PRS Custom 24: Stock pups don´t like my Mark V

[hank66]

Bought my first PRS a few weeks ago; a custom 24. I´m a bit frustrated with the stock pickups. They sound OK clean but any overdrive seems to turn the top end into fizzy garbage no matter how I dail it. Pluged it into my faithful little 22 cal. with the same result. Even lightly overdriven, the top end is terrible. Never had this problem before with any pickups. I normally use dimarzios in most of my guitars along with a few seymore duncans. Anybody out there have any expierience with this? Seems a bit odd for a guitar in this price range.
definitely not what I expected. I play blues, rock, and a bit of metal. looking for some good allarounders. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Heritage Softail]

I have a CU24. The PRS pickup vibe seems more dry cleaned as compared to stonewashed like old jeans. I hear that tone used in some of the modern country. I am in the same boat on not being totally happy with the pups.

I have 3 guitars that are going to get a few sets of pups rotated thru them to see what works. The odd thing about pup comparisons is that the same pup in a different guitar sounds different. I had a MKV for a year and know it does not necessarily like what my DSL100 likes.

The Tom Anderson stock pups worked well with the MKV. I have a Pro Am, my buddy had a drop top pretty guitar. The MKV sounded good with both Anderson models.

I'm not sure what I want the CU24 I have to end up as, more rock or more blues. The Dimarzio lower output 36th Anniversary are sitting on the workbench as an option. Motor City Pickups have great, superb pickups out there, not too expensive. Cantrell has a model he has in a few guitars and calls out MCP specifically in a vid or two. I have a set in a LP and another set to find a home for in a high output application. There are lots of options and vids out there.

Nastee Nastee set is in my LP. Gets that wiry gritty, lots of harmonics, and neck pup is that Page to Slash smokin smooth. Have a second set inbound now :lol: I am not sure they are on the website now. You can email them and get lots of info or a custom wind.

Good luck.

 

[kdorsey]

Which pups, 57/08s or HFS/VBs? Having been thru both in my Cu24 I can say that you have to EQ the amp differently than most other guitars. The midrange response in PRSi is fairly unique (which I love) and you have to accommodate that character, so spend time starting from a neutral tone setting. The volume pot is very functional, as is the tone on these guitars, so don't be afraid to tweak...that's what they're there for. In the end, it's worth the effort because no Fender or Gibson sounds the same.

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Kdorsey has a point. The pickups on a Custom 24 has varied through the years...