Hello to the forum. I just came home today with my first PRS, a new S2 Custom 24 in dark cherry sunburst. It looks and plays great. I do have a question, though. The push-pull tone pot has some noticeable slop in the rotation. Rotating one way and then the other has about 1/8" of loose play before it engages in the other direction. Is this normal? Volume pot has no slop at all.
New S2 Custom 24
- Thread starter Gatordome
- Start date
Moondog Wily
Howlin' At The Moon!
Welcome Gatordome and congrats on your new score! AFIK, there should be no slop (don't have any slop in any of my PRSi). I would first check to ensure that the whole pot is tightened down properly (pull knob off and see that nut is not loose or if you have a very thin wrench in that size, you would not have to pull off the knob). If that is not the problem, I would take it back to the dealer! Post some pix when you get a chance, we love our 6 string porn!
littlebadboy
New Member
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I can't give you advice and I'm sure the others will chime in. But, I just wanted to welcome you, and congratulations on the new acquisition! I have an S2 Standard 22, Darth Paul. Although it's not a custom, it has been customized to my liking.
Any pics of your new guitar?
Any pics of your new guitar?
alantig
Zombie Four, DFZ
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Does this happen only when you go to the extremes, or does it also happen if you go to 5 then reverse directions? And I assume you're judging by feel - if so, do you notice any sound change in that sloppy area?
As MW said, I'd check that the pot isn't loose, and if not, I'd contact the dealer. A pot is a simple change - they may (should?) be able to swap it under warranty.
As MW said, I'd check that the pot isn't loose, and if not, I'd contact the dealer. A pot is a simple change - they may (should?) be able to swap it under warranty.
I did some further research. The slop in the tone pot is about 1/2 a number in both directions. For example, if you turn up from 8 to 9, it goes to 8-1/2 before any resistance, and sound does not change until that point. Turning down from 5 to 4, the knob goes to 4-1/2 before any resistance, and sound does not change until that point. The guitar is playable, but the slop is kind of annoying, especially in a brand new instrument.
I checked the mounting nut on the pot with a thin wrench (11mm from a bicycle kit). The nut was tight. With the knob pulled up, you can see the shaft rotate with the knob, so the knob is tight. The slop is apparently inside the pot.
Also noticed that the tone changes gradually throughout the rotation, but changes suddenly when 0 is reached. I assume that is because the pot is taken out of the circuit at that point.
I contacted the dealer, who said that the slop is "totally normal". Could it be a push-pull knob characteristic? I do not have another guitar with push-pull knobs to compare, but none of my other guitars have any slop at all in any of the knobs.
It is not feasible to take the guitar back to the dealer since his shop is a 3-hour drive away. Might try to contact PRS directly to see if they have any recommendations.
I checked the mounting nut on the pot with a thin wrench (11mm from a bicycle kit). The nut was tight. With the knob pulled up, you can see the shaft rotate with the knob, so the knob is tight. The slop is apparently inside the pot.
Also noticed that the tone changes gradually throughout the rotation, but changes suddenly when 0 is reached. I assume that is because the pot is taken out of the circuit at that point.
I contacted the dealer, who said that the slop is "totally normal". Could it be a push-pull knob characteristic? I do not have another guitar with push-pull knobs to compare, but none of my other guitars have any slop at all in any of the knobs.
It is not feasible to take the guitar back to the dealer since his shop is a 3-hour drive away. Might try to contact PRS directly to see if they have any recommendations.
alantig
Zombie Four, DFZ
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I don’t think it’s necessarily a characteristic of push-pulls in general. I can’t say I’ve noticed it in any of mine, but I’ve never looked for it either.
At one point, the pots in S2s were not sourced the same as core, but I believe someone said here a few weeks ago that this is no longer the case. I can’t say for certain either way. My only S2 is a special run, so I wouldn’t necessarily call if typical of S2s, but I’ll check it shortly (hockey’s on).
Pots are easy to change if you have even rudimentary soldering skills. Especially if you’re replacing with the same type of pot (push-pulll, not brand) - you just have to get all the wires back to the same guzintas on the new pot.
At one point, the pots in S2s were not sourced the same as core, but I believe someone said here a few weeks ago that this is no longer the case. I can’t say for certain either way. My only S2 is a special run, so I wouldn’t necessarily call if typical of S2s, but I’ll check it shortly (hockey’s on).
Pots are easy to change if you have even rudimentary soldering skills. Especially if you’re replacing with the same type of pot (push-pulll, not brand) - you just have to get all the wires back to the same guzintas on the new pot.
Moondog Wily
Howlin' At The Moon!
I disagree with this dealer, that is not normal behavior. It is a bad pot IMO!! What is their return policy? They should really repair it as far as I am concerned. Replacing the pot is pretty easy, but you should not have to with a brand new instrument! There was a bad pot on the $450 Gretsch I purchased last year from Chicago Music Exchange and I had to wait about an hour for them to swap it out, but they did it while I waited.
While I was at the dealer picking up the guitar, he told me that he does not have a local luthier that he can depend on. It will also kill a day to drive there and back, so I don't want to take back to him for repair. I filed a Customer Service request with PRS, so we'll see what they say. I can replace the pot myself if it will not affect the warranty.
alantig
Zombie Four, DFZ
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Quick update - was at my local dealer today for the start of their annual sale event. They had an SE 277 baritone, and I've been wanting to try one for a couple years. With my minor hand and shoulder issues, I wasn't sure if it would be a good fit for me, so I wanted to test drive. Turned out they were only minor issues. BUT...while I was playing it acoustically before I plugged it in, I flipped the toggles and turned the knobs just to get a feel, and guess what - there was the exact kind of slop Gatordome described. I wasn't looking for it, but as soon as I turned the tone knob, I felt a little bump of engagement. When I paid closer attention, it was just as described - it went about half a number before you could feel it kick in. I wonder if it's a flaw or if it's something in the way the pots are currently being manufactured.
In the end, I didn't buy it - I figured I could get the sounds I wanted win that range w/my 7-strings, and a Gretsch resonator finally won the day (I've been eyeing these for at least five years).
FWIW - there was another flaw w/the baritone, but the repair guy on site was taking care of it. I didn't go back to play it again, and I didn't get to ask him what it was. I suspect a loose wire or faulty toggle. Nothing major, and no way for me to say when the problem happened.
In the end, I didn't buy it - I figured I could get the sounds I wanted win that range w/my 7-strings, and a Gretsch resonator finally won the day (I've been eyeing these for at least five years).
FWIW - there was another flaw w/the baritone, but the repair guy on site was taking care of it. I didn't go back to play it again, and I didn't get to ask him what it was. I suspect a loose wire or faulty toggle. Nothing major, and no way for me to say when the problem happened.
Update to the continuing saga of the sloppy tone pot. I was in a Guitar Center today that had three PRS guitars in stock: a new SE Standard 22, a used SE Standard 22, and a used McCarty 594. Both of the Standards had push-pull tone controls like my Custom 24. Both of them had some slop in the tone control, as much or more than mine. Volume controls were tight with no slop. All four knobs on the McCarty were solid with no slop, but none of them were push-pull type. It's beginning to look like it is a problem with PRS push-pull pots. I could not find another brand of guitar that had push-pull pots to compare with PRS, but all of the controls on all of the other guitars that I checked were tight.
Still haven't heard from PRS Customer Support about this issue. I thought about ordering a PRS branded push-pull pot and replacing it myself, but I'm thinking it would probably have the same problem. Might order one anyway and return it if it is sloppy. Also might try another brand of pot, which would be cheaper anyway.
Still haven't heard from PRS Customer Support about this issue. I thought about ordering a PRS branded push-pull pot and replacing it myself, but I'm thinking it would probably have the same problem. Might order one anyway and return it if it is sloppy. Also might try another brand of pot, which would be cheaper anyway.
Today I heard from PRS customer service. It seems that the tone pot in question "has a different feel" than the volume pot and is "looser". They said that if there are no electronic malfunctions, then the different "feel" is normal. In other words, the slop in the tone pot is a feature, not a problem. They did offer to take a look at the guitar under warranty, but I don't want to deal with the hassle of sending it in and waiting just to hear that the pot is "in spec". I have ordered a USA-spec tone pot to see if it makes a difference.
Here's the latest. The "USA-spec" tone pot came in. It seemed to be well made with no slack before engagement. So far, so good. However, the pot has a very un-USA 7mm metric thread on the shaft and is smaller than the one that came on the guitar at 8mm. Also, it has euro-spec coarse 18-tooth knurl at the top where the knob attaches instead of US-spec fine 24-tooth. I suppose I could mount it and make it work but would rather install one that fits. Back it went to Sweetwater. Actually it was sent from my place in Florida to Sweetwater in Indiana over a week ago, but somehow wound up across the country in a post office in Palmdale, California, where it is still sitting. That's another story, though. I have received a CTS push-pull tone pot that has zero slop and is waiting for installation when I get to it. I will have to enlarge the hole to 3/8", but the new pot will fit when done. Also received a CTS volume pot to replace the Korean one currently in the guitar, which has a US-spec 3/8" shaft, by the way.
Happy ending. I installed the CTS push-pull tone pot which has NO slack in the rotation. While I was in there, I replaced the volume pot with a CTS and mounted a treble bleed on it instead of the "bright cap". The CTS has more resistance to rotation than the PRS pot, but I like it that way. Less likely to change the volume if I bump it while playing. Anyway, the treble bleed added some volume and really filled out the tone. Might consider a pickup swap, but not until I get used to this setup the way it is and find out what it can do. Oh, and the post office managed to get the returned pot back to Sweetwater. I'm a happy camper now!
