Holy Diver Expectations

[The Hitman]

Hello all,
I have ordered a pair of Holy Divers for my PRS McCarty with a rosewood neck.  I have done quite a bit of research but was just wondering if anyone would be willing to chime in about what to expect from this pair in this guitar on both a clean and heavy gain setting.  I am really hoping for hard rock and classic metal tones here with a strong clean sound too.  I have heard that these pickups are great split as well.

Please give me as much detailed info as you can!

[Eyes Wide Shut]

Well for lead tones in a Full Mahogany guitar, here's a good example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T26RqvH3YBA

[The Hitman]

Thanks for posting that link.  I have heard that clip a bunch of times and must say that it is really great. 

I originally had a VHII in the neck of a Cold Sweat in the bridge of this guitar.  Even though I have a CS set in my Les Paul, I found it too bright in the McCarty.  I also found the VHII too twangy and not liquid enough for lead tones.  I was suggested the HDs as a happy medium between these two. 

I was just looking for more opinions on them while I wait for them to arrive.  Please keep the opinions coming!

[ericsabbath]

Well for lead tones in a Full Mahogany guitar, here's a good example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T26RqvH3YBA

an '81 les paul custom is not full mahogany at all
it has the usual maple top and also a maple neck

I posted a clip of the diver in a jap les paul copy 4 years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1RafxMYU5w

also had it in a brazilian lp copy with imbuya top and in my '73 les paul custom (maple top)
it sounded great in all les pauls
it's a very mid heavy pickup and not dark and bassy as some picture it
one of Tim's finest children, in my experience

[Eyes Wide Shut]

Well for lead tones in a Full Mahogany guitar, here's a good example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T26RqvH3YBA

an '81 les paul custom is not full mahogany at all
it has the usual maple top and also a maple neck

I posted a clip of the diver in a jap les paul copy 4 years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1RafxMYU5w

also had it in a brazilian lp copy with imbuya top and in my '73 les paul custom (maple top)
it sounded great in all les pauls
it's a very mid heavy pickup and not dark and bassy as some picture it
one of Tim's finest children, in my experience

Whoops, sorry. I didn't mean to say it like a full mahogany, I meant more a Mahogany based. My bad lol

[The Hitman]

It sounds like this pickup really excels at organic high gain rock and 80s metal which is what I really want this guitar to do.  Can anyone else give any feedback on this?  Also, can anyone comment on the clean sound and dynamics that these pickups are capable of in both full and split modes?

Thanks a million guys!

[darkbluemurder]

It sounds like this pickup really excels at organic high gain rock and 80s metal which is what I really want this guitar to do.  Can anyone else give any feedback on this? 

You will definitely get that with the bridge pickup. Cannot comment on the neck pickup - never played one.

Cheers Stephan

[The Hitman]

Can anyone else chime in here?

[Twinfan]

I had HDs in a McRosie - great sounding guitar, like you I found the VH2s too bright with the rosewood neck.

I think you'll be very happy  :)

[The Hitman]

Had?  What made you part with the guitar and/or the HDs?  Can you comment on the clean sounds?

[Twinfan]

I don't really play clean, but from what I can remember the humbuckers were fat and warm, as were the single coils.

I sold the guitar as I had three rosewood necked PRSs - two McCartys and a Modern Eagle.  I found myself always wanting to play the Eagle, so I sold the McCartys (that I had bought for live use) and gigged the Modern Eagle instead.

I've been thinking I should maybe have kept the one with HDs (zebra pickups in this pic):

[darkbluemurder]

Very nice looking guitars indeed.

[Twinfan]

They were very different sounding too actually, even though they were the same spec bar the birds.

[darkbluemurder]

They were very different sounding too actually, even though they were the same spec bar the birds.

So the birds do affect the tone - just kiddin'

But that is not unusual at all. When I purchased my PRS Custom it was between two models. One of them had a harsh high end whereas the other - which is now my guitar - was a lot fatter and had huge sustain up to the dusty end of the fretboard. The challenge was to get the nasal midrange subdued to a level where it was no longer obnoxious. I succeeded with the Holydiver bridge and Cold Sweat neck - the BKPs that started it all.

Cheers Stephan

[Twinfan]

The 'birds guitar was quite similar to my Modern Eagle - bright and articulate.  The moons guitar was thicker sounding and not as clear.  Both great, but in different ways.

But neither were as good as the Modern Eagle  ;)