2013 SE custom question

[henryr]

Hi all,

My SE custom 24, serial number N05609 has a three way slider. The earlier SE customs seem to have a three way toggle. The PRS store doesn't list a three way slider in the SE parts section. Is the three way slider, in my SE, used in the US made guitars? Is it comparable or better quality than the toggle listed in the SE parts sections? Lastly, why was it used instead of a toggle?

Thanks,
henryr

 

[drdoom8793]

Hi all,

My SE custom 24, serial number N05609 has a three way slider. The earlier SE customs seem to have a three way toggle. The PRS store doesn't list a three way slider in the SE parts section. Is the three way slider, in my SE, used in the US made guitars? Is it comparable or better quality than the toggle listed in the SE parts sections? Lastly, why was it used instead of a toggle?

Thanks,
henryr

I can't say for sure but I would guess they are not the same, simply given the typical parts used for SEs and the fact that the blade on a core Custom 24 is a 5 way vs 3 way on the SE. If I had to make a guess as to why it is no longer a toggle, I would say it is the idea of uniformity across the different lines. The core line used to have the options of a 5 way rotary and (I believe) a three way toggle. Now, the only option that I can see is the 5 way blade.

 

[henryr]

Thanks for the reply,

I just went on the PRS parts site and in the SE parts list there is only a 3 way toggle and no push/pull tone pot. Those two items only are listed in PRS parts. So what is in my SE custom?

 

[drdoom8793]

Thanks for the reply,

I just went on the PRS parts site and in the SE parts list there is only a 3 way toggle and no push/pull tone pot. Those two items only are listed in PRS parts. So what is in my SE custom?

What you have is called a blade switch. It doesn't look like they have any replacements for that exact switch on the parts site. The closest thing I could find was this: http://us.prsaccessories.com/products/3-way-blade-switch

The stock switch is more than likely the same quality as any other SE parts. If you were looking to go for a US replacement, that link looks like it would be the closed thing unless you wanted to try to get wired for a 5 way like the Core 24s. I would email Customer Service before I bought it just to make sure that it would fit. Cheers! :beer:

 

[henryr]

Thanks for the info. That sure is an (overly) expensive 3way compared to many good guitar parts sites. What is considered the best brand of switches?

Thanks,
henryr

 

[henryr]

I just removed the electronics cover to see what brands of parts were used in my SE custom 24. I'm amazed the guitar sounds so good considering the parts are about as cheap as they get. The volume pot is a $2 Alpha, the 3 way blade switch is a $4 Alpha and the push/pull tone pot has A500k printed on it so I'm guessing its also a cheap Alpha part. The parts in the PRS store for core guitars are much more expensive and the SE parts are not much lower. A 3 way blade switch is over $30, a volume pot is $7 and a push/pull tone pot is $16. Would these expensive parts really improve the sound of my SE? Also almost all of the solder joints have that dull grey look that is usually the sign of a cold solder joint. Does that have a negative effect on the sound?

Thanks,
henryr

 

[drdoom8793]

I just removed the electronics cover to see what brands of parts were used in my SE custom 24. I'm amazed the guitar sounds so good considering the parts are about as cheap as they get. The volume pot is a $2 Alpha, the 3 way blade switch is a $4 Alpha and the push/pull tone pot has A500k printed on it so I'm guessing its also a cheap Alpha part. The parts in the PRS store for core guitars are much more expensive and the SE parts are not much lower. A 3 way blade switch is over $30, a volume pot is $7 and a push/pull tone pot is $16. Would these expensive parts really improve the sound of my SE? Also almost all of the solder joints have that dull grey look that is usually the sign of a cold solder joint. Does that have a negative effect on the sound?

Thanks,
henryr

It's one of those things where if you're happy with the current sound, I wouldn't mess with it. I switched out the pots on my SE Singlecut for the American pots because I was having so trouble with my tone pot. I left the SE switch in because I was having no issues with it. Wide open, I don't think I can really notice a difference. The biggest difference I can tell is with the tone pot. It sounds a bit more responsive with small adjustments vs the SE pots. But like I said, if it ain't broke, I wouldn't worry about fixing it. As always, YMMV

 

[henryr]

Thanks for the replies. My PRS SE custom has two splittable humbuckers. I want to replace the push/pull tone pot with a non push/pull. I would also like to not have the volume drop when I switch to single coil. Can that be done with a 5 way blade switch, one volume pot and one tone pot? I would also like to include a treble bleed. Does that make sense and if so who can make a complete quality drop in harness with those capabilities?

 

[henryr]

I'm having second thoughts about replacing the push/pull tone pot with a basic tone pot. If I have the 3 way blade in the center position and the push/pull pulled out am I combining one coil from the neck pup and one coil from the bridge pup? Is that the same as running two coils in parallel ,which is said, to reduce the drop in volume?

Thanks,
henryr

 

[AAT]

Also almost all of the solder joints have that dull grey look that is usually the sign of a cold solder joint. Does that have a negative effect on the sound?

If they really were cold solder joints they might well affect the sound but would definitely affect reliability. However modern, lead-free solder -- which companies must use so that they can sell products in Europe -- gives a dull-looking joint as a rule anyway, so i don't think you have any reason to suspect they are poor joints (unless you have the aforementioned reliability issues of course).

HTH

 

[dogrocketp]

I think a volume drop will always occur when tapping the pickups. Paul has one pickup that`s not supposed to do this, but I can`t remember which one. My core Mira has the least noticeable drop, but it still drops.

 

[henryr]

A tech at the PTC told me the following.
On my 2013 SE custom, putting the 3 way blade switch in the center position and the push/pull tone pot pulled up, the split neck and split bridge pups are simultaneously active (in parallel) and, reduces the amount of volume drop. Has anyone experienced this?

 

[jfine]

I think a volume drop will always occur when tapping the pickups. Paul has one pickup that`s not supposed to do this, but I can`t remember which one. My core Mira has the least noticeable drop, but it still drops.

My Brent Mason has those pickups--408's, I think. There's no volume drop between humbucking and single-coil modes. I believe some of the "unused" coil is still on in the single-coil setting. It works!