PRS 57/08 pickups

[Aslan]

I bought a PRS Prism recently and I've been impressed with the new 57/08 pickups that came stock on it. I owned a couple of PRS guitars in the mid-90's but could never bond with the HFS or Dragon pickups so I eventually sold them. The 57/08's seem to have more personality to them and have just the right amount of output for blues and rock, their not muddy at all, even the split coil sounds are pretty good. I've tried the guitar with the following amps and had excellent results:
Orange Retro 50, Orange Rockerverb 50, Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue and Gibson GA15RV.

This has really renewed my interest in PRS guitars, their workmanship has always been outstanding and I love the way they carve their necks. Anyway, I was just interested if anyone else has had a chance to try these pickups.

 

[jaykay]

I recently tried out a new Singlecut 245 with the 57/08's. I was pretty impressed. Best pickup PRS offers IMHO. PRS doesn't yet sell them ala carte, but I've heard they will eventually do so. I have an 07 Custom 22 and like Aslan don't care much for the Dragon II sound. Was going to sell or trade it on the SC, but may wait and put in a set of the 57/08's because I otherwise like the guitar (except maybe for the 5-way rotart selector) and am a fan of PRS build quality.

 

[cffluntouch]

I wonder how they compare to the DGT pickups? I really like those, although I find them a touch too hot. Anyone played both the 57/08 and DGT's yet?

 

[MartinC]

Haven't tried them, but it seems like PRS are producing a few great pickups lately with the 57/08s, DGTs and the Mira/245s. I'm still in awe of the Mira pickups ... I had failed to find a twin humbucker solidbody that produced tone and articulation that I liked prior to the Mira ... and the split coil tones are the best I've heard from any humbucker ... I prefer the bridge split coil tone to the split bridge humbucker in my Suhr Classic (a Suhr DSV ... in HSS config).

I'd love to try a DGT or 57/08 equipped 245 ... and the KL1812 with the Mira pickups looks fabulous ... aesthetics and specs.

 

[gpecoulas]

I wonder how they compare to the DGT pickups? I really like those, although I find them a touch too hot. Anyone played both the 57/08 and DGT's yet?

I have a DGT Gold Top and a SC 245 57/08. The DGT pups are little hotter with more mids, somewhat darker and not as much sparkle and clarity in the highs as the 57/08. The 57/08s are more PAF-like, which I assume is the vibe PRS was going for when they used the vintage-type wire for the windings in the 57/08s. I have an R9 with original PAFs that I swapped for the Burstbuckers, and the 57/08s are similar but do not as much bite as the PAFs. The 57/08s are very smooth sounding.

 

[Jazzgear]

Well, I'll be the dissenting voice....I just bought a Modern Eagle II with the 57/08 pups and I absolutely hate them....(mind you I am not a hard rock, or metal player).

Here are my complaints:

1. The neck pickup only sounds good with the volume control wide open (or at least 80% there). Once you drop below that threshold, the pups take on a completely thin voice character. On both the Blue and Red Channels on my XTC, its as if I suddenly added two additional clean channels. So if I want to pull back into the mix after a lead or rhythm solo, my guitar goes completely clean -- I'd like for it to remain dirty to slightly dirty....I could go on...by suffice to say I don't like them. I much much more prefer the sound of the pups on my Modern Eagle I (the RPs) -- no that guitar's tone is pure bliss.

2. The bridge bucker is pure Ice Pick...edgy and grindy sounding..add more drive and it gets painful....there's no saturation/sustain.

Now, it very well could be the wood combo on the ME II clouding my judgement...but I have the same opinion of them with the Smokeburst McCarty I returned for the ME II.

IMHO, these pups are likely meant for a very high gain or dark amp.

BTW I have the XTC Classic, they may actually sound better through the 101B,

I just got the ME II yesterday..so I am going to decide whether it goes back after my gigs this weekend...for sure I will have an additional axe with me (no way I'm going to be unhappy with my tone all weekend)

Now the DGT Pups -- those are amazing, best split tones I've ever heard in a bucker. Those should be the pups in the ME II. If it weren't for the small neck on the DGT, I return the ME II for it.

 

[Snail]

Interesting! First negative comments I've heard about these pups. I do like the DGT pups a lot, though. Hmmm....!

 

[skhan007]

JazzGear- If you don't like those pickups, I'd be more than happy to buy them from you and you can put whatever you like in your ME II. I personally love the 57/08's.

 

[Bluedawg]

Aren't the 57/08 pups made with some NOS wire from the 50s?

 

[Figher53]

Sorry to derail the thread a little. I have a DGT and at first I thought the pickups were a little too hot as well. But the more I play it the more I like them. Fantastic guitar, fantastic pickups...

 

[Jazzgear]

Sorry to derail the thread a little. I have a DGT and at first I thought the pickups were a little too hot as well. But the more I play it the more I like them. Fantastic guitar, fantastic pickups...

I'm saying the DGT Pups are the real deal....not so keen on the 57/08s.

 

[Jazzgear]

JazzGear- If you don't like those pickups, I'd be more than happy to buy them from you and you can put whatever you like in your ME II. I personally love the 57/08's.

Problem is that I decide to keep the guitar...and down the line I want to sell it...it most certainly need to have the stock pups or its value will plummet. Otherwise I would take you up on it.

I have 30 days to evaluate it. I may grow use to them. As of right now they seem to sound at their best with a high gain amp (for drive tones)..in fact they are perfect for the Diezel Einstein I just sold.

I already own the original ME with a stoptail. I am seriously considering two options:

1. Return the ME II and get a used ME with a Trem
2. Replace the 57/08s with a set of RPs (but then I just have a ME..w/o the Braz)...it just may be option 1.

 

[Jazzgear]

Aren't the 57/08 pups made with some NOS wire from the 50s?

Nope, on a NOS machine that made the wire from the 50s

 

[Bluedawg]

Nope, on a NOS machine that made the wire from the 50s

That makes more sense ... then the supply may not be so limited ..

at some point they may sell them on the aftermarket ...

 

[uberpict]

Haven't tried them, but it seems like PRS are producing a few great pickups lately with the 57/08s, DGTs and the Mira/245s. I'm still in awe of the Mira pickups ... I had failed to find a twin humbucker solidbody that produced tone and articulation that I liked prior to the Mira ... and the split coil tones are the best I've heard from any humbucker ... I prefer the bridge split coil tone to the split bridge humbucker in my Suhr Classic (a Suhr DSV ... in HSS config).

I'd love to try a DGT or 57/08 equipped 245 ... and the KL1812 with the Mira pickups looks fabulous ... aesthetics and specs.

The Mira split coil is the only PRS pups that produce a true single-coil tone (P-90 versions aside) and not different combinations of neck and bridge, AFAIK. I've noticed many people posting good things about the Mira single coil tone and I'm convinced this is why. I like the combination tones on my CE-22 with Dragon I's but love the Mira single coil tones; The Who Live at Leeds, Cream, Mountain and many other mahogany/single coil type tones just rock. Roll back the volume and crank the tone and they'll also hit Tele type tones albeit with less bite of a Tele. My Mira is maple capped so the Tele tone is probably closer than the Standard Mira.

One of the reasons I bought a Mira was to complement my PRS Studio which has two single coil pups. They're hotter than the Mira split coils but both pretty similar. The combination single coil on the Studio and the middle position Mira combination are nearly identical with a little EQ. After nearly seventeen years of tone quest I think I have finally learned just exactly what I like, mahogany set neck and maple capped/mahogany body with single coils. Maybe one day an R4 Oxblood will somehow find it's way into the fold.

 

[Michael T]

I dont hate them but the 57/08 equipped guitars I have tried have left me thinking "so what?" They were hard sounding to my hears.

 

[cvriz]

i just bought the sunburst245.i have 2 other sc245s.i got this guitar for the finish-nitrocellolose.you sometimes need hype to sell a product.these 57/08 pickups are very thin.THIS IS NOT WHAT A PAF sounds like.the 245s are warmer and represent a more classic sound.my dealer gladly gave me a set of 245s knowing he could take my pickups ,put them in another prs and easily make another sale.not worried about resale value---sadly if its not a gibson your gonna take a hit on the resale just check out prs on ebay.

 

[Jazzgear]

i just bought the sunburst245.i have 2 other sc245s.i got this guitar for the finish-nitrocellolose.you sometimes need hype to sell a product.these 57/08 pickups are very thin.THIS IS NOT WHAT A PAF sounds like.the 245s are warmer and represent a more classic sound.my dealer gladly gave me a set of 245s knowing he could take my pickups ,put them in another prs and easily make another sale.not worried about resale value---sadly if its not a gibson your gonna take a hit on the resale just check out prs on ebay.

Bingo!...that was my take on the three 57/08 loaded PRSi I purchased and quickly returned. Those pickups are no PAFs, they are ice picky thin sounding...like I said in my other post..only when they're wide open do they produce IMO a passable tone--but hardly magical as to warrant the hype.

 

[joesnewmatch]

Wow. I tried a McCarty 57/08 and it sounded simply amazing through a twin, both hot and clean. Super articulate, detailed and full sounding.

 

[Jazzgear]

Wow. I tried a McCarty 57/08 and it sounded simply amazing through a twin, both hot and clean. Super articulate, detailed and full sounding.

The Twin is a super clean only amp...how exactly was it hot...? I assume you tried this in a store..so did they let you borrow an O/D pedal to run through it?