PRS pickup suggestions

HarrySound

HarrySound

Power User
I have a Charvel which is absolute tonal heaven but I hate the neck shape.
I love the pickups, JB and a ‘59 in the neck.
I’m thinking about buying a set and putting them in my PRS Custom 24 but wondered if anyone had any suggestions.
The Charvel is quite a chunky guitar and I’m worried the pickups won’t sound as good within the PRS.
Also I might want something slightly more Hard Rock/metal tonally in the bridge. Maybe a custom custom or distortion?

Anyone got experience with PRS and after market pickups?
 
I put a BKP Cold Sweat in the bridge of my '11 Studio and it sounds killer. It's pretty high output and covers all things metal and rock with ease. I would imagine a matched set would be great in your Custom 24.

I have an Ibanez '99(?) RG520QS with JB/59's in it, its my most versatile guitar with that combo. It covers a huge tonal range so I can't imagine that being a bad choice for your C24 as well.
 
I have a PRS CE 24 with Juggernauts in it that sounds great. The Nailbomb alnico’s would also be a good choice. Cold Sweats are great as well. I have a old poplar Charvel with a JB/59 in it and I think the combo sounds best in this guitar. I do not/did not like the combo in some of my other maple/mahogany guitars. It’s all personal preference though right? For me the Nazgul, Pegasus and Sentient replace the JB and 59 classic combo.

Seymour Duncan and Bareknuckle will let you swap pickups out within 21/15 days if you dont like them.
 
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MSS said:
Seymour Duncan and Bareknuckle will let you swap pickups out within 21/15 days if you dont like them.
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I’m in England so I’m not sure if that’s a thing here too? Would I have to buy direct from SF to get that? Because I don’t think that’s possible here, website just sends me to dealers.

Also...swapping pickups in a £3000 guitar....scary right?
 
HarrySound said:
I’m in England so I’m not sure if that’s a thing here too? Would I have to buy direct from SF to get that? Because I don’t think that’s possible here, website just sends me to dealers.

Also...swapping pickups in a £3000 guitar....scary right?
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Pretty sure it goes for anyone anywhere. You do have to purchase them direct from Bareknuckle but Seymour allows purchase from any authorized dealer. Both sites allow purchase online right from their site.
 
The JB-59 pair is classic and works well in the Customs. I've had Holydivers in my Standard and thought they were good, but too hot for me. I'm back to Dragon I's in the Standard now and I think they sound the best -- classic PRS sound.
 
I have a PRS CE24 and have had the following pickups in it:

Original HFS, Vintage Bass.
Dimarzio Evolution set.
Dimarzio Mo' Joe bridge, PAF Pro neck.
Railhammer Nuevo 90's set.
TV Jones Power'tron+ bridge, Power'tron neck (traditional humbucker size).

My opinion is that the Evolutions would be a great option for you but my favorite set for that guitar for rock would have to be the Mo' Joe/PAF Pro combination. I really love the midrange bite the Mo' Joe delivers and the classic neck humbucker tones of the PAF. The Evolution in the neck resulted in more the clarity and brighter tone which may be a better fit with the Mo' Joe.

Right now I'm enjoying the TV Jones. Tonally I am really surprised by them, the 'Gretschy' tone is there but not at all overwhelming. Much better and more neutral at higher gain than I expected, very responsive and clear. If you're interested in trying something different, they may be an option.
 
FWIW I put Nailbombs in my rosewood neck C22 and it turned from a maybe sell into a definitely keep. The stock pickups lacked definition for hard rock / metal particularly when detuned and the BK pickups totally fixed that. Even tuned to C# it still sounds awesome. I certainly wouldn't be afraid of changing the stock pickups in a PRS and it isn't like it isn't easy to change them back to resell if you have to. If in the US Music Zoo and others stock BK so it isn't necessary to order them from the UK if you don't want to.
 
Harrassment said:
FWIW I put Nailbombs in my rosewood neck C22 and it turned from a maybe sell into a definitely keep. The stock pickups lacked definition for hard rock / metal particularly when detuned and the BK pickups totally fixed that. Even tuned to C# it still sounds awesome. I certainly wouldn't be afraid of changing the stock pickups in a PRS and it isn't like it isn't easy to change them back to resell if you have to. If in the US Music Zoo and others stock BK so it isn't necessary to order them from the UK if you don't want to.
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Yeah I like the 85/15s for the classic clean sound. The bridge sounds really clear for high gain stuff but it doesn’t have much pick attack and from watching the Axe fx input meter and listening to the amp you can tell they are far less high output than a JB for example. Apparently they are just 9k resistance which is more like a hot neck pickup to me. Also I really don’t rate the neck humbucker, it sounds like the tones rolled off and it’s almost impossible to get that percussive attack. I actually don’t like it for anything other than the split coil PRS position.

I think I’m going to find a JB and ‘59 and put them into my 2009 (before they were actually good) PRS 22 SE and see how that goes before I make the transplant. Problem is apart from the neck that guitar is awful.

Why don’t we yet live in a world where we can be free of solder? What’s stopping that?
 
I've heard good things about the SD JB/Jazz combo in PRS guitars. Can't go wrong with that I suppose.

I have three 24 fret US PRS guitars and I'm extremely happy with their stock sound that I really don't see a point in changing the pickups. Not to say that I'm right but changing pickups has never been a night and day type difference for me. HFS/Vintage Bass is what I think I have in all of them although one is from the 80s, one from the 90s and one from the 00s.
 
Leave the pups in the PRS alone and reshape the neck on the Charvel! probably going to cost you just as much, just a thought
 
Don't sweat pickup swaps. They make it relatively easy for a reason ;)

The PRS won't sound quite like the charvel assuming you have a strat style at 25.5" scale. I have dual 59's in my '06 custom 22 and I like it - a little hotter than the stock pickups in my S2. I'm a fan of PAF style pickups in mahogany based guitars.
 
I have the JB/59 in my CU24 and see it as a big improvement over the stock 85/15s But then again i also LOVE the neck on my Charvels. (2010 MIJ) Another thing to consider is you can get really good money for the 85/15's if you decide to sell them off.
 
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