Help with cu24 electronics repair

PRSaddict

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Joined
Jun 2, 2016
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hello everyone. I just picked up a 2002 custom 24. It had a real bad chop job of a pickup swap that couldn't be salvaged. Luckily I got a good deal. The HFS/VB were included. All I could do was desolder everything and start over with new wires to the old components. However, I'm having a bit of trouble understanding how to reassemble everything correctly according to the diagrams found on prsguitars.com and am getting frustrated. Depending on which obviously incorrect way I wire it up I end up with either no sound output at all or diminished output or only one pickup working. I have not ruled out malfunctioning components, but was really hoping someone here could give me a idiot proof set of instructions on how to get the wiring straight. I am working with a 3 way switch and a push/pull tone. Here are the instructions I have been trying to make work.
 
pickups.pdf
custom3waytoggle.pdf
 
Make sure you are using the correct model and correct year wire diagrams . Are you using the hfs/vb pickups?
 
Make sure you are using the correct model and correct year wire diagrams . Are you using the hfs/vb pickups?

Yep. I am using the hfs/VB. The pic above of the wiring is from the prs support page. I used the "pre 2007" diagram. However, it dawns on me that I don't know if this guitar was originally equipped with a 3way and push/pull or if that was a mod done to an original 5 way rotar guitar. Would that matter?
 
It won't matter, if you wire the 3 way correctly. I can't see the diagrams but if you are using the PRS schematics you should be ok. No sound and diminished sound (no pun intended) is often a problem with running a signal to ground. Check if your wires are touching a ground path.
 
Post a few pictures of what you have going on now. It's easier for us to help if we know what you're doing wrong.
 
OK. I will check it all over again when I get home from work. I can post pictures then as well.
 
Well I'm looking at the guitar right now. All looks correct as I can tell. Currently, the bridge pickup works, though it sounds like only in single cool mode. Sounds very thin. Also both knobs work as volume.

I tried hard to get good pics. It's tough!

image_5.jpeg


image_4.jpeg


Thanks for your help on this, guys. I feel like I can't be far off...
 
It's kinda hard to see real clear, but one thing I notice, is that it looks like your ground wire and tone cap wire need to be swapped on the tone pot. I'm referring to the yellow wire and the ground wire next to it. According to the schematic your yellow tone cap wire should be from center lug to center lug on the pots. And then the ground wire comes off the far right lug on the tone pot to the volume pot casing.
 
Also looks like the output jack is connected to the volume pot casing. It is supposed to be on the middle lug of the volume pot. That's the real thick black wire
 
I think for your first suggestions you were looking at the "current" wiring. I am using the top diagram that's labeled "pre 2007". According do that diagram, those connections are correct. For the output jack, that thick wire has the power and ground both. The power is insulated inside the other insulation separately and you ground the braided wire. That's my understanding anyway.

Should I be using the "current" wiring? I just went with the "pre 2007" diagram because it's a 2002 model.

Thanks for looking. I appreciate it.
 
Ahh! I stand corrected! I was looking at the lower drawing. You should be able to use either one. As long as everything is connected correctly
 
I can't really tell for sure, but on your push pull pot, the part with the six lugs, is any of the solder from each lug touching the other solder or lugs? Not trying to knock your work because I'm certainly no expert, but you really don't need so much solder on those lugs. If any of them are touching each other, or even touching the metal casing, it can cause any number of problems with your signal
 
I noticed the solder on the lugs also. I'd look at that again. Also it could just be you've don't a bad soldering job and some of the connections are making good contact.(I'm not trying to knock you, soldering is an art sometimes and if you haven't had practice it can be hard) I'd get my iron and make sure it's clean and hot and just remelt everything to just make sure. It looks like every things else is correct from what I can see, can you get a close up of the switch?
 
I'm man enough to realize I'm a club-fisted moron. I handed the soldering iron over to my lovely wife. Stand by for updates
 
I first would use the lower diagram. It (imo) is the better setup. It is also much easier to wire. I too saw the solder globs on the push-pull and figured that to be an issue. Best way I tackle a rewrite is to do a mock setup first and figure out your connection points and routing. Also best to solder any connections you can outside of the cavity to give yourself more room to work. Give yourself a little extra wire to work with for the final connections you do once the pots are placed back in.
 
Wife got it cleaned up a bit and mostly working. The tone knob works and including the coil splitting and the volume knob works. I found that I'm missing a ground. Also my bridge pickup isn't working now. But I believe that's due to some terrible solder work. I don't know why I started trying to do this job with all the components installed. That was dumb. But hopefully I'll have it working soon. I'm gonna have to quit till tomorrow though.

I do have 1 question still. What in gods name do they use for solder on guitars? Titanium? I often have a hard time getting solder to melt in guitars especially on the backs of pots. My soldering iron claims to go to 500°C which seems terrifyingly high and still I have issues.
 
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