Added 85/15 set to my single cut, perfect match, for me ;)
(Stock ones were a little dark in comparison)

39575014331_ffa8c1f563_b.jpg
 
Just had (what I will call) a brilliant idea. So Music Man makes a James Valentine signature that has a cool bridge pickup that's basically a Tele pickup in a humbucker package. I'd love to take a Vela and put something like that in the bridge position.

Edit: Oooh, something like this in the bridge of a Vela:
http://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-other-single-coil-pickups/novel-t-bridge
 
I am out of commission with a lung infection again, so I am thinking tomorrow might be a good day to install the Fralin Twangmasters into my S2. Originally it was gonna be the Sunburst Standard 22, now I am gonna use my Champagne Gold Metallic for the mod.
 
I've got an S2 standard 24 (I think!). I love the weight, neck and playability in general. My moans are that it doesn't like to be tuned to different tunings - once in tune it stays in tune, but drop to Eb and its unstable for ages. Not sure what I can do about that?
I don't like the pickups much - the bridge is too bright and harsh and the neck too dull and woody. In a band setting the neck and middle setting get lost, but the bridge does cut through well. I'm thinking of putting in some Seymour Duncan alnico2 humbuckers. I've also got noisy pots so will do something about that and maybe upgrade the wiring. With those things fixed I think it could be my favourite guitar - very versatile with the split coils and lovely to play.
 
I've got an S2 standard 24 (I think!). I love the weight, neck and playability in general. My moans are that it doesn't like to be tuned to different tunings - once in tune it stays in tune, but drop to Eb and its unstable for ages. Not sure what I can do about that?
Trem guitars don't like going between tunings. If you keep it in Eb, then you should adjust the claw so the springs are pulling the bridge horizontal, and may need to re-intonate.
 
I have a s2 custom 24, it’s great but it could be better. It has a 3 way switch with a push pull pot. It currently has the 85/15S pick ups. I enjoy the neck sound, I don’t care for the bridge pick up too much.

I just ordered a 5 way switch, a 57/08 and a 59/09. I was wondering if, and how difficult it is to wire it up. Keeping the push pull pot, to make position 1,3, and 5 single coils. Giving me 8 different options. Or if anyone else has done this, thank you.
 
I gutted mine (S2 Standard 24). Put in Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pups, all clothe braided vintage wiring, CTS pots, PIO CAP, USA Switch... most amazing sounding, all-in-one guitar I have. Mine is gloss black. Wish I could post a pic, looks cool. I also made the treble bleed circuit a cap and resistor though a separate switch located by the 5 way. nice feature you can turn on and off.
 
I'm glad this thread was necro'd. I was going to ask what would be good mods. I have a bone stock S2 Standard 22 and everything works and sounds fine to me. I was going to ask if changing the electronics to US pots would be of any tonal difference? To me, a pot is a pot. I'm saving up for a Mann bridge, but I don't know if I should give priority to swap pups to SD Custom 5 bridge and Jazz neck. The stock are surprisingly fine by me considering that I more of a high output pickup person.
 
I have a simple rule.....if you like the way it sounds, don’t monkey with it. My S2 Studio and S2 Custom 24 are bone stock. My 2003 CE 24 is heavily modified. It’s always about the sound. No change is automatically an improvement.
 
I'm glad this thread was necro'd. I was going to ask what would be good mods. I have a bone stock S2 Standard 22 and everything works and sounds fine to me. I was going to ask if changing the electronics to US pots would be of any tonal difference? To me, a pot is a pot. I'm saving up for a Mann bridge, but I don't know if I should give priority to swap pups to SD Custom 5 bridge and Jazz neck. The stock are surprisingly fine by me considering that I more of a high output pickup person.
Of all the mods that you mention, I'd go for the Mann bridge before anything else. Not everyone is going to like the pickups, but if you're good with them, rock 'em. As far as the pots, unless there's an issue, I'd leave 'em. The stock ones are totally fine.
 
Of all the mods that you mention, I'd go for the Mann bridge before anything else. Not everyone is going to like the pickups, but if you're good with them, rock 'em. As far as the pots, unless there's an issue, I'd leave 'em. The stock ones are totally fine.
+1 on this opinion, except for the pots. If you can do it yourself, it's an upgrade that costs less than $20. IMHO better pots sound better, especially when decreasing the volume.

FWIW, with my SE277: I've been bugging John Mann about making a version of his Fatback for the SE277/Holcomb models for nearly 2 years, I rock my stock 85/15s pickups, and I did replace the volume pot with a CTS.
 
Only thing I've done recently regards my recently acquired S2 SC Std Satin is have the guitar repaired (from original sale broken switch/faulty wiring) and an intonation.

The switch/wiring works wonderfully now, and the intonation is more than I could ask for. Which isn't much. My feeling is that sometimes sellers can't give you what they don't have, so it may be better to be content with what you already have.

However, if perhaps you want to do something straight out of the box that maybe wasn't done prior to your receiving the guitar: Have a tech perform an intonation and pickup height adjustment for the guitar to sound its best without doing anything physically to the guitar.

Think of it like a sonic makeover without any surgery.
 
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