modifications?

[dogrocketp]

The mods are very extensive. I'm not a hot rodder by nature, I'm more interested in playing than fixing. That's why I won't list them online. Let's just say most things other than the body and neck. And I do have a Singlecut SE that is bone stock except locking tuners and bridge posts, and an SE hollowbody SE that I only put locking bridge posts on.

 

[the_doc735]

I replaced the push pull in my custom 24, why, mostly because I am hella bored. Those are non-standard cap values. The standard for 500K tone pots is .022uF, the standard for 250K tone pots is .047uF if I recall correctly but these seem to be .033uF, I just reused the stock one. There is no use in getting all bent about caps, they are capacitors they store charge, the particular technology (oil paper, polyester film,..) doesn't matter.

I am a physicist and I know screwing around with these components isn't going to do anything.

I can't be bothered to de-solder the old ones and re-use, I'd rather put new ones on the new pots, they only cost a quid (£1) so its no big deal, I'm not trying to change the sound or anything, more like a, "like for like" repair!
The yellow one is on the tone pot and the little ceramic is on the volume pot (i.e. NOT from tone to vol. or vice versa).

does anyone have the standard wiring diagram for the PRS SE 2018 (push pull version), as you have now got me wondering if someone has modified the wiring in the past?

 

[the_doc735]

@Em7
so can I just use the regular sprague .022uF on both pots, or should I stick to the original values (stated above)? Thanks in advance!

 

[littlebadboy]

I could tell you that I'm extremely happy with my mods on my S2!

It now has the following:
DiMarzio D-Activator X bridge and neck
Schaller Megaswitch "T"
Emerson Pro CTS 1meg volume pot
C&K USA DPDT Mini Toggle Switches
Geesatis Open Black Humbucker Covers
CTS 250k SPST Split Shaft Push/Pull Pot
Pure Tone Jack (double contact)
PRS/Mann Vibrato Bridge (black nickel bridge with plain nickel saddles)
Ebony tuner buttons from StewMac

 

[Eddie kim]

I could tell you that I'm extremely happy with my mods on my S2!

It now has the following:
DiMarzio D-Activator X bridge and neck
Schaller Megaswitch "T"
Emerson Pro CTS 1meg volume pot
C&K USA DPDT Mini Toggle Switches
Geesatis Open Black Humbucker Covers
CTS 250k SPST Split Shaft Push/Pull Pot
Pure Tone Jack (double contact)
PRS/Mann Vibrato Bridge (black nickel bridge with plain nickel saddles)
Ebony tuner buttons from StewMac

Need pics please....

 

[Em7]

@Em7
so can I just use the regular sprague .022uF on both pots, or should I stick to the original values (stated above)? Thanks in advance!

I would just leave the stock caps in the guitar. Sprague Orange Drops (Cornell Dubilier now owns Orange Drop trademark) capacitors are good in tube amps because they reliably handle high voltages. The voltage stress seen in a guitar circuit is ridiculously low.

This article validates what I and most guys who have studied at least basic electrical engineering know about the subject: http://zerocapcable.com/?page_id=224

 

[littlebadboy]

Here!

 

[the_doc735]

I would just leave the stock caps in the guitar. Sprague Orange Drops (Cornell Dubilier now owns Orange Drop trademark) capacitors are good in tube amps because they reliably handle high voltages. The voltage stress seen in a guitar circuit is ridiculously low.

This article validates what I and most guys who have studied at least basic electrical engineering know about the subject: http://zerocapcable.com/?page_id=224

So, I just need to get one, 180pF & one, .033uF? Also what about the voltage please?

 

[the_doc735]

Oh! ~ yes I am aware that a cap holds energy like a battery. Thanks!

 

[Em7]

So, I just need to get one, 180pF & one, .033uF? Also what about the voltage please?

No, you do not need to change anything, as there is nothing to be gained.

 

[jxe]

i heard bumblebee caps were the best tone so i’d put in a few of those at least.

 

[the_doc735]

No, you do not need to change anything, as there is nothing to be gained.

If you read above you will see that I am not trying to gain anything, I am simply swapping out worn parts in this particular respect. do you see?

 

[the_doc735]

how does the CTS style pull push wiring configuration transfer from the traditional push pull style switch/pot?

 

[John Mann]

I do not believe that any of the PRS machine heads were/are made in the United States. The earliest "wing" machine heads were modified Schallers. I suspect that Schaller has manufactured every generation. Kluson makes good machine heads, none of which are manufactured in the United States to the best of my knowledge. From what I can ascertain, the Gen I and Gen II bridges were manufactured in the United States by Mil-Com (John Mann) and Excel Machine and Fabrication, respectively. What is weird is that I watched a video with Paul and John where Paul claimed that John made the earliest trems after hours in the old Westinghouse Oceanic Division machine shop. I used to walk through that machine shop on a regular basis when I was a young embedded systems engineer at Westinghouse Oceanic. That facility still exists today, but it is owned by Northrop Grumman. If one looks to the left while approaching the toll booths when driving on the westbound span of the Bay Bridge, one will see the building where the PRS trem was born on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

You should just leave the bridge alone for now. PRS is installing the same bridge on S2s and CEs, which are made in Stevensville, not Asia. Can the bridge be improved? Yes, but is it worth spending that much on an SE? No! To many American guitarists, SEs are the guitar equivalent of Duncan Designed pickups. They get the job done and get guitarists to buy into the PRS brand. However, the real goal of these instruments is to eventually up-sell customers to Stevensville-manufactured guitars.

Paul always insists I made parts after hours when I was employed at Westinghouse... it's a romantic story, but not true.The first bridge, which was made for Carlos Santana, was made at Eric Pritchard's garage shop. Probably even the next 2 or 3 bridges were machined there as well. After that, I bought the necessary machines and set up a small garage shop at my home. Everything was made there until June 1984, which is when I moved to New Hampshire. In November of 1984 Paul called me as said I needed to move back to Maryland to be part of his team for the new factory. I declined, instead I opened up a small factory here in NH to provide him with bridges, and ultimately everything else that got attached to those amazing pieces of "fire wood" ;-) I also made the locking tuner shafts and winged collars when Schaller struggled with producing those parts. Paul used to send me boxes of Schaller tuners that I had to disassemble, replace parts, and reassemble with my parts, so that they worked to his specs. Ultimately Schaller got the tuners working right, but I continued to make the bulk of the locking collars. The rest is PRS history...

 

[John Mann]

You should just leave the bridge alone for now. PRS is installing the same bridge on S2s and CEs, which are made in Stevensville, not Asia. Can the bridge be improved? Yes, but is it worth spending that much on an SE? No! To many American guitarists, SEs are the guitar equivalent of Duncan Designed pickups. They get the job done and get guitarists to buy into the PRS brand. However, the real goal of these instruments is to eventually up-sell customers to Stevensville-manufactured guitars.

FYI... SE, S2 and CE share the same Korean bridge (molded steel)... NOT the Core US bridge (machined)
Should you expect an improvement by installing a PRS Core or MannMade USA ? Why of course ;-)

 

[NBW]

how does the CTS style pull push wiring configuration transfer from the traditional push pull style switch/pot?

I just wired on of these. wire one and three to ground, wire c1 and c2 as they are on the original switch.

 

[mookyshoots]

I'm seriously thinking of switching my push/pulls to push/push pots. I love the lampshade knobs but they are a royal PIA when trying to pull up the push/pull. you have to have a bit of a fingernail to get up underneath the knob and if you don't, good luck.

 

[the_doc735]

I just wired on of these. wire one and three to ground, wire c1 and c2 as they are on the original switch.

"No!" ~ what I meant was - have I put the correct lettering against the (trad. style) switch terminals on the above image (1. c1. 2. c2. 3. 4.)

 

[NBW]

"No!" ~ what I meant was - have I put the correct lettering against the (trad. style) switch terminals on the above image (1. c1. 2. c2. 3. 4.)

I think so. Do you have a voltmeter? You can just check for conductivity.

 

[the_doc735]

I think so. Do you have a voltmeter? You can just check for conductivity.

yes I have a multimeter, cheers!