Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

[Moonge]

I have a pickup dilemma! I am getting a PRS SE Single Cut. It has a Mahogany body, neck, maple top and a rosewood fretboard. I am torn between a few setups and wanted some advice & suggestions. This will be setup with a push/pull tone pot to yield more single coil like sounds when in the up position. The only one of these pickups I have any experience with is the 59 and that was a floyd rose strat in the bridge so I have no clue how it would work on this style of guitar.

Combo 1
Bridge = Custom 5
Neck = 59

Combo 2
Bridge = 59
Neck = 59

Combo 3
Bridge = Custom Custom
Neck = Pearly Gates

What I would like to have is a vintage feel with a little more output, nice bottom end that’s not mushy, a midrange that is not overpowering and gritty, and nice highs that are not too bright. I would like something that can give me some nice harmonics but nothing extreme and over bearing. Just as a reference I am not a fan of the JB which I have used in the past & currently have in a guitar. It just has a sound I don’t care for and it has too much mid and not a good sounding bottom end. I want a very warm, full and rich tone that has clarity when distorted and you can hear the nuances of the individual strings and pick attacks.

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

Out of what you have the C5 and '59. I would suggest a Custom and '59 though. I put that setup in one of my students' PRS and it was sweet. He actually had a C5 in there first

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

Out of what you have the C5 and '59. I would suggest a Custom and '59 though. I put that setup in one of my students' PRS and it was sweet. He actually had a C5 in there first

+ 1....that or bumping up the output a little in the neck with a Pearly Gate.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

The Pearly Gates does not have more output than the 59, it just has a different EQ.

Personally, I'd go with a C5 in the bridge and a Pearly Gates in the neck.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

combo #3 is definitely out. Tragically, it's probably the best single tones!

I vote #1

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

Options 1 & 2 are what I use a lot. They are very good in most guitars. The A5 magnets will give you good definition, with plenty of cut. The difference between them being whether you want the bridge to have a higher output & distort sooner. I use 250K pots on both the '59B & C5 in my mahogany-bodied guitars, to shave off some of the top, and bring out the mids. Gives a rich, full tone with lots of punch. There's still penty of treble left for bite. On the neck, I always use 500K's for articulation.

The PU's in Option 3 both have warm A2 magnets, and that'll give you strong mids, with a rounded top, & a soft bottom. Sounds like that's not the direction you want to take.

I with you agree on the JB.

 

[Micah]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

I have a pickup dilemma! I am getting a PRS SE Single Cut. It has a Mahogany body, neck, maple top and a rosewood fretboard. I am torn between a few setups and wanted some advice & suggestions. This will be setup with a push/pull tone pot to yield more single coil like sounds when in the up position. The only one of these pickups I have any experience with is the 59 and that was a floyd rose strat in the bridge so I have no clue how it would work on this style of guitar.

Combo 1
Bridge = Custom 5
Neck = 59

Combo 2
Bridge = 59
Neck = 59

Combo 3
Bridge = Custom Custom
Neck = Pearly Gates

What I would like to have is a vintage feel with a little more output, nice bottom end that’s not mushy, a midrange that is not overpowering and gritty, and nice highs that are not too bright. I would like something that can give me some nice harmonics but nothing extreme and over bearing. Just as a reference I am not a fan of the JB which I have used in the past & currently have in a guitar. It just has a sound I don’t care for and it has too much mid and not a good sounding bottom end. I want a very warm, full and rich tone that has clarity when distorted and you can hear the nuances of the individual strings and pick attacks.

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Ok--I will warn you on one thing though! The C5 is VERY mid-scooped. B-M-T is 6-3-8. Its a hotter 59 eq curve. Very bright and bassy is what your looking @. For a tone that is vintag-y and has a gread combination of punch but retains that PAF-like feel, I would personally go with a Pearly Gates Neck and Bridge. Or if you want even more power but still PAF-y go with a Custom in the bridge which is a Custom 5 with a ceramic magnet in it instead of an Alnico 5 and a 59 in the neck. Should give you in the neighborhood of what your looking for ;-)

 

[Moonge]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

It kind of sounds like the Pearly Gates may be the way to go, what are your thoughts?

 

[jimijames]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

I would go for the PGn and Custom in the bridge. If it were me, I'd change the magnet in the Pearly Gates to an A3, but it sounds fantastic w/ A2 as well. Actually, I'd probably go for the now discontinued VHPAF for the bridge position, because that sounds like what you want - medium output, well balanced, etc. Also, I don't have any experience with the jazz models, but you might want to ask around about those, I've heard great things.

 

[Tele-Bob]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

Combo 1. I love that set up. The Custom V is rich and complex throughout the mids and highs, and the '59 doesn't create a HUGE tone disparity when you throw the switch. The pickups work well together on the same amp setings.

 

[Ningirsu]

Re: Pickup Dilemma - I Need Help!

Go with Combo 1.Pearly Gates is a nice pickup but definitely isn't for everybody's taste and it actually responds better to maple and ebony fretboards while yours is rosewood.For the woods on your guitar and especially the mids&highs' qualities you described Custom 5 and 59 set provide everything you're asking..