Can some one please explain this.

TedintheShed

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I am the proud, proud new owner of a PRS Custom 24 Floyd Rose- I love the craftsmanship. It is my first really, really nice guitar, and I am 49 years old (a retired bassist).5

That I said, one of the things that I am trying to get used to is what seems to be the unconventional wiring of the 5 way switch. The website states it is as such:

Pickup Switching Positions:

Position One: Bridge humbucker
Position Two: Bridge humbucker with neck singlecoil, in parallel
Position Three: Bridge and neck humbuckers
Position Four: Neck singlecoil with bridge singlecoil, in parallel
Position Five: Neck humbucker

So I am wondering what the thought process was behind this? I'd like to understand the reasoning so I know the best ways to use each position. I am used to a more conventional 3 way with a coil split.

I'm not question the validity of it mind you- you guys are the pinnacle of guitar design and craftsmanship. I just want to understand.

Thanks!
Ted
 
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This is just my opinion, but I think it's simply a matter of what options are available and what the PRS guys think are the most usable tones. With a push/pull and a 3 way switch you have 6 settings. With the 5 way you have one less. Also with split humbuckers you have 4 single coils options. That is 4 devices you can wire into the mix. The total number of ways you can configure a 4 option system is 2^4. That means there are really 16 ways you can wire the pups together. Now one is not realistic as that would be all coils off. But the others are theoretically usable (if a pup is wired as a humbucker, it is really just one of the now 15 options).

So you have 3 times more options than possible switch combinations. You have to make choices and they thought the ones they offer cover the best tones.
 
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It's a guitar that's aimed at the hard rock/metal crowd. Not much need for out of phase quackiness. Position 2 and 4 will be bright and punchy and give you another set of usable sounds compared to full humbuckers.
 
It's a guitar that's aimed at the hard rock/metal crowd. Not much need for out of phase quackiness. Position 2 and 4 will be bright and punchy and give you another set of usable sounds compared to full humbuckers.

Well, even though I'm a bassist I come from the rock metal crowd since I started playing in 1988 (Oh to be young again!) and one of the most usable sounds was a simple single coil neck sound for clean tones. I have a seven string that has ta coil tap on a SD Nazgul/Sentient set. On my daughter's 16th birthday (she now 19) we got her a PRS SE Custom 24 "Floyd" and it was wired with a 3 way and a push/pull coil tap as well. Not saying that ot can't be done another way, I was just wondering the thinking behind what seems to be an unusual set up (but that may be be me).

Thanks all,
Ted
 
...one of the most usable sounds was a simple single coil neck sound for clean tones.... I was just wondering the thinking behind what seems to be an unusual set up (but that may be be me).
You can re-wire it to any configuration you want. Pull the humbucker off position two and you will have your neck single coil.
 
I like using the equivalent of position 2 on my guitars. Cutting a coil on the neck pickup takes some of the low end out and adds a bit of clarity. I find it most useful for clean, funky, soulful, rhythm playing.

Position 4, or both pups split, has always been my least used setting. It is a clear and bright sound, kind of like a Tele in the middle position. It's good when you want something scooped and bright. It's usually too bright for my taste; I prefer bridge split with neck HB.

Then you of course have the standard three humbucker positions we all know and love.

You can always convert it to a three way with push/pull coil split if that's more intuitive and useful for you. You can also add a push/pull coil split to the five way wiring, which will give you a few more tones.
 
Well, even though I'm a bassist I come from the rock metal crowd since I started playing in 1988 (Oh to be young again!) and one of the most usable sounds was a simple single coil neck sound for clean tones. I have a seven string that has ta coil tap on a SD Nazgul/Sentient set. On my daughter's 16th birthday (she now 19) we got her a PRS SE Custom 24 "Floyd" and it was wired with a 3 way and a push/pull coil tap as well. Not saying that ot can't be done another way, I was just wondering the thinking behind what seems to be an unusual set up (but that may be be me).

Thanks all,
Ted
lol old and starting in 88? lol guess tha made me ancient starting in 68 huh? lol
 
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