PRS Kingfisher SE pickup weakness and noise

[Rod Barchetta]

I also have a new one and yes the pickups really sucks. Strange from PRS standards... Also it lacks the "boom" one would expect expecially from the reviews. Maybe that is the difference between the new indonesian made ones from the old korean ones.

All you need is some Seymour Duncan SSB-4 or Aguilar DCB pickups and you will have a beast!

 

[Max Marchini]

Thank you so much Rod. I have followed your advice and just ordered The Seymour Duncans. Will let you know. Thanks a lot Because as you may understand, I felt very frustrated...

 

[Dincrest]

People say all the time that the PRS Kingfisher's electronics are the Achilles heel of that bass.

And I will +1 the Duncan SSB soapbars. I had a bass modded with them and a VVT setup and it's my best sounding bass. Those pickups are fantastic.

 

[B-flat?]

I installed 2 chrome Lace Aluma Bass Bar 3.5 pickups with push pull pot to split each pickup and push pull pot for tone with 0.022 cap adding 0.047 cap for 0.069 total. Sounds as good as it looks now.

 

[Max Marchini]

I followed the Rod's advice and replaced the original pickups with Seymour Duncan's SB4 soapbars and the sound improved dramatically. Now it sounds good. I still wonder how a company like PRS can permit to put in such a competitive market an instrument that really sounds crap with its original pickups. They really sucks. A 200 bucks Cort sound better!!! Far better!!!
So Kingfisher average price in Italy is around 1000 euro. It's really a shame!

 

[JBPJinVA]

I followed the Rod's advice and replaced the original pickups with Seymour Duncan's SB4 soapbars and the sound improved dramatically. Now it sounds good. I still wonder how a company like PRS can permit to put in such a competitive market an instrument that really sounds crap with its original pickups. They really sucks. A 200 bucks Cort sound better!!! Far better!!!
So Kingfisher average price in Italy is around 1000 euro. It's really a shame!

I installed EMGs in mine. A P4 in the neck and a CS humbucker in the bridge. I love the sound of the bass now. The neck on this bass is great, easy access all the way to the 24th fret.

 

[Clark Westfield]

I had a SE Kestral that was very weak in the tone department.

That led me down a road to eventually sell it.

Absolutely beautiful bass, but needed an electronic upgrade

 

[Rod Barchetta]

I took my modified PRS Kingfisher to a showcase gig this past Thursday. It was an open stage night for local musicians, but they gave us a 30 minute set. The house bass is a Fender Jazz. The cabinet was a Hartke 410 with a small power head who's name escapes me. The other groups had played for a couple hours. We went on a 11 pm. Chuck, the bass player for the house band couldn't take his eyes of my bass. He was blown away by the beauty. Once I started playing, his jaw dropped to the floor. He could not believe how good my bass sounded through his rig. When I finished, no less than 5 players told me the same thing. It took some work to get this bass right, but now it is my favorite. The perfect combination.