Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

[Rickenbacker198]

This is in a PRS Swamp Ash Special or McCarty. I’ll try it in both.

I do like the stock McCarty pickups, mainly because they are balanced and versatile.

The McCarty pickups seem to get a little lost with high gain. So I’m after a bridge pu that’s clearer, better definition but not fizzy at all. Must be versatile and with the same approx. output.

Been looking at a WLH , SNS and the custom shop ‘78.

Any thoughts or experiences??

Thanks !

 

[VinceT]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

59/Custom Hybrid. To my ears it does just what you ask.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

Screamin' Demon could be a good choice here. It's not too hot and has excellent definition with gain.
Hybrid is a good recommendation too- a bit hotter and brighter than what you've got.
You might also try replacing the A4 magnet in your McCarty pickup with an unoriented A5 or A5.

 

[Rickenbacker198]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

Thanks from the description both sound like they could work.
Maybe I will try a magnet swap first.

Where is a good place to buy pickup magnets?

Screamin' Demon could be a good choice here. It's not too hot and has excellent definition with gain.
Hybrid is a good recommendation too- a bit hotter and brighter than what you've got.
You might also try replacing the A4 magnet in your McCarty pickup with an unoriented A5 or A5.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

I have the WLH set in my McCarty. I've also used a '59/C Hybrid in the bridge as well. The WLH set just seem perfectly suited to the McCarty for me, poky without being over the top with a nice vintagey feel. They also split really well, giving some great single-type tones. The '59/C was great but I prefer it in the bridge of my all mahogany Fret-King Esprit as it's a little brighter and better suited to that guitar.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

Found this chart of PRS pickup specs:

From what I understand, the original Dragon NECK pickup became the McCarty neck pickup.

The McCarty pickups are listed as Alnico 4 and both 8k...altho the treble pickup has more turns of wire.

Most 59 Les Pauls had Alnico 4 pickups and the pickups were not designated as neck or bridge.

The neck pickup can overpower the bridge pickup in old Gibson’s because the bridge pickup isn’t overwound the way it is today.

 

[Waterbound]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

Screamin' Demon could be a good choice here. It's not too hot and has excellent definition with gain.
Hybrid is a good recommendation too- a bit hotter and brighter than what you've got.
You might also try replacing the A4 magnet in your McCarty pickup with an unoriented A5 or A5.

+1 for the Seymour Duncan Screamin Demon!

Long time lurker but I have a custom with an ash body and the SD will definitely open the guitar up and provide great definition for chording, solo and alternate picking etc.,

I honestly tried multiple combinations as ash can be really hard to get that exact sound you want and or need. A second choice oddly enough was the Dimarzio Fred which I absolute love now in a LP custom made axe.

The SD can be wired for split and pairs nicely with multiple pickups. It’s not a high gain but more of an PAF with tweaks in the midrange areas I believe. Listen to samples of the SD as what works good for some may sound like dirt to others

 

[Xtyfighterx]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

Mark Holcomb signatures alpha and omega are clarity Kings for hi gain

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Pickup to replace McCarty Treble ( bridge) in PRS

Thanks from the description both sound like they could work.
Maybe I will try a magnet swap first.

Where is a good place to buy pickup magnets?

I've gotten mine mostly from addictionFX.
http://www.addiction-fx.com/gallery1.htm