Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

[T-Bone-BBQ]

I got the PRS yesterday and while the stock 245 pickups are good I plan to change them out. I'm thinking of a few combinations and wanted to see if anyone has tried these. I play a lot of blues, Blues-rock and rock so I'm trying to gear it to cover everything from blues up to hard rock, but not metal. I'm wanting a good, strong thick tone in the bridge and in the neck I want something that'll sound good clean, but can handle some OD without getting muddy.

Here's my initial pickup thoughts...

'59 bridge/Jazz neck or '59 neck - Not sure if the '59 bridge has enough output for what I want)
Custom 5 bridge/Jazz neck or '59 neck
Perpetual Burn/Jazz neck or '59 neck
'59 Hybrid bridge/Jazz or '59 neck
Air Zone/PAF Joe
Norton/PAF Joe

Any other suggestions would be appreciated, but please realize that I can't afford some ultra-boutique pickup. I'm planning to stick to either Duncan or DiMarzio pickups as I can probably find them used for a good price.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

I've had the '59/Jazz combo in my PRS SE Nick Catanese which is a fairly similar guitar. I don't know if my '59 and Jazz were particularly weak, but it had a pretty low output even compared to my Ibby equipped with the '59 trembucker. They had a nice voicing, though. The '59 was very chunky-sounding, and the Jazz was very clean-sounding.

Then I replaced them with a PAF Pro/Phat Cat combo. I like these better. I'm not completely sold on the PAF Pro, but the Phat Cat is awesome in this guitar. I feel it's less scooped than the Jazz, and it has a very cool single coil chime for clean and mildly overdriven tones and aggression under high-gain.

If you end up going for the '59/Custom in the bridge of yours let me know how you like it. I'm looking into that one myself.

 

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

I've had the '59/Jazz combo in my PRS SE Nick Catanese which is a fairly similar guitar. I don't know if my '59 and Jazz were particularly weak, but it had a pretty low output even compared to my Ibby equipped with the '59 trembucker. They had a nice voicing, though. The '59 was very chunky-sounding, and the Jazz was very clean-sounding.

Then I replaced them with a PAF Pro/Phat Cat combo. I like these better. I'm not completely sold on the PAF Pro, but the Phat Cat is awesome in this guitar. I feel it's less scooped than the Jazz, and it has a very cool single coil chime for clean and mildly overdriven tones and aggression under high-gain.

If you end up going for the '59/Custom in the bridge of yours let me know how you like it. I'm looking into that one myself.

I've got the Custom 5 on a couple of guitars and like it so far. Is that the one you were talking about or the "59 Hybrid?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

Yeah, I meant the Hybrid.

 

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

Yeah, I meant the Hybrid.

Never tried the Hybrid, but it does certainly intrigue me with more mids and more output than a normal '59 bridge.

 

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

Another couple possible pickup combos...

Norton bridge/Screamin Demon neck
Norton bridge/Jazz neck
Mo Joe bridge/Jazz neck

 

[Sensates]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

I would try the 59/Custom Hybrid or perpetual burn in the bridge, and 59 neck. Also try the Seth Lover set if you don't mind the pickups being unpotted.

Tried the Norton in mt SE (Akerfeldt) and i don't like it at all. Also tried the 59 set and the bridge can sound weak and thin for your liking.

 

[Jeffblue]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

A pair of Seymour Duncan Phat Cats would sound outstanding in your PRS. In most of my humbucker guitars I use 59/JB.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

Nice guitar! I like the 59 & Hybrid combo. It has enough gain in the bridge for modern styles, but you really get a classic thing going on, too. It really does both things well. Add a push/pull pot for splitting, and you have one versatile guitar.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

I almost bought one of those a couple years ago. I tried very, very hard to talk myself into it because it was SOOO gorgeous. But I couldn't get it to stay in tune, it played like crap and sounded even worse. I tried to tell myself that I could replace the pups with some really good SD pups, but I couldn't get around how poorly it played and it would have taken too much work to get it in shape. Yes, I probably could have gotten it to play and sound pretty good, but with so many other really good guitars in that price range, I decided it wasn't worth the time, effort, or expense.

But I have to admit that your guitar is beautiful.

 

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

I got the action on this one really good, but the slots in the nut need to be filed better, so I'm getting my guitar tech to fix that tomorrow.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Pickup recommendations for PRS SE Tremonti Custom

Analyzing the parameters of your request, the answer is an A4/A8-modded '59 set.

I can support the claim with at least fifteen satisfied customers with this very set in similar 22-fretter PRS SEs.

Side note: for some unknown to me reason, this particular solution sounds "better" when the p'ups are covered, and I'm talking about PRS SEs specifically. Just sayin'.

HTH,