except for one little nagging detail - the bridge pup was too harsh and raspy for my medium to high gain style. Neck pup-different story, like a Strat on steroids! Amazing! Jimi would have loved this!!
Fast forward 7 years and I've just taken out that bridge pup and put in a Vintage Vibe HP-90 Humbucker (P90 size) Wow! Now this guitar has the best of both worlds.
I've possibly just ruined the future value of my pride and joy, but at this moment who gives a s**t! the tone is IT!!! I don't care!!
Has anyone else taken the drastic step of customising such an expensive axe? Any regrets?

[JamesT]

no you know prs has to be original not that it is really worth anymore than a used geeter- one of those myths, so i just sold it.

[JamesT]

unless you have an 86 or 87 you can chop it up and mine was a 92 annapolis made.

[French Fry]

I have a banged up 92 bolt on standard. I pulled out all the wiring and pickups and slapped some gibson classic 57's in.
Had to do a little routing to get them to fit in there, but hugely worth it. Sounds terrific now, and I don't have that PITA rotary selector to deal with now!

[c_mac]

The biggest weakness with PRS guitars are their shitty pickups. It's really too bad they don't just cut a deal with Dimarzio or Duncan.

[BostonGuitar]

The biggest weakness with PRS guitars are their shitty pickups. It's really too bad they don't just cut a deal with Dimarzio or Duncan.


No Offense, but that statement is just plain ignorant... First of all, the guitar mentioned above comes STOCK with Seymour Duncan P-90s. Next of all... not all PRS pickups are great, by any means, but I am sure if I knew your subjective tastes in tone, I could play a stock PRS with you blindfolded and blow your ears away. And just to make matters worse, SD and Dimarzio are not even the premier pickup builders anymore. Sheesh...


:dunno:dunno

[wsaraceni]

i put low wind lollars in my santana brazilian. does that count?

[acwild]

I have a banged up 92 bolt on standard. I pulled out all the wiring and pickups and slapped some gibson classic 57's in.
Had to do a little routing to get them to fit in there, but hugely worth it. Sounds terrific now, and I don't have that PITA rotary selector to deal with now!

How much routing was required? I want to try these pickups out but I think a hole will have to be drilled for a switch, unless I get rid of the tone knob.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/progressive/prails_shpr1/

I'd also like to get the McCarty setup and ditch the rotary.

[BostonGuitar]

i put low wind lollars in my santana brazilian. does that count?


Sounds hot! :YinYang

[trap]

unless you have an 86 or 87 you can chop it up and mine was a 92 annapolis made.

my 89 is one of the finest prs's i've heard-played. i would definitely not chop it up!

[BostonGuitar]

Now for something constructive...

My DGT will never need a change of pickups, nore will ny SC245s, but I like vintage bellhat knobs and amber toggle rounded out with dunlop straplocks. Do it to all my PRSi...

Hit my old 95 McCarty woth chrome pickup rings and a chrome togglecap to go with new PRS clear lampshades, dunlop straplocks AND rotate grissom and SC245 pickups in with the mccarty pickups...

[Darth Tater]

SD and Dimarzio are not even the premier pickup builders anymore. Sheesh...


:dunno:dunno

I'll put DiMarzio Virtual PAF's up against any one of the 'flavor of the week' $200 boutique humbuckers.

[Chadley]

SCCREEEECHHHHH!!!

(Back on topic) :crazy

My PRS SCT is all original with the exception of Dunlop strap locks. I am thinking about replacing the chrome tuning heads with ivory ones. I love the way the DGT looks.

http://photos-651.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v318/230/48/1428334651/n1428334651_820659_1716.jpg

[paintguy]

I stripped and painted this McCarty Standard. It was Cherry Mahogany.

I also shaved down the neck and heel while I was at it. Here's a few pics.

I'm waiting for it to be assembled...

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/DSCN3893.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/DSCN3894.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/DSCN3901.jpg

[jads57]

I`ll bet eventually they will offered relic`ed and modded PRS`s as part of their lineup, like Fender.

[Millo 3.1]

I plan to drop some serious $$$ on electric gtr gear late next year or early 2010, including at least one NICE dual-HB axe. I was considering one of the axes I've wanted since years BEFORE playing at all: Gibson Les Paul w/ a flame top... that 2008 LP Std Plus has a bunch of features I'd like. Moving on: I have to say I love PRS looks but that wasn't in the plans until by coincidence I tried a Custom 22 beloning to a student that was waiting for his lesson at the academy I worked. I was like "wow that's a gorgeous axe" he told me tro try it. I did. Wow. Awesome neck/action/setup. Now the top "big manufacturer" axes on my list would be a PRS Custom 22 hardtail, Singlecut hardtail (possibly 250 as I like the feel of that scale a bit better), the Carvin "knock-offs" or the Gibby. All that said, I THINK if I get the PRS I had already thought of making sure they put their locking tuners, putting Dunlop straplocks and/or possibly swapping the pickups (if I don't like the sound). Also, having two volume knobs and selector, intstead of tone/volume. Treble bleed caps as well. I had tried an 88 before that one and maybe the setup wasn't that great but I was like... "seriously?"... well it belonged to the other player in the band at that time and we always had trouble w/ his tone, in the mix so while I was sure those axes were awesome I wasn't crazy for them. A taste thing most likely due to his amp and pedal settings.

Anyway, point is now a Custom 22 is high on that list. There's plenty of time for research...

[D 2 Z]

I stripped and painted this McCarty Standard. It was Cherry Mahogany.

I also shaved down the neck and heel while I was at it. Here's a few pics.

I'm waiting for it to be assembled...

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/DSCN3893.jpg





You painted that? how hard was it to get the faded parts.

[Pa'ani]

The only thing that I did to my PRS Modern Eagle was adding Tone Pro's to it...

[tcaron]

Bought a used Singlecut Tremelo with the #6s in it. Sold them and bought some used McCarty's. Like them a lot but this guitar still cannot touch my PRS McCarty. It just sings through my Carr Rambler and especially through my Goodsell Super 17 MKII, soon to be a Super 17 tweed MKIII. Yep, just ordered one. Yahoo!!!

PS, an underrated pickup that I found to be exceptional: Dimarzio Paf Classics, especially in any ES335 style guitar.

[Pa'ani]

I stripped and painted this McCarty Standard. It was Cherry Mahogany.

I also shaved down the neck and heel while I was at it. Here's a few pics.

I'm waiting for it to be assembled...

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/DSCN3893.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/DSCN3894.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/DSCN3901.jpg

Hey Paintguy,

That is some amazing work you do! Congratulations on a killer finish on your PRS...

[Taller]

Swapped out pickups (for a pair of S-D '59s) on my McCarty. Also did away with the pull-tap tone control and went with an R-S Super Pot for volume and a Jensen oil & paper cap. You should hear the thing through my Maz Jr. or Vicky Double Deluxe - vintage goodness!

On my St22/trem, I pulled the stock Dragon 2 pickups and installed an S-D '59 neck and Custom C-5 bridge. Had to flip the magnet in one of them so they'd work with the PRS 5-way.

On my '89 Cu24, I installed the PRS Upgrade Kit, (not sure if they have this anymore). It included a number of completely reversible mods for PRSs older than '90 - new, lighter tuner buttons and wings; 'vintage' hookup wire to the output jack; a resistor to solder across the output jack to simulate the load of a tone control; different screws for the saddle height adjustment...probably a few more things I can't think of right now.
Yeah, it's an '89, but I use the thing. It gets played and I wanted to make it sound 'better'.

[paintguy]

You painted that? how hard was it to get the faded parts.

Well..., uhh.... it's not faded.:o It's colorchange paint. It changes colors depending on the angle and lighting. It actually turns about 7 colors depending on the above factors. Certain angles make it appear to be fading from one color to another. It also turns bronze, gold, and some other cool colors as well.

Hey Paintguy,

That is some amazing work you do! Congratulations on a killer finish on your PRS...

Thank-you sir! Looking forward to getting back from my friend/tech.

[paintguy]

You painted that? how hard was it to get the faded parts.

Here's another one where I did with a slight fade from silver-blue to silver to silver-blue again. The fading isn't difficult, but takes some practice to get a smooth transistion.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f134/paintguylarry/IMG_0908.jpg

[wrxplayer]

I suspect this is not what you meant and likely not "customization," but I had my favorite player, Joe Bonamassa, sign my singlecut.

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee199/evanlerner/paulette1-1.jpg
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee199/evanlerner/bonamassa2.jpg
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee199/evanlerner/bonamassa3.jpg
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee199/evanlerner/048-1.jpg

[gunnar1104]

a relic'd PRS would be awful. PRS's are to modern and flashy looking to have them be beat up.

[trap]

I`ll bet eventually they will offered relic`ed and modded PRS`s as part of their lineup, like Fender.

i think they already have them. i'm serious!

[c_mac]

No Offense, but that statement is just plain ignorant... First of all, the guitar mentioned above comes STOCK with Seymour Duncan P-90s. Next of all... not all PRS pickups are great, by any means, but I am sure if I knew your subjective tastes in tone, I could play a stock PRS with you blindfolded and blow your ears away. And just to make matters worse, SD and Dimarzio are not even the premier pickup builders anymore. Sheesh...


:dunno:dunno

Wow, seems like a little bit of a stupid topic to become an a-hole over but what the hell.

First of all, I know that SD's are in the Soapbars, notice I was referring to PRS pickups. Secondly, I've owned several PRS guitars and didn't like the pickups in any of them. Thirdly, my best friend of the last 13 years is a collector that has 2 1985's, a Dragon II, and about 30 other rare and or expensive PRS guitars; so I'm not stupid when it comes to PRS guitars homie.

What does a blindfold have to do with anything? Since I really like PRS guitars why would I have some sort of vendetta against PRS pickups? I mean, WTF dude?

Are you under the impression that SD and Dimarzio are junk? And are you also under the impression that one of those small boutique builders could keep up with PRS production?

In the future try friendly dialogue first.

[booch]

sperzel tuners..it makes life easier

[The Last Rebel]

I`ll bet eventually they will offered relic`ed and modded PRS`s as part of their lineup, like Fender.
That's unlikely to happen, but in the case that it does I will lose respect for PRS.

[matte]

mine came correct from the factory:
http://www.hansenguitars.com/catalog/gallery/289/3soap4.JPG
http://www.hansenguitars.com/catalog/primary/289p.jpg
]http://www.hansenguitars.com/catalog/gallery/289/3soap8.JPG
http://www.maverick-music.com/ProdImages/96korina.jpg
http://www.maverick-music.com/ProdImages/96korina3.jpg
http://www.maverick-music.com/ProdImages/96korina6.jpg
http://www.maverick-music.com/ProdImages/96korina8.jpg
http://www.maverick-music.com/ProdImages/96korina9.jpg
http://www.maverick-music.com/ProdImages/96korina5.jpg

[BostonGuitar]

Wow, seems like a little bit of a stupid topic to become an a-hole over but what the hell.

First of all, I know that SD's are in the Soapbars, notice I was referring to PRS pickups. Secondly, I've owned several PRS guitars and didn't like the pickups in any of them. Thirdly, my best friend of the last 13 years is a collector that has 2 1985's, a Dragon II, and about 30 other rare and or expensive PRS guitars; so I'm not stupid when it comes to PRS guitars homie.

What does a blindfold have to do with anything? Since I really like PRS guitars why would I have some sort of vendetta against PRS pickups? I mean, WTF dude?

Are you under the impression that SD and Dimarzio are junk? And are you also under the impression that one of those small boutique builders could keep up with PRS production?

In the future try friendly dialogue first.

Dude... YOU are the one who opened with unfriendly dialogue... Got 2 questions for you...

Have you heard a SC245 yet? Thought not...
Have you heard a DGT yet? Thought not...

If you had told me 14 years ago that PRS pickups sucked, I might have agreed with you, but since the McCarty, SC245, and DGT came out, I seriously beg to differ...

And Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan pickups are certainly not junk, but I put grissom and SC245 pickups up against most any of their respective lines any day. That being said, I am an Alnico II pro fan from way back. It is just that your very generalizing statement that PRS should cut a deal with one of the two companies was ignorant on many levels. If PRS had a pickup problem he would sooner team up with a booteek maker with the passion, heart, and soul of innovation he designs with... And that being said, I believe he is on good terms with Seymour Duncan the man. But you see, this is 2008, and PRS has just released it's best 2 pickups within the last year. So even if you missed the news, I am sorry to say PRS needs no deal with a pickup specialist. Matter of fact, he still isn't satisfied with those two masterpieces, so he is raising the bar higher and has a VINTAGE pickups winding machine from the 50s from one of those big old bloated guitar companies and to go with it a large supply of VINTAGE NOS pickup wire from the 50s that you can't even make anymore. So do PRS pickups really suck, C_mac??? Are you sure??? Or did they just used to suck? Hell, maybe you made some comment 3 years ago and Paul read it and took it to heart and got more passion to create these recent beauties. Wouldn't that be a bite for your ass...

Again, all I said was that your comment was ignorant... You IGNORED the last 2 years of PRS pickups... Nuff Said?

[Shark Diver]

First thing I did to every PS and Modern Eagle I got, and together I think I had 10-12, was change the pups to Bare Knuckles. But I haven't tried the DGTs, and the 245s are cool, but not as good for me as Bare Knuckles were. And I know my BaM buddy Boston Guitar knows his stuff, so maybe I just really got use to the BK vibe. I hated the MEs RP pups. Thought the Artist were good in my HB.

Only other mod on them was fixing the nut when I went 11s, straplocks, and a tremel-no. But at one point I wanted to take the birds off my fretboard, couldn't find anyone to do it - that would have really hurt resale. :jo

[c_mac]

Dude... YOU are the one who opened with unfriendly dialogue... Got 2 questions for you...

Have you heard a SC245 yet? Thought not...
Have you heard a DGT yet? Thought not...

If you had told me 14 years ago that PRS pickups sucked, I might have agreed with you, but since the McCarty, SC245, and DGT came out, I seriously beg to differ...

And Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan pickups are certainly not junk, but I put grissom and SC245 pickups up against most any of their respective lines any day. That being said, I am an Alnico II pro fan from way back. It is just that your very generalizing statement that PRS should cut a deal with one of the two companies was ignorant on many levels. If PRS had a pickup problem he would sooner team up with a booteek maker with the passion, heart, and soul of innovation he designs with... And that being said, I believe he is on good terms with Seymour Duncan the man. But you see, this is 2008, and PRS has just released it's best 2 pickups within the last year. So even if you missed the news, I am sorry to say PRS needs no deal with a pickup specialist. Matter of fact, he still isn't satisfied with those two masterpieces, so he is raising the bar higher and has a VINTAGE pickups winding machine from the 50s from one of those big old bloated guitar companies and to go with it a large supply of VINTAGE NOS pickup wire from the 50s that you can't even make anymore. So do PRS pickups really suck, C_mac??? Are you sure??? Or did they just used to suck? Hell, maybe you made some comment 3 years ago and Paul read it and took it to heart and got more passion to create these recent beauties. Wouldn't that be a bite for your ass...

Again, all I said was that your comment was ignorant... You IGNORED the last 2 years of PRS pickups... Nuff Said?

In the name of all that is holy! Are you the kind of guy that plays slow pitch softball and acts like its the MLB World Series? I can't even begin to imagine getting so worked up over something so stupid. So I don't like PRS pickups, why on this earth do you care? And even if you do care what about me not liking PRS pickups is worth getting so bent out of shape over? I will say this at least, I enjoy a good laugh and sometimes TGP can be a little stuffy, so thanks for bringing in a little comedy. By chance your name isn't Ricco is it?

[Platypus]

Not a huge customization..

I put amber knobs on my Blue Matteo CU22 instead of the black and I swapped the bridge pickup. I think it looks/sounds better now :)

http://platypus.memoryfire.com/rig/guitars/prs/prs.jpg

[BostonGuitar]

In the name of all that is holy! Are you the kind of guy that plays slow pitch softball and acts like its the MLB World Series? I can't even begin to imagine getting so worked up over something so stupid. So I don't like PRS pickups, why on this earth do you care? And even if you do care what about me not liking PRS pickups is worth getting so bent out of shape over? I will say this at least, I enjoy a good laugh and sometimes TGP can be a little stuffy, so thanks for bringing in a little comedy. By chance your name isn't Ricco is it?

Heh... Nice that the story changes from "prs pickups suck" to "I don't like prs pickups"...
Nice also that instead of addressing one single fact I raised to you, you instead try to attempt to undermine my facts by trying to make my passion look like. Thug style hatorade, when in fact it was you that began the hateorade festival with you initial ignorant post. Keep doging the facts and keep distracting attention and you might have a future in politics, bro.

[c_mac]

heh... Nice that the story changes from "prs pickups suck" to "i don't like prs pickups"...
Nice also that instead of addressing one single fact i raised to you, you instead try to attempt to undermine my facts by trying to make my passion look like. Thug style hatorade, when in fact it was you that began the hateorade festival with you initial ignorant post. Keep doging the facts and keep distracting attention and you might have a future in politics, bro.

I'm speechless! It's mainly due to the fact that I'm laughing so hard.

[Kelly]

Dude... YOU are the one who opened with unfriendly dialogue... Got 2 questions for you...

Have you heard a SC245 yet? Thought not...
Have you heard a DGT yet? Thought not...

If you had told me 14 years ago that PRS pickups sucked, I might have agreed with you, but since the McCarty, SC245, and DGT came out, I seriously beg to differ...

And Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan pickups are certainly not junk, but I put grissom and SC245 pickups up against most any of their respective lines any day. That being said, I am an Alnico II pro fan from way back. It is just that your very generalizing statement that PRS should cut a deal with one of the two companies was ignorant on many levels. If PRS had a pickup problem he would sooner team up with a booteek maker with the passion, heart, and soul of innovation he designs with... And that being said, I believe he is on good terms with Seymour Duncan the man. But you see, this is 2008, and PRS has just released it's best 2 pickups within the last year. So even if you missed the news, I am sorry to say PRS needs no deal with a pickup specialist. Matter of fact, he still isn't satisfied with those two masterpieces, so he is raising the bar higher and has a VINTAGE pickups winding machine from the 50s from one of those big old bloated guitar companies and to go with it a large supply of VINTAGE NOS pickup wire from the 50s that you can't even make anymore. So do PRS pickups really suck, C_mac??? Are you sure??? Or did they just used to suck? Hell, maybe you made some comment 3 years ago and Paul read it and took it to heart and got more passion to create these recent beauties. Wouldn't that be a bite for your ass...

Again, all I said was that your comment was ignorant... You IGNORED the last 2 years of PRS pickups... Nuff Said?Blah blah blah, blah blah blah. Cant wait until I can afford to switch out the Dragon IIs in my C22. The neck sounds like mud with any kind of distortion, and the Duncan '59 in my POS Ibanez sounds better than the bridge PuP in the PRS.

[BostonGuitar]

I'm speechless! It's mainly due to the fact that I'm laughing so hard.

Still can't manage to address any of my valid factual points, huh? Tough to deal with the truth, bro? Much easier to just avoid it with lame humor, no? Try READING my posts for the actual content and address that instead of how you feel about being called out for an ignorant stereotypical comment. It is yahoos like you who drop a lame comment like calling PRS pickups "shitty" that get all the people who never tried for themselves believing there would be no point to try. Yoru opinion is ABSOLUTELY welcome, but try to express it properly. Repeat after me: "I personally do not like PRS pickups at all". Can you say that? That might keep the witchhunting down and allow people to take your opinion for what it is, instead of scaring off the masses from trying. You might also note, I never called you a "shitty" guy for expressing your opinion. I just called you out for how you expressed it.

[Badfinger]

Geez, arguing over the tone of pickups is like arguing over the color red.:crazy
Tone is subjective, so any absolute statements are baiting an argument.

Me, I like some PRS pups, dislike others. WCR is my pup of choice for most of my guitars (BTW, I also dislike Gibson Burstbuckers and many Fender single coil pups, but that is my opinion, certainly not worth arguing about)

[Nickguitar]

I would like that Prs put option on all custom models - an ebony fingerboards,neck bindings, and if you bring/sent them a picture that they can put picture on guitare. Now, that would be cool!!!:)

[trap]

what is wrong with the hfs pups in my 89 prs. what qualities of those pups are considered undesirable? and which pups would anyone recommend for a replacement? and how would they change the tone? just curious.:)

[1973Marshall]

I took my 1991 PRS CU24 and...

Put in a 3 way switch, a push pull series parallel on the vol for the neck, and a coil splitter for BOTH on the tone.

I went thru several pups

Dimarzio Virtual PAF - perfect neck pup! Could never find a matching bridge but this was before the VHPAF which I never tried

Dimarzio Tone Zone - too hot
Air Zone - very nice
Air Norton in either position was too dark and fat and smooth

then went to Duncans

59 - too stiff
Pearly Gates, had a bit of sizzle but GREAT sound
A2Pro - very nice and its in there
Custom 5 - lacked the mid push to whip a band
CC - too muddy
Pearly Gates - pretty wicked though it sizzles - its still in there

[c_mac]

Still can't manage to address any of my valid factual points, huh? Tough to deal with the truth, bro? Much easier to just avoid it with lame humor, no? Try READING my posts for the actual content and address that instead of how you feel about being called out for an ignorant stereotypical comment. It is yahoos like you who drop a lame comment like calling PRS pickups "shitty" that get all the people who never tried for themselves believing there would be no point to try. Yoru opinion is ABSOLUTELY welcome, but try to express it properly. Repeat after me: "I personally do not like PRS pickups at all". Can you say that? That might keep the witchhunting down and allow people to take your opinion for what it is, instead of scaring off the masses from trying. You might also note, I never called you a "shitty" guy for expressing your opinion. I just called you out for how you expressed it.

I truly repent. Calling PRS pickups "shitty" is a sin that has no equal. Tonight a shrine will be built around a photo of Mr. Smith. In my confession I shall give great thanks for a messenger like you for pointing out the error of my ways and guiding me back towards a path of righteousness. I only pray that the unforgivable sin spoken of by Jesus in the Book of Matthew is not speaking ill of PRS pickups (specifically SC245 and DGT) considering that the Holy Spirit apparently took residence within them about 2 years ago (I believe that's when your said they got so much better); I meant no blasphemy. Now forgive me while I go mourn in sackcloth and ashes.

P.S. - I feel soooooooo called out. You have no idea. I was so called out that my wife woke up from an afternoon nap wondering what the calling was all about. I could barely hear the Packers game this afternoon due to the intense calling out. Come to think of it, I really can't remember a time when I was this called out. Having spent the day sooooo called out, I may have to take tomorrow off due to the calling out I received today. My father-in-law is a doctor and when I asked him about being called out as bad as I was he went to the extent of taking x-rays. As it turns out, I was severely called out in my right elbow, right foot, and pelvic region. It has been very painful being so called out, so please, stop the calling out. I can still hear you calling me out and ask that it be stopped immediately. My dog's ears have been perked all day with all of the calling out that has taken place. I hope to not experience such a calling out in the future. I will write my local congressman and ask them to not treat the prisoners as Gitmo with this kind of torture of being called out in such a severe manner. Is calling people out like this a regular habit for you? I sure hope not, I refuse to believe that such a person would exist that would go around calling people out like this.

[Platypus]

I'm two seconds from deleting this thread. Take your little scuffle out of this thread.

[Millo 3.1]

sperzel tuners..it makes life easierAny special re-routes?

[Millo 3.1]

My PRS SCT is all original with the exception of Dunlop strap locks.

needed to open up of the strap screwholes?

[BostonGuitar]

I'm two seconds from deleting this thread. Take your little scuffle out of this thread.

My apologies, mod...

Please understand that the generalizations lead to the hate mongering and I guess it seemed like time to nip another round of "lynch mob" mentality in the bud.

[arthur rotfeld]

I have an '86. Was a magenta pearl.... I hated the color and stripped it in the early 90s.
I also replaced the pups with Duncan Pearly Gates.

[Troubleman]

I have an early '86 PRS.
The pickups do not suck - they are pre-HFS and Bass pups.
I replaced the volume pot with a concentric volume/tone control. I felt the only thing the guitar really lacked was a master tone control. The concentric pot fit the original hole perfectly - no routing and easily un-doable.
I replaced the original plain black truss rod over with a PRS Eagle truss rod cover. I replaced the stock tuner buttons with ebony tuner buttons from an artist series. Paul Reed Smith autographed a control cavity plate for me, so that's not stock either.

Anything done is reversible

I don't care if it offends anyone - the addition of the tone control made it a much more gig-friendly instrument.

Peace,

jb

[Snap]

Blah blah blah, blah blah blah. Cant wait until I can afford to switch out the Dragon IIs in my C22. The neck sounds like mud with any kind of distortion, and the Duncan '59 in my POS Ibanez sounds better than the bridge PuP in the PRS.

I agree. I upgraded from an Epiphone LP (w/ bustbucker pros) to a PRS Custom 22 this year and I was severely disappointing with the Dragon II's. I thought the bridge and neck pickups both sound muddy.

[jcoggins7]

I bought my SCT used. It already had the #6s swapped out for RPs, and the chrome hardware swapped for gold. Initially I wasn't that pleased with the RPs...now they've grown on me and if I swap either of them out it will be the bridge pickup. I'd kind of like something a little hotter and fatter sounding, but I also want a great split tone. I've been really really pleased with the split tones I've been getting with it lately...great for country, especially considering I don't have a Tele.

[shallbe]

After buying/selling three other PRS over many years looking for "the One," I found it in a CU22 Artist from 2003.

The things I did was get rid of the five way and put in McCarty wiring. Then I clipped the bright cap off the volume pot 'cause I hated the way it sounded. Lastly, I finally got rid of the horrible Dragon II's that were in the guitar. I put in a set of Lollar Imperials and the guitar is pretty magical now. As much as I like the new DGT and its pickups, iI still prefer this guitar for its sound, feel and looks (the smooth black rosewood is amazing).
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m87/shallbe/Newgitpics036.jpg

Here is my take on PRS guitars, Paul Reed Smith and his pickups. The company builds a very fine guitar. Somehow, their very early instruments had great pickups in them. However, they soon became overwound, overwaxed junk, IMO. And stayed that way for a LONG time. If they got a bad rap for it, it was well deserved, again, IMO and experience.

Then, PRS wants to do a Grissom guitar and David actually teaches Paul what a good pickups sounds like---hence the DGT---which is EXTREMELY PAF-like. Around the same time, PRS works up a closer to Les Paul-style guitar (SC 245) and develops new pickups for that that are more vintage than modern for that instrument.

So, In my opinion, prior to Grissom's involvement and the company's desire to do a vintage LP style guitar, I really think PRS had no idea or had forgotten what a good pickups sound like, unless good was defined as something that did not squeal under heavy gain.

[Taller]

what is wrong with the hfs pups in my 89 prs. what qualities of those pups are considered undesirable? and which pups would anyone recommend for a replacement? and how would they change the tone? just curious.:)

I've got PRS Standard Treble and Bass pickups (stickered) in my '89 Cu24. I don't think the HFS was around then.
What don't you like about them (too hot? too weak?) What style are you trying to cop?

[BostonGuitar]

After buying/selling three other PRS over many years looking for "the One," I found it in a CU22 Artist from 2003.

The things I did was get rid of the five way and put in McCarty wiring. Then I clipped the bright cap off the volume pot 'cause I hated the way it sounded. Lastly, I finally got rid of the horrible Dragon II's that were in the guitar. I put in a set of Lollar Imperials and the guitar is pretty magical now. As much as I like the new DGT and its pickups, iI still prefer this guitar for its sound, feel and looks (the smooth black rosewood is amazing).
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m87/shallbe/Newgitpics036.jpg

Here is my take on PRS guitars, Paul Reed Smith and his pickups. The company builds a very fine guitar. Somehow, their very early instruments had great pickups in them. However, they soon became overwound, overwaxed junk, IMO. And stayed that way for a LONG time. If they got a bad rap for it, it was well deserved, again, IMO and experience.

Then, PRS wants to do a Grissom guitar and David actually teaches Paul what a good pickups sounds like---hence the DGT---which is EXTREMELY PAF-like. Around the same time, PRS works up a closer to Les Paul-style guitar (SC 245) and develops new pickups for that that are more vintage than modern for that instrument.

So, In my opinion, prior to Grissom's involvement and the company's desire to do a vintage LP style guitar, I really think PRS had no idea or had forgotten what a good pickups sound like, unless good was defined as something that did not squeal under heavy gain.

My compliments for an extremely well put expression of your opinions. You covered all the angles and I applaud your post.

Well Done!

[Bankston]

I didn't like the pickups in my Custom 22 so I swapped them out with a set of Duncans.

I do like the #7's in my Singlecut, however.

[Help!I'maRock!]

i have Dimarzio Virtual PAFs in my Custom 24 Goldtop. there are two push/pull pots to change each pup into parallel operation, and a 3 way switch.

the original pickups were very middy and compressed. not musical at all.

[prsflame]

I have 87 and 91 Customs that have been refretted with Dunlop Jumbos. The strap locks have been changed, along with the pickups in the 91.

[prsnstrat]

I have a 94 McCarty which came with Dragon IIs and the original pups in a box. I put cream pup frames and a push-pull (pre-95 were still hand made without coil split) I love the Dragon II in the bridge, but I absolutely loathe the in-between and neck positions. Muddy, unclear, compressed and unusable. Anyone recommend the best neck pup for the McCarty?

[frankencat]

I have a '96 Goldie CU22. I ripped out the pickups and electronics and installed Duncans (59/JB) and rewired it for McCarty switching with a push-pull coil tap on the tone control. It was good before but it's much mo better now ;)

[trap]

I've got PRS Standard Treble and Bass pickups (stickered) in my '89 Cu24. I don't think the HFS was around then.
What don't you like about them (too hot? too weak?) What style are you trying to cop?

really, the hfs wasn't around in 89?? i'll have to look. actually, i do like them, but with all this talk about how prs pups suck i thought that maybe i was missing something, and there was something else i should check out. this is why i have to stay off tgp!!!

[Shark Diver]

Well, I don't like them, but that doesn't mean they suck. Maybe PRS himself likes a certain tone I don't . Maybe the gear I use doesn't compliment them. But I always disliked them. Part of that was that I was spending $4-5k on a guitar and the first thing I had to do was replace the pups.

But if they work for you that's great. I wouldn't change them if you are happy with them. It is a reversible mod if you are wondering, but if you're happy just turn that bad boy up! :BEER