Looking for Good advice for restoring 2000 PRS CU22

[digeratti]

I've just purchased a road-worn PRS Custom 22 with term and birds and came complete with all of the original pieces including it's hang tag which indicates it was made 5/31/00.

The original 5-way rotary switch and Dragon II pups were in the case (but no keys for the locks on the case). Their covers need some TLC cleaning and polishing but appear to be OK?

It came with Seymour Duncan 59 & Pearly Gates with a pull up tone control and 3-way switch installed.

As to it's general condition it is nice but has some marks around it's back edges (that I may be able to buff out?) from regular use. Nothing tragic, though.

The frets are nice and don't look worn but the fingerboard needs cleaning as does the case.

As is, the guitar is super playable and sounds fine so, I'm in no rush to change it. It is a huge step up from my other guitars in every sense.

I'm considering restoring it to it's original setup?

Opinions and advice, please. Also, if you can point me to more information about this year and model, (youtube videos, links, etc.) it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

http://flic.kr/p/pbGMBn

 

[RedGuitars]

First thought would be the PTC

 

[AP515]

I don't see a reason to restore it. Change the pups if you want and play that thing!

 

[digeratti]

Hi Mike!

As a N00B I didn't even realize they had such an offering so, thanks for the link! I will definitely contact them.

BTW The guitar is signed by Paul, For Mike ... but I've no idea who Mike is.

 

[digeratti]

Hi AP515!

That's exactly what I'm doing! I just can't put the thing down. It is so much fun to play!

Like I said, I'm in no hurry but eventually I want to honor the instrument and set it up right ... if I can ever pry it out of my hands to work on it?

I've spread my amps around the house ... so that I don't have to drag them around with me ... and have one at each of the key locations where I spend most of my time so that I can play while doing other things.

This baby was a stretch but soooo worth it! Better than I'd imagined it would be to play.

My 60 year old hands appreciate the ease of play, a lot!

 

[László]

Sweet guitar!!

Swirl marks and scuffs can easily be polished out, no worries. If you like the way it sounds now, it probably makes sense to play it as-is before messing with it and changing pickups again.

The great thing about the PTC, more than even its ability to restore a finish and reinstall parts and pickups, is its ability to do serious rock star setups. They are amazing at what they do!

But no need for that now, I'm sure...enjoy it and welcome!

 

[digeratti]

Hi Allen!

Thanks for the advice. I will eventually be sending it down to them.

One frustrating aspect is things like the plastic tuning knobs have cracks and glue holding them together? Even my cheap Ibanez and Gretsch have metal ones? I don't know if I will just buy metal ones, instead? I'm hoping these are 'standard'?

Also, this has a strange cog/lever system for locking the strings but nowhere do I see an explanation of exactly how these things work? I've never seen anything quite like them.

I left the pups but changed back to the original cream trim around them because the black trim (I guess that had come with the Seymour Duncan's?) were wedge shaped so the pups weren't parallel to the strings? Strange?

But now they are sitting properly and have a better sound.

The original pups need a lot of TLC. The previous owner(s) saw fit to cut the leads so I will need to attach new, longer ones and add shielding. The 5-way rotary switch is there and I've found the schematic online but the caps are gone so I'll need to buy new ones.

The way it works now, with the pull-up tone knob works well enough? I'm mainly curious about the tones that the 5-way adds? I even have spotted an article about using the rotary 5-way with the Seymor Duncans. I'm just wondering what the sound difference is like between them and the Dragon II pups?

I adore the playability of this beast! I haven't stopped playing it all day. It sounds great on my stereo Fender CyberTwin. The tube preamp stage combined with all of the great amp sims are a real blast.

Thanks again!

 

[gush]

When I got my 1st PRS it had 3way toggle with push pull tone, it was cool. Then I got 5 way blade and loved the in between tones better than I thought I ever would. I thought I would never like the rotary because who the hell can switch it on the fly with any accuracy? Well I bought a guitar with the rotary because it was cheap and it was something I had been wanting and I must say that the tones it offers are super. This guitar is a CE22 with dragon I pickups, I am in love with this beater! This guitar has IT and that has forced me to get used to the rotary switching. After 8 months of serious gigging with it, I must say I don't hate the rotary anymore but it is a little difficult to use.

I have one guitar with push/pulls on tone and vol pots. This is nice, it gets me single coil bridge and neck options the rotary and blade don't offer. PRS does offer the option of installing a push/pull on the tone of 5way blade guitars to get the single coil stuff, not sure if they can do it with the rotary though. Push/pull with 5 way would be a great option to have and I think that's what I would do in your situation.

Run with it for a while, you have been bitten by PRS so when your 2nd PRS gets to you then you can send your 1st one in for mods. Welcome to the forum.

 

[AP515]

Also, this has a strange cog/lever system for locking the strings but nowhere do I see an explanation of exactly how these things work? I've never seen anything quite like them.

From the PRS Website (with photos one the website):

http://prsguitars.com/csc/tuners.html

PRS Winged Locking Tuners

With the guitar lying on its back and the headstock pointing towards yourself:
1. With the guitar lying on its back and the headstock pointing towards you. Turn the tuning button so that the notched part of the shaft is facing the inside of the headstock, then rotate the wing collar so the slot is lined up with the notched part of the shaft on the inside of the headstock.

Pull the string taught through the slot with one hand.
2. Pull the string taught through the slot with one hand.

Turn the tuning button with the other hand until the collar grabs the string.
3. Turn the tuning button with the other hand until the collar grabs the string.

Push on the flat side of the wing collar towards the inside of the headstock to lock the string.
4. Push on the flat side of the wing collar towards the inside of the headstock to lock the string.

Bend the excess string back towards the inside of the headstock.
5. Bend the excess string back towards the inside of the headstock.

While stretching the strings in with one hand, continue to push on the flat side of the collar with the other hand to secure the lock.
6. While stretching the strings in with one hand, continue to push on the flat side of the collar with the other hand to secure the lock.

Bring the string to pitch and cut off the excess string.
7. Bring the string to pitch and cut off the excess string.

 

[digeratti]

I here you!

This guitar is so much easier to play and I am able to play it so much longer than any other guitar that I've owned that I am just constantly playing it!

My old guitars just sit there looking forlorn. Oh well. Things change.

Thanks for the input about the rotary switch. I do plan to eventually rewire it with the original pups, just to hear how it sounds if for no other reason than pure curiosity.

The current setup will do for now, though.

Thanks gush!

 

[digeratti]

OK AP515!

I've put new strings on and they sound even better! I guess the strings that came on the guitar hadn't been changed in a long time? They looked OK but didn't sound 'clear' but the new ones do.

Guitar Center only had Elixr 9s so, I'm planning to go to SamAsh and get a set of PRS 9s, next week.

Thanks for the link! I was doing it pretty close to that way but it is good to know the 'right way'!

Cheers everyone!

 

[Jester]

I don't see a reason to restore it. Change the pups if you want and play that thing!

This.

I wouldn't worry about originality. Get is set up the way you want it and play the snot out of it. The PTC may, or may not, be needed.

 

[_pete_]

If you ever want to sell that one, I'd be interested. It was built on my 40th birthday.

 

[digeratti]

Hi Pete!

Keep in touch and maybe some day I will?

Right now it is my 'star' guitar!

But, during the last 3 years I've bought, played and sold (and then bought better guitars) 7 guitars, with this being the last one I bought.

I promise I will take good care of it, for you as I do plan to gently restore it, keeping all of it's original parts with it.

This is the single most expensive guitar I've ever owned but I've worked up to it, gradually ... selling off the lesser ones to pay for the better ones.

I'd expect this will stick with me for six months to a year before I'm ready to move on? That seems to be about my average.

One thing though ... I can never go back to a lesser model? So, it is as much a question of coming up with the money to move up as anything else. And it takes me time to sell off things to pay for this stuff.

I've just changed the pickup rings back to the original cream ones ... the previous owner had wedge shaped ones on that angled the pups to the strings?? Now, they sit nice and flat and low, the way they were originally. Much improved sound, too!

I plan to tackle the old pups and 5-way rotary switch, next. I think the Seymour Duncan pups sound fine but I'm curious about the original Dragon IIs. If they don't sound better, I may then reinstall the Seymour Duncans? But it is the 5-way switch tonalities that I am really curious to hear!

The way it is currently setup with the 3 way toggle and push pull tone is to just coil-split the humbuckers with no change to their phasing. The 5-way rotary does both coil split and phase change which should noticeably change the tones.

I need to see if I can get GC to spring for a replacement of one of the tuning peg knobs which broke on the first night I had it? I thought they were made of ebony but they are just plastic? I think that the one that broke had already taken a hit at GC which had cracked it so when I went to tune the G-string it just completed the existing break. I temporarily glued it back and it works but I like perfection so it will be replaced, one way or another. I also want to find out if they have tuning knobs made with other materials, available? I wouldn't mind upgrading to a more substantial version.

Well, time for me to play again, today! Morning, noon and night with this baby! I still can't get over how easy it plays? My fingers never cramp like they do on my other guitars.

Keep in touch!

 

[digeratti]

I've updated the photo https://flic.kr/p/oWuLhZ of the guitar in it's case with the original p'up rings on it and a closeup of Paul's dedication to Mike (whoever that was?) on the back of the headstock.

Today I shined up the original Dragon II treble and bass p'ups and they are ready to go back into the guitar, soon! All that's stopping me is that it's missing the two capacitors and I need a new set of strings to set it up.

I also will remove everything and clean and polish it. including the frets. It looks like this hasn't been done in years.

 

[digeratti]

Restoration nearly completed ...

OK Everyone! So far, so GREAT!

I've played and played this amazing guitar!

I've also just completed restoring it to factory spec with new ebony (the real deal) tuning knobs; the original PRS Dragon II p'ups and the original 5-way rotary switch; and a very complete setup to match the factory setup video!

Things included in the factory spec setup were to properly adjust the floating tremolo; put new PRS 9 strings on it; adult the p'up pole pcs as well as p'up heights.

It's been really worth the effort (which wasn't much, anyway) to restore this beauty! It now plays and sounds even better than before. The with everything setup properly the Dragon II p'ups sound beautiful!

All that remains are a few cosmetic touchups of the finish.

BTW PRS is helping me with this stuff, too! What an amazing company?

So, thanks for all of your input! It really made this project even more fun that I thought it would be.

Now, back to my playing, again!