PRS Custom 3 Way to 5 Way switch upgrade suggestions please

steviebabes

Hi Folks

Has anyone upgraded the switch in  PRS?
I'm considering the Freeway blade an Schaller Megaswitch

Are the extra sounds useful in a Classic Rock band?

Steve

ICBM

Which type of switch does it have now - the 3-way toggle? Does it have a push-pull coil split on the tone control?

Funkfingers

For quite a few years, until very recently, the SE Custom came with a three-way lever selector switch plus coil splittage via a push-pull tone pot.

https://i.imgur.com/j1yZnZm.jpg

Unfortunately, the selector switch is a cheap, nasty SE Asian eight-contacts-in-line type. They fail eventually.

I have done the Schaller Megaswitch P mod to an SE Anniversary Custom 24. (Mainly because I happened to have a pre-owned switch laying about AND I hated the stock SE wiring.) I have photographs somewhere that I could post.

For the circuit to work correctly, it is necessary to run the neck position pickup in reverse magnetic polarity relative to the bridge. The proper way to achieve this is by turning the bar magnet through 180°. The alternative is to connect the output conductors each coil of the pickup in reverse order.

Things turned out nicely on my SE CU24 - possibly helped by its maple neck. I would not attempt the same thing on a SE CU22.

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IMO, a Freeway 3B3 would be wasted in the SE Custom.

steviebabes

Thanks for the swift reply.
Yes it's a 3 way switch and a 24 fret with a single push pull for coil tapping.
I'm going to change the pups too, not quite sure what to yet, and I'm thinking is adding a second push pull.

Are the later models with the 5way switch already polarity swapped on the pups?

Funkfingers

I do not recall the SE Custom ever having a five-way lever switch. Hence, their twin humbuckers are of the same magnetic polarity and coil winding direction. 

steviebabes

Thanks

Funkfingers

Not sure why you awarded a LOL for my previous post.

PRS SE and S2 Customs always get the three-way selector switch plus coil split control circuit. Even the new 24-08 model follows this pattern - just with mini toggle switches for the splittage, like the Paul's Guitar model.

Only the Core models leave the factory with five-way switching - originally with the rotary switch, more recently with a special five-way lever and a revised circuit. 

timmypix

I put a 5-way superswitch - Oak Grigsby, I think? - in my SE SVN so I'd have the same switching options as a core. Works wonderfully! Got rid of the coil split on the tone pot so they're just regular vol/tone controls.

Funkfingers

timmypix said:

I put a 5-way superswitch - Oak Grigsby, I think? - in my SE SVN so I'd have the same switching options as a core.

Presumably, you followed the modern coil switching circuit rather than the five selections carried over from the rotary selector? 

steviebabes said:

Are the extra sounds useful in a Classic Rock band?

If you wish to perform your set carrying as few guitars as possible, then, yes.

The two full-on humbucker selections do what you expect. Roll down the volume pot and they should clean up a bit for reduced valve saturation.

Inside Coils Parallel does a passable Stratocaster "in between" sound - especially if you bury it in delay and/or modulation.

Outside Coils Parallel is a brighter variation on ICP. Sometimes, OCP sits better in a mix than ICP. The one thing OCP never does is sound like a Telecaster.

Inside Coils Series is difficult to describe. The theory is that the coils combine to create a partially noise-cancelling P90 tone (same principle as the DiMarzio Bluesbucker). I rarely find a use for it.

The modern Core switching ditches several of the earlier selections. Instead, positions 2 and 4 combine coils from the humbuckers to sound more Stratty. I know this because my musical collaborator overuses the PRS "in between" sound almost as much as he overused the same selection on his 1977 Stratocaster.

steviebabes said:

I'm going to change the pups too, not quite sure what to yet

The classic Core formula was vintage wind, Alnico magnet neck/Rhythm/Bass position and hot, ceramic bridge/Treble position. 

FWIIW, my SE Anniversary Custom has a Seymour Duncan TB-6 Distortion Trembucker and a highly modified Gibson '57 Classic.

The other essential ingredient is a high quality volume pot. Use this to govern the overdrive saturation of a cranked valve amp. 

Watch any video of Paul Reed Smith demonstrating his guitars. You never hear him clicking on a channel changing foot switch. He plays everything with high gain and simply adjusts the guitar's volume pot to determine how clean or dirty the sound is.

steviebabes

Wow, it's been a year and I'm finally replying!
Still haven't fitted it yet, but will be following your suggestions