PRS 305 mods!!

[VHTStark]

After a few years of the PTC being too backed up to do any cool guitar mods, I am excited to get word that they can mod my 305 model!

I really do love that guitar; a real deal, Core level, strat inspired PRS that feels amazing and built impeccably. I just always wished for more beef from the bridge position, like with pretty well any strat I have played/owned.

Nothing too crazy. No Floyd, like Hans' Raven. Just a refinish from black to white, proper route for a bridge humbucker and a coil split. Not sure which pickup to go with: I have a spare 85/15 and a Metal, which I think either would sound great.

Anyway....excited to get the ball rolling on my dream PRS "superstrat"!

 

[dmatthews]

After a few years of the PTC being too backed up to do any cool guitar mods, I am excited to get word that they can mod my 305 model!

I really do love that guitar; a real deal, Core level, strat inspired PRS that feels amazing and built impeccably. I just always wished for more beef from the bridge position, like with pretty well any strat I have played/owned.

Nothing too crazy. No Floyd, like Hans' Raven. Just a refinish from black to white, proper route for a bridge humbucker and a coil split. Not sure which pickup to go with: I have a spare 85/15 and a Metal, which I think either would sound great.

Anyway....excited to get the ball rolling on my dream PRS "superstrat"!

Very cool!
I kinda liked the idea of having JM/Silver Sky pups in mine, but HSS sounds awesome too. Maybe 5909 or 58/15 LT+

 

[VHTStark]

Very cool!
I kinda liked the idea of having JM/Silver Sky pups in mine, but HSS sounds awesome too. Maybe 5909 or 58/15 LT+

Oh man....I love the Silver Sky pickups, but like narrowfields, you don't see them come up too often!

Hmmm....I think I have an old nickel covered 59/09 in the pickup box. Don't know why I never thought of that one! Would you take that over an 85/15 or Metal in a 305 HSS?

 

[SinSir]

You don't wanna use that old covered 5909. Send it this way instead..

A squabbin might look better with the 305 pickups over a covered?

 

[dmatthews]

Oh man....I love the Silver Sky pickups, but like narrowfields, you don't see them come up too often!

Hmmm....I think I have an old nickel covered 59/09 in the pickup box. Don't know why I never thought of that one! Would you take that over an 85/15 or Metal in a 305 HSS?

Never played a Metal or 85/15, but hey it's all subjective.

 

[VHTStark]

You don't wanna use that old covered 5909. Send it this way instead..

A squabbin might look better with the 305 pickups over a covered?

It would for sure, as the guitar will be finished in white and the two black 305 singles will remain.

Maybe I will stick to 85/15 for now.
I am definitely not planning on ripping the cover off the 59/09 though! Lol

 

[SinSir]

I am definitely not planning on ripping the cover off the 59/09 though! Lol

Damn straight.. that's why you should sell to me!

 

[bodia]

Awesome! Can't wait to see how this turns out. What kind of ETA did they give you?

 

[VHTStark]

Damn straight.. that's why you should sell to me!

Haha! Do you want an old, covered 59/09? I would sell it to you, if you want.

 

[VHTStark]

Awesome! Can't wait to see how this turns out. What kind of ETA did they give you?

Ya man! I am excited they are able to do stuff like this again. I will have to figure out how to post pics once I get it back!

ETA is pretty broad: quoted 2-6 months.

 

[gush]

Oh man....I love the Silver Sky pickups, but like narrowfields, you don't see them come up too often!

Hmmm....I think I have an old nickel covered 59/09 in the pickup box. Don't know why I never thought of that one! Would you take that over an 85/15 or Metal in a 305 HSS?

Yes depending on what style music you play. 5909 lovw classic to heavy rock but if you intend on lower tuning then M is an excellent choice

 

[gush]

It would for sure, as the guitar will be finished in white and the two black 305 singles will remain.

Maybe I will stick to 85/15 for now.
I am definitely not planning on ripping the cover off the 59/09 though! Lol

M is a really good choice though.

 

[VHTStark]

M is a really good choice though.

M's are killer pickups. Really some of my favorite modern high out put pickups. I used to have a squabbin M bridge pickup that I would have thrown in, but I left it in a Mira I sold, so I just have a covered set.

 

[Maertl513]

How about a SC sized humbucker likewise Janik Gers' or Dave Murray's Strats?

 

[VHTStark]

How about a SC sized humbucker likewise Janik Gers' or Dave Murray's Strats?

I had considered it, but the only narrow style humbuckers I have ever really dug have been the PRS Narrowfields....and they are tough to come by.

I get that some people may consider a mod like this, whether done by the PRS factory or not, as "ruining the original instrument" and one that is likely never to be in production again. But my opinion is that it will take a guitar I enjoy playing tonally to where I want it to be.

A friend is pretty against me doing this mod and has suggested your idea, as well some pedal/eq ideas and on-board eq/boost options. And those are viable options, but I am pretty committed to making my 305 an HSS guitar.

 

[SinSir]

I think you're improving the instrument. I'd be all over a HSS 305. Sure, its out of production, and mostly not a hot seller used because of the proprietary pickups. It's a stellar guitar overall and HSS makes it all that better! Looking forward to the results.

A guitar you play is always better than one you sell.

 

[VHTStark]

I think you're improving the instrument. I'd be all over a HSS 305. Sure, its out of production, and mostly not a hot seller used because of the proprietary pickups. It's a stellar guitar overall and HSS makes it all that better! Looking forward to the results.

A guitar you play is always better than one you sell.

You nailed it man. I remember when these came out, along with the NF3 and DC3. Guitar players didn't quite know what to make of them, me included. Definitely wasn't going to shell out what they wanted brand new for a relatively plain PRS with proprietary pickups back then.

End of the day, while they didn't catch fire at the time, they were/are superbly made, Core level instruments with some great features. PTC knows what they are doing; with the refin, I will essentially be getting back a whole new guitar.

It will be a bit of wait; I have all the paperwork ready, but I will be shipping the same weekend I send you the 59/09.

 

[Maertl513]

@VHTStark: It's your instrument. And maybe, if the sound (and optic) suits well for PRS, too, word of mouth may spread to Paul and it will become a production model. Quick guess: PRS VHT.