Originally Posted by: bob99What are you comparing the G5 sound to?



Pickups all differ in tone and output level. Your description of the PRS compared to your LP and Strat sounds like maybe the PRS has more mid-range. This would also account for the claims that they aren't good for metal as metal is frequently done with scooped mids.

Rolling back the volume for clean tone sounds like the PRS pickups have a higher output compared to your Strat and LP.

Just guessing, of course ...

I'm comparing it to the sound out of my Peavey amp. When I play my strat directly plugged into my amp, there's a characteristic tone I hear when I really dig in with the pick and bend...especially on the G string. It make me thing of David Gilmour and Eric Johnson's tone. Plugged into my Zoom G5, that character is lost. It's also less lively, kind of flat and the dynamics overall seem to have been flattened. Hard to describe.

Your explanation of the PRS pickups being higher gain is all I can think of. Certainly they are higher gain than my Strat which has standard single coils. My LP has hb's, they could be lower output. I'll have to experiment and figure that out.

I've seen where others have asked Stephen questions involving amp sims and stuff and I think he was at a loss. For guitars and amp, the guy is a genius!!

Aaaah, OK, I've read that about the scooped mids. I think I read somewhere that the PRS pickups don't scoop the mids.

Thanks for the input Bob99!!