PRS, RWRP, and middle position hum

[sumitagarwal]

So I just got my first PRS, a 2018 S2 Singlecut with #7 S pickups, and it's a pretty great instrument that I'm learning and seem to be bonding with alright.

However, one thing that leaped out at me and was a surprise was that the coil taps are both for the outer (screw) coils, and it seems both pickups are standard wind/polarity rather than RWRP. Which means in the middle position with both coils tapped there's double the hum of a single single-coil!

After this I started looking through the current product line up, looking at the controls and photos of the pickup orientations. Seems like this approach is common at PRS, including the Paul's Guitar which splits to coils that should hum together even though the core version has a "rotated" neck pickup.

I feel like there must be a reason for this, but the hum drives me crazy. Anyone have more insight than me?

 

[Stephen J.]

I used to have an S2 Singlecut. I don’t remember having the same problem you are having. I don’t know the technical details to your situation.

 

[sumitagarwal]

I guess the simple question is: does PRS use RWRP humbuckers in any guitars? Knowing that, and looking up which coils various models split to, would give an easy analysis of which ones do and don't hum-cancel in the middle position.

 

[garrett]

I guess the simple question is: does PRS use RWRP humbuckers in any guitars? Knowing that, and looking up which coils various models split to, would give an easy analysis of which ones do and don't hum-cancel in the middle position.

Yes. In the pre-TCI world (before 2020), generally guitars with a five-way switch like a Custom have always been reverse polarity. Models with the three-way toggle, like a McCarty or Singlecut were not reverse polarity. Multi-Tap pickups are reverse polarity; 408, Paul's Guitar, any normal-sized pickups with "MT" in the name.

I don't have much experience with PRS in the TCI era, but the set of aftermarket 58/15 LT are reversed.

No idea what they're doing with the "S" pickups these days.


It's a simple wiring change if you want to get rid of that middle split position noise. Just split one of the pickups to the other coil. You'll always have noise in the other four split combos, though.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Yes. In the pre-TCI world (before 2020), generally guitars with a five-way switch like a Custom have always been reverse polarity. Models with the three-way toggle, like a McCarty or Singlecut were not reverse polarity. Multi-Tap pickups are reverse polarity; 408, Paul's Guitar, any normal-sized pickups with "MT" in the name.

I don't have much experience with PRS in the TCI era, but the set of aftermarket 58/15 LT are reversed.

No idea what they're doing with the "S" pickups these days.


It's a simple wiring change if you want to get rid of that middle split position noise. Just split one of the pickups to the other coil. You'll always have noise in the other four split combos, though.

This is incredibly helpful and specific guidance, thanks so much! One of my questions and concerns was whether or not PRS had tonal/philosophical objections to RWRP, as some people seem to do. Considering how exacting they are in their approach I'd imagine if RWRP really did have a negative tonal impact like people think it does, PRS wouldn't use it on any of their flagships.

Ok, so yea looks like I have a pre-TCI 3-position guitar. My simplest solution is to do what you said and switch the bridge split to the slug coil, which I think will also sound better by itself. I'd probably also rotate the neck pickup 180 degrees to get a notchier middle position when both are split.

Overall I have mixed feelings about these pickups, they're pretty good but also bright and congested at the same time if they makes sense. If I'm changing up wiring anyway maybe I'll upgrade to PRS's latest refinement in versatile full size humbucker strategy?

 

[sumitagarwal]

This review of the S2 24-08 seems to suggest the 85/15 S single-coil mode is noiseless, but I haven't seen anything else that suggests that? https://www.guitarplayer.com/reviews/prs-s2-custom-24-08-review