prs narrowfield

[ShannonH]

OK, so I searched for posts about this before posting myself, but have you seen the PRS "narrowfield" pickups? looks like a variety of mini humbucker. The most interesting thing is that PRS is pushing "a sound between a humbucker and a single coil." I guess my question is, will people "love" it just because it is PRS, or is this a shot in the dark? This is, after all a "new" sound

Peace

[Possum]

...

Whats new about mini humbuckers, or Filtertons, or any smaller magnetic window pickup? Its marketing, plain and simple.

[Jeff Callahan]

Not sure if this is what you're talking about, but Lindy Fralin talked about designing a split coil for PRS and said it was two years in the making (in 2004). He said it is as close to a single coil as they could come up with.

[frankfalbo]

Uh, Paul...Tom Anderson called, he wants his concept back.

[Possum]

....

I think the filterton was before Tom was born, I think that was the first "narrowField" bucker. Who was its, Butts?

[David Schwab]

I think the filterton was before Tom was born, I think that was the first "narrowField" bucker. Who was its, Butts?

Yeah, Butts. They aren't all that narrow though. Bill Lawrence L-500 humbucker were also narrower than standard humbuckers. Mini humbuckers are narrower than both of them.

I've never heard any PRS pickups that I think sound really good. The early ones were awful. One of the guitarist in the band I'm playing in just bought two PRS's, and they sound OK, but he think they are too dark and wants a hotter bridge pickup, like a JB.

[frankfalbo]

I think the filterton was before Tom was born, I think that was the first "narrowField" bucker.

Yes of course and the mini humbucker is old, Hot Rails are "reeeally narrow field humbuckers, etc. Then there are these:

It's not meant to be a history lesson. I just thought it was funny that Tom comes out with these babies several years back. I'm not so much talking about the embodiment as I am the way Tom describes the tone he was going after, vs. the language Paul uses in the Musicians Friend factory tour video, etc.

Also clearly they're not the same pickups, everyone is free to look at something, think it's cool, and then put their own spin on it. (aside from patent protection)

As for breaking new sounds and new formats, Paul is probably poised to be as successful as anyone if it's going to happen. I think people will buy the guitar if they are PRS fans (which there are many) but it won't make non PRS people convert to the "new thing", unless other guitar makers jump in.

It's like your favorite restaurant; they release a banana, bacon, and mint leaf sandwich. You might try it and like it because you like everything else they do. But the next guy won't even set foot in that restaurant, and if he did, he'd start with the cheeseburger.

[David Schwab]

...vs. the language Paul uses in the Musicians Friend factory tour video, etc.

I had a customer bring me one of the first bolt on neck PRS guitars to replace the pickups back in the early 90's. The guitar was brand new. These were the first PRS pickups, the "Vintage Bass" and "HFS" bridge. We both agreed that the neck pickup was overly dark and muddy, and the bridge barked, and had no tone. We put Alnico II Pros in the guitar, and it was like night and day. With the new pickups the guitar had an instant "gibson vibe".

The funny part was the video that came with the guitar where Paul went on and on talking about the pickups, like they were a fine wine. He said they started making their own pickups because they couldn't get what they wanted elsewhere. Remembering that they used to come with Duncans, I immediately though he really meant "we didn't want to pay for them, so we made our own" lol

Nothing wrong with a guitar makers making his own pickups, I do it, but I thought that was funny considering they weren't very good. His new ones sound better than the old ones.

[ShannonH]

My thoughts....

..are echoed in your words. I think the PRS instruments are right on the verge of sublime, but the electronics are just soooo mediocre. I may be wrong here but Seymour already has a mini humbucker (with a narrow field) that sounds like a single coil. Plus all the historical precedents for this. I just watched Paul talking about it and thought,"seriously? you're pushing mini-hums now?"

If Fender had done this they would have been pilloried.