PRS 513 swamp ash with unusual volume push-switch

[What Mind]

My recently purchased 513 swamp ash came with two custom features....

1. graphite saddles
2. A volume knob that has a push switch that activates additional tone/pup combinations.

Has anyone ever seen this before? I'm still trying to figure out what pup combinations it is activating.

thanks,
WM

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

Purchased new or used?

What specifically does the volume knob switch do?

 

[toothace]

Sorry...we're gonna need more info and pics. Sounds like it's been modded...

 

[Rider1260]

There is a mod called the 515 mod that adds pickup combos to a stock 513

Found this on another forum


With the 513 I didn't rewire the entire switching system, but only did two fairly simple mods on it:

1. First I wanted to add the "519 mod" (aka. 515 mod) as seen on the B&M forum. With that mod you get two new pickup switchings available: bridge+neck like a Les Paul or Tele "3-way middle position", and bridge+middle+neck (i.e. all pups on).
   This mod involves replacing a pot (I chose he volume pot) with a push/pull pot and adding two wires between the 5-way switch and the push/pull. When enabled the push/pull connects the bridge and neck wires together so that you will get bridge+neck in 5-way pos 1 and 5, bridge+middle+neck in pos 2 and 4.
2. Secondly I replaced the tone pot with a push/pull pot enabling me to add two new pickup modes: bright single coil and "unbucker".
   This mod involves rewiring two of the 5-way poles and a push/pull. When the push/pull is enabled, the single coil mode uses the brighter coil tapped single coils to get a more sparkling, shimmering sound. The "heavy humbucker" mode is also changed to a "unbucker" mode - i.e. a humbucker with mismatched coils falling in between the heavy and clear humbucker modes in terms of tone and output.

This results in six pickup positions per pickup mode (excluding the middle position which is the same in every mode). With five pickup modes you now get 6x5 + 1 = 31 sounds, i.e. a mod from 513 to 531.

Note that these mods don't alter the base switching of the 513 so the mods are "invisible" when you don't use them. You might ask "do you need all the sounds?" And the answer is "no" - but it's still fun and adds sounds sometimes useful.

Edit: Here's a how-to-mod-drawing for you:

(The PCB holes marked D 5 and A 5 are "hot" from the bridge and neck, respectively.)

To summarize the switching positions:
5-way blade switch:
Volume pot down (normal):
Pos 1: Bridge
Pos 2: Bridge + middle
Pos 3: Middle
Pos 4: Neck + middle
Pos 5: Neck

Volume pot up (alternate):
Pos 1: Bridge + neck
Pos 2: Bridge + middle + neck
Pos 3: Middle
Pos 4: Bridge + middle + neck
Pos 5: Bridge + neck

3-way blade switch:
Tone pot down (normal):
Pos 1: Heavy humbucker
Pos 2: Clear humbucker
Pos 3: Single coil

Tone pot up (alternate):
Pos 1: Mismatched coil ("unbucker") humbucker
Pos 2: Clear humbucker
Pos 3: Bright single coil

 

[What Mind]

I popped the electronics cover off and found a large circuit board attached that covered a large percentage of the opening. This looks like an original installation...very, very professional. The volume knob has a spring action release so that when it is pushed, it pops up activating the circuit. Is this possibly a phasing switch? Looks original to me....maybe a custom order.

Thanks everyone for all your help! WM

 

[garrett]

Push/Push switch is not from the factory, unless maybe someone sent it back in to PTC.

I suspect it does what Rider explained, which is to activate either the bridge or neck pickup in any position so you can get outside pickups or all three at once.