Custom 24 Pickup Modification

[boxbreakermethod]

I was just able to procure a set of 58/15 LT pickups. I want to drop them into my 2017 CU24 without losing too much of the 5 way switch functionality. I thought I would possibly be able to do this myself since the 594 has coil taps -- and my CU24 has the single coil things going on the 5 way switch. However, the 58/15 LT pickups only have 2 wire (+ground) versus my 85/15 pickups that have 4 wires. I've checked out the schematics for both guitars. I am a beast with a soldering iron -- but I am unfamiliar with how to translate the wiring from one scheme to another.

Has anyone modded their CU24 in this way?

I know there is a 24-08 model that was released -- and it would be cool to have the 408 switching on my guitar. That setup has a 3 way switch instead of a 5 way that I have on mine. I also know that Wildwood had the Fatback 24 LT designed to use the 5 way switch.

I have an email out to PTC about it, so we will see what they have to say. But besides having PTC do it, is there a way for me to wire up these new pickups and have some coil tap sounds happening in the 2 and 4 positions on my switching? Will it require resistors in circuit?

 

[garrett]

Bare is ground and shield
Black is hot
White is split

Resistors not required, but I prefer them to keep a fuller tone when split.

 

[boxbreakermethod]

Bare is ground and shield
Black is hot
White is split

Resistors not required, but I prefer them to keep a fuller tone when split.

I am aware of that. The custom 24 is wired up with a Black, White, Red, and ground. So I can't quite figure out if I should hook up the white to the white -- or the white to the red. What functionality am I missing by eliminating an entire wire?

 

[laa]

the same question here, is it possible' can anyone help me please? thanks

 

[garrett]

Yes, it's possible.

I already gave the wire codes for the LT. Here are the codes for the 85/15. You need to do the groundwork on the translation between the two, or take it to a good tech.

Treble
Bare is shield
Black is ground
White is hot
Red is split

Bass
Bare is shield
White is ground
Black is hot
Red is split

 

[laa]

Hi garett, thanks for the answer. i dont have 85/15, and dont have 4 conductor/ Wires. i have 58/15 with a black (bared)- and ONLY a white Wire (no red wire at all). but the PCB of the Custom 24 indicate ( Black, Red, White- Black red white) the qestion is, where to solder the WHITE wire. and if it is possible? or should i modify the PUP? is there a problem if the soldering hole anmed with "red" is empty? thanks for your patience

 

[garrett]

Hi garett, thanks for the answer. i dont have 85/15, and dont have 4 conductor/ Wires. i have 58/15 with a black (bared)- and ONLY a white Wire (no red wire at all). but the PCB of the Custom 24 indicate ( Black, Red, White- Black red white) the qestion is, where to solder the WHITE wire. and if it is possible? or should i modify the PUP? is there a problem if the soldering hole anmed with "red" is empty? thanks for your patience

So you have a PCB rotary switch? If so, then no, you cannot use the 58/15 without doing some surgery to modify the pickups.

Like I said...

Bare is ground and shield
Black is hot
White is split

You can't connect the two pickups in series (middle position of the rotary) without separating ground from the shield and running a new wire for ground. I DO NOT recommend doing that to an expensive pickup like the 58/15 unless you REALLY know what you're doing. I would either convert it to McCarty wiring or choose another set of pickups.

Btw, if you were to leave the "red" hole of the PCB empty, you will not have any coil split sounds.

 

[Tommy]

You could slap a three way switch in the position of the rotary and then put a push pull in the tone position. Use the wiring diagram for the McCarty.. here --> https://www.prsguitars.com/documents/mccarty_2017.pdf
I am in the process of finding a way to use the 5 way Rotary for 3 wire pickups.

 

[garrett]

You could slap a three way switch in the position of the rotary and then put a push pull in the tone position. Use the wiring diagram for the McCarty.. here --> https://www.prsguitars.com/documents/mccarty_2017.pdf
I am in the process of finding a way to use the 5 way Rotary for 3 wire pickups.

Depends on what you're trying to do and how you are defining a three wire pickup. If you mean red/black/white/bare, you're golden. The only thing you can't do is put the coils of a single pickup in parallel. If you're talking about bare/black/white, you have the same limitation above, plus you cannot put two pickups in series with each other.

If you are using the PRS rotary with the PCB, you need pickups with red/black/white. If it's a wafer rotary, like you can get from StewMac, either will do and you can configure things however you want (except for the previously mentioned limits regarding series wiring/parallel).

 

[Tommy]

Depends on what you're trying to do and how you are defining a three wire pickup. If you mean red/black/white/bare, you're golden. The only thing you can't do is put the coils of a single pickup in parallel. If you're talking about bare/black/white, you have the same limitation above, plus you cannot put two pickups in series with each other.

If you are using the PRS rotary with the PCB, you need pickups with red/black/white. If it's a wafer rotary, like you can get from StewMac, either will do and you can configure things however you want (except for the previously mentioned limits regarding series wiring/parallel).

1 = Bass Humbucker
2 = Bass tapped
3 = Bass&Trebel Himbucker
4 = Treble tapped
5= Treble Humbucker

Thats What I am looking for..

 

[garrett]

Easy with the 5-way 4-pole: https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Switches/Rotary_Switches.html

 

[Glide-bpm]

Yep... have used a few of those and the 5 way blade super mega switches...

 

[Tommy]

Yep... have used a few of those and the 5 way blade super mega switches...

pickup. I have the PRS 85/15's they only have shield, black and white. They don't have the red wire.

 

[Glide-bpm]

pickup. I have the PRS 85/15's they only have shield, black and white. They don't have the red wire.

Ahhhhh.... not the MT 85/15's then... I can't remember if that was what was in my CE or not. I know they were 85/15's.
I'll have to look tomorrow. They're in a box in storage in an upstairs closet...

 

[Glide-bpm]

The only way you'd be able to tap those is to do the risky deed of taking them apart and soldering a lead on the ultra thin connector wire between
the two coils, and then putting it all back together. You'd have to either try to find some 85/15 MT's for sale somewhere or go with non-OEM pickups.
aCk!!!

 

[Glide-bpm]

and on 4 wire tappable pickups, the red wire would be the two wires that are soldered together.

 

[garrett]

There are two versions of the 85/15.

Customs get the three wire version because it works best with the blade switch.

CEs get the two wire version because it works best with the toggle and push pull.

BOTH of these split and do not tap. The three wire set are reverse polarity from each other. I do not believe that is the case with the two wire version, because what they're doing there is taking the original PAF single conductor wiring and adding a split wire.

The 85/15 MT is a different pickup. It both splits AND taps. It has black, white, red, and green wires plus shield.