PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

[ms1844]

Hi, I have a PRS Tremonti SE guitar that I bought in 2015 (it might be a custom idk). It has a mahogany body with a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard.

The pickups currently sound too dark in the neck and too treble'y in the bridge and I was hoping to switch them out. I want whatever new pickups I get to be versatile because I play generally cleanish but I also want good rock/heavy/crunch tones as well. [I play good amount of RHCP stuff also]

I am considering the Jazz in the neck and a Custom in the bridge. I'm worried about buying pickups that are too muddy or too harsh etc. Would this be a good combo?


Also, would the guitar look cooler with pickup covers or without? Do they affect the tone?


If you have any recommendations or comments on this, it'd really help me out. Thanks

 

[Emopunk]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

Don't take it badly, but I think you've no clear idea about what you want. There are some things you could try, before ditching the PUPs. Adjusting height, changing caps/pots, adjusting individual polepieces, even changing strings type/brands! Are you sure you already went through all of this?

Concerning the look, I think zebras would look nicer on your guitar. And PUPs covers wouldn't make that big difference in sounds in 90% of the rigs.. I hope I was of some help to start thinking!

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

PRS pickups are truly awful. The neck pickup is mud, and the bridge barks in a bad way.
I've gotten great results for customers replacing them with Alnico II Pros.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

The stock pickups that came in my SE were not so great. I was able to improve them with magnets swaps but not enough that I wanted to keep them.

I went through a few Duncans (they all were a big improvement...) before settling on some nickel covered PG's for my '07 SE Singlecut and Seth Lovers without covers in my other '07 SE Singlecut.

In my PRS Custom 22's I settled on uncovered Seth Lovers in one and uncovered 59's modded with roughcast A5 magnets in the other.

I think of A2 Seths and PG's as having a raw and textured quality to the mids that's suited to overdriven Blues Rock and ZZ Top type Blues Boogie tones. Great for Gary Moore type overdriven tones, IMO.

And, I think of the 59's as having smoother, more polished mids which seems better suited for 60's jazz tones and BB King style, as well as Clapton/Cream style, 60's blues tones. Also Carlos Santana tones.

Personally, I think the 59's, especially modded with RCA5 magnets, are the more versatile of the three models I use.

But I love the tones from all of them and it's nice to have options.


View attachment 80843

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

I got good strings etc, and I'm looking to change some of the electronics in the future but I'm probably just gonna use it till it gives me issues etc.

Question about the polepieces, do I just try using a screwdriver tool and messing with the polepiece or do I mess with the pickup height instead?

The current pickups feel like they're lacking something, ya kno? Would the pickup change be good or should I try all the other options first?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

I got good strings etc, and I'm looking to change some of the electronics in the future but I'm probably just gonna use it till it gives me issues etc.

Question about the polepieces, do I just try using a screwdriver tool and messing with the polepiece or do I mess with the pickup height instead?

The current pickups feel like they're lacking something, ya kno? Would the pickup change be good or should I try all the other options first?

The way I do it is to adjust the polepieces under the two E strings so that the crown of the screw is almost even with the covers or bobbins.

Then I adjust the other four to match the arch of the fingerboard....the radius.

Then I hold the low E string down at the highest fret and adjust the pickup up or down until the low Estring polepieces is about 1/8" away (more or less) from the underside of the string for the neck pickup and about 1/16" away (more or less) on the bridge pickup.

I do the same for the high E string, except I adjust the pickups just a hair closer to the strings.

Then I plug it in and see if I like it.

If not, I move them a little further away. Like in 1/16" increments.

I don't need my pickups far from the strings, and don't like the tone as much when they are further than 1/8" away with the strings held down at the highest fret.

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

PRS pickups are truly awful. The neck pickup is mud, and the bridge barks in a bad way.
I've gotten great results for customers replacing them with Alnico II Pros.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those are the Slash pickups right? If I installed those would I be limited to that "Slash tone" or are they nice/warm sounding clean?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

APH2 is the official Slash set and I guess what he uses onstage.

APH1 is what Slash uses in his old Les Paul that he's always had.

The APH2 set is one of the sets I tried in my SE.

I liked them a lot...especially the neck pickup.

I didn't sound a thing like Slash though, because I'm not him.

I did feel that they had a little smoother sound than the PG and Seth Lover set.

If I had a fifth PRS I might try them again. They're very good.

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

What bridge pickup would you match with the APHII neck, would u do the APHII bridge or is there something better you'd recommend?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

I like the APH2 Slash set better than the APH1 set.

So I'd recommend the Slash set if that's the direction you're leaning in.

I always wanted a little more from the bridge pickup in the APH1 set and the APH2 bridge pickup is stronger and, for me, more satisfying.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

Those are the Slash pickups right? If I installed those would I be limited to that "Slash tone" or are they nice/warm sounding clean?

As mentioned, the Slash pickups are a slightly overwound, beefier version of the A2Pros. The stock ones are a great set too though. Good warm cleans and a nice voicelike lead tone.

I agree the 59s may be preferable for overall versatility especially if your SE has pretty strong midrange character which many of them do, including mine. The 59 bridge can be fairly bright with the stock polished A5 magnet, especially uncovered. I prefer them with unoriented A5 uncovered, or rough A5 covered.

If you're considering the Jazz neck (a very good choice- no mud, cleans up well and still sings for leads) with a Custom bridge, you might consider the Custom5 rather than the regular ceramic Custom. The Custom5 is maybe a little less overbearing and can clean up pretty nicely while still having plenty of drive for leads. It's a tone monster.

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

As mentioned, the Slash pickups are a slightly overwound, beefier version of the A2Pros. The stock ones are a great set too though. Good warm cleans and a nice voicelike lead tone.

I agree the 59s may be preferable for overall versatility especially if your SE has pretty strong midrange character which many of them do, including mine. The 59 bridge can be fairly bright with the stock polished A5 magnet, especially uncovered. I prefer them with unoriented A5 uncovered, or rough A5 covered.

If you're considering the Jazz neck (a very good choice- no mud, cleans up well and still sings for leads) with a Custom bridge, you might consider the Custom5 rather than the regular ceramic Custom. The Custom5 is maybe a little less overbearing and can clean up pretty nicely while still having plenty of drive for leads. It's a tone monster.

Would it be better to go Jazz/Custom5, '59/Custom5 or A2Pros, or a combo of either etc.? Also, is covering the Custom5 a good option and would covering the Jazz make it sound weak?

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

I like the APH2 Slash set better than the APH1 set.

So I'd recommend the Slash set if that's the direction you're leaning in.

I always wanted a little more from the bridge pickup in the APH1 set and the APH2 bridge pickup is stronger and, for me, more satisfying.

By the way I tried the pole piece and pickup height adjustment and it made it sound a bit better but still feels like it's lacking something.

You're talking about this set right? This is the one to go with? http://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/alnico-ii-pro-hb-set

 

[akio]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

Clean and versatile sounds like my setup. SE Santana, P-rails in both positions, open top covers.

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

P-rails seem cool but when I'm switching pickups during a song I don't want to be worrying about if I'm on the right switches etc.

 

[Mincer]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

P-rails seem cool but when I'm switching pickups during a song I don't want to be worrying about if I'm on the right switches etc.

I am the same way. But I will say the Triple Shots make that easy to see what is going on, and it is pretty simple to switch from one to another. Or just hardwire the settings you will certainly use to a few switches.

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

for the P-rails, do they give good single coil tones, like the SSL-1s? Are they more for functionality and can do everything or can they do everything well?

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

Would it be better to go Jazz/Custom5, '59/Custom5 or A2Pros, or a combo of either etc.? Also, is covering the Custom5 a good option and would covering the Jazz make it sound weak?

I'm a big fan of the 59N; I have four of them. It has a nice vintagey voice with good touch response. Cleans up quite well, does well for lead tones too. Some feel it can be a bit boomy in fat sounding guitars but it never sounded like that in any of mine. Another advantage is that it responds very well to fine-tuning by swapping in different magnets. I kind of doubt your PRS is going to have excessive low end, but those who find the 59N boomy often prefer the tighter low end of the Jazz neck. It isn't thin sounding, just has less of the very low lows. Perhaps a better choice for those who favor high gain most of the time. I have one and it sounds very good for cleans and for leads. Nothing wrong with the Jazz neck. Myself, I think the 59N has a little more character. But that could also be because two of my axes have had them for close to forty years now.

As for covers, I feel as long as you use good quality ones the difference should be pretty subtle. There may be just a little less of the very high treble and a hair less bite, especially when playing clean. But not enough to make a good pickup sound weak. In fact, probably not enough that anybody besides you would hear it. We get so familiar with our own instruments that sometimes we can notice small differences that others wouldn't pick up on. IMO covers are like that. Now, cheapo covers are another story and they can mess with a pickup's tone. Decent ones, not so much.

 

[Mincer]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

for the P-rails, do they give good single coil tones, like the SSL-1s? Are they more for functionality and can do everything or can they do everything well?

The only thing I'd say about the P-Rails that is a slight (and very slight, it is) negative is that the series humbucking tone is a little dark. But I love the P-90 and single tones.

 

[ms1844]

Re: PRS SE Pickup Upgrade Recommendations? Pickup Covers?

Thanks everyone for responding, I ordered a Jazz in the neck and a Custom 5 for the bridge. I would have done a '59 in the neck, but idk how to magnet swap etc. Thanks all for the information and help