Middle Pickup Only On Special 22 Semi-Hollow Limited

[Santi Pierini]

I am new to the forum having just bought my first PRS, a Special 22 Semi-Hollow Limited. I LOVE the guitar but really want to have access to the middle pickup only in position 3 on the 5-way switch. I wrote PTC with the question, but they replied that they were sorry but they do not have wiring diagrams for non-production configurations.

Does anyone have some guidance/diagram on swapping the current position 3 from bridge and neck pickups to just the middle pickup alone?

 

[ViperDoc]

A standard HSH 5-way diagram should suffice. If you wanted to be able to do both “middle only” and “neck-bridge”, you could wire and “add-bridge” into a push-pull tone pot.

 

[Glide-bpm]

More than likely, the hot side of the pickups currently wired are jumpered off another position terminal on the switch.
I believe you would only have to remove them and then jumper from a position where the middle pickup is landed.

 

[garrett]

It will have a super switch in there, so you have a few options.

If you do not want to add any positions, and are willing to sacrifice having a bridge/neck position (don't do it!), it's as easy as moving a couple of wires on the switch.

If you don't mind adding a push/pull, I have a diagram that will select between middle or neck/bridge in the middle position. Gives you what you have, plus one new position.

You could also convert to the typical five way wiring, and add a push/pull for "bridge on" or "neck on". That will give you the middle-only option, plus give you back the option of bridge/neck, plus you can have all three pups on at once.

 

[Santi Pierini]

It will have a super switch in there, so you have a few options.

If you do not want to add any positions, and are willing to sacrifice having a bridge/neck position (don't do it!), it's as easy as moving a couple of wires on the switch.

If you don't mind adding a push/pull, I have a diagram that will select between middle or neck/bridge in the middle position. Gives you what you have, plus one new position.

You could also convert to the typical five way wiring, and add a push/pull for "bridge on" or "neck on". That will give you the middle-only option, plus give you back the option of bridge/neck, plus you can have all three pups on at once.

I love the option of a push/pull to have the ability to add the new “middle only” position! I bought a PRS push/pull already anticipating needing it for something like this but didn’t really like the idea of a “bridge/neck on”. Your solution sounds perfect. If you could please provide the diagram I would be very grateful!

Thanks to all for the helpful responses!

 

[Glide-bpm]

So you could pull for middle on when in any switch position? Oooo... Would love to have that diagram as well... I may mod mine when it finally gets here!

 

[garrett]

Here ya go. This is for a Strat, but if you are familiar with wiring, it is an easy adjustment to apply to the PRS. You can ignore the top right quadrant of the switch here. Doing this mod will not touch the mini-toggles on the PRS at all.

You can decide whether up or down is middle or neck/bridge. I have this setup on a Strat and it's really handy. I find it much more functional than the always-on mod.

 

[garrett]

So you could pull for middle on when in any switch position? Oooo... Would love to have that diagram as well... I may mod mine when it finally gets here!

The one I shared just alternates what happens in middle position of the blade. Push/pull in one position makes position 3 on the blade middle pickup. Push/Pull in the other position makes position 3 on the blade bridge/neck.

 

[Glide-bpm]

Cool! Thanks... Saves the trouble of having to re-invent the wheel and use parts of the electrical brain I try to suppress anymore...

 

[garrett]

Here is another version. Simpler at the blade switch, since there is a master tone control, but uses both sides of the push/pull.

May be a helpful reference.

 

[Santi Pierini]

Update: I rewired my super switch over the weekend to have the option for a middle-only position three. I loved the tone, but as garrett accurately guessed, I missed the original bridge-neck position. My plan is to install the push/pull this coming weekend to have a "6-way" option based on garrett's diagrams(s).

Thanks again for all of the input and advice.

 

[ViperDoc]

It will have a super switch in there, so you have a few options.

If you do not want to add any positions, and are willing to sacrifice having a bridge/neck position (don't do it!), it's as easy as moving a couple of wires on the switch.

If you don't mind adding a push/pull, I have a diagram that will select between middle or neck/bridge in the middle position. Gives you what you have, plus one new position.

You could also convert to the typical five way wiring, and add a push/pull for "bridge on" or "neck on". That will give you the middle-only option, plus give you back the option of bridge/neck, plus you can have all three pups on at once.

WOW, what a great way to set that up. Thinking about the Special Semi.....

 

[garrett]

WOW, what a great way to set that up. Thinking about the Special Semi.....

I know, right?!

I came to the conclusion that it would be a great setup for three pickup guitars, but I definitely wasn't the first to think of it. A TDPRI member called phostenix created these diagrams, along with a bunch of other creative stuff and posted them on a Google site. Phostenix seems to have disappeared and all the image links are now broken. I'm glad I saved these because I haven't seen anything similar posted anywhere else.

 

[ihearok]

New member here, just got a Special Semi Hollow. Per Forum rules, a new member must post 3 times before a link can be posted, so I'm posting this in sections as I found a link of interest.

 

[ihearok]

First mod I did was to block the trem as I never use it and hate when a string breaks at a gig (blocked both sides of the trem block using wood cut to fit snug).

 

[ihearok]

Second, I am going to do this middle position push pull mod as well. Question please: Since the Special has only one tone pot, I assume the simpler Strat-O-Tele diagram is the one to use for this mod?

 

[ihearok]

Lastly, I googled the name of the original wiring mod person, phostenix, and found a link to all his mods.

 

[ihearok]

Here is the link to phostenix's wiring mods:

https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/8894

 

[garrett]

Second, I am going to do this middle position push pull mod as well. Question please: Since the Special has only one tone pot, I assume the simpler Strat-O-Tele diagram is the one to use for this mod?

You can choose either, but the one with the 4-pole switch is cleaner to wire up since you can keep most of the wires short. I assume the Special already has a 4-pole switch, so you can use the first diagram in this thread and just leave your tone control untouched.

Here is the link to phostenix's wiring mods:

https://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/8894

Thanks for sharing that! It's great that someone preserved his diagrams. I had saved my favorites, but was definitely sad to see that his work was no longer available.

 

[ihearok]

You can choose either, but the one with the 4-pole switch is cleaner to wire up since you can keep most of the wires short. I assume the Special already has a 4-pole switch, so you can use the first diagram in this thread and just leave your tone control untouched.




Thanks for sharing that! It's great that someone preserved his diagrams. I had saved my favorites, but was definitely sad to see that his work was no longer available.

Thanks for posting these. I'm going to wire mine so Middle is in the down push pull pot position (like a regular Strat) and up will be neck/middle.