What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

[FuelGTRX]

I just got a PRS CE 22 off of Ebay and now I need to replace those Dragon II pickups. I'm thinking either a JB/Jazz, Custom/59, or CC/A2P combo. The style of music I play is Alice In Chains, Fuel, STP, and Velvet Revolver. Any recommendations or advise?

Also, do I need to get the bridge pickup F-Spaced for a PRS w/ trem? I'm not sure if PRS's need them.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

Regular spacing is fine, I think. Personally I would go with the APH/CC combo. I have the same setup in my Carvin DC127 and it does very well for the musical styles you mentioned.

 

[kaknight]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

tough call there. a pretty wide range of tones, and I don't know what kind of rig you are playing through. I just sold a PRS Cu22, that sounded great with 59/C5 in it. My Heritage LP has A2pro/C5 and came A2pro/CC. The A2pro neck is very warm and musical (it's my fav), but might be a bit muddy for the STP neck sound. The 59n I think would sound great for that, but might miss a beat or two doing the Velvet Revolver tone. I think that a custom would be a nice bridge if you favor a bit more bass, but the CC sounds great if you like more mids and a sweeter solo voice. I have never been a big fan of the JB. I tried it in my PRS and it sounded nasally kinda like a toy trumpet.

 

[FuelGTRX]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

tough call there. a pretty wide range of tones, and I don't know what kind of rig you are playing through. I just sold a PRS Cu22, that sounded great with 59/C5 in it. My Heritage LP has A2pro/C5 and came A2pro/CC. The A2pro neck is very warm and musical (it's my fav), but might be a bit muddy for the STP neck sound. The 59n I think would sound great for that, but might miss a beat or two doing the Velvet Revolver tone. I think that a custom would be a nice bridge if you favor a bit more bass, but the CC sounds great if you like more mids and a sweeter solo voice. I have never been a big fan of the JB. I tried it in my PRS and it sounded nasally kinda like a toy trumpet.

I play through a Marshall DSL-50 half stack loaded with Greenback speakers.

I really don't do the STP clean sound, just similar to that distorted sound. My cleans are like Fuel's; boucy, crisp, and rich.

 

[Stratsky]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

This is a good combination.

CE22 with JB and Jazz

 

[FuelGTRX]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

This is a good combination.

CE22 with JB and Jazz

This is the one I got:

 

[Stratsky]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

This is the one I got:

Nice axe. I like those gold tops. When I bought my CE22 I wanted a goldtop, but I bought my vintage yellow because it has a stoptail piece which is relatively rare for the CE22. Also it does look good.

 

[FuelGTRX]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

Nice axe. I like those gold tops. When I bought my CE22 I wanted a goldtop, but I bought my vintage yellow because it has a stoptail piece which is relatively rare for the CE22. Also it does look good.

Yeah, I wanted to get a CE because of the trem. I have been wanting a guitar with a trem for a while. I would have gotten another LP if I didn't need a trem. I was wanting to get a vintage yellow one, but I like goldtops alot .

I play on changing it over to the McCarty style electronics, 3 way switch with coil tap on the tone pot. I have played numerous PRS's and could never get used to the 5-way rotary. I guess I'm too used to an LP .

 

[Dills]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

nice axe u got there

 

[Stratsky]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

I play on changing it over to the McCarty style electronics, 3 way switch with coil tap on the tone pot. I have played numerous PRS's and could never get used to the 5-way rotary. I guess I'm too used to an LP .

I was going to change mine over to the McCarty style electronics, but you have to make the hole drilled for the switch in the guitar bigger to accept a three way switch and I didn't feel comfortable altering the body of the guitar. The hole for the rotary switch is 3/8" diameter and you need 1/2" for the 3 way switch.

 

[FuelGTRX]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

I was going to change mine over to the McCarty style electronics, but you have to make the hole drilled for the switch in the guitar bigger to accept a three way switch and I didn't feel comfortable altering the body of the guitar. The hole for the rotary switch is 3/8" diameter and you need 1/2" for the 3 way switch.

I got the tools to do it properly, so I'm not worried about doing it. Thanks for the heads up on the 3-way switch fitting, I didn't know there was a hole size difference.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

Like Kaknight, I highly recommend the Custom 5/59 or Custom 5/Jazz. Order it in nickel, and it'll look stock, but have better output than the stock pickups.
I have a zebra C-5/59 in my teal black McCarty, and it sounds great, clean, midgain, or highgain. Go with that combo! The JB is a little middy in PRS's, the CC dark, the Custom too harsh. Vintage pups won't sound much different than stock. C-5/59!

 

[HolyDirt]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

I was going to change mine over to the McCarty style electronics, but you have to make the hole drilled for the switch in the guitar bigger to accept a three way switch and I didn't feel comfortable altering the body of the guitar. The hole for the rotary switch is 3/8" diameter and you need 1/2" for the 3 way switch.

Some advice: use heavy grit sand paper instead of a drill to widen the hole if your unassure of your power tool abilities, the wood where you need to widen the hole is VERY thin, so sanding it only takes a few minutes, thats what i did with my CE22

 

[FuelGTRX]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

Well, I decided to go with the Custom/'59 combo in my CE 22. Do I need to get a F-spaced bridge pup? Could I get by with a F-spaced one? A shop down the street from me only has the Custom in trem spacing.

Some advice: use heavy grit sand paper instead of a drill to widen the hole if your unassure of your power tool abilities, the wood where you need to widen the hole is VERY thin, so sanding it only takes a few minutes, thats what i did with my CE22

Thats what I was thinking about doing. I tried to widen a hole on my old POS Sonata LP with a power drill and it screwed the hole up and it wasn't much wider.

 

[papersoul]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

I just got a PRS CE 22 off of Ebay and now I need to replace those Dragon II pickups. I'm thinking either a JB/Jazz, Custom/59, or CC/A2P combo. The style of music I play is Alice In Chains, Fuel, STP, and Velvet Revolver. Any recommendations or advise?

Also, do I need to get the bridge pickup F-Spaced for a PRS w/ trem? I'm not sure if PRS's need them.

I would stick with the stock pickups for a while. They are some great pickups in every way. My friend's CU22 totally stock is one of the best guitars I've heard. I never had one complaint about the CU22s I've played in stores all with D IIs. Stick it out a while. I like Duncans for guitars that comes with crap pickups but I find Gibsons and PRS come with very good p'ups. Just my opinion.

If you are going aftermarket, I say C-5/Jazz or Rio Grande BBQ/Texas. The Custom is nice too but maybe better in an LP.

 

[papersoul]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

Still see no reason to swap out the Dragon IIs. If you have to, I guess the
C-5/Jazz or Rio Grande BBQ/Texas. The Custom is nice too but maybe better in an LP. My only complaint at times about the C-5 is the glassy rather than smooth highs. Dependig on your amp, you could go with lower output pickups. I can get all those tones you mention with Gibson Burstbucker Pros which are fairly low output.

 

[Blueline]

Re: What pickups to get for a PRS CE 22?

when choosing a pickup, remember that the bolt in maple neck adds more snap and crispness to the guitar than a set maple neck found on the custom 22
i'd recommend NOT going jazz in the neck because it might be too thin and brite (i personally don't like the jazz in mah/maple guitars with bolt on maple necks
the 59 of aph2 would be great int he neck