PRS S2 Standard 24 Satin pickup swap?

[Baba]

Less mud = stay away from a JB in the Bridge. Especially as you ratchet up the gain.

Jazz or a '59 in the Neck is a great choice. '59 would be less warm and more articulate.

SO SO SO SO much this.

I have two Custom 24's, I put a JB/Jazz set in them, and I have really grown to hate the JB in those guitars. I actually like HFS BETTER in my CE-24, than the JBs in my Customs.

I haven't tried a 59 in them, but it would definitely be more clear and have less mud, and might counteract the inherent (extra) midrange in those guitars.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

I've had this S2 since about 2016 and have been in love with it. It wasn't until I got my Prestige AZ2402 that I realized how dull/muddy the HFS pickups in the S2 are (like everyone has been telling me).

Im ready for a pickup change and don't know where to start. Should I try something tried and true like a JB/Jazz?

I have the same guitar and dropped in a set of Dimarzio PAF Pros. Much tighter, no mud, nice clarity and definitition.

If you want something more aggressive then grab a BKP True Grit set. True Grits are amazing and are roughly the same price as your typical Duncan set or similar.

Also try looking on the used market. You can usually find some used BKPs or Dimarzios for good prices.

Good luck!

 

[V|J]

The AZ is also a longer scale length which makes it snappier.

That said, I have the VB/HFS combo in my PRS SE standard 24 and they’re muddy.
The VB especially is mud city.

I have EQ blocks in the Helix to take the mud out before my tone shaping even begins.

But I wouldn’t lean towards the 59/JB combo as that’s what the VB/HFS are based on.

Clarity leans me towards lower output pickups and I want to try a Dimarzio PAF 36th anniversary or something in that vein.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I remember taking this guitar to a tech and him jacking the pickups way up and unscrewing the pole pieces to make them closer to the strings. I thought it was a little strange but he said "that's how it's done" and I think I've been battling mud ever since.

I've been playing with the heights of these things and that has made the tone less boomy and more even. I'm sitting at a happy spot now where I can switch between my S2 and AZ without needing to modify my amp's EQ. Not that they sound the same now, but less dramatic of a difference.

I bought some pickup covers instead.

 

[V|J]

I remember taking this guitar to a tech and him jacking the pickups way up and unscrewing the pole pieces to make them closer to the strings. I thought it was a little strange but he said "that's how it's done" and I think I've been battling mud ever since.

I've been playing with the heights of these things and that has made the tone less boomy and more even. I'm sitting at a happy spot now where I can switch between my S2 and AZ without needing to modify my amp's EQ. Not that they sound the same now, but less dramatic of a difference.

I bought some pickup covers instead.

I have my pickups all the way down and poles raised on the bass side too.

The pickup is pushed so far down that the screw is a little loose and rattles at times, lol.

These pickups are infamous on the Seymour Duncan forum, lol.

 

[TravisG406]

I’m going to try Fralin humbucker size noiseless p90’s in my satin singlecut. I had Zexcoil tribuckers in it but just got a core 594 and am moving the Zexcoils to that guitar.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Circling back around to this matter since the new S2's have the pickup upgrade, and my new Epi ES-335 (along with most of my other guitars) sounds so much less muddy than my S2 even after adjusting the pole pieces and just "living with it."

Been hemming and hawing over what to get and have my sights set on some DiMarzios, either the PAF Masters or the PAF 36th Anniversaries. Leaning toward the Masters.

What's really throwing me is the spacing. PRS spacing is in between standard and F spacing. My thoughts are to get a F spaced bridge and standard neck. Does that sound right?

 

[Warmart]

Circling back around to this matter since the new S2's have the pickup upgrade, and my new Epi ES-335 (along with most of my other guitars) sounds so much less muddy than my S2 even after adjusting the pole pieces and just "living with it."

Been hemming and hawing over what to get and have my sights set on some DiMarzios, either the PAF Masters or the PAF 36th Anniversaries. Leaning toward the Masters.

What's really throwing me is the spacing. PRS spacing is in between standard and F spacing. My thoughts are to get a F spaced bridge and standard neck. Does that sound right?

F-spaced in bridge and non in neck will work.

 

[norminal]

F-spaced in bridge and non in neck will work.

Yeah, it’s a little tight and string to pole spacing is slightly off, but it works fine:

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Yeah, it’s a little tight and string to pole spacing is slightly off, but it works fine:

View attachment 21139

Hmm. I'm gonna order mine covered. Maybe I should get regular spacing just to be safe..

 

[norminal]

Hmm. I'm gonna order mine covered. Maybe I should get regular spacing just to be safe..

You would likely need to file/enlarge the pickup ring opening for a covered F-spaced version. I’d say go with the regular-spaced.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

You would likely need to file/enlarge the pickup ring opening for a covered F-spaced version. I’d say go with the regular-spaced.

I just read this, fwiw:

F-spaced: SD pickups (52.6mm) - DM pickups (51mm)
Standard: SD pickups (49mm) - DM pickups (48 mm)

I emailed DM to see what they recommend just in case

 

[Alex Kenivel]

DiMarzio got back to me and said the outer Dimensions don't change with the different pole piece spacing, just the pole pieces themselves. Makes sense.

They recommended the f spaced bridge and standard neck.

 

[norminal]

DiMarzio got back to me and said the outer Dimensions don't change with the different pole piece spacing, just the pole pieces themselves. Makes sense.

They recommended the f spaced bridge and standard neck.

Interesting. That’s good to know. So it’s obviously a SD thing then. DiMarzio’s approach makes more sense. I bet they have a patent on it.

 

[Warmart]

DiMarzio got back to me and said the outer Dimensions don't change with the different pole piece spacing, just the pole pieces themselves. Makes sense.

They recommended the f spaced bridge and standard neck.

I did F-spaced DiMarzio's in both on my CU24 and, yeah, the neck pole pieces are a hair off, but doesn't matter.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I did F-spaced DiMarzio's in both on my CU24 and, yeah, the neck pole pieces are a hair off, but doesn't matter.

I was more worried about getting the pickups to fit into the mounting spaces on the pickguard. Dimarzio's diagrams say that their covered pickups are 71mm wide and my slide caliper is measuring in between 70 and 71mm. Still probably gonna roll the dice.

 

[norminal]

I was more worried about getting the pickups to fit into the mounting spaces on the pickguard. Dimarzio's diagrams say that their covered pickups are 71mm wide and my slide caliper is measuring in between 70 and 71mm. Still probably gonna roll the dice.

View attachment 21148

That’s like 0.5mm per side. If it’s a little tight, nothing a file or sand paper can’t fix. I think you’ll be good.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

That’s like 0.5mm per side. If it’s a little tight, nothing a file or sand paper can’t fix. I think you’ll be good.

But then the mounting holes won't line up and I'll have ruined my guitar

J/K I've already placed the order and will find out

 

[Warmart]

I was more worried about getting the pickups to fit into the mounting spaces on the pickguard. Dimarzio's diagrams say that their covered pickups are 71mm wide and my slide caliper is measuring in between 70 and 71mm. Still probably gonna roll the dice.

View attachment 21148

Both covered fit with stock rings for me.

 

[norminal]

But then the mounting holes won't line up and I'll have ruined my guitar

0.5mm per side. You’ll be fine.