Gibson (new/vintage) '57's vs PRS 57/08's?

[XeMeme]

PRS 57/08 pickups are becoming one of the hottest (quasi-)new pickups on the market. I mean, I know you have to get them out of a $2,000 Paul Reed Smith and I can't buy them direct, but I'm seeing prices go crazy for them.

 

I was curious if anyone had ever compared them to Vintage Gibson '57's and new '57's?

 

I know that the PRS' aren't meant to be replica's, but I was curious what folks have heard... and I don't have access to a '57 Les Paul, haha.

 

Thank you,

 

PRS' blurb on 57/08's:

 

PRS's 57/08 pickups have a clear, articulate and open sound that works wonders in a whole variety of musical settings, which might be why many consider the 57/08 to be the best pickup ever made by PRS.

 

Paul Reed Smith acquired exclusive rights to the original pickup wire from the original machine used to make the most revered ‘50s era pickups in 2008, and 1957 was the year the humbucker was first commercially available, giving rise to PRS Guitars’ most exclusive pickup, the 1957/2008. PRS is very guarded about its pickup specs – magnet type, wire gauge, etc – and while the pickups' name, 1957/2008, tells us exactly what they're aiming for, Paul Reed Smith will not be drawn on specifics other than stating that the pickups differ from, say, the 245 humbuckers.

 

Paul was quoted as saying: "We have the old stuff being made again and it sounds exactly like the old stuff. It's the wire and the magnet and everything else. There is a magic to those old PAFs – that's why they cost a couple of thousand dollars each. So, basically, you're getting two pickups and a free guitar and case!"

[XeMeme]

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[XeMeme]

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[Jock68]

I am lucky enough to have both in my collection. I love the SC58, it is comfortable, easy to play, looks amazing and sounds great, far superior to my PRS Custom 24.......but my Custom 68 with 57s is by far the best sound of any of my guitars. I have put 57s in a lot of my guitars and they do all sound different so I do realise that there is a lot more than the pickup to how a guitar sounds.

 

Jock

[eclecticsynergy]

Jock writes: "I have put 57s in a lot of my guitars and they do all sound different so I do realise that there is a lot more than the pickup to how a guitar sounds."

 

I agree- to me one of the hallmarks of a great pickup is that it reflects a guitar's individuality. You get a good taste of the axe's inherent nature imbued with the pickup mojo, and not the pickup's sound overshadowing your guitar's tone. That's one of the reasons I'm not fond of putting overwound pickups in a really nice guitar. Okay, I've got a Duncan Distortion in one of my Floydcasters and EMGs in the other. But those are slab guitars with bolt-on necks. I wouldn't put pickups like that in one of my Gibsons. Well, not unless I were only playing really heavy music.

 

As to the OP's poll, I can't really offer a vote because I've never A/B'd the pups in question. But I will say that the stock humbuckers in my '87 PRS are some of the sweetest and most articulate that I've ever played. The neck pickup in particular is just magical, and the bridge is fat & crunchy and exceedingly well defined, with a searing treble that's never fizzy and a surprising warmth for a pickup this bright. Very tight lows from both, and they both go beautifully transparent when scaled back a bit. These are moderately hot humbuckers and matched with the remarkably lively mahogany of this guitar, they feel larger than life, almost supernaturally expressive. A fortunate and inspiring combination. I guess in terms of elapsed time the pickups are vintage by now. But vintage sounding they're not.