Paul Reed Smith

[squawken]

Hey Everyone

 

Here is my story, or conundrum.  I currently own a 150-CM that goes into a Marshall TSL 100.  I play anything from Thin Lizzy to Foo Fighters.  I absolutely love my Heritage.  However, it doesn't have enuf of that buzzsaw sound for stuff like Iron Maiden, Foo Fighters, JP, Accept, etc.  So I was looking at some of the Les Pauls with EMG's and Alnico 500 and 496 pups. I played a Classic with the 500, and it was only slightly more aggressive than the Heritage, so not worth the money.  The sales associate recommended a PRS Custom 24.  It was awesome!  Very aggressive, top quality, and I got a good price.  Now I am feeling guilty,as if I didn't give some kind of a Heritage a chance to do the same thing.  I do have 30 days to return the PRS.  Don't get me wrong-I love the PRS.  Again, it's the guilt.  MY question is-does anyone recommend some kind of altering to a Heritage (certain pickups to put in maybe)?  I had thought about buying a used one, but about the only place I can find one is ebay.  I would prefer playing one and feeling the Mojo, before dropping $1,000 to $1,500.  Or should I get over it, play the PRS for aggressive stuff, and let the Heritage stand on it's own for all other rock?  Sorry to babble...

[davesultra]

My opinion would be that you answered your own question in the last sentence of your post. Nothing wrong with having a PRS, and they are popular for more aggressive rock styles.

[yoslate]

Opinions are like....  Well, you know the rest of that one.  Aggressive p'ups?  Don't know if this is germane to your dilemma at all, but I've mellowed in my old age.  I look for clean "snap and ring," kind of a single coil quality in all my guitars, P-90 and humbucker sticks, too.  I have a pair of mid-'70's Dimarzio PAF's I've pulled out of my '73 LP Deluxe.  The most overwhelming p'ups I've ever used.  HOT and LOUD, and they'll overdrive anything!  Maybe they still wind that one?

[Thundersteel]

However, it doesn't have enuf of that buzzsaw sound for stuff like Iron Maiden, Foo Fighters, JP, Accept, etc.

 

Keep the Heritage, and buy a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier! It has plenty of the sound you're looking for!

[squawken]

Keep the Heritage, and buy a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier! It has plenty of the sound you're looking for!

 

Don't even get me started!  My wife would kill me!  I figure a hot plate is a cheaper alternative.

[squawken]

Just an update....  I just got a hotplate on e-bay!  Can't wait to get it.  I think I am truely obsessed with searching for the right guitars, effects, etc.  That has to be it for a while.

[rooster]

FWIW, I put Bill Lawrence L-500's (the C for the neck and the L for the bridge, from www.billlawrence.com, accept no substitutes) in all my Heritage H150's, and they manage to cover anything. I play in a cover band with a 100+ songlist from the 60's to modern stuff, and they seem to do it all. The extended top and bottom end combined with the complete lack of mud does the job quite nicely.

 

rooster.

[sweet-tooth]

Get a Hot Plate!!! Hey, did I mention you should get a Hot Plate?

[GuitArtMan]

Or should I get over it, play the PRS for aggressive stuff, and let the Heritage stand on it's own for all other rock?

Bingo.

[squawken]

Get a Hot Plate!!! Hey, did I mention you should get a Hot Plate?

 

I DID TODAY!!  Just have to wait for it to be delivered!

[tulk1]

I DID TODAY!!  Just have to wait for it to be delivered!

What are you expecting that Hot Plate to do? Rereading your post, I don't see anything about volume being an issue, just tone. Have you thought of getting a pedal to do the metal stuff? Your H should be able to cover all the styles you've mentioned.

 

Nothing wrong with having a PRS, and they are popular for more aggressive rock styles.

Got a good chuckle out of that. 

 

Keep the Heritage, and buy a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier! It has plenty of the sound you're looking for![/font][/size]

This is good advice. People tend to think of Boogies as metal machines, especially the Rectifiers. But they are capable of producing SO many different tones. To use the technical term, these amps are just faboo!

[squawken]

I have issues with only being able to play the amp at about 2 to 2.5 on the volume.  It's not really pushing the amp to saturation point yet.  The hot plate will let the amp get pushed harder (hopefully with better distortion and compression), at reasonable levels. 

 

Do you recommend any distortion pedals?  I had the Boss Metal Zone and it was horrible.  I'm afraid the pedals will alter the tone even further.  I have a Boss GE-7 that helps some, but also affects tone a bit.  I have looked into the Keeley modified Boss DS-1 and SD-1, but haven't tried yet.

[tulk1]

I have issues with only being able to play the amp at about 2 to 2.5 on the volume.  It's not really pushing the amp to saturation point yet.  The hot plate will let the amp get pushed harder (hopefully with better distortion and compression), at reasonable levels. 

Well, a Hot Plate might help you get the amp hotter and a bit more responsive. Once you get the knobs turned up on that TSL, you might even find that your H performs well for that buzzsaw sound you're after. Then again, I'm definitely in the camp of owning both the PRS and the Heritage. I've got 2 of both!!  I don't play much (uh .... any) metal music, so I could not recommend a distortion pedal. My drive pedals are all OD's as opposed to Distortion.

[squawken]

I agree that my Heritage is going to sound better when I get the Hotplate.  Just to follow up on the PRS...  I took it to my guitar guy today and he said that it is wired wrong!  All phases are out of phase (I guess backwards).  I should have known better than to buy from GC.  My local store has them (PRS) too, and it definitely sounded different.  So on to ANOTHER return to GC.

[PacerX]

Swap out the bridge pickup for a JB, or one of the hotter Duncans.

 

If you like a little bit darker sound than the JB, use a Custom/Custom.

 

Another option is the PRS HFS pickup.  I liked that one alot in my CE 22/10.

 

Any of the above options should get you "buzzsawing" in no time.  You can back the volume off on any of the pickups above and they'll clean up nicely.

 

For my taste, the stock Schallers and pickups like the '59 and Seth Lovers just didn't have enough snot to get the job done.  They're great for "crunchy", but not quite enough horsepower for "kill". 

 

Obviously, keep the pickups you remove so you can put it back to stock if the need arises.

[deluxemeat]

the bands you mention for the "more aggressive side" use plenty of g brand guitars. i'd think more about amplification, od pedals and pickup selection.

japanese sd-1s are still way cheaper than buying another heritage to chop up or a prs.

adding that od to your rig will do wonders!

[Kazwell]

active EMGs?....anyone anyone....Bueller....?

[tulk1]

I agree that my Heritage is going to sound better when I get the Hotplate.  Just to follow up on the PRS...  I took it to my guitar guy today and he said that it is wired wrong!  All phases are out of phase (I guess backwards).  I should have known better than to buy from GC.  My local store has them (PRS) too, and it definitely sounded different.  So on to ANOTHER return to GC.

 

This was a used PRS? Don't think you can blame GC for the wiring. Don't think it won't come from PRS wired incorrectly, either. A couple of those positions are supposed to be in weird phasing. Just can't imagine how it'd have gotten messed up unless it was used, or a return that someone fiddled with. 

[deluxemeat]

active EMGs?....anyone anyone....Bueller....?

 

emgs hb's make most guitars sound the samee whether it's in a strat or lp type. an ibaneze rg or a hondo. to my ears it homogenizes everything into 'that" emg sound.

which can be good or bad depeending on what you want.

[Dick Seacup]

I had a Steinberger once that had H-S-H, but only one volume, one tone and one 3-way switch (it was originally a dual-hum that had been modified by the original owner).  The original volume was modified to 'mix' the middle single-coil into whatever was selected by the 3-way, the original tone became a master volume, and the 3-way still selected Neck-neck/bridge/bridge.  But, the ability to dial in precise amounts of that single coil was fun, fun, fun.  I never should have sold it (made money on it, though), and ever since I've toyed with the idea of setting up another guitar this way.

 

I didn't find the EMG 'sound' to be disagreeable.

[Kazwell]

Agreed deluxemeat, but if you want "buzzsaw" and that is what squawken is talking about trying to achieve, then EMG's deliver this sound with flying colors-and the audience will be able to decipher your notes-even when shredding. I have heard it too many times in clubs where even when the guitarist is cranked, the note clarity begins to deminish when the player starts shredding. You move closer to the stage to hear the notes. There are many factors at play here-too many to name. However, I know as a player and from working as a sound tech, EMG's are great at getting your notes (even with a great deal of distortion) delivered to the ears of your audience members. I agree that they create a consistent tone that players searching for more tonal distinction may be turned off to. But from a pure utility standpoint (and remember, I am talking a live application here), you can't beat them.

[squawken]

I guess the only issue I would have EMG's would be that I wasn't taking advantage of the Heritage feel, sound, weight, etc.  I am looking for something that is buzzsaw with Heritage taste.  So I would be looking for pups that can do that.  The neverending quest for the perfect tone I guess.

[squawken]

And to follow up on the PRS.  It was a NEW PRS-very surprising.  I don't blame GC, but that is the kind of luck I have with them.

[Kazwell]

Then check out Dimebuckers.....

[squawken]

Stupid question-who makes the Dimebuckers?