Hey, six-stringers...

[whyachi]

I've got a friend with an import PRS SE Custom who is needing some new humbuckers. He has whatever zebra pickups came standard, and he loves it for metal but he's wanting something more versatile.

Its got a three-way switch, volume and tone knob, and its all passive. He said he wants to play John Mayer to Disturbed with it since he isn't on a multi-guitar budget. He doesn't know much about gear, and I don't for guitars, so what would you guys suggest? He's not willing to put in any extra switches but he'd be up for doing some push-pull knobs if needed, for variety.

 

[Nando Vallart]

Ra! He wants a tone of Strat to humbucker? That's like wanting a Gibson EB and Jazz Bass on same bass...
He can get a good humbucker with middle output and them boost it to get the heavy tones, but he'll not have strat tones, perhaps "alike" with these push-pull, but they're not perfect or the strat and teles would have stop selling hehehehehe

OR put a P90 in humbucker size... it can sound mean (depending of the pickup) but will be not as compressed as humbuckers, but when he want clean it'll be single coil clean... what is the budget???

 

[whyachi]

He's pretty open on the budget, I showed him some $90 / each P Rails just browsing styles and he said that would be okay.

 

[Paul-less]

I would go with vintage to medium output 'buckers.

I've never really dug the sound of single coils, I personally prefer a clean 'bucker to a clean SC.

If you feel like going crazy, see if you can find some PRS Dragon's on Ebay. My uncle put some in his Les Paul, and I love that guitar even more.

 

[tfarny]

The standard recommendation is a pretty good one - SD Jazz in the neck, JB or other high output SD bucker in the bridge. The Jazz pickup can cover a ton.
He should be able to get them on ebay for about $50 apiece, too. I liked the Custom 5, If I were in the market for a high output bucker that might be my choice.
Use a push-pull to coil tap them, and the middle position will be a hum cancelling strattish sound. Simple cheap and effective.

 

[rockskate4x]

I'm using the JB Jazz combo from seymour duncan, and the Jazz pickup splits real nice (Think "Lenny"). The JB was originally made for Jeff Beck, but Dave Mustaine uses it in Megadeth. I can tell you from experience with the pickup that it'll follow you into almost any style of music.

 

[clearerphish]

I upgraded the pickyups in my PRS SE custom semi-hollow from the original zebras to a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck and a SD Pearly Gates in the bridge (both also zebra). I installed push pull pots giving me phase inversion on the tone knob and coil tap on the volume. Pretty sure that's precisely the setup your buddy wants. Mine SCREAMS.

 

[whyachi]

Sounds line a winner. I'll pitch it to him later. Thanks!  :headbang1:

 

[Death by Uberschall]

SD Jazz neck
Motor City AFWAYU in the bridge

 

[pabloman]

Your friend should buy my Santana II pickups. Those sound great. If he really wants an upgrade in tone he could buy my PRS trem too.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I upgraded the pickyups in my PRS SE custom semi-hollow from the original zebras to a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck and a SD Pearly Gates in the bridge (both also zebra). I installed push pull pots giving me phase inversion on the tone knob and coil tap on the volume. Pretty sure that's precisely the setup your buddy wants. Mine SCREAMS.

Here's Clearerohish aka Carlton's thread with the pics.  This one immediately came to mind.  Makes me want to buy an SE.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=10580.0

 

[DangerousR6]

He needs a set of Dimarzio D-Activators....They are some awesome pups, very versatile.... :headbang1: