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Revamping my PRS SE


heymisterk

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Okay, so here is my project:

 

2013-03-11_08-10-53_358_zps9b78f713.jpg

 

I want to tear the guts out and set it as vintage-y sounding as possible, as close to a late '50s or early '60s LP as possible.

 

I get it: This is a 2006 Korean-made PRS. But I am willing to pull out the guts and 'buckers and get it as close as possible. I have heard good things about GFS pick-ups and parts, and they are pretty cheap.

 

So, what would you do? What would be your recipe?

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Sell your PRS and get a Les Paul.... Cooks up real fast... [flapper]

 

I wish. My main beef is that the Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge makes this guitar too damn hot. I have had SD JBs in other guitars, and it has been fine. But in this guitar, it is just too crazy; not sure why. I definitely need something cooler.

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I just put a GFS mean 90 bridge and a GFS Dream 90 neck into my Sheraton and I love em. The difference between them and the stock epi pickups is night & day. I'm really surprised at how good the Dream 90 sounds.

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Okay, so here is my project:

 

2013-03-11_08-10-53_358_zps9b78f713.jpg

 

I want to tear the guts out and set it as vintage-y sounding as possible, as close to a late '50s or early '60s LP as possible.

 

I get it: This is a 2006 Korean-made PRS. But I am willing to pull out the guts and 'buckers and get it as close as possible. I have heard good things about GFS pick-ups and parts, and they are pretty cheap.

 

So, what would you do? What would be your recipe?

 

 

I like GFS pick ups, I have a set of their "fat paf" zebras in one guitar, a set of their p90 soap bars in another, a p90 soap bar in the neck of a tele clone (I really like their p90s). I also have 2 sets of their vintage 59s (these are pretty sweet) in a couple other guitars and a calibrated set of the "lil killers". I find their pups sound great especially for the cash. I can't say anything about their super hot wound stuff or their new "professional" ones as I haven't tried any, but for their vintage type pups I find them to be pretty articulate while maintaining a good warm punch. As for their other components, I've tried their pots and while a definite upgrade to some of the stock stuff found in some import guitars they are not cts quality, same can be said for their switches, they are not switchcraft, but again better than some of the stuff I have pulled out of my cheap guitars. My 2 cents, and probably not worth more than that, but hope it helps.

 

Johnny

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Sorry not very familiar with PRS guitars - but yours looks like one chunk of wood (mahogany?). A great part of the LP sound is the mahogany body with the carved maple cap on top. You can mod the pickups all you want, but they are just a means of amplifiying the guitar's tone. Without the maple cap your PRS is never going to sound like a Gibson, although you might certainly get it a lot closer. As I said I don't know PRS guitars so if it already has a maple cap, then nothing I've added means anything. [crying]

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Have you tried lowering the Duncan pickup to make it less hot? Duncans are good pickups.

 

I've used a GFS pickup in a Jay Turner JT 133 and found it okay, I ended up putting in a couple of D'Marzio pups instead. The GFS pickup was an improvement over the original JT pickup, but nowhere near as good as the D'Marzio, at least in that guitar.

 

Another source for inexpensive replacement pups is 'Dragonfire.' I put a Dragonfire loaded pickguard with Vintage Alnico pickups on an Affinity Strat. Those pickups are great; very well made.

 

http://www.guitarpartsonline.com/

 

Good luck whatever you decide. Enjoy the project.

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As one poster said above, Bare knuckles are the one of the best out there. But not to insult your guitar, i wouldn't "waste" your money on top end pups like those.

 

GFS pickups are your best bet, they are pretty cheap but they are pretty damn good.

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Loudmouth-Pickup-EXTRA-POWER-with-vintage-Tone-_c_130.html

I'd try a set of these, also pick up some push and pull pots (lots of fun and more tone) and wire them in.

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I'd try a set of these, also pick up some push and pull pots (lots of fun and more tone) and wire them in.

 

Im with you on the push pulls.

 

They're great for cleaning up your tone slightly (I like to split neck pickups and use the middle pickup selection) as well as many other things

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Sorry not very familiar with PRS guitars - but yours looks like one chunk of wood (mahogany?). A great part of the LP sound is the mahogany body with the carved maple cap on top. You can mod the pickups all you want, but they are just a means of amplifiying the guitar's tone. Without the maple cap your PRS is never going to sound like a Gibson, although you might certainly get it a lot closer. As I said I don't know PRS guitars so if it already has a maple cap, then nothing I've added means anything. [crying]

 

I am pretty sure that red PRS has a maple top and the binding is wood, at least my Se is. You have to look closely to see the binding where it meets the maple cap.

 

I have 3 PRSs, very good guitars, I rate them equal to my Fenders and LPs.

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