PRS PUPS

[Oakvillain]

I bought a PRS SC 245. It's just amazing. The PUPS are sweet. Is there a general consensus what the best PRS PUPS are?

 

[Aslan]

I have several PRS guitars and of all his pickups I like the 57/08 's the best, very sweet PAF tone, very versatile so you can play most any style of music.

 

[THebert]

The older pickups are better for harder stuff and the newer ones are more PAF like (better for cleans). I have a set of grissoms in my cu24 and I find them to be very, very good. No consensus, though, as PRS makes many different pickups and some like one, some like another...

 

[tdarian]

I have a PRS SC245 with the stock SC245 pickups, and I think those pickups are just about ideal for that guitar. Some SC245s have come in special editions with the 5708s (lower output/more clarity/little less "oomph"), and some have put 5708s in their SC245s, but many who have tried various pickups end up coming back to the stock SC245 pickups.

These pickups, like most, respond very well to pickup hieght adjustments. If you want more clarity, lower the neck pickup, for example. A little can go a long way.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

i replaced the Vintage Bass and HFS in my Custom 24. too high output. it now has a set of Dimarzio Virtual PAFs. best guitar ever.

 

[Bluedawg]

I'd like to put some 57/08s in my McCarty.

 

[captain_bob]

I'd like to put some 57/08s in my McCarty.

Best upgrade that I ever made to my McCarty was a set of 57/08s.

 

[MichaelSaulnier]

I like the "smooth" sound of the McCarty pups, but they're much different from the 245's and way different from most other PRS pups.

The 245's are more like a traditional LP sound with a greater difference between the neck and bridge pups... where the McCarty's bridge isn't as bright, and the neck is a bit more mid-focused and not quite as bassy.

The people with 57 / 08's almost always report that they're very happy, but I wouldn't swap out the McCarty's out of my McCarty nor the 245's out of my 245... because they both sound very good in their own way.

M

 

[DZfishtech]

I have an SC-245 stock 245 pup's as well though I grew up playing a LP custom with the original PAF's in it, it was either a 60 or a '68, nobody could figure it back then based on the s/n. Point though is that to me, my PRS bridge pickup is a heck of a lot brighter than the LP ever was, even after I had slapped a dimarzio Dual sound with the coil splitter in it. Had an old Fender concert 4/10 combo amp back then with the LP, so I'm pretty sure it isn't an issue with the difference in amps I'm using. Funny thing is, my PRS is more "vintage" sounding than my Old LP ever was as well.

 

[Deaj]

I have a 2008 SC245 with the 245 pickups and they're fantastic! The stock electronics don't have treble bleed caps installed though, something I personally feel is required to fully appreciate just how versatile the 245's are. I installed 180pF caps - perfect IMO.

 

[Outlier]

+1 on the 57/08's

 

[sleepingtiger]

I've always felt that the pickups were Prs' weak points...until I got my Korina Mira. Those pickups, in that guitar are a thing to behold!

Tony

 

[Deaj]

I've always felt that the pickups were Prs' weak points...until I got my Korina Mira. Those pickups, in that guitar are a thing to behold!

Tony

This was my impression from early on as well. Most of the PRS guitars I'd pick up and play had a great vibe to them played acoustically but the electronics never seemed to get this quality happening through the amp. Their more recent PAF inspired pickups, however, sound great IMO!

 

[FractalGarden]

"Best" is hard to define.

I am really smitten with the 250 and the Tremonti pickups. In fact, I have Tremonti pickups in 2 of my Gibsons.

 

[strangec]

Anyone compared and contrasted the 5808s to the 5909s? Generally, the word is the 59/09s are supposed to be just slightly hotter. Curious what people who have tried both have found.

 

[Atomic Punk]

Everyone seems to hate the Dragon II's, but I think they sound awesome. Oh, well. Use what ya like.

 

[rburkard]

I like the 57/08, the 59/09, the pickups from the 503 and 513 models and the David Grissom pickups the best.
Rene

 

[GlueMan]

Best upgrade that I ever made to my McCarty was a set of 57/08s.

Totally agree! My McCarty came alive after having a set put in.

 

[ItsaRat!]

Everyone seems to hate the Dragon II's, but I think they sound awesome. Oh, well. Use what ya like.

Really? Holy cow these are my favorite humbucker in the world!!! They don't sound right for everything, but in my Custom 22 they're just magic. I have an RP in the bridge of one of my Hamers, but it's just too dark for that guitar. I'd like to hear it in a solid body some time. I heard it's Paul's favorite pickup.

 

[ukslinger]

Which pups would a 1990 ce24 have?