New PRS Mira S2 problem

[Ironpig]

This is a really strange one.

Occasionally, I seem to lose treble and or volume. Sometimes it sounds fizzy. I thought it was amp or pedalboard until I found that any rotation of the tone pot seemed to suddenly fix the problem. Almost as if it discharged something that had built up or restored a connection that was weak. Once it's ok, it seems to work perfectly well and the pot works normally with no scratchiness but sooner or later the problem builds again.

im totally confused by this. None of my other guitars are showing these symptoms with the same board and amp.

thanks for any ideas!

 

[László]

Cold solder joint?

PRS will fix you up in any case.

 

[maxtuna26]

Cold solder joint?

PRS will fix you up in any case.

^ what he said. Send it back to PRS, or get a qualified tech to sort it out, unless you know how to deal with electronics.

 

[John Beef]

I bet it would take more time to unscrew and rescrew all the pickguard screws than it would to fix the internal problem.

 

[Ironpig]

I got the guitar on my hols abroad and I live miles from the nearest PRS dealer. Think you're right so I'm going in.

 

[Ironpig]

Well it all looked ok. No weak solder joints. I lined the back of the scratchplate with copper tape and put it back together and...... it's no better although there is less static coming off the scratchplate now.

I guess it's most likely to be the tone pot or one of the capacitors on it. I found the push/pull pot here http://shop.headlinemusic.co.uk/product-details.aspx?product=179 but when I looked at mine, it had what looked like 2 capacitors on it. Most PRS diags show a single 0.022uF capacitor. I should have taken a pic.

Does anybody know what 2 capacitors are on the tone pot of a Mira S2? PRS' diagrams haven't been updated to include the S2 series yet.

 

[Ironpig]

Done a bit more research.

http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/schematics/2012/mc58_2012.pdf This looks closest to what I'm seeing.

I think there are 2 resistors (1.1kOhm and 2.2kOhm I think) and a 500k pot. So I've ordered a push/push pot (should be easier to use than the standard push/pull), some resistors and a 0.33uF orange drop cap.

Lets see how that lot works.

What is it about guitar players that makes them want to tinker with things?

 

[AP515]

Here's a thought. Shoot a small amount of electronic contact cleaner in the pot. Put a rag around it so that it doesn't get on the finish. I bet it cleans up fine.

 

[John Beef]

Yeah, it's likely the pot itself. Luckily it's not super expensive to replace. However, PRS should be doing it for you. I would also be on the fence about having PRS do it and being without my guitar for X amount of time, versus doing it myself with a spare half hour and 15 bucks.

In other news, I did not know the Mira came with those resistors on the coil splits. That is totally awesome!! It explains why the split tones are so good/usable in all the demo videos I have seen. I can't wait to check one out in person (someday!).

 

[Ironpig]

The resistors.

and yes, spraying the pot with contact cleaner seems to have sorted it.