PRS pups: Whats the deal?

[Guitar Guy]

Everywhere i read people really like prs guitar, taking about how well they play and so on. But all over this site i see threads about switching out the stock hfs/vintage bass or Dragon II so whats up? I would expect a guitar company such as prs to have good sounding pickups. Also why does prs have such a good rep if the pups need to be changed. Are they worth the price tag? Or is a parker a better choice because it already comes with duncans or dimarzios? The carvin carved tops have a striking resemblance to prs. Are they comparable at half the price of a prs?

 

[Lespaul1981]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

there's nothing wrong with prs pups, the dragons are good as are the mccartys.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

Then why are there tons of threads about switching out prs pickups?

 

[Stringer]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

PRS pups tend to be all midrange. To me, they sound very honky, which is why I swapped them. I think PRS has a very specific idea about what he thinks a pickup should sound like, and it simply is not to everyone's taste.

 

[MikeS]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

Then why are there tons of threads about switching out prs pickups?

Because this is a forum of gear heads and tone junkies and that's simply what we do. Gibson and Fender also make their own pickups, and we swap those, too. Does that say anything about the quality of their pickups? Nope. It does suggest that we are a little maniacal about the tone of our guitars. Simply put we're picky.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

How would a prs pickup compare to a duncan 59 tone wise then?

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

I'm a big fan of PRS guitars. I own two...and I've swapped the pickups in both.

To be honest, I'd expect any high-end guitar company to have decent pickups. But I guess it doesn't always work out like that in the long run . *cough*Gibson*cough*

I swapped the Dragon II's in my McCarty, as I didn't care for them one bit. They were just too compressed and undefined for my tastes...not terrible pickups by any means, but still not suited to my tastes. Out they went.

I swapped the #7's out of my Singlecut as well...though TBH I could have left 'em in there and still been happy with it. Those are actually very nice pickups...round the 8k range, very balanced, though for that axe I wanted something that was a bit more "in your face". So I swapped those out for a pair of full shreds.

I wouldn't call parker a better choice...apples and oranges really. I've never really liked the tone of a parker...maybe its the carbon glass fretboard, maybe its the thin bodies, but they just don't do it for me. They play very well though.

The california carved top models from carvin are probably comparable to the custom/standard 22 series from PRS. Though, carvins are rather notorious for their low resale value. A PRS keeps its value pretty well. Can't say much good about carvin pickups either .

 

[Guitar Guy]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

To give me an idea of what the pickups sound like, could they be compared to and duncans?

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

I'd say the dragon II treble pickup is similar to a JB, only the mid spike is moved down a bit. It also seems to my ears to be a bit...flabbier.

The dragon II bass...meh. It inspired all kinds of indifference.

I haven't really tried too many PAF-style bridge pickups, so I don't really have much to compare the #7 bridge to, but the #7 neck seemed to me to be like a cross between a '59n and a PGn. None of the "rudeness" of the PGn, and none of the over-bearing low end of the 59n. Very smooth, very nice sounding pickup. I might still put it in another guitar.

 

[Bludave]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

Then why are there tons of threads about switching out prs pickups?

PRS guitars in general are sort of a nich guitar. IF that is the sound you want there is probably nothing better. In most cases people who are switching out the pickups and so on are trying to get a PRS to sound like a Les Paul and it won't.......... no matter what you do. They are constructed differently and have a different scale length, these two thing IMHO is what really makes them sound and play they way they do. With PRS its a love/hate thing. A lot of guys buy them and aren't happy with the tone, so they start modding it only to realize a Les Paul is probably better for what they need and they wind up selling the PRS for a Les Paul.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

If you're not trying to sound like a les paul or a strat, are they goods sounding pickups for getting your sound. Which combination is better for classic rock and cleans: The Dragon IIs or the HFS/vintage bass?

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

To give me an idea of what the pickups sound like, could they be compared to and duncans?

The HFS is very similar to a Custom. The Vintage bass is a blend of 59 and PG. The Dragon 2 Bridge is closest to the CC and the neck is like a hot A2 Pro

You are very much blowing this thing out of proportion though. 1)There are threads about people changing pickups in guitars from every major manufacturer out there. To single out PRS is insane. If anything I have kept half of my PRS stock. I can't say that for the Strats, LP's or Wolfgangs I also own. 2) Why would you expect an onslaught of people posting about NOT changing their pickups? I think you will find that most don't, but those people usually don't hang out on gear boards either

 

[Markk]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

It's all in the individual taste. Some people like other pickups, some like stock.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

I just "don't get" PRS pickups. I actually enjoy some Gibson pickups... namely their custom shop P90s and Classic 57s. I bought my 3 McCarty guitars because they sound great, look great and play great right out of the box. They're built incredibly well and for the serious musician, that's a big plus.

 

[Guitar Guy]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

What do you mean you don't get prs pups?

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

What do you mean you don't get prs pups?

I mean in short, I think they sound like ***. They're bland, generic pups, but that's JMHO. :wall:

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

Pickups are kind of like shoes. If you don't like the ones you have you can always get new ones.

-X

 

[marvar]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

Then why are there tons of threads about switching out prs pickups?

I think if you do the homework, you will find just about as many or more, people change their pickups on Les Pauls, Strats, Tele's as do folk who change pups on their PRS. I suspect that a lot of people just don't like or care for the 5 way switching, and other non-traditional wiring of PRS guitars.

 

[disturb]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

PRS guitars in general are sort of a nich guitar. IF that is the sound you want there is probably nothing better. In most cases people who are switching out the pickups and so on are trying to get a PRS to sound like a Les Paul and it won't.......... no matter what you do. They are constructed differently and have a different scale length, these two thing IMHO is what really makes them sound and play they way they do. With PRS its a love/hate thing. A lot of guys buy them and aren't happy with the tone, so they start modding it only to realize a Les Paul is probably better for what they need and they wind up selling the PRS for a Les Paul.

Right on!

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: PRS pups: Whats the deal?

What do you mean you don't get prs pups?

You're starting to sound like Walters now, bro!

I think what's happening is that you're jonesin' for a PRS and want to be assured the stock pups will be good enough. Maybe they will, and maybe they won't. You have to experiment to know. No amount of forum questions will let you know definitively what's going to do the trick for your particular guitar, with your particular amp, as hear by your particular set of ears.

If you're in the market for a PRS, get one and use it for a while. Squeeze tone out of it till you know exactly what you do and do not like about it. Then, start researching what changes out there fill the gaps (if any).

- Keith