Dual push pull pots

[gush]

Some time ago i had dual push pull pots installed on my 2000 McCarty, just like 408 switching except with pots instead of mini toggles.

I've had a couple different pickups in the bridge position but have always had 8515 in the neck. I was really disappointed with the D1 currently in bridge as it sounds nothing like the D1s in my CE22. I was expecting it to be different but was expecting it to still sound good.

I just tried to work with it and try to get a tone I was happy with but it just wasn't happening and I began to suspect the dual pots may be responsible. After all, prs uses mini toggles instead of dual pots so kind of made sense.

After ordering drop in McCarty switching a couple months ago i finally got new wiring in. I am convinced the dual pots were doing something negative to the tone as D1 sounds much better and sounds like a D1 should. 8515 sounds a little better too.

Spent a lot of time playing it yesterday and I am happy!

One more thing I may try is eliminating the split on neck pickup.

Just loved the 8515 full and D1 split as it kind of produces a Page tone that I really like.

I think if I remove neck split wire from tone pot and use a jumper to connect where hot wire and split wire connects it should keep neck pickup active in full HB mode regardless of position of push pull tone.

To me, the 8515 sounds so good in full HB mode that I just don't want to run it split.

Going to play it more today.

 

[ViperDoc]

Nice. Some of those switched pots are garbage. Always better to do it on a separate switch if you have the room, or switch to the CTS DPDT pots. You just have to ream out the body holes for the shafts to fit.

 

[theDeepender]

Some time ago i had dual push pull pots installed on my 2000 McCarty, just like 408 switching except with pots instead of mini toggles.

I've had a couple different pickups in the bridge position but have always had 8515 in the neck. I was really disappointed with the D1 currently in bridge as it sounds nothing like the D1s in my CE22. I was expecting it to be different but was expecting it to still sound good.

I just tried to work with it and try to get a tone I was happy with but it just wasn't happening and I began to suspect the dual pots may be responsible. After all, prs uses mini toggles instead of dual pots so kind of made sense.

After ordering drop in McCarty switching a couple months ago i finally got new wiring in. I am convinced the dual pots were doing something negative to the tone as D1 sounds much better and sounds like a D1 should. 8515 sounds a little better too.

Spent a lot of time playing it yesterday and I am happy!

One more thing I may try is eliminating the split on neck pickup.

Just loved the 8515 full and D1 split as it kind of produces a Page tone that I really like.

I think if I remove neck split wire from tone pot and use a jumper to connect where hot wire and split wire connects it should keep neck pickup active in full HB mode regardless of position of push pull tone.

To me, the 8515 sounds so good in full HB mode that I just don't want to run it split.

Going to play it more today.

Often, when a split doesn’t sound right, it’s because the wrong side of the pup is hot and the wrong side is dead. But I assume that you checked that. Otherwise, eliminating any obvious connection issues or wrong wire placement, I really question going from push pulls to toggles making that much of a difference. But then, I’ve been wrong before. Lots of times.

 

[gush]

Nice. Some of those switched pots are garbage. Always better to do it on a separate switch if you have the room, or switch to the CTS DPDT pots. You just have to ream out the body holes for the shafts to fit.

I had planned on giving the 8515 bridge another try and was going to swap that in while I was doing the switching but I thought in order to really know if the switching was the culprit I needed to compare with same pickup.

It needs new strings so I'll play it this way for a while and decide if I want to pull that D1 out or not.

The one thing that really makes me hesitant is the D1 sounds really freakin good split. Seriously

 

[Simon Says]

What's D1?

 

[DISTORT6]

What's D1?

The King Of All PRS Pickups - Dragon I

 

[Simon Says]

The King Of All PRS Pickups - Dragon I

Copy that

 

[theDeepender]

I had planned on giving the 8515 bridge another try and was going to swap that in while I was doing the switching but I thought in order to really know if the switching was the culprit I needed to compare with same pickup.

It needs new strings so I'll play it this way for a while and decide if I want to pull that D1 out or not.

The one thing that really makes me hesitant is the D1 sounds really freakin good split. Seriously

Just my opinion, but I’d advise never making any decision based on old strings. I always put on new strings when experimenting. Old strings might lead to dialing in a tone that is gratingly harsh with new strings.

 

[garrett]

The fact that it was two push/pull pots wouldn't make it sound any different. It's electronically identical to two separate pots and two separate toggles. Depending on what it was doing, it could've been down to the pot values or maybe something wonky in the wiring.

I think if I remove neck split wire from tone pot and use a jumper to connect where hot wire and split wire connects it should keep neck pickup active in full HB mode regardless of position of push pull tone.

Simply disconnect the neck pickup tap wire from the switch and cover the end of the wire with tape or heat shrink. Done.

 

[gush]

The fact that it was two push/pull pots wouldn't make it sound any different. It's electronically identical to two separate pots and two separate toggles. Depending on what it was doing, it could've been down to the pot values or maybe something wonky in the wiring.




Simply disconnect the neck pickup tap wire from the switch and cover the end of the wire with tape or heat shrink. Done.

I simply have to disagree. There is a very clear difference in tone which is why I left the D1 in there with the same strings. I didn't want a different pickup or new strings altering the results.

I had sent my guitar to prs for some work and had them do the dual PP.

Now I will admit, the drop in McCarty switching i got from Mann was a little different than what was originally in there from 2000. I grabbed info off of prs page to make sure it was correct and it was for CURRENT McCarty.

This could explain the difference in tone however I had a set of 5909s in this guitar with original wiring and they sounded incredible. I did not like the 5909 in this guitar with dual PPs.

I agree, it SHOULD NOT make a difference but I promise you that it did.

Also I did exactly what you suggested with leaving tap wire off but when I pulled tone pot up guitar went dead. I think I need to have HB wire present on both lugs.

 

[gush]

The King Of All PRS Pickups - Dragon I

Did I mention this is a square bobbin D1??? Had to search a long time to find one.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Did I mention this is a square bobbin D1??? Had to search a long time to find one.

Would that make it a Squagon?

 

[gush]

Would that make it a Squagon?

Hahaha let's run with that!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Hahaha let's run with that!

Sounds better than a PRS Drobbin.

 

[Simon Says]

Did I mention this is a square bobbin D1??? Had to search a long time to find one.

Marvelous! Another line of pickups in square bobbin format I will spend countless times hunting down.

I never cared for Dragon 1 or 2, but I've seen some clips on youtube, and this thing dooms. Santana-like warmth and wild midrange scream. I want one now

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

Marvelous! Another line of pickups in square bobbin format I will spend countless times hunting down.

I never cared for Dragon 1 or 2, but I've seen some clips on youtube, and this thing dooms. Santana-like warmth and wild midrange scream. I want one now

Love D1’s! Not a fan of the D2’s personally.
I’ve got a set of Zebra D1’s in my standard 24.