Clearer/hi-fi PRS 59/09 alternative

[nightflame159]

Hey guys! Want to replace pickups in my new prs cu24 with ebony fretboard that came with the 59/09 combo.

I really like the paf vibe and rock sound i get now with these pickups and i dont want to go too far from that but id like to have a tighter/spankier attack with clearer top end. A pickup that would have the vintage tone but more hi-fi/punchier. It need to be good for leads/legato/ solos so i dont want a too stiff/dry pickups. Im not sure how to describe what i want...maybe something cleaner hi-fi but not runchier/grainy.

I dont want a modern sound as i have my other prs equiped with a miracleman bridge(wich i love so much i dont even play my other guitars now) Im also looking for a good neck pickup to go with the miracleman.

[Philly Q]

Riff Raff?

[nightflame159]

Riff Raff?

I see you have both the riff raff and vhII....how do they compare? Wich would you use to play instrumental rock a la Satriani?

[Twinfan]

The PRS 59/09 pickup set is a very good PAF-like pair.  Switching to vintage style BKPs will only give a slightly different flavour, but that may be what you're after?

Riff Raffs will probably be a bit too stiff/dry for you (to use your description) - they're clear but slighly hard sounding.  Great for Angus in an SG and for cleaning up a big fat Les Paul.

Mules would get my vote if you're after a slightly tighter PAF tone, as I've found them on the brighter side of PAF-like.  Failing that, you might like something like the Cold Sweat set?

[Telerocker]

Mules are certainly to look at. The bridge is bright enough in mahogany and has nice crispiness too it. Bridge and neck together provide great, crispy tones for cleans, funk, jazz etc. I love the open, vocal and deep 3D-tones of these pickups.

[darrenw5094]

For Satriani, i would say the Abraxas or maybe the VHII.

[Philly Q]

Riff Raff?

I see you have both the riff raff and vhII....how do they compare? Wich would you use to play instrumental rock a la Satriani?

Although I have a VHII, I've never actually got round to fitting it (.....which will be no surprise to the old lags around here.....) so I can't give you an actual hands-on comparison.

I agree with Twinfan's comments about the Riff Raff sounding a bit dry, and it might be a bit bright in your ebony-board guitar.  But I mentioned it because you specified a tighter, spankier vintage tone (I don't have experience of the 59/09 but I was guessing/assuming the Mule might already be quite similar to it).

Compared with the Riff Raff, the VHII is asymmetrically wound (one coil hotter than the other) so it covers a wider frequency range and sounds more "open".  In that sense it resembles the DiMarzios Satriani uses so I'd guess it's more suitable for that kind of music.  Although it's a terribly obvious thing to say, the Riff Raff really is instant AC/DC, but it'll sound different in your Cu24 than it does in an SG, of course.

[nightflame159]

I guessed the mules would be too similar to what i have...so it would be between the riff raff wich might be too tight/dry for my taste and the VHII. The abraxas clip ive heard sounded too compressed/high output a bit for my taste but maybe they are good.

[darrenw5094]

Maybe the VHII sits in the middle of RR and Abraxas.

[Telerocker]

The Mule and VHII are too different worlds. Mule is open, vocal and complex and does cleans, crunch and huge driven tones very well. The VHII feels hotter, drier, with a more dense midrange, not compressed. Great for all kinds of rock, but I find the bridge-VHII it's not as versatile as a Mule. It's great (rock)pickup though, just different then a Mule. I like the touchsensitiveness of VHII's. Wicked tones you get when you dig in. I find it as is best with the gain up (a bit or more).

[FELINEGUITARS]

I instinctively want to say Stormy Monday -like a PAF , but clearer and cleaner with more clarity and sparkle.

Gets a bit fruity with overdrive - the Alnico 2 stopping it getting shrill

[ericsabbath]

not sure, but the OP description sounds exactly like a VHII

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj1GyNgJFBo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBS02KmxlWE

[nightflame159]

The VHII feels hotter, drier, with a more dense midrange, not compressed.Wicked tones you get when you dig in. I find it as is best with the gain up (a bit or more).

[/quote]not sure, but the OP description sounds exactly like a VHII[/quote]

These videos and description makes me feel like it could be what im looking for. Do they have more top end and high mids than the mules?

 

[ericsabbath]

yeah, a little less center mids and more low and top end, bit more upper mids
definitely more focused, punchier and hotter than the mule, but a little less compressed under higher gain, so it sounds more articulate on heavier stuff

if you're confused between these two, the riff raff an amazing in between alternative

I love all of them

there's also the neck cold sweat, which works great in the bridge position, and it's even more articulate, although it's not as punchy as the vhII

[Telerocker]

Eric described it accurately. They're quite punchy, a bit more lows, a bit more topend, and tighter then the Mule.  One of the best rockpickups I've played.