Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

BrockSamson

BrockSamson

New member
I've been wanting to change the pickups in my PRS SE. I have the Paul Allender purple model with the non-EMG pickups. The bridge is OK, but the neck is sh*t.

I want to keep it a metal guitar but give it a bit more than it has right now. I have a JB/59 set that was removed from my Jackson and have been considering using them.

Do I need to replace the pots for any reason?

The other option is the Dave Mustaine Livewires set, since I've read those are based on the JB/59, but the original plan saves me $160 purchase.

Give me some thoughts here guys.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

I would get a ceramic mag and then put in the JB.

I have a SE 24 with that combo. NASTYYYYYY :D
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

Never swapped a magnet before, and am not really comfortable in ripping apart my pickup to be honest.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

Dude it's so easy. Peal away the tape, pull it out, push new one in. Done.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

The Tone Wizard suggests either the Distortion or Custom 5 for your bridge type. The '59 is one suggestion for the neck though.

The Distortion rips for Heavy Metal. The '59 can be bassy in bassy settings, but once you get used to the fact it wasn't originally designed to play Metal music, it should get the job done.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

Jackson Distortion said:
The Tone Wizard suggests either the Distortion or Custom 5 for your bridge type. The '59 is one suggestion for the neck though.
Click to expand...

That Tone Wizard is more like a street fortune teller... It suggests the same pickup configuration for radically different styles! And every guitar is different, regardless its wood type and construction.

+1 to trying your SD in your PRS, and if you don't like them, it's magnet swap time! I have done it for the first time last weekend in 20~30 minutes for both pickups and it's really easy. It costs so little money too!
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

Kalish said:
That Tone Wizard is more like a street fortune teller... It suggests the same pickup configuration for radically different styles! And every guitar is different, regardless its wood type and construction.
Click to expand...

+1. Please don't go by the clips and the Tone Wizard. Confuses a lot of guys. JB's are notoriously poor in mahogany, many disappointed players. That wood usually brings out the worst possible characteristics of JB's (shrill ice pick spike, dentist drill tone, and a flabby low-end). JB's were made for bright woods. But that's with the stock (A5) magnet. With an A2 in mahogany, you get a rich, raw PU that rocks. Much better.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

I just put a JB/59 combo in my Smartwood Lp and it rocks.
They are totally stock and with 500k pots.
Made my 490/498t pickups sound like chump change. I also think there is more to changing the tones of a pickup than just swapping a magnet out. I'm sure the wire gauge,dc, and how the pick is wound makes a lot of the differences as well.
I would put the JB/59 in your PRS and rock it. Bet it will sound killer .
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

JB6464 said:
I also think there is more to changing the tones of a pickup than just swapping a magnet out.
Click to expand...

I agree, but it's nice that even the hands-on challenged individuals, like myself, can change a magnet so it's a nice first step.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

JB6464 said:
I also think there is more to changing the tones of a pickup than just swapping a magnet out. I'm sure the wire gauge,dc, and how the pick is wound makes a lot of the differences as well.
I would put the JB/59 in your PRS and rock it. Bet it will sound killer .
Click to expand...

Guitar design, wood, PU, magnet, etc are all part of the formula. Some PU/magnet combinations do better in some woods than others. Don't put money on a JB sounding 'killer' in a mahogany guitar, unless you have a lot of spare cash laying around.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

blueman335 said:
Guitar design, wood, PU, magnet, etc are all part of the formula.
Click to expand...

That´s why it is completely wrong to blandly state that a stock JB doesn´t do well in "mahogany guitars". There is no such thing as a "mahogany guitar". All those parameters you mentionend determine the tone of a guitar, hence a "mahogany guitar" with a bolt-on maple neck and Floyd Rose sound completely different from a "mahogany guitar" with a set mahogany neck and stoptail.
Hell, even different specimen of the same guitar model sound different (Gibson Les Paul anyone...?) So please stop making bland statements about certain pickups in cetrain body wood.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

Puck said:
That´s why it is completely wrong to blandly state that a stock JB doesn´t do well in "mahogany guitars". There is no such thing as a "mahogany guitar". All those parameters you mentionend determine the tone of a guitar, hence a "mahogany guitar" with a bolt-on maple neck and Floyd Rose sound completely different from a "mahogany guitar" with a set mahogany neck and stoptail.
Hell, even different specimen of the same guitar model sound different (Gibson Les Paul anyone...?) So please stop making bland statements about certain pickups in cetrain body wood.
Click to expand...

Well, that's true... Even one '89 Gibson Standard Les Paul differs from another one because they come from different trees I guess. If that were the case you would never know what pickup to put in your axe.

Nevertheless, they have a lot in common, and those parameters are used to make these statements about guitar tone. And these general tips may help a lot of people to make a good decision in most cases!
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

blueman335 said:
+1. Please don't go by the clips and the Tone Wizard. Confuses a lot of guys. JB's are notoriously poor in mahogany, many disappointed players. That wood usually brings out the worst possible characteristics of JB's (shrill ice pick spike, dentist drill tone, and a flabby low-end). JB's were made for bright woods. But that's with the stock (A5) magnet. With an A2 in mahogany, you get a rich, raw PU that rocks. Much better.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I thought the JB was designed for Jeff Beck for the Blow By Blow sessions and he was still using a Les Paul. Not that I'm saying you're wrong and I'll say the LTD Les Paulish guitar I tried with a JB sounded AWFUL, more in the boomy category than shrill to me.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

In my actual experience: I put a JB in my PRS McCarty and it was all mids.....I replaced it with a Duncan Distortion and I was/am pleased. Your results may vary........I do like the 59' in the neck spot.
 
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Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

Kalish said:
Nevertheless, they have a lot in common, and those parameters are used to make these statements about guitar tone. And these general tips may help a lot of people to make a good decision in most cases!
Click to expand...

No, those statements are just wrong. Even when guitars have a lot in common they just sound too different to make general assertions.
I honestly think that you can´t really make a decision which pickups will suit your guitar, amp and playing based on a recommendation on the internet. Those only make sense when somebody mentions the pickup that´s currently in the guitar and what´s not liked about it. In this case you can give a recommendation that will hopefully end up in tonal bliss.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

IanBallard said:
Hmmm, I thought the JB was designed for Jeff Beck for the Blow By Blow sessions and he was still using a Les Paul. Not that I'm saying you're wrong and I'll say the LTD Les Paulish guitar I tried with a JB sounded AWFUL, more in the boomy category than shrill to me.
Click to expand...

It was designed for a Tele, not an LP.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

Puck said:
That´s why it is completely wrong to blandly state that a stock JB doesn´t do well in "mahogany guitars"...So please stop making bland statements about certain pickups in cetrain body wood.
Click to expand...

As is so often said here by many forum members: 'JB's usually do poorly in mahogany'; that doesn't mean always, but more often than not it's a big disappointment. So no, we won't stop making statements about certain PU's in certain woods. Most mahogany guitars are set-neck and have stop bars, and in those JB's have a well-deserved poor reputation. Sometimes they work, lots of times they don't. They can buy whatever they want, but we like guys to know going into it the odds aren't in their favor. And I think the word you're looking for is 'blatantly', not 'blandly.'
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

metlking said:
In my actual experience: I put a JB in my PRS McCarty and it was all mids.....I replaced it with a Duncan Distortion and I was/am pleased. Your results may vary........I do like the 59' in the neck spot.
Click to expand...

That's odd, DD is all mids and top end.
 
Re: Pickup swap to JB and 59 in PRS SE

blueman335 said:
Guitar design, wood, PU, magnet, etc are all part of the formula. Some PU/magnet combinations do better in some woods than others. Don't put money on a JB sounding 'killer' in a mahogany guitar, unless you have a lot of spare cash laying around.
Click to expand...

But that would also depend on what type of amp you play that setup through along with it's speakers. A Marshall lives in the mids/high dept. A Fender/Mesa don't have that in your face mids/high tones.
El34's amps sound totally different than 6L6 amps also,which changes the tones all together as well.
So i cant believe all Mahogany type guitars with stop tails will sound bad with a JB in them. And a Gibson LP Custom with all Mahogany body will sound different than a standard LP with a thick maple cap.
 
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