Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: redmania on March 18, 2012, 01:09:27 PM
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This topic has been discussed before. But I was wondering if anyone had actually swapped out their PRS Custom 24 pups. I am looking for an upgrade and I am after that slightly hotter PAF sound. Which incidentally led me to the the Mule. Tim has been great answering questions. But at the moment I don't know whether to go VH2 or Mule. I want to move away from the HFS and Vintage bass. The HFS is tinny clean and only good for shredding.
My PRS is a lightish guitar and I don't want some thin sounding PUPS I want some warm ones. I mainly play clean, with a pedal for a bit of grit. I play blues in a band and love it when my little Cornell Romany breaks up naturally on 9. I mainly do grunt and rhythm but sometimes I get the odd solo. The Mule I am worried will be to thin and the VH2 slightly too hot. OR am I over thinking?
So would you go VH2 or Mule?
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Black dog bridge mule neck.
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^ the above is a good combo for vintage-y tones but if you're using split pickups, as the Cu24 wiring uses, then I'd go for VHIIs every time.
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The VHII splitted tones are very nice. You migth want to consider the Black Dog and the Abraxas for the bridge.
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If you worry the Mule haven't got what it takes I'll say the Abraxas as it's often described as a PAF on steroids.
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If the OP is worrying about the VHII being too hot then the Abraxas would definitely be the wrong choice as the bridge pickup is quite hot - not far away from a Holydiver.
However I don't see a reason not to choose VHIIs here.
Cheers Stephan
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black dogs are pretty warm
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Not sure what to recommend, but I wouldn't worry about the VHII being too hot.
It basically fits the "definition" (if there is one!) of a PAF-style pickup since it has the correct 42 AWG plain enamel wire, it's wound as hot as it could be with that wire type, but it's not a roaring monster.
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I've had both VHII's & Mules in my Artist II. I think in a CU24, the VHII's would be great. They do have a superb split sound. The only reason I swapped them out is that on the hardtail 22 fret Artist there was a bit more bottom end than I wanted. For blues they would be great.
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Thanks guys. I am still yet decided. I think the VH2s may be a goer. I have tried finding some clips on youtube but there are only a few clean samples are medium gain.
I am hoping they will be right for the guitar.
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I've got a PRS (with Mules) and a cornell romany. I find that the Romany works best with lower output pickups - obviously IMHO and all that. If you like the natural sound of the amp just breaking up, I would stick with the more trad PAF variants (mules, stormy mondays etc) to get that sound, as opposed to anything more overwound. I would use the VH2 type pickups with an amp if you want to push the preamp more, but the romany doesn't respond too well to that in my experience.
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The VHII cleans up great, don't worry. You can really steer it with the vol.knob. Voicing is balanced with enoug bass, good mids and nice bright topend, that is not shrill at all. It's a dynamic, touchsensitive pickup that really screams when you dig in. Love the wicked leadtones from the VHII. Mine is an ash American Series HSS-strat.
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I'm still debating this one. Does anyone know of any sound demos clean or with a little gain?
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I think you'll need to search on YouTube or in the Players section here on the forum :)
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I like the cleans of the VHII, they have some singlecoil-vibe only bigger sounding.
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I talked to Tim about my PRS SE Custom 24 going from clean, through Blues to Classic Rock and even 80's Metal and he suggested Holydiver bridge and Emerald neck but if you don't want pickups that hot, I'd go with Abraxas. I know it's a hot wind but it is very much a Mule on steroids and the Alnico IV magnet will help to keep it smooth despite its power. A very versatile set.
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I play blues mainly so the Abraham's appear too hot. Ideally I think I'd like something in between the mules and vh2.
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Abraham's? I assume you mean Abraxas. Anyway, I still think the answer is Abraxas. In terms of wind, the VHII probably isn't that much hotter than the Mule but the big difference is the change from Alnico IV to Alnico V magnets as that will give the pickup a more modern edge to it. For that smooth Blues tone I think you're looking for either Alnico II or Alnico IV. I don't think you'll find Stormy Mondays or PG Blues hot enough or versatile enough and if you want something a bit hotter than the Mule, it really is the Abraxas. I wouldn't get too hung up on the hotness of the wind as what that's doing is simply giving you a very versatile pickup but the Alnico IV magnet will still give you the Blues tone you're after better than something like a VHII or anything with an Alnico V magnet. The Abraxas is still a great Blues pickup, just like the Mule, it's just that the hotter wind means it can do other things too. If you really have a problem getting over the hotness of the wind, your next best bet would be the Mule itself.
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Abraham's? I assume you mean Abraxas. Anyway, I still think the answer is Abraxas. In terms of wind, the VHII probably isn't that much hotter than the Mule but the big difference is the change from Alnico IV to Alnico V magnets as that will give the pickup a more modern edge to it. For that smooth Blues tone I think you're looking for either Alnico II or Alnico IV. I don't think you'll find Stormy Mondays or PG Blues hot enough or versatile enough and if you want something a bit hotter than the Mule, it really is the Abraxas. I wouldn't get too hung up on the hotness of the wind as what that's doing is simply giving you a very versatile pickup but the Alnico IV magnet will still give you the Blues tone you're after better than something like a VHII or anything with an Alnico V magnet. The Abraxas is still a great Blues pickup, just like the Mule, it's just that the hotter wind means it can do other things too. If you really have a problem getting over the hotness of the wind, your next best bet would be the Mule itself.
Yeah I meant abraxas, damn iPad changed the spelling. I see your point, I'll listen to some clips and see.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzYzVdtZuYU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfANqu0k3qw
Try these clips. They're both Blues but HTH Amps has loads of clips of an Abraxas set doing everything from Blues to Metal. As I said; a very versatile set but certainly one with a great Blues tone.
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I think a set of VHII's in your PRS would kill, but Mules are also great in mahogany. I have a pair in a bolt-on all mahogany Saint Blues Missippi Bluesmaster and they cover everything from snappy funk (middleposition) to warm neckleads and biting bridgeleads. Roll the tone a bit down and ZZ Top drops by. They are not whimpy at all.