PIckup recommendations

D

DeltaVee

New member
Yes, I've used the "pickup finder" and gotten recommendations. Just looking for input for my specific guitars with something different for both. I have a Gibson 2021 LP Studio that has the 490R and 498T. Chambered mahogany body with maple cap. Hard Tail bridge. The pickups tend to sound a little muddy.

I also have a 2015-16 PRS S2 Standard 24 with the HFS Treble and Vintage Bass pickups and vintage trem (I think) Solid mahogany body. Supposedly similar to an SG. .I'd like somethign brighter and more defined in it.

A couple of the humbucker pickup sets that turned up in the finder were: Saturday Night Specials since I like the "arena rock" sound. And either the JB/Jazz or the Custom 5/'59 sets in the other guitar. At least one of them needs to have a great clean tone. I'm not a high gain, super distorted metal guy.

Inputs/recommendations - hopefully based on experience - for one or both of those guitars? Do all those pickup options sound the same? Does the mahogany/maple vs. all mahogany make a difference? Thanks.
 
Welcome to the forum!

I think you are on point with the Saturday Night Specials or the JB/Jazz. Another thing I would consider is a Pearly Gates set, too.
 
The JB is a fantastic pickup, but it is certainly not less "muddy" than the 498T. It's pretty much along the lines, just hotter and darker. So probably the opposite of what you want. And FWIW, I love both.

I'd think you're better off looking into the PAF-types Duncan offers. Pearly Gates, WLH's, etc. '59's are my favorite, personally. I find those the clearest, tightest, and most articulate for any genre of music. JMO.
 
For the Les Paul, I'll 2nd the Pearly Gates

And a JB/Jazz may be exactly what that PRS needs.
 
Thanks for the ideas. For some reason, the Forum was down for me for the last few days. Not sure what my problem with the stock Gibson LP Studio pickups is. Maybe my hearing. Maybe I'm playing with the volume too low. I'm leaning toward the Saturday Night Specials for the S2 Custom 24 Standard. It supposedly roughly compares to the SG, and this pretty much sold me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toLsIe5EQqQ Maybe the 59s for the Gibson. Maybe it's irrational but thinking I need something different in every guitar, and I've already got a Fender Special Edition Tele FMT HH with a pair of Pearly Gates in it. That and the neck probably make it the guitar I'd keep if I had to get rid of the rest.
 
Why not just get one set and try it in both?

You can decide which guitar it suits better and it'll give you a further reference point for the set you need for the other guitar.
 
Honestly, I've never had "great" pickup sound "bad" in the "wrong" guitar. If a pickup is good, it's good. If a guitar is good, it's good. You can get some combinations that you might like better than others, but I wouldn't worry too much about the pickup being a bad match for the guitar. If anything, you can just swap them around if that fits your taste better.

I don't know, at least that's been my experience. I've never had a guitar dark and bassy enough to make a Dimebucker sound fat, or a guitar bright and tight enough for it to make an X2N sound sizzly.

JMO.
 
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forum was down for everyone, not just you.

i think the sns in a prs is a good choice! i have a set in my pre se and really like em. for the lp... 59n/c5 is a great combo
 
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