Changing to bareknuckles on a 513. Is it possible?

pauldotknopf

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I got a PRS I'm looking at purchasing.

It is a PRS 513.

Is there any hope of switching the pickups out in the future? Someone told me that because of the extra single-coil, it makes it difficult.
 
I don't know if this is possible but if you intend to pay someone to do this it will get expensive real fast.
 
Why would you want the 513 then? Kinda defeats the purpose. I dropped some BKs in my Bernie, so I'm not adverse to changing pickups, but doing that to the 513, with its specific switching, and unique sounds, is asking for trouble. At least in my opinion.
 
I have yet to see someone put a standard Humbucker in a 513 I have seen a center pickup change or 2 , If you did the swap you would loose the switch between Clear Bucker and Heavy Humbucker on that pickup, you would also need to either screw the pickup into the body or see if a pickup ring would fit or make a custom pickup ring.
I would only make that change if you LOVE the 513 neck carve and the 25 1/4 inch scale but don't like the pickups AT ALL.
If you really like the 25 1/4 scale I would look at a DC3 or NF 3 to modify like I am doing it can be done for a fraction of the cost and it really wouldn't hurt the value of the guitar like a mod to the 513 would.
On a side note I LOVE my 513 great tone nice fat neck and super versatile !!!!


 
I once saw a pic of someone who swapped 513 pickups out for regular humbuckers. the 513 pickup cavities are larger than regular humbucker cavities, so there was wood visibly missing around the pickup ring so it looked terrible.

Also, the wiring is going to be a real ball buster unless you gut all the electronics and start from scratch.

Thumbs down, bad idea.

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Check out how a 513 looks with changed pickups:


Before deciding that you do not like the pickups, have in mind that you have a very versatile pickup system in a 513.
Two different humbucker settings and very powerful volume and tone controls that are very useful.
 
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Why not get a Custom 22 and add BKP's? Is their much of a difference between the two other than it would be far easier to put BKP's in a Custom 22?
 
Sure, why not? I would recommend getting them unshielded, though.

Also, the pickups are specifically designed to work with the electronics. I'm not even sure how they'd sound outside of a 513. They could be one of three things (more, if you break down the last category further):
  1. They sound naturally 'vintage', and the 'modern' setting is done with a filter;
  2. They sound naturally 'modern', and the 'vintage' setting is done with a filter;
  3. They sound naturally 'neutral', and both the 'modern' and 'vintage' settings are done with filters;
  4. Other. :)
So if you're going to do it, I'd seriously reconsider what it is you're trying to accomplish, because you may render moot an entire class of "settings", and there's not guarantee they'll be useful tones.
 
I wanted to try some conventional humbucking pickups in the 513 which has 2 full size single coils wired together in the humbucking pickup spots. I didn't want to drill into into the top at all, and because the pickup cavity was wider than usual it would have been tough to put screws in for the humbucking pickup rings. To solve this, I used aluminum strips that could be attached to the side of the pickup cavity (inside), and then the "side" of the pickup ring could be attached to the strips. This allowed for choosing which humbucking pickups were installed (and also the original pickups could be put back in).
I took out the board and wired the pickups directly to the 5 way switch. I then took wires for the neck and bridge pickups from the 5 way and wired the 3 way switch so that I can combine the neck and bridge pickups in the middle position of the 3 way switch. The coil split is on a pull pot on the tone control.
The resulting change was a success and well worth the effort.
This is before and after ...
95505323_10157276742521453_8084576765583818752_n.jpg


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photo.php
 
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I wanted to try some conventional humbucking pickups in the 513 which has 2 full size single coils wired together in the humbucking pickup spots. I didn't want to drill into into the top at all, and because the pickup cavity was wider than usual it would have been tough to put screws in for the humbucking pickup rings. To solve this, I used aluminum strips that could be attached to the side of the pickup cavity (inside), and then the "side" of the pickup ring could be attached to the strips. This allowed for choosing which humbucking pickups were installed (and also the original pickups could be put back in). The resulting change was a success and well worth the effort.
https://www.facebook.com/330439566452/photos/a.10152627780051453/10157271752606453/?type=3&theater
photo.php

photo.php

I really want to see what you did, up close. I can't see the images you posted. Can you try again?
 
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