Author Topic: pickups - PRS vs ORMSBY (Read 9869 times)

MoonStruck · « **on:** May 07, 2009, 11:57:43 PM »

I have recently purchaced a PRS Bodega Bay guitar that features PRS's recently introduced 57/08 pickups. PRS claim to have bought the exclusive rights to buy the original type of wire used in 1957 from the original supplier and uses this wire in these pickups.

I've heard many people say how much better these pickups sound when comparing them to a typical PRS guitar. This is not a comparison of the 57/08 "technology". A fair comparison would be to compare the PRS RP pickups featured in the PRS Modern Eagle. I quite confidently say that the 57/08 pickups are the same in tone and specifications as the RP pickups. This would explain why RP pickups are no longer available. I suggest that the 57/08 idea is purely marketing aimed at purists that think that if it's older or more like the original then it must be better. Ironic.

I have directly compared the Bodega Bay (with 57/08s) and My Ormsby DC (fitted with Ormsby "Hybrid" and "Old School +" pickups).

First I played the PRS, beginning on the clean channel of my Bad Cat Lynx in full humbucker modes. I tested the dynamics across all string for consistency and then different playing styles to test the responsiveness. I then activated the coil splitting mode. There was a significant drop in output (as expected when splitting most humbucker pickups). However, they sounded great for a nice warm but chimey clean tone. I then changed to the gain channel, testing at various levels of gain to find at what point they lose definition from open chords to high soloing. These pickups are great and well suited to this style of guitar.

Now comes the time to put them to the test. I plug in the Ormsby. I test the pickups in the same way as I did the PRS (same techniques etc.) The OS+ pickup is a close match to the 57/08 neck pickup when compared in full humbucking mode although the OS+ has a slightly less twangy midrange and a little better definition. The Hybrid pickup has a greater eq range which adds to the versatility and the mismatched coils make for much greater string definition.

...This is where the Ormsby pickups take a nitros boost and leave the PRS pickups for dead. Coil splitting. Most humbucker pickups consist of 2 coils wound identically, and it would appear the 57/08 pickups are no exception. The problem with this is, when we activate the coil splitter half of the output is lost (generally leaving the output at under two thirds of that of a typical single coil pickup) and 2 idential coils produce 2 identical tones, thus 1 eq response. The Ormsby pickups have mismatched coil windings (1 underwound, 1 overwound) this means that there is a greater eq range, greater string definition and when the coil splitter is activated the hotter side of the pickup is activated to create a much more authentic single coil sound.

The Ormsby Hybrid pickup not only has mismatched coil windings, but uses 2 different guage wires which increases these advantages even further.

Ingasm · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2009, 03:00:18 AM »

When I was in China on the All-American Ping Pong team, I just loved playing ping-pong with my Flexolite ping pong paddle.

MoonStruck · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2009, 03:46:45 AM »

Glad to hear some experienced feedback from another tone enthusiast. Dick.

Ingasm · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2009, 04:17:51 AM »

What's a tone?

Really though, it all goes over my fucking head, this techy stuff.

So, I'd like for you to recommend to me a lower output, but mid heavy pickup to slap in my neck (I hate the sound of muddy notes flurrying into each other at high gain), and sell it to me, the clueless consumer.

That's what I'm looking for. I have a Dimarzio PAF in the neck of my RG currently and it serves its purpose but it's kind of underwhelming.

2112 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2009, 04:21:17 AM »

what is the bodega bay? is it a new model they've bought out or a limited run or something? please post pix!

KH Guitar Freak · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:32:44 AM »

Quote from: 2112 on May 08, 2009, 04:21:17 AM

what is the bodega bay? is it a new model they've bought out or a limited run or something? please post pix!

If I'm not mistaken, it has ivory inlays, a unique top and finish, and the 57/08 pickups...

CamZH · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2009, 05:49:48 AM »

How well do the humbuckers with miss matched coils go at hum rejection ?

I like the idea of the mis match wind, but kinda stops it from being a true humbucker.

Ormsby_Guitars · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2009, 06:45:57 AM »

There is a massive formula to correctly calculate the hum efficiency, but to bypass all that, and the months I spent working it all out...

They are mismatched only enough to achieve a particular sound, but are still well within the limits of hum cancelling efficiency. Its surprising how much you can mismatch without it starting to hum. Way more than what I wanted/needed anyway.

Otherwise, I wouldnt release a humbucker that didnt buck the hum....

Stormrider · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2009, 02:57:12 PM »

haha ahh toby... maybe you should of prefaced the post with:
"This is a paid advertisement by Ormsby Guitars"

I can imagine the infomercial now. Complete with questionable acting & cliche production

Toby struggling to play the guitar with the inferior pick ups ... cue B&W filter & horrible guitar sound

The Voice over: "Has this ever happened to you ?... Don't you wish for a pick up that would give you a truer more full tone blah blah"

Tobias nodding to the camera

BOOM

Ormsby pickups fly into the guitar with Lightning boltz & Thunder cracks. Suddenly the footage changes to glorious technicolor

We see a delighted Toby shredding with IN:Flames in front of a massive festival crowd full of dudes going off & chick flashing their bits.

Toby: "Thanks Ormsby guitars"

Call now in the next 15 minutes to receive.. blah blah etc

What do you guys reckon ? ... we could get Hardnard to direct/produce ?

MoonStruck · « **Reply #9 on:** May 09, 2009, 02:14:23 AM »

Quote from: KH Guitar Freak on May 08, 2009, 05:32:44 AM

Quote from: 2112 on May 08, 2009, 04:21:17 AM
what is the bodega bay? is it a new model they've bought out or a limited run or something? please post pix!

If I'm not mistaken, it has ivory inlays, a unique top and finish, and the 57/08 pickups...

Yep. Only 40 Made, fossilized mammoth ivory inlays, birdseye maple top, Peruvian mahogany neck and 57/08 pickups.

MoonStruck · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2009, 02:20:31 AM »

Quote from: Stormrider on May 08, 2009, 02:57:12 PM

haha ahh toby... maybe you should of prefaced the post with:
"This is a paid advertisement by Ormsby Guitars"

I can imagine the infomercial now. Complete with questionable acting & cliche production

Toby struggling to play the guitar with the inferior pick ups ... cue B&W filter & horrible guitar sound
The Voice over: "Has this ever happened to you ?... Don't you wish for a pick up that would give you a truer more full tone blah blah"

Tobias nodding to the camera

BOOM
Ormsby pickups fly into the guitar with Lightning boltz & Thunder cracks. Suddenly the footage changes to glorious technicolor

We see a delighted Toby shredding with IN:Flames in front of a massive festival crowd full of dudes going off & chick flashing their bits.

Toby: "Thanks Ormsby guitars"

Call now in the next 15 minutes to receive.. blah blah etc

What do you guys reckon ? ... we could get Hardnard to direct/produce ?

Funny fucker aren't ya. I actually was not payed or persuaded in the slightest. Just doing my bit to battle the misguided ignorant brand loyalty that clogs the wheels of progress.

KH Guitar Freak · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2009, 03:05:11 AM »

Quote from: MoonStruck on May 09, 2009, 02:14:23 AM

Quote from: KH Guitar Freak on May 08, 2009, 05:32:44 AM
Quote from: 2112 on May 08, 2009, 04:21:17 AM
what is the bodega bay? is it a new model they've bought out or a limited run or something? please post pix!

If I'm not mistaken, it has ivory inlays, a unique top and finish, and the 57/08 pickups...

Yep. Only 40 Made, fossilized mammoth ivory inlays, birdseye maple top, Peruvian mahogany neck and 57/08 pickups.

Yeah, saw your guitar at Music Park. A very nice guitar, congrabs. I'm actually quite interested in the 57/08 pickups, waiting for PRS to release them as aftermarkets once their factory is up and running at full speed again. Funny thing about your guitar was that there was someone else interested in her before you. The customer was ready to pay money for it, but turns out when he told that the inlays are ivory, he or she was horrified. Told the salesperson to hang it up back on the wall. He or she was a vegan...

nihilist · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2009, 04:47:04 PM »

What were they going to do, eat the fucking thing?

Stormrider · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2009, 04:52:06 PM »

Quote from: MoonStruck on May 09, 2009, 02:20:31 AM

Quote from: Stormrider on May 08, 2009, 02:57:12 PM
haha ahh toby... maybe you should of prefaced the post with:
"This is a paid advertisement by Ormsby Guitars"

I can imagine the infomercial now. Complete with questionable acting & cliche production

Toby struggling to play the guitar with the inferior pick ups ... cue B&W filter & horrible guitar sound
The Voice over: "Has this ever happened to you ?... Don't you wish for a pick up that would give you a truer more full tone blah blah"

Tobias nodding to the camera

BOOM
Ormsby pickups fly into the guitar with Lightning boltz & Thunder cracks. Suddenly the footage changes to glorious technicolor

We see a delighted Toby shredding with IN:Flames in front of a massive festival crowd full of dudes going off & chick flashing their bits.

Toby: "Thanks Ormsby guitars"

Call now in the next 15 minutes to receive.. blah blah etc

What do you guys reckon ? ... we could get Hardnard to direct/produce ?

Funny fucker aren't ya. I actually was not payed or persuaded in the slightest. Just doing my bit to battle the misguided ignorant brand loyalty that clogs the wheels of progress.

Awww c'mon tobz ... you've always dreamt of staring in your own late night infomercial

Mago_Haydz · « **Reply #14 on:** May 09, 2009, 05:06:06 PM »

fossilized mammoth ivory inlays? Now thats a sales pitch and a half... I find it extremely unlikely thats what they actually are. Probably recycled piano keys or something...

Ormsby_Guitars · « **Reply #15 on:** May 09, 2009, 05:26:25 PM »

Quote from: Mago_Haydz on May 09, 2009, 05:06:06 PM

fossilized mammoth ivory inlays? Now thats a sales pitch and a half... I find it extremely unlikely thats what they actually are. Probably recycled piano keys or something...

Its easily obtainable, and there is no restriction like elephant ivory. Its nice to work with too.

It doesnt look like Elephant Ivory at all. Its a little more creamy colours, and has tan patches and streaks. Elephant ivory is off white with subtle cream stripes. Elephant Ivory is a lot harder to cut.

Here is a Mammoth Ivory nut I did on a guitar last year. It's compensated as well (not straight as a normal nut would be), to allow for correct intonation all over the fretboard. The truss rod cover is a piece of Chinese Torquiose stone (same as the cavity cover on the back of the body)

2112 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2009, 09:22:29 PM »

they cut whole mammoths out of the tundra in places like siberia. the local villagers there used to cut them out and use the meat for dog food, but it's soon caught on that the ivory is nice as well....

cdtBEAST · « **Reply #17 on:** May 11, 2009, 06:45:50 PM »

That is such a cool idea. I think killing an elephant just for it's ivory is fucking disgusting. However using an animal that has passed away of natural causes is fine by me.
It's similar to what is going on in Canada salvaging old growth wood from the bottom of the lakes. Their govt has cracked down on logging. However because they used to float most of their logged wood down the rivers, accidents happened & consequently a shitload of wood ended p waterlogged @ the bottom of the rivers & lakes. Their are specialist teams that retrieve & dry this wood & because some of it is now illegal to log, it can be worth a fortune & is the only way to legally obtain certain woods. Also most of this wood comes from older forrest stock than recently logged wood so it makes it more valuable.

nihilist · « **Reply #18 on:** May 12, 2009, 03:33:13 PM »

Yeah Canada's a great place for environmentalists. Especially if you happen to be a seal clubbing environmentalist... OWAIT.

Mago_Haydz · « **Reply #19 on:** May 12, 2009, 04:06:54 PM »

Theres nothing wrong with Seal clubbing

cdtBEAST · « **Reply #20 on:** May 13, 2009, 02:01:01 AM »

Quote from: nihilist on May 12, 2009, 03:33:13 PM

Yeah Canada's a great place for environmentalists. Especially if you happen to be a seal clubbing environmentalist... OWAIT.

The words environmentalist/greenie etc is basically redundant to me now. You either give a shit about the environment or you don't.
I do.
We all rape the environment in many ways every day. That is the foregone conclusion of our species unfortunately. However it is when you choose to do something destructive out of pure laziness that you become a dirty infected whore. We all do it sometimes, but doing it & not giving a toss makes you the equivelent of earth AIDS.

MoonStruck · « **Reply #21 on:** May 23, 2009, 02:32:10 AM »

Quote from: KH Guitar Freak on May 09, 2009, 03:05:11 AM

Yeah, saw your guitar at Music Park. A very nice guitar, congrabs. I'm actually quite interested in the 57/08 pickups, waiting for PRS to release them as aftermarkets once their factory is up and running at full speed again. Funny thing about your guitar was that there was someone else interested in her before you. The customer was ready to pay money for it, but turns out when he told that the inlays are ivory, he or she was horrified. Told the salesperson to hang it up back on the wall. He or she was a vegan...

The reason Mammoth Ivory isn't illegal to sell is, because (wait for it), MAMMOTHS ARE EXTINCT! So there is no risk of people killing them for their ivory and make them extinct again.

That dude should be in the factory when perry is cutting a bone nut on the grinder. It smells like PURE DEATH!

2112 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 23, 2009, 03:55:23 AM »

i'm sure someone, somewhere, has tried to sell mammoth ivory nuts as being 'more vintage' due to the age of the damn things!