80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

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DarrellM5

New member
I got a killer deal on a PRS SE Custom 24 and it's easily one of my two most 'playable' guitars (out of 12). As far as comfort and feel go it's tied with my Schecter Banshee 6 Passive. The only area that it's lacking are the pickups, which sound harsh to me. The tone knob doesn't even affect them until it's almost completely rolled off and then it gets muddy.

I mainly play 80's metal (Metallica, Megadeth, Dokken, Ozzy, Extreme, Anthrax, Savatage, etc.) and some progressive (Rush, Dream Theater). I play some modern metal like Keith Merrow stuff, which my Banshee and KM-7 take care of nicely with their Nazgul / Sentient pickups. I've never really bought into tone woods making a noticeable difference on a solid body electric guitar but, for those who do, the PRS has a mahogany body with a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. It sounds pretty neutral, not really dark or bright.

I'm looking for suggestions to match my style. I really believe that this SE model PRS would be every bit as good as a core model with the right pickups; it just wouldn't look as nice.

I've been looking at a few combinations but I'm sure you guys will have great advice. Some of the sets I've been looking into are:
  • Pegasus / Sentient
  • Black Winter set
  • Black Winter / Sentient
  • Pearly Gates

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

I think a Custom would sound badass in that and do everything you want.
I've never played a Pegasus or a Black Winter but I like the sound samples I have heard.
Don't rule out the Nazgul either, I may end up using one of those in something soon.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

Shooter.556 said:
I think a Custom would sound badass in that and do everything you want.
I've never played a Pegasus or a Black Winter but I like the sound samples I have heard.
Don't rule out the Nazgul either, I may end up using one of those in something soon.
Click to expand...

Although I already have the Nazgul in 2 guitars, I haven't ruled it out for the PRS. It does sounds awesome.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

Distortion set. Thank me later. Works perfectly for what you're talking about in my SE Custom 22.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

I've had both the Custom and the Distortion in my SE Custom 24. I have to say that I prefer the Custom in that guitar. Really chunky and tight, but doesn't take your head off on the high end. Pretty good string separation as well.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

The Black Winter is actually really versatile. It can probably do all that. You can't go wrong with the stock Custom either. I'll make you an off the book recommendation for the PRS Tremonti treble pick up. Great pick up for any of those styles as well.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

Jeff5 said:
The Black Winter is actually really versatile.
Click to expand...

Much more than people give it credit for. It is not a one trick pony you can get anything from classic rock tones to face splitting metal with that pickup.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

I'm really intrigued by the Black Winter set but I'm having a hard time finding any videos other than death metal. How would they be for 80's metal?
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

IF, what they (whoever "they" are) is true, it would do as well as the Distortion, which would be my recommendation.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

I guess I'll give the Black Winters a shot. If I'm not happy I'll go to the Distortions.

Hopefully the Black Winters will fit the SE Custom 24 without any modifications to the guitar body.

Thanks for all the replies and I'll be sure to post back with my findings.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

I know it's been awhile but here's where I'm at now.

I installed the Black Winters and they do indeed drop right in. Now I'm just trying to work out a few issues; possibly my fault, maybe not.

I've been pouring over this forum for a few hours this evening, making sure I've wired my SE CU24 correctly and it looks like I have. The main issue I'm having is that, when I engage the coil split, the guitar sounds fine in neck, middle (both) and bridge positions. When running in humbucking mode, the bridge and neck sound fine but the middle (both) position sounds horrible. It's like I'm playing guitar in a tin can. I'm not really sure what to check. The guitar has one volume knob, one push-pull tone knob and a 3 way blade switch.

If anyone has any advice I would greatly appreciate it. If not, I'll try to record some clips and start a new thread.
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

The pickups, when in humbucking mode, are out of phase. If you could take and post a picture of your wiring it would go a long way in helping us figure out what needs fixed
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

Thanks for your offer to help but I figured it out. The diagram I used to wire it up was way off. Basically, the green and red pickup wires were reversed for both pickups. It even matched photos from a 7-string version of the same guitar on the PRS forums. Interesting that everything worked except for the middle position in humbucking mode.

Thanks again for replying. BTW, they sound immense now!
 
Re: 80's Metal thru Modern Metal Pickup Upgrade for PRS SE Custom 24

The first thing that strikes me about almost every PRS SE I pick up (I have set up more than a few) is that they seem to have a very flabby low end naturally. I don't know if it's the bridge that gets used or the setneck, but it's a flabbiness that really does transfer through to any modern dirts sounds. For 80s stuff you can get away with it, but even professional bands I've seen (Cradle of Filth for example) with PRS guitars, there's always just been something up with that guitar sound.

I don't say this to slam you, I say this as you need to consider this with your next pickup. Of the pickup replacements I've done on PRS SEs, the best choice I have ever felt anybody make with this is the Bareknuckle Nailbomb ceramic set. To me it just seemed to fit the guitar really nicely. It tightened up that bottom significantly and the presence of the guitar made it really fun to play. The worst choices were sadly the JB or Custom in the bridge and the very worst was the DiMarzio ToneZone. I had that guitar back a week later to try a different combo.

Of the pickups you list, I would discount the Pegasus and Sentient immediately. The Pearly Gates may work well as a neck pickup. At least it's definitely my favorite neck pickup bar none. The Black Winter set I'm torn on. I like it in my 7 string, my only complaint is that I wish the bridge version had just ever so slightly more output and that the middle position with both pickups selected would compliment more. I just don't like the sound. But I can happily live without it. I can get anything from Little Wing through to Skid Row out of my Black Winter set and beyond.

Given the bands you listed, I wonder if the humble EMG81/85 combo would be a good bet. You could even go cheap, buy a used EMG81 off ebay, just put it in the bridge on it's own and see how you like it? Being solderless, you can install and uninstall it really easily if you don't like it.
 
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