Anybody swap out a 85/15?

[alex1fly]

Anybody replace their 85/15 pickups? I love the neck position both tapped and not but I find myself wishing the bridge position had a different sonic character, maybe a little more PAF-ish or a little more vocal-ish like the JB or a Norton. It's quite neutral and balanced which is fine but just isn't that pleasing to my ears. So I was also thinking about a magnet swap just to nudge the tone a little bit. I've adjusted the pickup and polepiece height to its extreme range, but surprisingly didn't find much sound difference compared to how many other pickups change sounds drastically with those adjustments. The guitar is a PRS SE Custom 24 Floyd, I've had it for about a year, and am playing mostly blues/pop/rock/jazz on it through a variety of modelers.

If it's A5, an A2 would give it a little mid-bump, yes?

 

[jeremy]

a5 to a2 typically gives a tone with a sweeter high end, softer bottom, and fuller mid range with a little less overall output. i have no idea what is in the bridge of the 85/15 but is guess it was a5.

 

[EmiAba]

I am in the same situation. Those 85/15 "S" ( right? We are talking about the "S" version) are good pickups but the bridge one is a little dull to my ears. While I really dig the neck one. I am thinking to a custom custom I have as a spare to replace the treble pickup

 

[alex1fly]

I am in the same situation. Those 85/15 "S" ( right? We are talking about the "S" version) are good pickups but the bridge one is a little dull to my ears. While I really dig the neck one. I am thinking to a custom custom I have as a spare to replace the treble pickup

Yeah, the internet tells me that "S" pickups are the versions that come in the Korean and Indonesian made PRS SEs.

This is kind of my impression too. It's a good sound, don't get me wrong. But something is off about it. In split mode, the neck and bridge positions are pretty comparable as far as EQ, balance, grittiness, kind of what you'd expect from a 2-single-coil guitar, sort of Tele-ish. But in full humbucker mode, the bridge position somehow has less high end than the neck position, which messes with my expectations. It's full and fat which makes for great clean jazz runs and pleasing screaming distorted leads, which I guess aren't bad things! I have some live music plans for this guitar this summer, and probably won't make any switches until it's been vetted in those situations.

 

[jeremy]

if it has a5 and the high end is dull, i dont know of a mag swap that will help

 

[alex1fly]

Yeah you're probably right huh. I was thinking A2 because the neck pickup is A2 and so are the pickups in my SG, all of which I dig quite a lot. Maybe an A4 would remove some of the mids from the bridge pickup? I just find myself not knowing what to do with such a fat bridge tone... I don't reach for it because my mind thinks "fat and round, go to the neck... bright and thin, go to the bridge". But on this guitar, fat and round means go to the bridge... fat, round, and bright means go to the neck. Maybe that's my problem more than the pickup's.

 

[jeremy]

a4 usually has more mids than a typical a5 but less bottom and output, maybe it could help but hard to say

 

[EmiAba]

Don't know if the specs changed through the time. For sure in the second half of 2019 prs changed vendor: from G&B (I have a 2019 custom 24 se with roasted maple neck, a limited edition for European markets only loaded with those pick ups) to the same factory that makes many of the newer Ibanez pickups, pickups for Sterling by MusicMan, G&L Tribute series, etc. So if you have this version may be they are a little bit different but I have the same overall impression you described. I love my PRS. I have always been a les paul guy, my main guitar is a Lester but this prs has a special place among the other guitars I own. It's resonant, lightweight, a bit bright and has a dream of a neck (pattern thin) that fits perfectly with my hands.

 

[jeremy]

the 85/15 that are put in the usa prs are made in maryland as far as i know

 

[Masta' C]

If I was going to replace the 85/15 set in my SE CU24, my choices would be the JB/Sentient, DiMarzio Transition set, or the new Steve Vai Utopia neck and bridge (you can order any color direct from DiMarzio)

That said, the 85/15 "S" models fit the guitar well and I like how they split a LOT. In fact, I like them well enough that I picked up a USA-made 85/15 set to try.

 

[jeremy]

so what are your thoughts on the usa 85/15 pups? do you find the bridge dark?

 

[alex1fly]

If I was going to replace the 85/15 set in my SE CU24, my choices would be the JB/Sentient, DiMarzio Transition set, or the new Steve Vai Utopia neck and bridge (you can order any color direct from DiMarzio)

That said, the 85/15 "S" models fit the guitar well and I like how they split a LOT. In fact, I like them well enough that I picked up a USA-made 85/15 set to try.

They do split really well. Both positions get great sounds. I'm not so much like "I have to change this bridge pickup", because I'll probably eventually get used to it. But some more character would be cool to have built in to that position.

 

[Synapsys]

My 30th Anniversary SE Custom 24 Flametop came stock with HFS treble and Vintage bass pickups, which were nothing special.

Installed a Custom / PGn set, with push-pulls to get series / parallel wiring on both pickups. Now it sings like it was meant to.

 

[skelt101]

My CE24 came with the USA 85/15 pickups. I think the neck is gorgeous! However, the bridge seemed like it was lacking something in the midrange and thin sounding in this particular guitar. I was reluctant to do any mods on it because: 1. PRS doesn't specify what kind a magnet is used, only stating "Alnico"; and 2. They aren't available to purchase separately unless removed from a guitar, and usually with a large price tag. So, in went a 59/09 that I got a deal on. To my ears, this pickup sounded like the PRS graph for the \m/ (Metal) pickup, i.e. a midrange push. Unfortunately, treble was undefined, and the bass mushy. After a swap to shorter pole pieces and a short A5 magnet, I got what I was looking for: The clarity/definition of the 85/15, but with some added midrange!

 

[jeremy]

seems like alex is getting different results from his 85/15 bridge where its missing some top end and has plenty of beef

 

[skelt101]

Weird, right? Could it be a USA vs Import thing? Or perhaps bolt-on vs set-neck? I don't know...

 

[eclecticsynergy]

There can be a pretty big difference in PRS pickups between the imports and the US models they're meant to resemble.
My only experience with this has been a Starla set but it seems clear that there are significant differences across the whole line.

This is likely to be especially pronounced in the 00/00 series pickups - they (edit: the USA ones) all use special unobtainium wire from one particular vintage extruder.

 

[Hank-]

I've not heard the Floyd prs models yet in person. What Duncan's would you guys go for in 25" scale & Floyd bridge, in a mahogany body/maple top (not sure if it's maple or mahogany neck) for cleans to rock sounds :33:

 

[Synapsys]

I've not heard the Floyd prs models yet in person. What Duncan's would you guys go for in 25" scale & Floyd bridge, in a mahogany body/maple top (not sure if it's maple or mahogany neck) for cleans to rock sounds :33:

Would still use the set I mentioned above, Custom Trembucker / Pearly Gates neck.

 

[Masta' C]

There can be a pretty big difference in PRS pickups between the imports and the US models they're meant to resemble.