PRS and Strat advice needed

[Fixxxer_1988]

Hello,

First of all I would like to say what a great forum this is and now I am part of it :)

I have a PRS Custom22 with SD Alnico IIs in and a soon to be a proud owner of a Roadworn Strat (I know they are fake but they are consistently great sounding and playing guitars)
First off the PRS is in need of TLC... I put those pups in after VHIIs years ago and have regretted it since... The SDs are boring and flat but the VHIIs may be a little too much for my style these days. I was thinking about Mules? Any opinions?

I play a lot like Jimmy Page, Slash, but mixing in Rory Galaghar and Hendrix. I need to liven the tone a little but not make it shrill. I am currently building a new rig but want to be running into a Vox Night Train.

As for the strat I was thinking Mothers Milk? Any opinions or experience with these?

Any help would be great. I really need to get back into music, it has been a rough 3 years out of it but time to get back on the ball!!!

Cheers.

Rob

[darrenw5094]

Mules are not shrill, perfect for classic rock for in my LP Gold Top. You had me worried as i am about to put a set of VHII's in my PRS CU22. Lol. My money is on the Mules for you, but others might have other suggestions. The Mules make me want to pick up the LP all the time. I will never buy another Seymour or Dimarzio ever again.

I don't know about the Strat pickups though.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Well I think the Mules are the best bet for Slash tones in the BKP line. I think I like the Irish Tours for the Strat for you as well.

[AndyR]

Which Roadworn? I'm guessing the 60s in sunburst :D

Anyway, I have a 60s with Irish Tours and a 50s that swaps around between Apaches and Sultans.

If it's a 60s, I'd recommend the ITs for what you're saying. Lets you push the amp a bit harder when you want, and then when you back off the guitar volume just a little you're into Mothers Milks territory. The ITs have a bit more body than the stock TexMex pickups that are in there (I suspect MMs behave quite a bit like those). I did like the stock pickups, but I had ITs already, and it was a "marriage made in heaven" when I gave them a go.

If it's a 50s, with the maple neck, mine's got a lovely honk to it. I suspect that MMs, or even ITs, would be a little bright in there for my tastes. I actually prefer Apaches in it myself - makes it more "rock" - but I have another strat that needs the Apaches, so it has Sultans at the moment. These make it more refined, but I can still get Rory/etc with it. I tend to use this guitar to "take me elsewhere" usually, though, as I've been playing rosewood board strats for years and this is a bit different, it suggests other styles to me.


On the humbuckers, not much experience with PRS (well, none! :lol:), but I do reckon that Mules is where you want to head.

Welcome to the forum :D

[darkbluemurder]

If you like the output of the SD Alnico IIs but need more clarity, any of the BKPs in the vintage line should do it.

A disadvantage may be that they do not split as well as the VHIIs but certainly no worse than the SDs. If you do not use any split sounds you may consider to change the 5-way rotary switch to a 3-way toggle. Many players find these more ergonomic for live use.

Cheers Stephan

[-M-]

Well, I have a set of VHII's in my PRS Standard 24 which is pretty much the same guitar (minus the maple cap), and I'm really loving it so far. And the split tones are great for clean sounds  :D

[Mr. Air]

For the PRS I'll say Mules or Stormy Mondays. I think you'll be satisfied with each one.

For the strat it's a toss between the Irish Tour or the Mothers Milk. The first one will probably give you a little more versatility.

[Telerocker]

Mules are great, they have clarity and a lot of depth and besides blues(rock) they are capable of doing serious rock.
 too.

For the strat pick IT's. Just turn the volumeknob on the guitar a tad back and your in Mother's Milk-terrority.

[38thBeatle]

I'd go with what Andy said for the Strat.

[Fixxxer_1988]

Thanks is for all the feedback!

I had some ITs on a strat I had years ago, it did make it sound better but in general it was an awful guitar so no matter how good they were they were outweighed by the sheer cr@p that the guitar was!

My PRS is quite bright and I use pretty heavy strings if this helps at all? I think the miles sound just like what I am after. I above strayed away from them in the past because I accost them with les pauls. I don't really know how a PRS will handle them.

[darkbluemurder]

My PRS is quite bright and I use pretty heavy strings if this helps at all? 

In that case, Mules rather than Stormy Mondays.

Cheers Stephan

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Yeah, mules are better for brighter guitars.

[AndyR]

Yeah, mules are better for brighter guitars.

Yep, this is my experience too. Not bad in a darker guitar, but I've felt more "wow! I see what you mean" in a brighter guitar :lol:

(And btw, I use 11s on all electrics, long or short scale length)

[Slartibartfarst42]

Mules sound like a good choice to me and if you wanted to use the pickups splitted at all I'd give serious consideration to the Abraxas set.

[Fixxxer_1988]

Mules it is for the PRS then! Now I just need to settle on a strat set. Like I said I has ITs in an strat I had a few years back. They were good but the guitar was not. Of I am not mistaken the roadworks have tex mex pickups? The ITs would be a good shout in that case. Does anyone have experience with mothers milks? Really after that thoughty, woody sound from the the neck but a Gilmour bridge tone aka usable.