Versatile Pickups

[Viclopresti]

Hi,
I've got a Prs se custom 22 and although the pickups are very nice I would like to replace them. I would like an extremely versatile humbucker. I play everything from Jazz to led zeppelin to Hendrix to Modern rock. Do you know what humbuckers I could get to play all these genres and even with the coil splitting possibility? Not much of a budget. Thanks

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Versatile Pickups

I'll narrow it down to a few sets I like for versatility:

Jazz neck, 59/C Hybrid bridge
Black Winter set
59 neck, Custom bridge
Pearly Gates neck, Custom Custom Bridge
Jazz, JB (Hot Rodded Humbucker set)
Sentient neck, 59/C Hybrid bridge

It's tough to put the description of this many pickups into words without droning on, it's also tough to put tonal descriptions into words, but there are sound clips on SD website that are pretty good for comparing tones.

My favorite set out of the above listed are the Sentient neck and 59/C bridge. They both shine both clean and under high gain, and both split amazingly well.

One other set that aren't as versatile as the others I listed, but are still able to do quite a bit are the Saturday Night Specials. They are an A4 set of PAF replicas that are good for 70s an arena styles of rock, an I find the especially shine in PRS guitars.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Versatile Pickups

Welcome to the forum.
To try to help you out a little better, it would be helpful if you told us what you like/don't like about the pickups you're using now and what your signal chain looks like.

 

[justFred]

Re: Versatile Pickups

Hi,
I've got a Prs se custom 22 and although the pickups are very nice I would like to replace them. I would like an extremely versatile humbucker. I play everything from Jazz to led zeppelin to Hendrix to Modern rock. Do you know what humbuckers I could get to play all these genres and even with the coil splitting possibility? Not much of a budget. Thanks

Fishman...most versatile HBs I know of...many model choices...maybe the Modern set for what your talking about....or maybe Classic....Hear the have a new open something or other coming out that is designed for excellent coil split...I think maybe...

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Versatile Pickups

59/JB

 

[Viclopresti]

Re: Versatile Pickups

Thanks Christoper,
I've looked at the Saturday night special, I like them but I wonder about there possibilities of the coil splitting. If they can be the versatile pair or even single I'm interested.

 

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: Versatile Pickups

I'll give u some brand options

Bare knuckle juggernauts
Dimarzio fred bridge paf pro neck
Duncan custom bridge jazz neck
Fishman classic set

Personally I like the juggernauts but ur call

 

[Mincer]

Re: Versatile Pickups

Thanks Christoper,
I've looked at the Saturday night special, I like them but I wonder about there possibilities of the coil splitting. If they can be the versatile pair or even single I'm interested.

They are '4 conductor' so they can be split.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Versatile Pickups

Im not even gonna address the pickup issue here. I've seen a few of these "Everything bucker" requests lately.

Here is the deal. when running that range, the best approach in my opinion is a very generic pickup. Say, a 59 for example. Something low-key and nondescript. I say this because to do all of that which you ask, it is really about the amp and the fx.

You need Hendrix? Tap the 59, and run it through a Fuzz Face and a Crybaby. EQ wherever Jimi put it
You need Zeppelin? 59 into classic Marshall. EQ wherever Jimmy put it
Jazz? Neck 59, tone rolled back, into Jazz Chorus
Modern Rock? Bridge/Neck 59, chorus and delay, into maybe an Orange of some sort.

Notice that I'm doing it all with a 59, but the amps and effects keep changing? Toss in a good programable EQ and I could use PG's, A2P's, Jazz sets, Screamin' Demons or all sorts of things. It's all about finding that "middle-of-the-road" bucker for your guitar. That's easy....

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Versatile Pickups

Not much of a budget? Bill Lawrence L500s–cheap and super versatile with incredible tone.

Looking for Seymours? I'd say the JB and 59 is a solid choice–highly popular combo for a reason.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Versatile Pickups

I've got a Prs se custom 22
. . .
I play everything from Jazz to led zeppelin to Hendrix to Modern rock.
. . .
Not much of a budget.

Some options I would use:

Jazz neck + Pearly Gates bridge and use your tone controls

496R + 500T and good amp sims/pedals

Pearly Gates neck + 59/Custom bridge (or Jazz neck or Seth neck might be better)

Jazz neck or Seth neck + Distortion bridge (it's not as hot as people make it sound; does great Zeppelin leads and can hit the modern stuff). Need good amp sims/pedals and use your tone controls for variety.

Seth neck + 59 bridge

Pearly Gates neck + Whole Lotta Humbucker bridge

Don't be fooled or swayed by pickup names. (E.g. Jazz doesn't mean it only does Jazz). My list is based on the music you cited and my experience of hearing the sound of these pickups in various guitars; mainly Les Paul's and SGs somewhat similar to your PRS.

Just know that no one set of pickups will do all that accurately. Each set will do a couple things really well and only do a passible job of all the others. Figure out which of all that music is most important to sound right and bias your choice in that direction.

Not much budget? Buy used.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Versatile Pickups

When I get a query like this from a customer, I always try to zero in on the tonal personality of the individual guitar because every hunk of wood -- even from the same tree -- is different. Now, nothing is near as good as the customer being local so I can have the guitar in my lap and plugged in, but asking questions like the following is the next best thing: Is it bright? Dark? Middling? Any other sonic quirks? What pickups are in it now and what do they lack? What gauge strings do you use and are you heavy-handed with a thick pick or vice versa?

In other words, it does no good asking for a "versatile set of pickups" without all the above context because what's versatile in one guitar may be a one (or zero)-trick pony in yours.