JeffB
Let it B
Just got done installing the Pearly Gates set in another guitar- My new PRS Starla. Big fat all mahogany tone- dark/warm, tons of low end but each note rings clear as a bell. The stock pickups were very good (by far, the best PRS pups I've encountered), I really second guessed changing them out for the past few weeks-but I wanted more bite/treble content out of the bridge/neck, without sacrificing the neat vintage character the stockers had.
The PRS was a pain to wire up- I had it totally wired wrong the first time (3 way strat style switch + coil tap on the tone pot) and was getting nothing-Then I realized that what I *thought* was the "hot" coming out of the PRS pickups was the coil tap. With some investigation here and over at BAM, I finally figured it out, and thankfully got it together without feeling like sticking the soldering iron in my eye from too much frustration
In my EPI, while they were a big improvement over stock, the PGs were a little too high endy-not alot of meat, and a bit muddy (obviously the differences in wood, and commmon with epis , IME) But boy oh boy there is PLENTY of meat with them in the PRS- I was worried I'd lose that because the PRS pickups had alot of lows and low mids. The PG bridge screams, yet is sweet , thick, great low end, tons of pick attack and retains great note definition. Didn't lose anything and gained EXACTLY what I wanted. It can purr, it can get raunchy like Freddie King, and it can get nasty enough for classic 70s/early 80s metal.
I actually really liked the PRS neck pup because it was clear and didn't have too much bass- but still had good mids- just enough of each without getting boomy or muddy. The PGn has a bit more bass and low mids, and thus has a little mud- need to tweak some. But I think I can get it worked out. Top end is really sweet as always.
Thats gained out (for me- think 2205 levels of gain). Cleans are absolutely brilliant- Again the PRS pickups were really good on cleans too-clear, but dark/warm. the PGs really opened up the clean tones. Beautiful "round" vintage PAF type sounds with a little more clarity and sparkle WITHOUT losing any "meat".
Now one of the biggest changes was in FEEL of the instrument- the PRS Starlas are alnico, but what alnico I have no idea. With the PGs in, the guitar is much less "stiff" playing- bends easier and had to drop my pick gauge as the strings got looser- sustain increased as well (and heights of the pickup sets before and after are pretty much exactly the same). Hell, I may even go up a gauge in strings!
In this guitar they are def a 9.5 outta 10. Highly reccomended for an all mahogany short scale :bigthumb:
The PRS was a pain to wire up- I had it totally wired wrong the first time (3 way strat style switch + coil tap on the tone pot) and was getting nothing-Then I realized that what I *thought* was the "hot" coming out of the PRS pickups was the coil tap. With some investigation here and over at BAM, I finally figured it out, and thankfully got it together without feeling like sticking the soldering iron in my eye from too much frustration
In my EPI, while they were a big improvement over stock, the PGs were a little too high endy-not alot of meat, and a bit muddy (obviously the differences in wood, and commmon with epis , IME) But boy oh boy there is PLENTY of meat with them in the PRS- I was worried I'd lose that because the PRS pickups had alot of lows and low mids. The PG bridge screams, yet is sweet , thick, great low end, tons of pick attack and retains great note definition. Didn't lose anything and gained EXACTLY what I wanted. It can purr, it can get raunchy like Freddie King, and it can get nasty enough for classic 70s/early 80s metal.
I actually really liked the PRS neck pup because it was clear and didn't have too much bass- but still had good mids- just enough of each without getting boomy or muddy. The PGn has a bit more bass and low mids, and thus has a little mud- need to tweak some. But I think I can get it worked out. Top end is really sweet as always.
Thats gained out (for me- think 2205 levels of gain). Cleans are absolutely brilliant- Again the PRS pickups were really good on cleans too-clear, but dark/warm. the PGs really opened up the clean tones. Beautiful "round" vintage PAF type sounds with a little more clarity and sparkle WITHOUT losing any "meat".
Now one of the biggest changes was in FEEL of the instrument- the PRS Starlas are alnico, but what alnico I have no idea. With the PGs in, the guitar is much less "stiff" playing- bends easier and had to drop my pick gauge as the strings got looser- sustain increased as well (and heights of the pickup sets before and after are pretty much exactly the same). Hell, I may even go up a gauge in strings!
In this guitar they are def a 9.5 outta 10. Highly reccomended for an all mahogany short scale :bigthumb:
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