Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

[Rex_Rocker]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a PRS SE Mike Mushok baritone (mahogany body, maple neck, ebony board, 27.7" scale). We all know, however, that the stock pickups on them SE's aren't great. So I want to replace the pickups.

I've already got a Phat Cat, '59B, or PAF Pro that I can use in the neck position.

I want some recommendations for the bridge pickup.

First and foremost, I want something that matches the output of the rest of my guitars. I can deal with guitars having different EQ profiles as long as the amount of gain I dial in for my other guitars works. So I want something that, at the very least is as hot as the Distortion, and that is no hotter than the Black Winter.

Second, I want clarity, tightness, and aggression. I want something with aggressive upper-mids and some high-end sizzle. The guitar is going to be tuned to A standard, so I want a super tight (and somewhat restrained) low-end and scooped low-mids to counter the mud from the low tuning and thick strings. I want something that's similar to the Distortion and Black Winter in my other guitars, but even tighter and brighter.

I'm thinking the Nazgul might do the job EQ-wise, but I suspect it's lower output than what I want. Am I wrong?

I'm also considering the EMG 81X, 81TW or something in the EMG 81 family, but I suspect it might not work all that great with the Phat Cat, '59B, or PAF Pro in the neck.

What else should I be looking at? Gibson 500T perhaps? DiMarzio D Sonic?

Thanks.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Probably not as tight as you want but I think the JB slays in Jason Hook’s explorer.
I’m thinking of selling my 7 string and getting a baritone. So I’m definitely uninterested in your experiments here.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Man, I absolutely love the JB, but I don't think it's what I'm looking for here. I want something tighter, bolder, and more aggressive. The JB has a cool old-school grind to it, but it's a bit spongy/too generous in the low-mids, I fear. It's probably not as hot as I need either.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Dimebucker.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

I was considering the Dimebucker too, but isn't it like super mega hot? Like way hotter than the Black Winter? Plus, isn't it kinda bassy because of the scoop?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Dimebucker.

I was about to say, the Dime has about as much snap and tightness as a good tele lead pickup while having plenty of grind and output.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

No. People tend to think that it's one dimensional pickup. It isn't. It was just how Dimebag dialled it. It's the closest to what you're looking for.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

I was considering the Dimebucker too, but isn't it like super mega hot? Like way hotter than the Black Winter? Plus, isn't it kinda bassy because of the scoop?

It's scooped, but it's not too thumpy/bassy. I also didn't find it to be to much hotter than a JB or ceramic Custom. A bit more, but not a whole lot.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

No. People tend to think that it's one dimensional pickup. It isn't. It was just how Dimebag dialled it. It's the closest to what you're looking for.

It's scooped, but it's not too thumpy/bassy. I also didn't find it to be to much hotter than a JB or ceramic Custom. A bit more, but not a whole lot.

Interesting. If it isn't THAT hot or bassy, I'm definitely interested. I'm sure it'd be a great match for the '59B in the neck too!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Interesting. If it isn't THAT hot or bassy, I'm definitely interested. I'm sure it'd be a great match for the '59B in the neck too!

I think it would! I had it paired with an Antiquity in an old Hamer for a while and it was pretty good. It wasn't super hot, but it IS very grindy.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

BTW, I recently installed it in a Washburn Mercury (alder with sycamore top) paired with some Carvin AP11's. I'll let you know how it sounds in that ASAP.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Dimebucker.

Dimebucker or Bill Lawrence (Wilde or USA) L500L or L500XL.

These are highly underated pickups...undermarketed and incorrectly seen as only "Dimebag" material.


It is a very versatile pickup–extremely articulate. Don't let the "hot" dissuade you. It paired amazingly well with the Screamin Demon (neck position) in my guitar.

Really tight so would be great for the baritone, IMO.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

I am actually a huge fan of Dimebag, and I do like his tone. The Dimebucker didn't come to mind because I thought it would be kinda boomy and super hot, but if you guys say it isn't, maybe it's worth taking a look at.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Oh hey. I used to have one of those. Hear me out, try it out first. The pickups it had didn't really leave me wanting anything else; they're pretty good.

I would suggest the DD but you said you want something more, and I'm not sure what that would be exactly. Either way I hope you like whatever you get. Its a really nice guitar, enjoy!

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

I am actually a huge fan of Dimebag, and I do like his tone. The Dimebucker didn't come to mind because I thought it would be kinda boomy and super hot, but if you guys say it isn't, maybe it's worth taking a look at.

I've never experienced a Dimebucker/BL Twin Rail as "boomy". It is a hot pickup but doesn't feel as hot as other pickups.

I'd definitely recommend it but it is your guitar not mine.

Best of luck with the pickup choice!

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Oh hey. I used to have one of those. Hear me out, try it out first. The pickups it had didn't really leave me wanting anything else; they're pretty good.

I would suggest the DD but you said you want something more, and I'm not sure what that would be exactly. Either way I hope you like whatever you get. Its a really nice guitar, enjoy!

Thank, you, man! I've tried the guitar already, and I used to have an SE Singlecut with those same pickups. Yeah, they aren't bad, but they're definitely not what I'm looking for. Honestly, a Distortion doesn't seem like a bad idea either.

I've never experienced a Dimebucker/BL Twin Rail as "boomy". It is a hot pickup but doesn't feel as hot as other pickups.

I'd definitely recommend it but it is your guitar not mine.

Best of luck with the pickup choice!

Thank you!

 

[Adieu]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

EMG 85-X if you go the EMG route... Dimebucker or the XLs from the various companies bickering over Bill's legacy are other solid options for low tunings

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

Honestly, what has stopped me from getting a Dimebucker in the past has been me reading that it's super mega hot. If it's not that much hotter than the Black Winter, color me interested. I'm dying to try it now, haha.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

I think the DActivator fits the bill here. As hot as the BW, mega clarity under high gain and drop tunings, very tight, but not overly thick/bassy, great high end cut...

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Recommend me a bridge pickup for a baritone PRS SE, please!

The D-Activator looks cool on paper too! I was wondering about the Titan as well. I actually have a Dominion kicking around which I think could be worth a try too, though I fear it might be too tame.