What pickup for my PRS guitar

[brazilianjosh]

Hey just wondering if anyone out there could help me choose my bare knuckle pickups?

I own a PRS Custom 22 with a stoptail bridge. It has the stock Dragon I pickups in it and in my opinion I think they sound dull, dark and lifeless. They also have very little clarity at the bottom and top end.

I've had enough so I am looking for something that sounds more bright, more "chimy" and with loads of high end harmonics. It also must have a good clear bass end so when I'm playing powerchord riffs and other stuff you can actually make them out as opposed to just sound musshy. Also, my solos and high end stuff needs to sound clear and articulate so I can really control my expression. Currently my solos sound a bit like old nokia monophonic ringtones...
It doesnt have to have a really high output as I dont often play metal but I do want something that sounds good with just normal rock.
Clean, I would really like warm but open, sounding even across all the strings and my pickups also would have to work well with the 5 way rotary switch on my PRS.

I'm thinking the VHIIs might be a good choice but I've never heard them in real life on a guitar like mine. What do you guys reckon? I think I might know what JamesHealey might have to say... btw your demos sound really good man.

[Tim]

Welcome!
VHIIs are always a safe bet in PRS, Mules are worth considering too-both have masses of harmonic detail and clarity.

[JamesHealey]

VHII's booya!

[PhilKing]

I have VHII's in my PRS Artist II.  It is a 22 fret hardtail.  They sound great, and all the positions on the 5 way work.  My PRS had the Artist pickups in it and I never thought the plugged in sound was up to what the accoustic sound was.

Just remember to say you will be using the 5-way on a PRS, then they will reverse the magnet in one of the pickups so that the split sounds work.

[Philly Q]

I have VHII's in my PRS Artist II.  It is a 22 fret hardtail.  They sound great, and all the positions on the 5 way work.  My PRS had the Artist pickups in it and I never thought the plugged in sound was up to what the accoustic sound was.

Phil, I know you also have a Standard 22 with RYs, have you ever tried the VHIIs in it?  I was wondering if they'd work in an all-mahog guitar, or d'you think they'd be too bassy?

[PhilKing]

I have VHII's in my PRS Artist II.  It is a 22 fret hardtail.  They sound great, and all the positions on the 5 way work.  My PRS had the Artist pickups in it and I never thought the plugged in sound was up to what the accoustic sound was.

Phil, I know you also have a Standard 22 with RYs, have you ever tried the VHIIs in it?  I was wondering if they'd work in an all-mahog guitar, or d'you think they'd be too bassy?

Sorry Phil, I got the VHII's way back, and they are built for the artist (zebra with gold screws in the cream bobbin and black slugs in the black bobbin).  When I got the RY's they were always for the Standard (I had been talking with Tim about them for a bit).  TO uses the VHII in his Strat, but that has a heavy 70's body with a maple neck so it is quite bright.  Tim usually recommends the Riff Raff for all mahogany guitars.  It is a tough call, I don't think the bass is overpowering on the VHII by any means, so I would say give it a go. If you want a bit more balance at the same power, you could also look at the Emerald (I just put one in the bridge of my Zemaitis clone and I love the sound).

[Philly Q]

Thanks for the reply Phil!

Most of my guitars fall into the all-mahogany category, so I guess Tim's vintage-output or high-output "SG rule of thumb" always applies.  Truth be told, I feel a bit trapped by that rule!  :?    I really like my Riff Raff but I don't want to put them in everything, I'd like just a little more beef in the sound sometimes.  

I'd love to try some of the Vintage Hot pickups (most of the Contemporary range are probably a bit too Metal for me).  I suppose I could take a punt on VHIIs (or Emeralds or even Black Dogs) and hopefully Tim will exchange them if they don't work out.  And I know I can fall back on the Rebel Yells, which definitely do work in mahogany, but again I'd like something different from what I've already got!

Maybe I should start buying Les Pauls, that maple top seems to make a big difference.  But they're so damn heavy!

[brazilianjosh]

Hey, thanks for all the replies! I think I have decided what to go for and when I get my next pay check it will pay for some nice new pickups. Thanks for your help! BTW what is the main difference between the VHII and the Emeralds in terms of sound?

[Philly Q]

Sorry for hijacking your thread with my own VHII questions!  :oops:

Just going by what I've read, the Emerald is quite clear and bright (lots of treble and upper mids), good for early Thin Lizzy and 70s rock stuff.  Looking back at your first post, I believe I've seen the word "chimey" used to describe the Emerald, so maybe it's what you're looking for!

The VHII is another beefed-up-PAF type, still with lots of treble/upper mids but (I believe) a bit more bass and a bigger, rawer, more 80s rock sound.  It seems to be a very popular choice for Superstrats (like JamesHealey's!).

As I say, those are just my impressions based on what I've read.  Some of the guys on the forum have actually owned/tried most of the different humbuckers, so they could give a better comparison (try searching posts by PhilKing and TwilightOdyssey, especially).

Phil

[JamesHealey]

the VHII sounds huge, just imagine having weight behind everynote you play,   but with clarity and a midrange the size of a small army burning like an inferno in the front of your amp...

but we all know how much i love VHII's :P