PRS Custom... Needs some BKP's :)

[Daniel G]

Ok boys and girls, i got my hands on a PRS 25th Anniversary SE Custom 24, and it needs some different pickups.
It's got a Maple top with quilted Maple veneer, Mahogany body, Maple neck with Rosewood fretboard.
I'll be using it for lots of general rock/pop music, but i'll mostly be doing a lot of Oingo Boingo type stuff.
I already tried the Rebel Yells from my LP, and they somehow just aren't 100% right, even with a coil split, so i'm open for some suggestions...

[Twinfan]

Not right in what way?

[Daniel G]

That's the thing, i can't quite put my finger on it.
It just isn't 100% what i want, seems to lack a bit in all departments.
I love the Rebel Yells when they're in my Epi LP, but in this guitar it just doesn't quite hit the spot.
So they'll be going back into the Les Paul soon, but that leaves the PRS with it's original pickups, which don't have enough definition for my taste.

[Twinfan]

If you want more beef, how about a Nailbomb set?

[gingataff]

I'd try a VHII set, I love how different they sound when split.

[dixied]

Nailbombs in my PRS Prism. Love them!

[Daniel G]

Looked into the Nailbombs, think they'd be a bit too much with the ceramic magnets, Boingo's sound isn't quite that tight.
VHII looks ok, i'll see if i can find someone locally who owns a set in a similar guitar.
I'm also thinking about Rebel Yells minus covers, a friend of mine has a custom guitar that has similar acoustic specs as my PRS, and he uses uncovered RY's, which does sound a lot more different from my covered RY set then i'd expected.

Beyond these, does anyone else have any ideas ?
Any other Boingo fans have any suggestions, perhaps ?

[ericsabbath]

just installed a custom slightly overwound Riff Raff with a thicker alnico 5 magnet (4 mm) in my '96 McCarty Custom

IT'S WONDERFUL  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
clean tone is flawless, low end has A LOT of punch (due to the thicker magnet, according to Tim)
midrange is mild, as expected from a vintage type alnico 5 pup, but not thin at all
this thing sounds thick and edgy, but with that smooth T-Top hollow feel (in a good way) on the mids
I think this is the clearest bridge alnico pickup I've ever played

[darkbluemurder]

I had a similar problem with the stock pickups in my PRS Custom - too honky and not enough definition. I was able to pick up a used set of BKPs - a Holydiver for the bridge and a Cold Sweat for the neck position. I put a 4-conductor wire on both and flipped the magnet of the bridge pickup so that they work with the 5-way selector (this is not necessary if you mention in your order that they will be going into a PRS - I am sure Tim can then accommodate for that). The PRS sounds better than ever now. I do not intend to change the pickups again.

[ericsabbath]

I had a similar problem with the stock pickups in my PRS Custom - too honky and not enough definition. I was able to pick up a used set of BKPs - a Holydiver for the bridge and a Cold Sweat for the neck position. I put a 4-conductor wire on both and flipped the magnet of the bridge pickup so that they work with the 5-way selector (this is not necessary if you mention in your order that they will be going into a PRS - I am sure Tim can then accommodate for that). The PRS sounds better than ever now. I do not intend to change the pickups again.

bet it sounds great

but his is a SE
the top is actually a printed photoflame, not even a veneer (at least the SE Custom 24 I had)
it was a good guitar, but a lot more muffled sounding than the two USA mccarties I had
I'd pick something lower output with an edgier top
I'd be between the riff raff and vhII

[wrxmania]

Bare Knuckle Geoff Whitehorn signature in my PRS Custom 24.  Can't recommend them highly enough:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSghgh-nEtY

Brian.

[Guitar Asylum]

I had a similar problem with the stock pickups in my PRS Custom - too honky and not enough definition. I was able to pick up a used set of BKPs - a Holydiver for the bridge and a Cold Sweat for the neck position. I put a 4-conductor wire on both and flipped the magnet of the bridge pickup so that they work with the 5-way selector (this is not necessary if you mention in your order that they will be going into a PRS - I am sure Tim can then accommodate for that). The PRS sounds better than ever now. I do not intend to change the pickups again.

bet it sounds great

but his is a SE
the top is actually a printed photoflame, not even a veneer (at least the SE Custom 24 I had)
it was a good guitar, but a lot more muffled sounding than the two USA mccarties I had
I'd pick something lower output with an edgier top
I'd be between the riff raff and vhII

The 25th Anniversaries have real maple tops and the figure is a veneer...

[ericsabbath]

I had a similar problem with the stock pickups in my PRS Custom - too honky and not enough definition. I was able to pick up a used set of BKPs - a Holydiver for the bridge and a Cold Sweat for the neck position. I put a 4-conductor wire on both and flipped the magnet of the bridge pickup so that they work with the 5-way selector (this is not necessary if you mention in your order that they will be going into a PRS - I am sure Tim can then accommodate for that). The PRS sounds better than ever now. I do not intend to change the pickups again.

bet it sounds great

but his is a SE
the top is actually a printed photoflame, not even a veneer (at least the SE Custom 24 I had)
it was a good guitar, but a lot more muffled sounding than the two USA mccarties I had
I'd pick something lower output with an edgier top
I'd be between the riff raff and vhII

The 25th Anniversaries have real maple tops and the figure is a veneer...

did you see the actual wood?
cause mine looked real, but it wasn't
most schecters are just like that too (same factory)

[Daniel G]

Man, i forgot all about this thread after going on holiday... Oops.
Well, as a general note, i've been thinking of going for some Mules with some burnt chrome covers, just because i love that burnt chrome look, especially on this guitar.
I'm looking at mules because a few clips i've heard so far really nailed the tone that i'm looking for.

@ Eric Hellstyle : Not sure if a RifRaf would be quite what i'm looking for, my brother has some in his PRS SE (same model as mine, but red), and it's not quite the tone i'm looking for.
But thanks for the suggestion nonetheless man  :)

Also, Guitar Asylum is right, the 25th's have a proper maple top, i've had this one fully disassembled, and you can see the different layers of wood, the maple seems thicker than on the regular SE's.

@ darkbluemurder : Doubt i'll be going for pickups that are that hot, really.
But thanks for reminding me of the 5 way rotary, i should get one of those installed over the 3-way that's in here, and maybe some extra mini toggles for additional funky wiring  8)

@ wrxmania : The Crawlers are great indeed, but not sure if it's what i'm looking for.

[Roobubba]

Looked into the Nailbombs, think they'd be a bit too much with the ceramic magnets, Boingo's sound isn't quite that tight.
VHII looks ok, i'll see if i can find someone locally who owns a set in a similar guitar.
I'm also thinking about Rebel Yells minus covers, a friend of mine has a custom guitar that has similar acoustic specs as my PRS, and he uses uncovered RY's, which does sound a lot more different from my covered RY set then i'd expected.

Beyond these, does anyone else have any ideas ?
Any other Boingo fans have any suggestions, perhaps ?

Only a point for clarity: the Nailbomb has an AlNiCo V magnet unless you get a custom ceramic version.

Roo