Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

[Lysergene]

So I bought a Torero which came with EMGs. I really like the sound of them but they act microphonic at high volume levels. I even bought a new 81 and this squeals just the same - even with the strings off. I've tried a bunch of guitars at a local store and they do the same thing. I'm at crunch levels of gain now and after having packed them out with foam and latex tubing I have had enough of them.

Anyway, this thread isn't intended to have a go at EMG (the guitarist from Mayhem had similar issues with his Blackouts at our last show) or to diagnose this issue. I am in contact with the guys at EMG and PRS and we have drawn a blank. They have been helpful, but these are going to be used for tracking now. I can't have this going on; monitor engineers often get it wrong and things can get a little messy.

I play in a Doom Metal band (Esoteric) and any one song will need me to use clean, crunch, distortion, sometimes with lots of effects going on and extended chords. We aren't Sludge and I'm not after super hot bass end neck position sounds. That would be all too easy.....

Here's the spec:

Mahogany body with flame maple veneer
Maple through neck, wide thin profile
Bound ebony fretboard

We tune to A# and this is a six string guitar. I use an Axe FX II and Matrix amp with ENGL stereo cab.

Whatever I get needs to be pretty versatile, splittable, heavy when I want to play Djenty stuff and have really good string definition for the extended chords. There are three guitarists in the band so they will need to cut but that's not a massive need. I realise the Axe will be able to process most pickups into whatever I want

So there you go. Probably the longest question ever?

......what do you guys think?

 

[jtougas]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

Black Winters.

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

Black Winters.

Seen. I'll check the specs....

 

[jtougas]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

Specs don't tell you everything.

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

https://youtu.be/jpLpuO-q-To


I agree. Nice cleans here too. ^^^

If there is something that does this with a hint of PAF when needed.... Big ask I suppose.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

Pegasus?

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[Toejam]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

Nazgul?

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[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

Hmm. The Nazgul sounds like it may be a little shrill on the unwound strings but seems to have nicer string separation. I can stick an EQ block before the amp block to sort that out though. Maybe a Pegasus bridge and Sentient neck? Needs to be quite versatile....a PAF that can do an impression of an active/ceramic pup when needs be.

Tricky.

I have seen the Fishman which has two voices. Tempting, but I'm not entirely sold on those.

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

Thanks for your responses BTW.

 

[Whammy]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

So you are looking for a versatile pickup with PAF qualities. Good string separation for low tunings and extended chords and aggressive enough (with presumably a focused midrange) for djenty stuff?

Bare Knuckle's "Black Dog" humbucker seems to be a good fit.
Aggressively voiced PAF with higher output. I think it fits most of the categories that you want.
The only area it might be weak at is splitting as its dc resistance is already pretty low.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

I think there are 2 choices. Pegasus/Sentient or Black Winter set. Both are versatile, sound great with low tunings and different levels of gain. You can't go wrong with either, just pick the voicing you like.

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

So you are looking for a versatile pickup with PAF qualities. Good string separation for low tunings and extended chords and aggressive enough (with presumably a focused midrange) for djenty stuff?

Bare Knuckle's "Black Dog" humbucker seems to be a good fit.
Aggressively voiced PAF with higher output. I think it fits most of the categories that you want.
The only area it might be weak at is splitting as its dc resistance is already pretty low.

It does seem a good fit actually.

I have gain on tap for the right pickups so that shouldn't be a massive issue, I'll probably only be looking at splitting the neck. I like a hot neck pickup anyway so maybe something else in that position.

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

I think there are 2 choices. Pegasus/Sentient or Black Winter set. Both are versatile, sound great with low tunings and different levels of gain. You can't go wrong with either, just pick the voicing you like.

Yeah the Pegasus/Sentient combo sounds like a good idea too. Bit worried about the ceramic Black Winters being a little shrill on the unwound strings for soloing.

I guess I need to decide between alnico and ceramic. I'm aware that the BKP Juggernauts use both.....expensive though.

 

[EDX]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

not all ceramic loaded pickups are shrill, for example an invader is waaaaaaaaay far from being shrill and it has 3 ceramic magnets, most guitarists debate different magnets like if it was a sin using something out of the alnico 2 to 5 range, when what impart's most of the tone of the pickup is the winding, discuss between alnico and ceramic magnets on a same winding not in different windings, specially if the alnico loaded pickup has a light winding whereas the ceramic pickup is way overwound, on the 16k+ dcr range a ceramic might be what you need to bring high end lost by the winding back...... well depending on how the pickup was wound....

out of that, i would suggest you to also look on the lace alumitone deathbucker and humbucker combo

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

I can't believe no one has mentioned the Duncan Custom yet. His needs are basically the definition of that pickup. Versatile, check. String definition, check. Handles low tunings, check. Go Custom, sir.

 

[InbredJunk]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

The dimebucker does everything you said you want.

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[EDX]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

The dimebucker does everything you said you want.

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except it has too much high end for djent and not enough mids to actually produce that djent noise you get when palm muting a low b, i've tried the dimebucker in b standar, and while it keeps ridiculously tight it just wont nail the clunky djent sound that defines the genre, yup it sounds heavy, defined and crisp as only it can, but the palm muted noise is is classic crushing and dry, not wet and djenty, no matter how you dial the amp, eq pedal, it just doesn't has the mids to do that wet djenty noise when you palm mute, but it will sound like a thunder, with a big high end strike and instantly the low end throwing you by the airs, if you're ok with that then get it, but if you want a real djent sound get something with a more mid focused voicing

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

It has no PAF flavor whatsoever, however, a SLUG would work quite well here. And yes, 2 ceramic bar magnets as rails, but it is so far from shrill you should not use that word in it's presence. It does however cut nicely, better than an invader IME, have loads of output and a nice clean tone and nice tone throughout the spectrum. It is mid heavy, and can do things well that I am positive were not in mind when someone thought up a 48k pickup with 2 ceramic magnets as rails. The black winter will be better at definition a bit, but SLUG might just surprise you. If you lean a bit more towards a p90ish clean and low gain sound, SLUG is an option. Why in the heck it can pull that off is a head scratcher to me. I would probably go black winter as it is an amazing pickup, but my backup choice for your description would be SLUG.

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

not all ceramic loaded pickups are shrill, for example an invader is waaaaaaaaay far from being shrill and it has 3 ceramic magnets, most guitarists debate different magnets like if it was a sin using something out of the alnico 2 to 5 range, when what impart's most of the tone of the pickup is the winding, discuss between alnico and ceramic magnets on a same winding not in different windings, specially if the alnico loaded pickup has a light winding whereas the ceramic pickup is way overwound

Good point. I'm forgetting the winding. So a high output, scatter wound asymmetrical Ceramic is going to be less shrill with a more interesting 'bloom' for big chords while still focused for palm mutes....?

 

[Lysergene]

Re: Replacement pickups for PRS SE Torero - Doom metal with string definition.

I can't believe no one has mentioned the Duncan Custom yet. His needs are basically the definition of that pickup. Versatile, check. String definition, check. Handles low tunings, check. Go Custom, sir.

Thanks for that. I'll check all of these pups out as best I can. I like a good both on lead sound too and the neck needs to be quite bright for cleans and cutting solos. Preferably scatter wound and asymmetrical coils?

So far I'm looking at these - regardless of the above criteria.

Black Winter

Pegasus/Sentient (keen on these so far)

Nazgul

BKP Black Dog

Invader

Lace Deathbucker/Alumitone

Duncan Custom (I like the look of these too)

Dimebucker (possibly as neck with a very hot bridge?)

SLUG

Thanks guys.