Hi there. I am new to the forum and this is my first post.
I have a 2009 PRS Custom 24. It has Vintage Bass and HFS pickups fitted to it and I have always found these to be too bright. I am considering replacing these and would like some ideas on what would suit. I would particularly like to hear from anyone who has done this successfully and taken the edge of the tone of the original pickups.
What I am aiming for is something less bright, more creamy and more smooth Les Paul blues type. A buttery blues tone. I do realise that there is more to achieving tone than simply switching out the pickups and that is why I am posting. There is a big difference in the weight of a PRS to a Les Paul, the position of the neck pickup, the vibrato cavity and springs make a difference, as do the switching combinations and inability to adjust tone and volume individually on the PRS. So, I am wondering if it is at all possible or if I am wasting my time....... and money! But at present I am becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the PRS.
I use a Laney L20t amp. And while I can get close to a reasonable smooth blues sound, I find that when the high strings sound reasonable, the bass strings sound muddy and loud. In trying to correct the bass strings, I again end up with a glassy, over-bright tone from the treble end. The PU switching on this guitar is:
Position 1: Bridge pickup
Position 2: Outside coils
Position 3: Series single coils
Position 4: Parallel single coils
Position 5: Neck pickup
I seldom use the 1, 2 and 4 positions as these tend to be just too bright.
I have had a quick look on the forum for previous advice on this switch but have not found anything that meets exactly what I am looking for. I read recently that Adam Goldsmith switched to Mules on his PRS and that sounded better but still had a bit too much high end on it. It has also been suggested that Abraxas may be better for what I am wanting than Mules as they have less high end. However, in reading something on this forum, it seemed to suggest that someone switched to those pickups as they were hotter than Mules.
So, if anyone has any advice, I would be really grateful.
