Replacement pickups for PRS Mira X? (Twinfan?)

[Philly Q]

Having just sold a PRS Mira, I'm thinking about changing the pickups on my Mira X for a bit more versatility (and perhaps a different look).  I'll probably get a set with a "flipped" magnet in the neck pickup and replace the 3-way switch with a 5-way for some coil-splitting options.

Question is, which pickups to go for?  There's nothing much wrong with the existing pickups (which, I think, are uncovered 245s), but as usual with PRS pickups I don't know the specs so it's hard to work out a BKP equivalent.  I'm after the usual classic rock type sounds, so vintage to vintage-hot, nothing more than that.

The guitar itself is obeche with a set mahogany neck and pau ferro fretboard.  It's very, very light and very resonant, hard to describe the acoustic tone but I'd say it's quite "brash"....

Any thoughts?

[AndyR]

With the words "light", "hard", and "brash" getting bandied around, my personal reaction would be "not riff raffs" in the first instance. Maybe even "not mules" either. Both my riff raffs and mules started out in guitars like that, and they moved to others pretty quickly.

I think I'd be leaning towards Black Dogs or maybe Emeralds. But those would be guesses for me based on what I've read on here.

I tend not to think of Stormies, not sure why, but I guess that they would do a nice job, just not one I've ever really considered.

Having said that though, this is all based on my own tastes... and I notice those are all pickups you've got or have had - you probably know more than I do! :lol:

[Twinfan]

Hmmm.  You've tried most stuff haven't you Phil?  The first thing that sprang to my mind was VHIIs, which are punchy but with an airy tone.  Might go well with the lighter body and it would probably end up as your brighter sounding guitar for some variety with the Juniors?

[AndyR]

^ I was wondering VHIIs as well, but know nothing about them... I kind of ruled them out of my thoughts ages ago as "hotter than I want to go".

[Philly Q]

VERY interesting comments, chaps!  :D

You've said some of the things I was thinking myself but was wary about writing down because I wasn't sure how to back up the arguments ( :lol: ) - not Riff Raffs, not Mules (could you elaborate on the guitars you tried yours in, Andy?). 

Stormies are a little too "polite" for me, I think.  Except perhaps in a semi.

Black Dogs, I wonder if they might be a bit too bassy... Emeralds, I already have a set I could try but I wonder if they'd perhaps sound a bit "hard" in the guitar?

Which brings us to the VHIIs.... I was thinking about them as I started the thread.  Lively, open tone (I believe) which might complement the guitar's natural tone rather than "fighting" it.    And 9k bridge, 8k neck - that's probably not too far from the Mira/245 pickups, I'd guess?

[Twinfan]

Exactly my thoughts Phil.......

[AndyR]

Yeah, I've just been reading elsewhere about Emeralds and I was thinking, oh, mebbe not for the light/brash guitar.

Right, Mules were bought for a 90s epi les paul. They were nice, but not quite what i was expecting. Then I discovered this epi probably isn't mahogany and that, although it's a very resonant and musical sounding guitar, it's quite bright and not-very-thick sounding. I bought a Love Rock deliberately with all this in mind, switched pickups and it was perfect. This epi was not what I'd describe as brash though, maybe with a bit more "bite" it would have done the mules justice? But I actually went for a Love Rock that felt thick and warm, my guess was that was what I wanted with the mules, I could leave the mules to provide the bite and brashness - for me, that's pretty much how it turned out.

Riff Raffs were bought for an Epi SG. A very bright and hard sounding guitar. I initially loved them but then I was finding it all a bit "un-mellow" for my liking. Then I got the explorer and put them in that. I loved them in there at first as well. But they seemed to lack a bit of something (I'm currently dreaming BDs or Emeralds for that guitar) - with all that wood, it was almost like I was ending up with too mellow! Eventually I bought a Gibson Faded SG for them. Again I picked the one I wanted based on what I'd found with the Riff Raffs in different guitars. I went for a warm, resonant SG with a slight hint of a bite/growl (I'm guessing this means mids). I'm very happy with the Riff Raffs in there.


But, again reading elsewhere just now, I reckon VHIIs might be the thing. (It's even started me wondering whether they go on the shortlist for possible Explorer replacements for me)

[Philly Q]

Well bless my soul, I think that's pretty much decided!  :D

VHIIs it will be.  And I'm sure I could transfer them to a Strat, LP or something if they don't work out.

[PhilKing]

You could also look at Crawlers.  I have one in the bridge on a PRS EG and it sounds great.  That is a pretty light guitar with a lot of resonance, but is a bolt on maple/rosewood neck and with a tremelo, which will brighten the tone over the Mira I would think.  Just adding to your indecisions!

[Philly Q]

I think of Crawlers as better suited to Strats - or something like your PRS EG (cool guitar, by the way!  :) ) 

I had a set in an LP once and found them too dark, but they'd be top of my list for a Strat I think (I'm probably going to get a Crawler HSS set for my hardtail relic Strat)

[Telerocker]

I think of Crawlers as better suited to Strats - or something like your PRS EG (cool guitar, by the way!  :) ) 

I had a set in an LP once and found them too dark, but they'd be top of my list for a Strat I think (I'm probably going to get a Crawler HSS set for my hardtail relic Strat)

I can confirm the Crawler does very well in (ash/swampash/adler) bolt-on guitars. Versatile too.
I concur with the VHII for the Mira. It will sound bigger then in my ash-strat, and I'm already in love with the sound of it. But, how about an MQ if you can stand some hum?

[Philly Q]

I concur with the VHII for the Mira. It will sound bigger then in my ash-strat, and I'm already in love with the sound of it. But, how about an MQ if you can stand some hum?

Not too worried about the hum, but I've already got 5 guitars with P-90s (it was 10 of them until a few months ago!)  :lol:

Definitely humbuckers for this one.

[Telerocker]

I concur with the VHII for the Mira. It will sound bigger then in my ash-strat, and I'm already in love with the sound of it. But, how about an MQ if you can stand some hum?

Not too worried about the hum, but I've already got 5 guitars with P-90s (it was 10 of them until a few months ago!)  :lol:

Definitely humbuckers for this one.

Right, that would a bit more of the same...