New 513 Owner

[perius]

Hello - about 3 weeks ago I acquired a PRS 513. (Side note: I traded my McCarty Archtop II for it which I thought was a completely equitable trade esp. since I rarely played the Archtop out and I've already dragged the 513 to a handful of gigs, but this is perhaps for another thread).

I'm looking to hear from other 513 owners to hear your take on the instrument - what you have found the strenghts and limitations to be, where you think it shines the most, etc.

My top concern is the noise the single coils produce and the juggling you have to do to eliminate it. For example, if I'm in humbucking mode (clear or heavy), and I want a noiseless single coil sound (the combo of the middle pick up and either a bridge or neck single coil for that classic funky strat sound), i have to move the five position switch into the 2nd or 4th position then, move the three-way selector to position one. Not the ideal to have to make two moves mid-stream to accomplish this.

Also, I'm still trying to get a good overdriven lead tone from it. If you have any advice...

 

[László]

Single coils will always hum and buzz more than humbuckers - that’s why humbuckers were invented, the phase relationship between the two coils cancels out the noise.

A so-called “noiseless single coil” is actually a humbucker, it’s not a real single coil pickup.

Every environment has different levels of electromagnetic and RFI noise. Generally, single coil players move around in the room until the noise stops. But things like light dimmers, computer monitors, TVs, appliances, flourescent lights, lamps, and circuit breaker boxes, not to mention ordinary wiring, will generate noise to a greater or lesser degree.

Bottom line: if you want a single coil sound, be prepared to move around in the room until the noise is reduced, or figure out what part of your electrical system is generating the noise.

This is true for any brand and model of single coil guitar.

 

[Rider1260]

I don't have any issues with noise on the single coil sounds on my 513.
don't get hung up on the perceived uses for different pickup combos is the key in my book. I use the switches as tone controls want it brighter single coil and so on
for me the heavy humbucker mode rules for lots of things nice and warm for clean playing big and full for all kinds of gain playing.
I often time find myself leaving the guitar on one pickup then going from single coil to humbucker.
or HH bridge to center single coil. So many option, so much fun

IMG_3103 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/152274366@N08/

 

[Anachronism]

The obvious strength is the versatility combined with PRS quality. The 513 really does do everything, and every position sounds good. The obvious weakness is a matter of perception: some people will be unhappy that it won't sound exactly like a Les Paul, or a Strat, etc... For me that is not a problem, but some people seem to expect the 513 to be a clone of different guitars, instead of having a very good sound of its own in the general neighborhood. The 513 does single coil tones, and vintage humbucker tones, and high-output humbucker tones, but it does them all in its own way.

I would suggest spending some time with the volume rolled down to 7-8.

 

[CVS]

The obvious strength is the versatility combined with PRS quality. The 513 really does do everything, and every position sounds good. The obvious weakness is a matter of perception: some people will be unhappy that it won't sound exactly like a Les Paul, or a Strat, etc... For me that is not a problem, but some people seem to expect the 513 to be a clone of different guitars, instead of having a very good sound of its own in the general neighborhood. The 513 does single coil tones, and vintage humbucker tones, and high-output humbucker tones, but it does them all in its own way.

I would suggest spending some time with the volume rolled down to 7-8.

+1