Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

[papersoul]

Okay guys, don't get upset....I know this has been asked a number of times. I was ready to get some PRS Artist pickups or other after market PRS pickups and even thought about some Anderson pickups because I have heard they sound exceptionally deep and big. However, I can't see spending as much as these companies ask.

I am back on the Duncan wagon for now and would love some suggestions.
My McCarty in stock form sounds kind of mellow and dark. It needs a little kick, more aggression, punch, and some added high end clarity. Any ideas?

I don't want to go to high output and that is why I thought about the PRS pickups which are around 10k for the bridge. I would need four conductor because they will be splittable.

Thanks a bunch in advance!

 

[J.LaGrassa]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

Rich you know I have been pup swapping for a while now on my McCarty, If you want to stay with a less hot bridge pup I would think a 59N/59B might work out well.

If I get tired of my C5 I might go with the 59B the 59 I have in the neck is definitely going to stay! I have been getting some nice tones out of my Tonebone classic with the 59N/C5.

I'm sure more of the SD guys can give you better advice than I can!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

McCarty's do tend to sound mellow and dark...that's one reason why I've never owned one. They kind of sound that way before you even plug them in. I had the C5 in my Hamer Studio (a similar guitar but brighter and livlier) for quite a while. Something about that pickup gives it plenty of bass and highs and adequate mids, but not quite enough mids for my tastes. I liked it at first but then got tired of it, tho it always sounded great if I was playing really loud rock. Then it fattened up and came to life. I wound up trying alot of pickup sets in that guitar: Duncan Jazz/JB; Fralin 7.5K/9.5K; Fralin 8K/9K; Duncan Seth Lover N & B; Duncan Antiquity Neck & C5 bridge; Duncan Antiquity & Custom Custom....and finally put the original Jazz/JB combo back in. Maybe the C5 would be nice in a mellow and dark guitar like yours tho...might brighten it up.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

Thanks Lew, I like the mellow aspect and it isn't that mellow but close. I bet a pup change would help big time! Sometimes I think of leaving it alone though because it does sound nice.

I am seriously thinking C-5 but not sure what neck pup. I am also getting advice to use the PRS #10 set of pickups. These come highly recommended.

Thanks again.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

bumpster

 

[Big Mike Blues]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

Thanks Lew, I like the mellow aspect and it isn't that mellow but close. I bet a pup change would help big time! Sometimes I think of leaving it alone though because it does sound nice.

I am seriously thinking C-5 but not sure what neck pup. I am also getting advice to use the PRS #10 set of pickups. These come highly recommended.

Thanks again.

#10's
59n/C5
59n/Custom
59/59

That would be my order of experimentation.

Hi Rich!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

I like the Custom/PGn combo myself, especially for splitting. It's fat sounding, but still has a lot of clarity and high end detail. With a 10k pickup at the bridge, the split might sound a bit too thin, though your taste might be different than mine.

 

[J.LaGrassa]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

I like the way the C5 sounds split in my McCarty, It still some what full sounding just less power!

 

[papersoul]

Re: Pickups for a PRS McCarty??

To save money, I may end up ordering a covered set of C-5/59 rather than the #10s which would be much more. The Custom I find hard and cold like a good old ceramic magnet pickup. Just not for me.

I like the output of the McCarty pickups so I thought it would be nice to stay in that range though....9-10k.