prs 513 pickup mod -

[kit brady]

I would like to make the neck pickup single coil only, so It will be single coil in all 3 pickup positions. This would eliminate the need to throw 2 switches when going from neck single to bridge humbucker. Is it possible and how do I mod?

Kit

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I would like to make the neck pickup single coil only, so It will be single coil in all 3 pickup positions. This would eliminate the need to throw 2 switches when going from neck single to bridge humbucker. Is it possible and how do I mod?

Kit

@Maertl513 may be able to help with this one, he’s our resident 513 guru.

 

[Maertl513]

@Alnus Rubra, thanks for this Scotch introduction.
I can't give electrical advice, because it's beyond my understanding. But as a good guru I could provide something for mind and soul

@kit brady: Depending where you live and how much this desired function is driving you, contact the PTC being resident of the US or a European (maybe UK) resident, then call PRS Europe with their Technical Centre (head: Nick Fraser) to draw this mod on your 513.

BUT: It will take the magic of versality of this guitar model. And you can switch both switches in extremis in the same time going from neck HB to bridge SC.
And taking another metapher: It's like having a Fireblade with open 217 HP and you limit the engine to 34 HP, because you like to drive slow.

If it's a crucial need I recommend you better to sell the 513 and buy a 509.
It has mini switches for the neck and bridge side of the moon and one 5 way blade switch to go through the positions. Throw the mini switch to SC sound at bridge position, you have what you want. But the 509 has a lack of one whole voicing level compared to the 513. The 513 has - owls to Athens - SC, Clear HB (likewise P90 or Mini HB sound), Heavy HB, whilst the 509 has SC and HB (but more vintage voiced with less output, therefore depending on your gain capability of the amp, a booster is needed to realize the same output like the 513.

 

[DISTORT6]

Translation Assistance ​

BRING OWLS TO ATHENS​

B

BRING OWLS TO ATHENS

MEANING | SYNONYMS​

• SOMETHING THAT IS POINTLESS
• A USELESS OR FUTILE ACT
• AN UNNECESSARY VENTURE
• SOMETHING HIGHLY UNECONOMICAL
• A REDUNDANT IDEA
• SOMETHING SUPERFLUOUS

​

SOURCE: THEIDIOMS.COM

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Translation Assistance ​

BRING OWLS TO ATHENS​

B

BRING OWLS TO ATHENS

MEANING | SYNONYMS​

• SOMETHING THAT IS POINTLESS
• A USELESS OR FUTILE ACT
• AN UNNECESSARY VENTURE
• SOMETHING HIGHLY UNECONOMICAL
• A REDUNDANT IDEA
• SOMETHING SUPERFLUOUS

​

SOURCE: THEIDIOMS.COM

Or coals to Newcastle, jute, jam and journalism to Dundee?

 

[Maertl513]

A 513 owner must know the benefits of a 513. But sometimes it's necessary to feed even wise owls to highlight it.

 

[DISTORT6]

Or coals to Newcastle, jute, jam and journalism to Dundee?

Sand to the beach?

 

[GlockandRoll]

If I understand what you are trying to accomplish, I assume the simplest thing to do would be to add a push-pull tone pot switch to bypass the inside neck coil whenever it is engaged. Or, more complicated, you could probably upgrade the 3-way switch for controlling the splits to a double-row 5-way. But that can be a bugger to figure out.

If they were standard humbuckers, I'd probably try this however as it's worked in a super-strat for me before.

Mod Squad: Muddy sounding neck pickup? - Guitar Pickups, Bass Pickups, Pedals

Muddy sounding neck pickup? Try Seymour’s quick tech fix By Seymour Duncan Tech Guru Scott Miller People often call and ask how to fix a muddy sounding neck pickup. Some years ago, Seymour taught me a cool trick to fix this exact problem. If you connect a .047 capacitor in series (directly...

www.seymourduncan.com

 

[Maertl513]

@kit brady, Thanks for your reaction.

Depending on the production year of your guitar, it could be an easy mod or a little bit more advanced.

Pre 2014 PRS 513 situation: PCB

As of 2014 PRS 513 situation: point-to-point cable connections

I don't know, if the schematics or even the PRS patent documents will help to figure out the right cables to be taken out of the game to get you to the desired state of wiring.

 

[GlockandRoll]

Good stuff, but, if he is just trying to keep the front in SC mode at all times, effectively rendering it an HSS, couldn't he just toggle the inside neck coil off and leave it off?

 

[Maertl513]

The pickups itself aren't typically designed, too. The have a PCB as the baseplate, which, obviously is of necessity aswell.

 

[kit brady]

Mine is a 2008 so it has the circuit board with 100 wires coming out. I was hoping that I could just clip a couple wires on the pickup rendering one coil dead and leaving one active. Thoughts on that?

 

[Maertl513]

You can't. I can tell you, that it took a lot of effort on PRS to switch the whole electrical connections from PCB to hand-wiring. Additionally there is more shielding needed to handle the sensivity of cables against external electrical influence.
If you want to have you mod done properly, ask the PRS Tech Centres. It's no DIY job.

 

[kit brady]

That seems like sound advice - Ill do that Thanks

 

[kit brady]

I thought this would have come up before- many times. After all they discontinued the 513 for the 509. to accomplish the same thing.
Does any one else want to do this to their 513?? I could not find a post on this subject.

 

[Maertl513]

You seem to be the only one with this special wish, which will 'castrate' the versality of the 513.

 

[GlockandRoll]

You seem to be the only one with this special wish, which will 'castrate' the versality of the 513.

nope, I totally get what he is going for. I'd want mine changed like this also.

 

[kit brady]

ouch -Its a semi castration with a beneficial outcome. So not quite full balls off I got a couple likes on my post so maybe that is a sign of agreement.

 

[GlockandRoll]

ouch -Its a semi castration with a beneficial outcome. So not quite full balls off I got a couple likes on my post so maybe that is a sign of agreement.

HSS is where it's at, HSH is where it's ain't.
No big mystery as to why someone would want their 513 to perform like an HSS with only the 5-way and not also having to flip the 3-way.

 

[RickP]

Never got along with HSS guitars, which might explain why the 513 appealed to me so much. I know some folks prefer HSS, which is what the OP is trying to make here. It would be a much easier mod on almost any other 3 pickup PRS… the 513 is a purpose-built machine, and a killer design.