New Used Swamp Ash Special Pickup/Wiring Question

[BillSXT2002]

I recently picked up a 2007 SAS with the three way toggle, but the prior owner removed the middle pickup. I wanted to restore it to original configuration, so I bought a vintage rails pickup and took it to my tech for replacement and to make sure the wiring was original otherwise.

He just got back to me saying that the new vintage rail pickup uses a different base plate and does not really fit into the pickup routing. He also told me that the wiring seems to match the schematic other than a treble bleed to the volume pot. I am not really an electronics working guy so I was hoping you guys could give some advice.

First, if the new vintage rails pickup is not compatible, what pickups have you seen successfully used in the middle spot without body modification? Second, is the treble bleed he described original to this model or is it a modification by the prior owner? I appreciate the help. I want to get back close to the original configuration, but I am willing to substitute out the middle pickup for a better option.

 

[Dancing Frog]

The original pick up was a Duncan Vintage Rails, but I have two with Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the middle spot. The Fralin is a good sounding pick up which has more output than Vintage Rails, so there isn't as much of a volume drop when you split the pick up and activate the single coil.

According to the specs posted on the PRS website, there is no treble bleed cap across the volume pot lugs, so I just dug out my 2000 SAS and opened it up. I had it modified a couple of years ago. I had the Duncan Vintage Rails replaced with a Fralin Blues Special and the McCartys replaces with Starla pick ups. I also had an additional pull pot installed to replace the volume pot which gives you the ability to split either the neck or the bridge and activate the Fralin. Neither the old nor the new volume pot have a treble bypass capacitor installed.

 

[BillSXT2002]

Thanks for the help. I have heard good things about the Fralin pickups, and I started researching them. On their site, they talk about the danger of incorrect polarity. Do you recall which version was correct to match with the stock pickups. Also, thanks for checking on the treble bleed.

 

[Dancing Frog]

Thanks for the help. I have heard good things about the Fralin pickups, and I started researching them. On their site, they talk about the danger of incorrect polarity. Do you recall which version was correct to match with the stock pickups. Also, thanks for checking on the treble bleed.

I didn't install it, the PRS Tech Center did the work. But, if the wire colors are the same then as now, it should be pretty easy to see which one it is without removing anything. In fact, I can actually see it in pictures that I took of both of them. The pick up is upside down, and the white is on the right which means it's a reverse middle(i.e. "N" to the strings).