Is it worth upgrading your S2 or SE to the PRS 59/09 set?

[@user-mm3zd5yv5z]

4:25 85/15S bridge 4:43 59/09 bridge Thanks good comparison video!!

[@AudiomoMusic]

You are welcome!

[@bradleyclosson5042]

I've never bonded with any prs pickups. I went with a humbucker sized p90 in the bridge and a paf in the neck. Good to go!

[@AudiomoMusic]

The only ones I really thought were really great were the 57/08's, everythign else I'd just assume buy Fralins, Lollars, or even Duncans over the PRS branded pickups

[@77pearcearrow]

That was a cool sound comparison, one of these days I am going to try a different (non PRS) pickup set in my McCarty. I just had to switch out the 57/08s pickups, they aren't bad but the difference is so noticeable. I just taught a lead guitar/Improvisation workshop and the tone of the non S pickups felt great. Great Video!

[@AudiomoMusic]

Dan what are you thinking about putting into the McCarty? Anything particular in mind?

[@77pearcearrow]

@@AudiomoMusic not sure but I was meaning to ask you. Is it worth it to replace the pots and pickup selector on my S2? My toggle switch is not staying in place lately and its kind of a bummer.

[@brandonbryson3317]

I’ve owned several PRS at every level…mostly core, actually. SE is the best guitar for the money. For the S2 line, the cheapest satin ones are the best/most unique imo. The core is in another league as a work of art, but as a functional, well made instrument, the current generation of SE gets VERY close. I actually sold most of my core after getting a few of the newer SE. I just swap the pickups to Seymour Duncan’s, which I personally think are better sounding than all of PRS’s USA pickups.

[@AudiomoMusic]

I really agree with the last thing you said, getting a set of Duncans I feel is the best option for S2's and SE's. Not only are they imo a bit better sounding but they are also cheaper. They really bring these guitars to life

[@ScottBrunelleMusic]

the s2 standard satins are the best stock guitar you can buy

[@IPFWconductingclass]

@@AudiomoMusic Which Duncans would you suggest for an SE? Thx-

[@bjackson4]

Thank you so much for this video, Jim! I recently got the PRS SE CE 24 and was thinking about upgrading the pickups to the 59/09 set and this was exactly what I was looking for.

[@AudiomoMusic]

I'm happy it helped you out! I definitely prefer these to the 85/15's in the CE24. I hope you end up loving them

[@OscarBenben]

I believe the 85/15S sux. but maybe that's just my opinion, I prefer the Paul's guitar TCI'S by far

[@AudiomoMusic]

i dont really like any PRS pickups after playing pretty much the lot of them

[@HereComeMrCee-Jay]

I prefer the 85 / 155... more delineated and clear to my ears. Both sound good, though. Thanks for the video.

[@AudiomoMusic]

Right on!

[@carpathus]

Pretty cool comparison. Just got my first PRS this past Friday, a SE CE24. To my untrained ear the 85/15S pickups sound great played through my Fender Mustang Micro and headphones. The 59/09's sound beefier with less clarity whereas the 85/15S sound thinner with more clarity and articulation. Cheers for now!

[@AudiomoMusic]

That's super cool you listened to this through a mustang micro, were you using earbuds or full on over ear headphones?

[@Mrnangpu]

In my ear, 85/15 sounds bigger, louder and the 59/09 sound quieter, thinner, more polish, more processed... Am i right?

[@HauntedGuitarMan]

Ive had a se, s2, and a core. My favorite was the s2 mccarty. Although i started getting to many guitars and I decided to sell a bunch. Sold all my prs’s. S2 was up against my lp standard and i chose the lp. Anywho i like your vids and style.

[@AudiomoMusic]

Thanks man and I ended up doing the same thing actually about a year and a half ago with my PRS s2s - they were all sold off including a McCarty. This one is up for sale now too, sometimes it's just not meant to be with some brands I guess.

[@theguitarprofessionals8584]

Thats a tough one man!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe its just early>>>> Watching!!!!!!!!!!

[@AudiomoMusic]

Thanks brother man!

[@IanNorsworthy]

Great video as ever. I mean, I'm not a fan of any PRS pickup in so much as I'd want it in any guitar I had, I'd always pick options from many other brands as a preference (I personally find it PRS huge weakpoint but at least its an easily changeable part I guess). in this one, the 85/15s came across quite well in clarity terms but the 59/09's had more character to them/a more specific sound they achieved well to my preference at least. But exactly like you said - whack a pure PAF in there or something similar (and tbh even a few of the Gibson pickup options) and its levels above for my money.

[@AudiomoMusic]

We've always been on the same page with these things, different stroke for different folks and all that right

[@debhart4302]

The 85/155 set let's each note sing, whereas the 59/09 set seems to choke out some of notes and just stifles the sound a little too much. But, overall, I'm not a fan of PRS pickups.

[@AudiomoMusic]

I don't really love either of these pickups, but for me the 85/15s sound extremely flat in the room. The 59/09's break up quicker which would be great for someone who lives on the edge of breakup but I prefer having a really clean base tone so they aren't for me either. All and all I just don't think any of this is a match for me but I was going to swap the pickups back to stock anyways so I figured I'd make a video and maybe help someone with a PRS that is considering the swap

[@dawoud8013]

@@AudiomoMusic Same here ! i have the USA made 85/15 on the side for months lol, to put in my Harley Benton CST24, i hope it will sound more "alive" ( "terne" i would say in french.... dull in english...?) . I had eard some demos by the past and i remember that they were the perfect clear straty humbucker pickups... i hope a don't make a mistake...

[@realtruenorth]

​@@dawoud8013the 85/15s sound amazing through a Kemper high gain profile, but they are not vintage type pickups. Depends on what tone you want. They are very full tlrange hifi sounding to me. But I like PRS pickups, they are the only guitars I leave stock pickups in.

[@donbishop6994]

Pretty much what i expected, as i know what tones i prefer. The upgraded set is slighter hotter and has more upper mids, making them a bit tighter. Throw on gain and its even more noticeable. I prefer them over the stock pups but dont know if the upcharge would be worth it. I could achieve a similar tonal shift with a parametric EQ, that i already have.

[@AudiomoMusic]

Absolutely, the power of EQ is often underestimated and underutlized with guitars in general.

[@lazvt8469]

Very close. Solution: SD JB's...love mine!!

[@AudiomoMusic]

Yeah JB/59 would be a better and more economical choice imho

[@thenumber1bobo]

I have the same guitar, and Ive pledged to not mess with the pickups, but now you've got me wondering...not a huge fan of the neck 85/15. BTW, I changed my pickup rings out for black, huge improvement. Also installed a Mannmade USA brass trem block and and brass saddles...also huge improvement in removing some of the boomy low end the steel block imbued. highly recommend the saddles at least; the musiclilly ones are really nice and at $25 for the set, pretty unbeatable

[@AudiomoMusic]

The mannmade stuff is great and was also installed onto this guitar. If I were going to do it again with a pickup swap on this, I would just buy a set of Lindy Fralin Pure PAF's... they cost less and imho are better than any PRS pickup I've used and I've used a bunch.

[@thenumber1bobo]

@@AudiomoMusic did you have to replace the trem springs? The factory ones don’t seem to seat all the way in the holes on the mannmade block

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day also last night was my half brothers birthday also I like your glasses ❤😊😊

[@AudiomoMusic]

Thanks Amin, I dislike glasses but I hope your brother had a great birthday

[@ShameinAnaheim]

Nice job!

[@AudiomoMusic]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@garypannone7755]

WOW... Some examples and most of them to my ears the 85/15S sounded better. Then on a couple the 59/09 sounded so good. No real winner but I guess I would take the 85/15S for a all around more useable sound for all kind of music.

[@AudiomoMusic]

It's interesting hearing them so quickly back to back, there's always some surprises

[@PatrickGeneLeBlancHardy]

Thanks For Sharing 🎸🎶

[@AudiomoMusic]

My pleasure!!

[@bciecko1]

Definitely a difference. Both sound fine, but that's the problem, both sound kinda perfectly balanced and that makes them sorta lifeless. I don't have personal experience with them, I mean I've played but never owned a PRS electric. I have heard from so many that have owned them that picking one up at the store will give you the exact same experience from guitar to guitar. Consistency is nice for a brand but it can leave loyalty at the door since you can let one go and pick up another, anywhere, and it's the same deal. It tends to come out in hearing them too, they sound so balanced and "perfect" that it's kinda boring. That said, one of the coolest sounds in a song, to me, is in 311's 'Amber'. Their guitar player plays PRS and a couple minutes into the song a clean chord is played slowly, just faster than an arpeggio but a little too slow to be considered a strum. Super twangy sounding. I was surprised to learn it was a PRS, with a humbucker, making that sound. Pretty impressive.

[@AudiomoMusic]

I 100% agree with the lifeless part. They are both fine. They all kinda sound the same with little variance even between pickups. I'm much more attracted to guitars that don't do "everything" but have some really sweet sounds in them. I never knew that about the song Amber, which is funny to me since almost two decades ago there was a 2 week time where I held onto a friends Tim Mahoney SE PRS - at the time I had no idea who he or PRS were and I don't think I played it more than 10 minutes haha. Really cool stuff to think hear

[@distantport]

To my ear 85/15 sound better except one.... neck split on 59... that sounded way better

[@AudiomoMusic]

It's a strange one, they both have their strengths for sure but the splits absolutely sound better to me on the 59/09

[@tomasodriziola]

I don't really like how either sound, not your fault but that is a sterile guitar no matter of what pickups you put in it to my ears

[@AudiomoMusic]

I think the 57/08 pickups from PRS in these guitars stock would be absolutely great.

[@Lean6]

No matter what pickups? That makes no sense.

[@AudiomoMusic]

@Lean6 think he just hates PRS no matter what based on some other comments too