PRS Hollowbody Pups

[8len8]

I've had a Hollowbody II for a few years now and the stock pickups just seem to have no life in them (they sound flat).

Has anyone tried other pickups in that model guitar?

[sulrichs]

I have Fralin Unbuckers in mine. I like them, very clear, organic, but seemed to have taken away from some of the bluesy-ness (word?) of the originals. I've toyed with the idea of putting the stock archtops back in. Curious too what others have found to work well here.

[iahawk36]

I know several guys who put the PRS 57/08's in their HB's and said it really brought the guitar to life. I know PRS put the 57/08's in all of the 25th Anniversary models.

[wilerty]

I had a HB Spuce piezo and put SC245s in it and they sounded great. Today I would put 5708s in it.

[Jim Fisher]

WCR Goodwoods in my sprucie.....sounds awesome.

Jim

[bluesdoc]

^ me too! :)

jon

[gixxerrock]

I have a HB II since 2005. It just keeps sounding better with age.

[romeintmed]

I've had a Hollowbody II for a few years now and the stock pickups just seem to have no life in them (they sound flat).

Has anyone tried other pickups in that model guitar?
I have an older PRS hollowbody that is my fave guitar and it has taken me 10+ years to recognize that the stock pickups are bit lifeless... Especially the neck pup sounds a bit muddy; I can tolerate the bridge pup. I have thought seriously about changing the pickups but I'm afraid that I will not like new pickups. I don't want to waste money. I want low to moderate output pickups to let the amp/pedals do the work and I want the character of the guitar to be evident.

I'm going for a Robben Ford meets EJ tone -- for a reference point.

From what is said above, it sounds like the 57/08 are a safe bet... but has anybody heard Sheptone tributes or Seth Lovers in the PRS Hollowbody? Better yet, has anybody done a shootout of the above pickups in a PRS HB?

Billy

[Crowder]

I put Seth Lovers in mine and I liked the tone a lot, but could have used more sustain. I think the trick is to choose a pickup a little hotter than you would for a solid body. You don't want to create a feedback machine, but you need a little push to get that hot ES 335 tone.

[Eric Pykala]

I've tried Goodwoods (too thick), Dimarzio Eric Johnsons (instant Gretsch), Fralin P92s (fantastic!) and when I put the 5708s in it was all over. Great sound and totally versatile (my guitar was drilled for a split switch; heresy I know but it really works as there's no room for a push-pull in a piezo guitar).

[8len8]

I know several guys who put the PRS 57/08's in their HB's and said it really brought the guitar to life. I know PRS put the 57/08's in all of the 25th Anniversary models.

Do you know where they got those pickups? It looks like PRS doesn't sell them.