[GouldyGuitar]

Hey all!

A year and a bit ago, I purchased one of the best playing guitars I’ve ever owned, brand new from my favourite local shop, The Arts Music in Newmarket. It’s a PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline. Not the most beautiful name, but what a great guitar.

It sort of fell into my lap. I never thought I’d own a PRS, let alone like one, and I loved this one. I say loved, because lately, I just haven’t been playing it all that much.

I still like the feel of the guitar. The neck shape is super comfortable, it weighs under 7.5 lbs, it’s resonant, all the qualities of a great guitar. But I don’t love the way it sounds. It’s a bit dark and flubby sounding.

I tried to swap the pickups with a more PAF style pickup a while back, but it turned out that the ears on the pickup were too long and the pole pieces on the backside of the pickup would hit the body, not allowing them to fit. So I scrapped the idea. As you can see below, this is why they wouldn’t fit. Original pickups next to the sheptones I had purchased that wouldn’t fit.

I’m torn whether or not to find a set that would fit, or leave the guitar as is a move it for something else. It’s so tough because I know it could be fantastic, it’s light, it’s resonant, the feel is fantastic, but the sound just isn’t there for me.

Would love some advice on what I should do!

Cheers

 

[Mark Brown]

You know what to do. You listed all the things that actually are the guitar as what you love.
Find the right set of pups and fall in love all over again. It isnt like you throw out your shoes because you got a hole in your sock.

 

[CathodeRay]

Have you tried adjusting the pickup height?

Edit : the original ones I mean.

 

[GouldyGuitar]

You know what to do. You listed all the things that actually are the guitar as what you love.
Find the right set of pups and fall in love all over again. It isnt like you throw out your shoes because you got a hole in your sock.

Thanks for the advice! I attached some photos as to why the pickups I had purchased wouldn’t fit. If you have any advice on some that would work let me know!

 

[keto]

Take the screws out, one at a time, and grind them off or use a dremel + cutoff wheel. Clean threads, reinsert screw.

 

[JBFairthorne]

There are tons of pickup makers out there. I’m SURE you can find the sound you want in the size you need if you spend some time digging.

 

[Mark Brown]

Just route out the cavity a smidgen if you have the room in the body. That's the best advice because then everything will work.

@keto isn't wrong in his advice, that would work too but if you don't like them, want to swap them again, sell them or anything of the like you are back to square one.

Suppose it comes down to your long term plans with the guitar too. Altering a body could harm resale in the future if that was a concern. Even if it was to improve it

 

[patski]

Have you tried adjusting the pickup height?

Came here to say this!

 

[BlueRocker]

Clearly you need several new amps.

 

[Alex]

Swap of pickups is the kiss of death for me. The guitar manuf. built the guitar with specific pickups in mind and if it doesn’t work, i simply move it. I understand with offshore / lower price point guitars that a swap of pickups or upgrading specs might serve the instrument well but for a US built instrument, time for said instrument to hit the emporium.

lots of fish in the sea with the exact specs you require. ymmv.

 

[Hammerhands]

Ask the manufactuer for shorter screws.

But you still would have the long ears.

 

[crann]

Swap of pickups is the kiss of death for me. The guitar manuf. built the guitar with specific pickups in mind and if it doesn’t work, i simply move it.

I'm fully on board with this. I do love to tinker with guitars and my soldering iron has paid for itself x100 but once I start swapping pickups, it means I've mentally moved on. A few additional points: modding a guitar often devalues it, costs you money, and can be a band-aid rather than a solution to what is bothering you. All of my "keeper" guitars are bone stock and the ones I have messed with end up getting traded or sold. YMMV.

 

[Budda]

Sell it and buy the S2 full thickness seafoam at TGS.

 

[RBlakeney]

I noticed you’re scowling at it in that first picture, have you tried smiling at it instead?

 

[mhammer]

Just to clarify, the OP is still in love with the guitar, but out of love with the pickups.
For heaven's sake, there should be shorter screws available somewhere in your region.

 

[Latole]

Cut those screws.
You can mod the pickups ears too. I do few times.
Cut them, bend it the lenght you need, make 90 degrees and make threads.

 

[Grab n Go]

Or maybe try a bass rolloff mod. I think it involves a different value of capacitor.

Bass Roll-off Modification

 

[greco]

Clearly you need several new amps.

Nominated for one of the TOP 100 GC POSTs for 2022!

 

[Jim9guitars]

If you have another guitar I suggest you play it for a few weeks and then re-visit the PRS. This worked for me more times than I can count.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

You could always sleep with... I mean play another guitar.