Author Topic: Replacement pickups for PRS McCarty (pickups arrived) (Read 15733 times)

ilÿti · « **Reply #15 on:** May 16, 2008, 06:43:40 PM »

Thanks for the review. I want Cold Sweats now. And a guitar to put them in :oops:

Twinfan · « **Reply #16 on:** May 16, 2008, 11:21:51 PM »

Looks good!

I wouldn't dream of swapping the pickups in my McCarty Korina - I love 'em :D

ilÿti · « **Reply #17 on:** May 17, 2008, 03:49:24 AM »

Cold Sweats in a Mira though... that would be very rockin'.

Twinfan · « **Reply #18 on:** May 17, 2008, 09:49:49 AM »

The Mira rocks a fat one just as it is ;)

Philly Q · « **Reply #19 on:** May 17, 2008, 10:47:30 AM »

Quote from: ilyti

Cold Sweats in a Mira though... that would be very rockin'.

I dunno, doesn't it fall into the "don't put medium output pickups in an SG" zone?

I'd like the opportunity to try it out, though. I'd love to be able to try Cold Sweats, HDs, Emeralds, PG Blues, Mules, VHIIs etc etc in my own guitars with my own stumbling slow-motion fingers, so I'd know what they really sound like... clips are great but there are too many variables.

(Edit: Sorry, random totally off-topic comment!)

ilÿti · « **Reply #20 on:** May 17, 2008, 05:58:52 PM »

Quote from: Philly Q

Quote from: ilyti
Cold Sweats in a Mira though... that would be very rockin'.

I dunno, doesn't it fall into the "don't put medium output pickups in an SG" zone?

I doubt it. The ceramic magnet would cut through the big block of mahogany don't you think?

Philly Q · « **Reply #21 on:** May 17, 2008, 09:08:45 PM »

Quote from: ilyti

Quote from: Philly Q
Quote from: ilyti
Cold Sweats in a Mira though... that would be very rockin'.

I dunno, doesn't it fall into the "don't put medium output pickups in an SG" zone?

I doubt it. The ceramic magnet would cut through the big block of mahogany don't you think?

Yeah, it might, but I remember gwEm found the CS bridge too dark in his Feline V, until he replaced the 500K pots with 1Meg. Mind you, that has a sycamore body and maple neck, maybe it's naturally darker than mahogany but I'd be surprised if it is.

ilÿti · « **Reply #22 on:** May 17, 2008, 09:55:49 PM »

Yeah well, I like it dark. And Tim has suggested CS for SGs in the past, and recently also a Mira.

Jonny · « **Reply #23 on:** May 17, 2008, 10:25:29 PM »

The GAS in here is unbearable

hunter · « **Reply #24 on:** May 17, 2008, 10:46:05 PM »

wondering how Abraxas' would be in an SG ...

QS-Nalle · « **Reply #25 on:** May 18, 2008, 06:59:42 PM »

Quote from: Zaned

OK, so the pickups arrived and have been installed 8)

I'm still getting used to them, but EVERYTHING I've found out so far, has been great.

The pickups were exactly what I asked for. Gone is the slightly bloated bottom/low midrange that the stock pickups had in this particular guitar. It's been replaced by a tight fullness. A crisp, full pick attack. Again, much better than before. The tone is big and defined!

Like I said, I'm still getting used to them and might adjust the pickup heights somewhat. But the neck pickup works so great; it's clear, has a defined attack and it sings. It also work very very well when played clean, or when coil-tapped.

The bridge pickup, when played clean, works well too. Actually, I haven't played it clean much yet :D But my initial feeling is that it's a different (not necessarily better) from the stock pickup when played clean. Mind you, the stock bridge pickup was quite nice when played clean. The Cold Sweat bridge pickup is hotter and hence overdrives the amp more easily. Anyway, no problems there.

When played dirty, there's no comparison. Well, there is, but it's not pretty :lol: The bridge pickups screams. It's defined, aggressive and tight, but still very organic and natural. NOT harsh, I just love the attack. Coil-tap is very good too!

There's a certain clarity to the pickups which I just love. Not in the amount of highs, but somewhat less..mud. For some reason, there don't seem to be very many Cold Sweat bridge pickups here, very many neck pickups though. I can imagine the bridge pickup being a little too bright for many guitars. For an LP-style guitar with a mahogany body..it just works.

A happy customer! Which will probably lead me to buy another set for another guitar. It's a recently acquired strat (built by a finnish luthier in 1990), which I'm gonna give myself a little time with, before I replace the current Dimarzio Virtual vintages. A light alder body, and a neck with NO truss rod. Just a very good (brazilian rosewood I guess), thick fingerboard on top of maple, and a couple of ebony bars inside, giving it rigidity. Great guitar and even didn't cost me much. You just gotta love the quality and heart that great individual luthiers put to their guitars..

EDIT: a picture of the guitar with the pickups installed:

http://koti.kapsi.fi/~tomppa/PRS3.jpg

Zaned

Happy to hear that you are satisfied with the pickups, sorry I didn't have them on stock for you when you ordered them.....but I hope the wait wasn't too agonizing......looking forward to hear from you when you decide to upgrade the other guitar... Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy

Your Finnish dealer...... Smile Smile Smile

Zaned · « **Reply #26 on:** May 19, 2008, 10:16:44 AM »

Quote from: QS-Nalle

Happy to hear that you are satisfied with the pickups, sorry I didn't have them on stock for you when you ordered them.....but I hope the wait wasn't too agonizing......looking forward to hear from you when you decide to upgrade the other guitar... Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy

Your Finnish dealer...... Smile Smile Smile

Well hello :)

No, I was prepared for the wait. It's better to wait and be satisfied than buy something right away and change them a few months later.

Yeah, we'll most probably do business again 8)

-Z

QS-Nalle · « **Reply #27 on:** May 19, 2008, 06:26:36 PM »

Sweet!!!!!
You have my E-mail adress so you know what to do :D