New pickups for PRS Custom 22, details inside, please, need your advice

[Sir_Palomid]

Good morning ladies and gentlemen!  :)
I'm new to the forum, so it's my first post here.
I know, that there is a lot of threads about choosing pickups for PRS guitars,
but I dare to start another one, because I didn't find an answer for my situation.

I've bought an PRS Custom 22 from eBay,  and while waiting for this beauty to arrive - thinking about pickups possible swap. Mine don't have Dragon II pups, told that it has pups from Artist Series (though I cannot find something useful about them), and custom stoptail - tune-o-matic wraparound, with possibility to intone each saddle.

I play in progressive rock/metal band, more rock than metal though, so my main music style is progressive, also I play some funk (more Guthrie Govan's funk, that traditional one), blues and blues rock (SRV, Gary Moore, ZZ Top). I also fond of 70-80 hard/latin rock - Santana, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, even Van Halen. 

I don't know anything about PRS Artist pickups,
but I know what I want to get from the sound:
Leads must be fluid (at the same time punchy, cutting through the mix) and musical (think more Roine Stolt from Flower Kings/Transatlantic, or hotter Santana\Andrew Latimer from Camel rather then John Petrucci higain compressed sound), not harsh, with good midrange and overtones, capable to play in all the styles mentioned above, also manage some heavy riffing well, and to do coil split well too (I'll use 5 way rotary switch).

I have Cold Sweat\Nailbomb in my Washburn WI66, and while I like Cold Sweat in the neck, Nailbomb is too edgy and modern for me, with rather flat than musical mids, so I don't think I'll try that combo in PRS.
I'm thinking about "Vintage Hot" BKP humbuckers:

VHII set (I see a lot of people like them in PRS, but I also heard some complaints, that it's too "singlecoilish")

Emerald set (heard it has nice overtones, bridge hotter than VHII, nothing else I know about it either)

Abraxas set (crunchy full midrange, balanced tone, bridge hotter than VHII)

So, which one of them will suit me fine?
Really confused... I'm more toward VHII, but that "singlecoilish" really put me against it, I don't like "thin" pickups.
Before I've swapped for Nailbomb in my Washburn there was Seymour Duncan Custom Custom SH-11, it's was wonderful pickup for leads, but not that good and clear for riffing.

What can you say about PRS Artist series pups? (Mine is 2004 PRS Custom 22, don't know if it was already with Artists, or swapped later)

Looking forward for your suggestions!
Thanks :)

[Twinfan]

Welcome!

From your description, I would take a look at:

Holydivers
Emeralds
Abraxas

The Holydivers are 80s style rock and metal (but maybe a bit too hot and compressed).

Emeralds are a  smooth vintage PAF style and would get my vote, I loved a set I had recently in a McCarty Korina.

The Abraxas set is something of a mix of the other two!

[Nolly]

I think you would enjoy the Abraxas set greatly. The Alnico IV magnet should provide a great middle ground between the smooth leads you enjoyed with the AII Custom Custom and the less subtle AV sound of the Nailbomb. The Abraxas' sound is rich and warm, but with a great open midrange character and clear top end that I believe would tick all your boxes.

[PhilKing]

I have an Artist Series II 22 fret, which had the Artist pickups in.  I wasn't really keen on them and originally swapped them for the first series Dragons.  Those still weren't doing it for me and I wasn't playing the guitar much until I discovered Bare Knuckle Pickups back in 2004.   I originally put a set of VHII's in it, and immediately loved the guitar's sound, though I have since changed them to AIV Mules, as I wanted a bit more vintage tone. 

I have a 1990 Standard with Rebel Yells, which is an incredible rock guitar and loves to give harmonic feedback.  My 2002 singlecut has Abraxas' in it and they sound great in there.  I have Emeralds in my custom Les Paul Custom, and had a bridge Emerald with a Mule neck in another LP.  I have a Holydiver bridge and 2 Trilogy Suites in a super strat.  I also have most of the other BK pickups, and so think I can give you a good idea of what you mike like, especially since Camel are one of my favourite bands! 

I would go with the Emerald bridge and an AIV mule neck (or the Abraxas neck if you want a bit more Santana smothness).  The Emerald is a very underrated pickup and I love the way it produces harmonics and drive, which I think will work for your rock tones.  With either of these in combination, the AV & AIV magnets work together in an interesting way to almost give a Peter Green tone when both pickups are on (which was the original PRS wiring, and is now like that on some new ones).  Coil split and series parallel on the regular PRS will work, but make sure you request a set of pickups to go in a PRS, as BK will then flip one of the magnets to give you hum-cancelling sounds in the split positions.

[Sir_Palomid]

Thanks everybody for the input!
So, I nailed down to Abraxas or Emeralds.

Just for example, what king of music we play in our band - this is our last song, it's pre-mix I would say, need some EQ here and there, but all instruments are nicely balanced. Almost all distorted electric guitars were played by myself, except one solo near the end of the song. It's Cold Sweat\Nailbomb combo in my Washburn.

http://www.myspace.com/artlandprog/music/songs/psalm-19-79564742

I just want smoother sound in leads, more dynamics and warmth...
Does anybody have examples\sound clips of Abraxas and Emeralds played with medium\hi-gain?   

Both of them sounds great in clips here (Emerald has fantastic overtones, and Abraxas so damn crunchy, love them), "Classic Rock"  ones, but what would happen in higher gain situations?

Also, I see that Abraxas have more bass than Emeralds, what would you say about Emeralds with pickup covers?
How does it affect the tone?

[Sir_Palomid]

I've found two ,ore or less nice videos on YouTube of Abraxas PU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e-vNNMyWMU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUvXNV8w0KU

So, I'm pretty sold on Abraxas, really nice and THICK tone, hi-gain video reminded me this song of incredible band, Robert Fripp uses quite similar type of sound here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWN9oqTSs14

Tell me please, what kind of pickup specs should I order for PRS - short leg, 53 mm spacing at the bridge, right?
Also, will covers affect the tone a lot? I want golden ones, will be nice match with my new axe I think
And black pickup rings, flat ones, I think will suit.

 

[Twinfan]

You need to order:

Short leg
53mm spacing
Four conductor wiring
Reversed magnet in one of the pickups (to work with the 5-way)

Great looking guitar!

[Nolly]

Also, will covers affect the tone a lot?

They do affect the sound a little, but BKP adjust their winding accordingly so the difference is as minimal as possible. Don't let it sway your aesthetic judgement - the sonic difference isn't large enough to need take it into consideration.

[Sir_Palomid]

Nolly, Twinfan, thanks a lot!
I've just ordered a set of golden covered Abraxas pickups.
Appreciate your help  :)

Yes, guitar on the pics is really stunning - few dings here and there, but nothing that awful or bad, just normal for guitar that was played a lot for 7 years. Got it for 2100$ shipped, very good deal I suppose - new Custom 24 would cost me almost 5000$  :D

[darkbluemurder]

Hi,

By reading your description of sound I was immediately thinking "Abraxas" so I believe you made a good decision. I bought a used Abraxas neck from one of the forum members here and already ordered a bridge model from BKP. Looking very much forward to it.

Cheers Stephan

[Nolly]

No problem, let us know how you get on with the pickups when they arrive!

[HTH AMPS]

I've found two ,ore or less nice videos on YouTube of Abraxas PU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e-vNNMyWMU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUvXNV8w0KU

That first video is mine - still sounds massive when I listen back to that tone, oh yeah!!!  :D

I found the Abraxas to be very versatile, blues to metal with aplomb.

[Sir_Palomid]

Thank you, Stephan!
I'm looking very much forward to new pickups and guitar too... I have about three weeks of waiting ahead..grrrrr  :D

Just that waiting raises my blood pressure up  :?
Why post-office cannot use teleports for delivery?  :lol:

Nolly, I think Abraxas set will suit me well too,
I suppose to do a review  and post it on YouTube about PRS Artist pickups vs. BKP Abraxas, clean and dirty, as soon as pickups and guitar will arrive.

HTH AMPS, there was another your video - you play LP through the clean channel of Vox amp, I think "Stormy Monday Blues", also dig clean sound of Abraxas as well  8)

[Sir_Palomid]

Hi, guys, I'm back :)
Couple of days ago I've received my PRS Custom 22 - what a wonderful guitar!
Pickups are still on the way to local post office, it's question of day or two, though.
I've recorded a little demo here, just PRS plugged in BOSS MICRO BR-80,
a little Guthrie Govan's cover.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=1175218&songID=10999981


Enjoy!
Comments are appreciated  :D

[Twinfan]

Sounds good to me, BKPs will just give it that edge in clarity I think!