PRS SE Custom 24 Pickup Upgrade

Thanks all! I’m new to this diy pup stuff -

Just swap the polarity (solder the hot lead to ground and the ground to the pot/switch) on one pickup and you should be good.

I was thinking I would simply replicate what is happening with the stock pups wire for wire.
Is it not that easy?

maybe I should watch some diy videos o_O
 
If I recall correctly the pickups in PRSes have different polarities, so it isn’t quite that simple. But it’s doable and not particularly difficult.
 
Thanks all! I’m new to this diy pup stuff -



I was thinking I would simply replicate what is happening with the stock pups wire for wire.
Is it not that easy?

maybe I should watch some diy videos o_O
You can always start with that, but if they’re out of phase, swap the leads on one of the pickups. It’s that simple. :cool:
 
@NBW Im sure you do, but when replacing pickups, take a photo (or several) on your phone of the control cavity for reference.

Apologies if it’s “teaching Grandma to suck eggs” advice.
 
@NBW Im sure you do, but when replacing pickups, take a photo (or several) on your phone of the control cavity for reference.

Apologies if it’s “teaching Grandma to suck eggs” advice.

No worries. I do take photos. Of course the wire colors change and while I have the color key for the BKs, I didn’t have it for the 85/15s. So first I wired it the same way, which gave bad results then I switched the wires, which seems to give reasonable (but lower) output with both pickups engaged. However, it’s not quite as much output as either pickup solo. That might be ok, since the pickups are in different locations one could expect some cancellation giving lower output. They may be out of phase.
 
No worries. I do take photos. Of course the wire colors change and while I have the color key for the BKs, I didn’t have it for the 85/15s. So first I wired it the same way, which gave bad results then I switched the wires, which seems to give reasonable (but lower) output with both pickups engaged. However, it’s not quite as much output as either pickup solo. That might be ok, since the pickups are in different locations one could expect some cancellation giving lower output. They may be out of phase.

Yeah, as I typed my reply I was thinking that this was the most likely scenario. Those pesky pickup makers and their different coloured wiring configurations!

Sometimes out of phase works.

Best of luck.
 
You're going to have to help us narrow it down. What don't you like about the stock pups and what are you going for sound wise? What's your budget?
I have recently received my guitar in a trade, and it came with a Seymour Duncan Distortion pickup in the bridge which i'm not keen on, so looking for pickups that will provide clarity and good sustain. The type of music I play varies from Americana country rock to Blues and R&B.
 
Yeah those are some "very metal" pickups. I'm a very vintage PAF guy. I have a set of Bare Knuckles Stormy Mondays, which everyone here is tired of hearing me rave about. They cost a fortune. I think a set of Tonerider alnico II classics might be worth an experiment. I might pickup (ha!) a pair myself and try them in the hollowbody II as the bridge is not quite to my liking.
 
Duncan Antiquity humbuckers are a wonderful old style vintage PAF. Personally, I like them better in thicker body guitars, but they sound great in a Cu24, too.
 
How about some pearly gates? This should fit the sounds your going after.
 
As Cyfan said, change the pots and caps before you do anything. It’ll drastically alter the sound of your guitar, for the better. I did it on an SE Custom24 I used to own. Made the pickups sound very well.
 
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