Pickups for PRS SE CU24

[Nelsonn087]

Hello guys.  I'm looking into getting my first set of BKP's and was hoping for a little guidance. First if all, my setup is a PRS SE CU24 with a mahogany body, maple neck and rosewood fretboard. The amp I run is the EVH 5150III into a Mesa cabinet.

The stock pickups in the PRS just sound too weak witha honky sounding mid range and a loose bottom end.  i play metal somewhat in the style of Opeth and I've noticed with this amp I tend to get the best results with guitars that have higher output pickups as to allow me to not have to crank the gain and let the low end and mid range give me that tight crunchy rhythm tone. No matter what guitar I use I tend to never really turn the gainon channel 3 past 3 which can still land it in "brutal" territory.

I'm basically looking for something in the bridge that will give the guitar a big open sound and be somewhat saturated and won't tend to thin out and sound brittle when I go to higher notes yet still give a nice big and crunchy rhythm sound for big chords. I also don't want it to be too harshly voiced in the high end as the 5150III already has plenty of highs to spare and about 5 times as much gain as anyone should ever need on channel 3.

As for a neck pickup, anything that would compliment that style of bridge pickup. Something good for fast lead work yet nice clean sounds. I'm not too picky on the neck seeing as how I spend 90% of my time on the bridge pickup for rhythm and leads.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Nelsonn087]

I should also note that the lowest tunig this guitar will be in is dropped D.

[darrenw5094]

So i am not the only person who hears that annoying honky mids in the PRS 24 fret models.
Scooped pup like the Cold Sweat would help that problem. A middy pup like HD, PK will make it worse i think.

[Kiichi]

Hi and welcome mate!

My initial thought was the Ceramic Nailbomb. For Opeth that is usually the go to pub. Crushing rythm, agressive, and big. The only possible issue is the agression being to much for what you want. That then however does count out things like the Cold Sweat and Miracle Man too, as they all do that.

This then leads me to say the Juggernaut might be worth a good look. Tight but big and powerful bottom end (low mids do a lot of work here) with agressive modern mids and a high end that is present and allows for harmoncis and such, while being musically rounded to never get thin. That also plays very well with those modern high gain amps. This pub would deliver a modern voice all throughout, and have the qualities you search for I recon.

[Telerocker]

Good suggestions, but look at the Miracle Man too. The C-Bomb might be on the middy side for this guitar.

[Nelsonn087]

Yeah the mids make it sound like Im playing through a goose haha.

The c-bomb was initially what I was thinking due to the cut in the mids and the power but after reading into the Miracle Man the description seems word for word what I have pictures in my head.

Decisions. . . Decisions. . .

[Toe-Knee]

I would say miracle man for this job. Especially taking your amp into consideration as it has more mids than anyone could need so it will balance out well with the middy PRS + upper mid scooped Miracle Man.

[Nelsonn087]

I would say miracle man for this job. Especially taking your amp into consideration as it has more mids than anyone could need so it will balance out well with the middy PRS + upper mid scooped Miracle Man.

Yeah I agree 100%. Looks like I'll be ordering a set of MM. Now I just have to wait the longest 3 weeks of my life. I'll let you guys know how it works out and thank you all for the help!