5-way Rotary Knob

[Woollymonster]

To me those things are reserved for cheap guitars like strats, not classy instruments like a PRS.

Now that's funny. Here are a couple of cheap classless Strats I would love to own.

John Cruz Masterbiult NOS

John Cruz Masterbiult Relic

These and many others Think I will get them both.

Cheers
Woolly

 

[Professorben]

Hey guys,
First post here.......
So I picked up a gorgeous 2003 CU22 (whale blue, ten top and converted it back from a 3-way toggle to a 5-way (back to stock essentially) as I wanted the coil split options (it hand no coil splits when I got it) and one thing I love about PRS, (I previously had a 98 CU24) is the ability to switch from a screaming brideg pickup to a hollow funky split with one movement, not popping pull-switches etc.
HOWEVER...... Im really missing the option of a split neck/middle type tone, you know the hendrixian knopfler ish tones from a nice mid gain type amp. is there any way I can wire my 5-way to get this option I dont mind losing the 2nd to last sound from the 5 way ;-)

 

[travis_tompkins]

Just got my CE24 back from the shop after having a 3x3-03 Free-way toggle switch in. Had it wired N HB, N+B HB, B HB, N SC, N+B SC, B SC.
All of the HB settings sound just like it did in the original 5-way wiring. High output and clean.
With the SC settings, the first thing I noticed is the signal drop-off of about 30%. They sound clean and glassy, though a little trebley. the N+B SC has some nice acoustic guitar qualities. Will probably need a small preamp pedal to get a clean gain boost when using the SCs. Been looking at the Seven Sisters Red Witch Lily to fill that role.

 

[Felix]

I could go either way (and no one had better say "phrasing", ha). I didn't like the rotary for a while, but then I got so I knew by the sound which pup or combo was which, and now I rather like it, though having no option for both HBs to be on at once is a bummer; my HBII does that, but it sounds very different in every position from my CE-22. I do like some variety, but put either of my PRS machines through a sweet amp on the edge, and the tones are good, so I wind up playing them most often. I have 3 (non-PRS) guitars with blades (and the HBII has a toggle), but I do like the rotary and I am sorry that PRS does not offer it anymore.

 

[Bob Sherwood]

Just purchased the pre wired toggle, volume, push pull on the tone control from Willcutt guitars in Lexington, KY. for $59 and paid my local tech $40 to install it all. Saved about $25 off the PRS store price and it's a genuine PRS part. I now have neck, both, bridge in the down position and the same in the up position, only single coils. In my opinion my Custom 24 is a lot more user friendly that it was with the rotary.

 

[micgeo]

What do folks think about the different combinations of tones available 5-way vs rotary - since pos 1, 4, 5 are the same, do you prefer the blade's 2nd and 3rd position or the rotary's? Which do you think provides a better range?

 

[jcolmn]

I just got a CU 24 with the 5 way rotary and like someone else said...it is the only think I don't like about the guitar. While there are 5 different sounds, they are limited and the dial interface is very hard to twist (relatively while playing) and of course hard to tell where you are without switching it all the way to one end and counting backwards, etc...

That said, I'm looking for alternatives but wonder this.

What is the loss in value of the guitar to making the modifications. It is a CU 24 Blue Matteo 2003.

 

[prsrocker1988]

I'm not sure how it affects value but doing the mod to my CU24 made it my #1 guitar. It also for whatever reason was like taking a blanket off of the guitar. I don't know if that's the norm or I had a lemon switch but it truly brought those 57/08s (that the guitar came with) to life.

I am a traditionalist in that I like a 3 way switch. I never dug blades on a Strat although a blade on a PRS is WAY better than the old rotary. But for me give me a switch and a push pull pot for a coil split any day. All three of my PRS's have that 3 way toggle and it's just what I'm comfortable with as I come from playing LP's, SG's, 335's, and Tele's most of my pre-PRS life. I was never a Strat guy.