A look inside the S2 Singlecut Standard

[garrett]

I'm sure some people are interested in looking at some S2 guts. I had to open it up so I could replace the too-short bridge pickup height springs with rubber tubing. I found a nicely executed wiring setup with tight tolerances. It may be done overseas, but the components are a notch above the SE stuff. I still think they could stand some better feeling volume pots, though.


The routs. I laid a P-90 cover in there just for kicks, and found you may be able to put in a set without routing. You know someone's got to do it!

The controls are a pretty tight fit.

The G&B Number 7 pickups. Great balance and articulation, but a bit dark in my opinion.

A tidy wiring job.

Interesting choice on the caps. Both are .033uf, 5% variance.

2.2k resistor for the bridge coil split just like the core guitars. 5% variance.

The neck split has a 1.1k resistor.

Volume pots are not Alpha, as used in the SE line. They're marked JSE.

 

[IRG]

You keeping everything as is, or making some changes? Good pics btw.

 

[garrett]

I'm resisting the urge to mod for now. I do have a set of Vintage Vibe humbuckers lying around which I was very tempted to install while I had everything open. I'm thinking the neck pickup isn't for me, but I need to hear it with the band before making a final opinion. A 1 meg volume pot may open it up, but I'm not feeling inclined to tweak at the moment. Deep down, I think I should just plan on a set of Lollars and then be done with it. roud:

 

[xjbebop]

That looks a whole lot better than the one I had for a few days...
http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?13482-S2-CU24-Sapphire-Smokeburst-plus&highlight=

 

[IRG]

That looks a whole lot better than the one I had for a few days...
http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?13482-S2-CU24-Sapphire-Smokeburst-plus&highlight=

Read your review. The fret glue was surprising, mine is flawless. As somebody mentioned, I do wonder if your local shop tried touching something up. My SE is also pretty flawless with the frets. Although the SE CL has some fairly cheap pots and switch, those will get replaced.

My S2 Standard 22 seems to have great pots, and the switch has a nice rugged feel to it. I like the #7 pickups too. Also, I treat my guitars pretty well, but the finish doesn't seem too fragile too me, but I haven't gigged out with it either. Price point to me seems very fair. Kind of want the Singlecut now too.

 

[garrett]

That looks a whole lot better than the one I had for a few days...
http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?13482-S2-CU24-Sapphire-Smokeburst-plus&highlight=

I remember that thread. The fret glue is unacceptable, but the wiring seems fine based on what I can tell in the pics. Maybe not the cleanest job, but as long as it works...

 

[JTroska]

I actually thought the #7 pickups in my S2 possibly erred on the bright side. But it depends on what our ears were used to before. I am liking how they sound in the mix of our live recordings.

Lolloar Imperials sound perfect on the company's web site. I wonder how they compare to #7s in terms of bright/dark hot/clean etc in the same guitar.

No shielding in the cavities seems like a cheap cheat. How much would it have cost them? Certainly less effort than if I have to gut the cavity to do it myself. That said, I'm not having any noise problems yet.

Still really enjoying my S2 Singlecut Semi Hollow. It's the only guitar I've been using since I got it a few months ago.

 

[garrett]

It could be the big hunk of mahogany without a maple cap that makes the pickups a bit dark for me. They work better with my 1x12 amp, which is naturally less bassy than my 2x12. I still need to hear the guitar at band volume. That can change a lot. I imagine these pickups would sound great with EL34 or EL84 powered amps. Mine are all 6L6.

I'm a big fan of Lollar pickups. I'd expect the regular wind Imperials to be about the same output as the #7s, but with better balance and clarity. I'd go with a low wind in the neck for a brighter tone. Not sure yet if I'd go low wind or regular in the bridge.

No noise problems for me so far, but I haven't brought it out to fluorescent lights and bad power yet.

 

[0defects13]

If you don't mind me asking, are the electronics done overseas? I thought they just "made" the pickups overseas, then shipped them here. Thanks

 

[JTroska]

I think the final wiring would have to be done here out of necessity. There'd be no way to connect all the parts outside of a guitar and then get them into a guitar.

 

[IRG]

I think the final wiring would have to be done here out of necessity. There'd be no way to connect all the parts outside of a guitar and then get them into a guitar.

That would be my guess too. Seems a lot more solid than my new SE Clint Lowery, already need to replace the switch and pots soon on this one, very cheap feeling. My S2 seems much more solid in comparison.

 

[Ol'Lefty]

When I watched two PRS videos on the S2 line, it told us that electronics were done in Korea. I would speculate that guitars with pickguard mounted electrics are completely done in Korea and screwed on here and pups hooked up plus jack. A Single cut, like mine, would likely have cavity assembled in Korea and pups and jack soldered in here in MD. Pups for S2 and SE are wound in Korea all to PRS specs and samples are spec tested here frequently. Remember that Mexico, Korea, Japan and, yes, even mainland China build to standards set here and can, if required, equal some USA production- I had an "Orville" (plain, not "by Gibson") Black Beauty that was first rate all around and my MIM Cray Strat is great, but it has a USA Fender Custom Shop harness and pups and I installed an ebony FB neck I had and had detailed- the factory neck is well done, though.

 

[garrett]

When I watched two PRS videos on the S2 line, it told us that electronics were done in Korea. I would speculate that guitars with pickguard mounted electrics are completely done in Korea and screwed on here and pups hooked up plus jack. A Single cut, like mine, would likely have cavity assembled in Korea and pups and jack soldered in here in MD. Pups for S2 and SE are wound in Korea all to PRS specs and samples are spec tested here frequently. Remember that Mexico, Korea, Japan and, yes, even mainland China build to standards set here and can, if required, equal some USA production- I had an "Orville" (plain, not "by Gibson") Black Beauty that was first rate all around and my MIM Cray Strat is great, but it has a USA Fender Custom Shop harness and pups and I installed an ebony FB neck I had and had detailed- the factory neck is well done, though.

That's my assumption as well. The S2 guitars where everything is on the guard would just need to have someone in the USA run and solder the ground wire from the bridge. Otherwise, it's just screw it all together and go. I'm sure that's a part of the cost savings.

The Singlecut Standard has to have a bit more USA labor involved because someone in MD would have to mount and wire the toggle switch in addition to the ground wire.

I definitely don't doubt the quality of the foreign work, especially for things like hardware and electronics where it's very black and white. It either meets specs or it doesn't.

 

[Shadowfax13x]

I'm sure some people are interested in looking at some S2 guts. I had to open it up so I could replace the too-short bridge pickup height springs with rubber tubing. I found a nicely executed wiring setup with tight tolerances. It may be done overseas, but the components are a notch above the SE stuff. I still think they could stand some better feeling volume pots, though.


The routs. I laid a P-90 cover in there just for kicks, and found you may be able to put in a set without routing. You know someone's got to do it!




The controls are a pretty tight fit.




The G&B Number 7 pickups. Great balance and articulation, but a bit dark in my opinion.




A tidy wiring job.




Interesting choice on the caps. Both are .033uf, 5% variance.




2.2k resistor for the bridge coil split just like the core guitars. 5% variance.




If I'm interpreting right, the neck split has a 1k resistor, 1% variance.




Volume pots are not Alpha, as used in the SE line. They're marked JSE.

These pictures aren’t showing up anymore. Do you still have them? Really could use them and can’t find any anywhere else

 

[garrett]

These pictures aren’t showing up anymore. Do you still have them? Really could use them and can’t find any anywhere else

Yeah, stupid Photobucket ruined a ton of picture threads. I just went back and updated the original post to use Imgur.

And I did later find out that P-90's don't quite fit with covers on, they need a little routing, but they do fit without covers!

 

[Collywobbles]

I'm sure some people are interested in looking at some S2 guts. I had to open it up so I could replace the too-short bridge pickup height springs with rubber tubing. I found a nicely executed wiring setup with tight tolerances. It may be done overseas, but the components are a notch above the SE stuff. I still think they could stand some better feeling volume pots, though.


The routs. I laid a P-90 cover in there just for kicks, and found you may be able to put in a set without routing. You know someone's got to do it!

The controls are a pretty tight fit.

The G&B Number 7 pickups. Great balance and articulation, but a bit dark in my opinion.

A tidy wiring job.

Interesting choice on the caps. Both are .033uf, 5% variance.

2.2k resistor for the bridge coil split just like the core guitars. 5% variance.

The neck split has a 1.1k resistor.

Volume pots are not Alpha, as used in the SE line. They're marked JSE.

That's intersting to see - thanks! Always fun to see how something is put together.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Yeah, stupid Photobucket ruined a ton of picture threads. I just went back and updated the original post to use Imgur.

And I did later find out that P-90's don't quite fit with covers on, they need a little routing, but they do fit without covers!

Nice

 

[pac90]

gas alert, from this thread I started fizzing for a SC and then sales in UK have them about same price as SEs now, so I have a SC satin on the way

How do you find those pickups?I have a set of 85/15 which I never got around to using anywhere so will give them a go too

 

[Alnus Rubra]

gas alert, from this thread I started fizzing for a SC and then sales in UK have them about same price as SEs now, so I have a SC satin on the way

How do you find those pickups?I have a set of 85/15 which I never got around to using anywhere so will give them a go too

Andertons?

 

[pac90]

peach guitars 799 thats 200squid off