PRS Tremonti Signature - design feature or a fault?

[cmacv]

Hi all - can anyone advise me please?

I've recently noticed an issue (feature?) with my 2022 PRS Tremonti Signature - when the pickup selector switch is in the mid position and the bridge pickup volume is turned down to zero then there is no output (as expected) but when the neck pickup volume is turned down to zero all I can hear is the bridge pickup.
I have an older PRS single cut (2001 model) which has a similar 4 pot layout - but when the PU selector is in the mid position then turning any PU volume to zero results in no output.

What is going on with my Tremonti here - is this a design feature or a fault???

Rgds, Mac (in the UK)

 

[Headset]

both of my Tremontis work the same way so I imagine it’s working as designed (2016 and 2020 models)

**I was incorrect in the above post. My 594 volume knobs are in series but my Tremontis are individual so both volume knobs can bring the output down to zero from the middle toggle position (edited later once I could check my guitars physically)

 

[cmacv]

Thanks for your reply - any idea what the rationale is behind this feature?

 

[Maertl513]

Maybe it is the electrical circuit, that this is reason of a serial sequence of poti.

 

[Bogner]

I Would Have To Check Mine To See For Sure. I Can See It Being A Benefit For Quick Changes In Tone For Volume Rolls And Going Clean To Dirty Real Fast On Your Amp Switching.

What Do You Like Or Dislike About It?

 

[cmacv]

Thanks - with my older PRS single cut I liked the option to have a 'dead' output in the middle position if any one vol pot is at zero. No big deal to do without this I guess......?

 

[Headset]

Tremonti for a while didn’t use clean channels and would just roll down volume on his guitar for those passages of music live. I could see the electronics setup helping him to do that with less switching of the toggle. Just leave it in the middle position and roll the neck volume in and out. With both pickups being opposites in terms of feel/output (modern vs vintage, high vs low) it makes sense to me to roll in the neck to tame the bridge and roll it back off to unleash it. But I’m purely spit ballin’ here.

 

[cmacv]

Interesting idea - thanks.

 

[cmacv]

A friend has a Les Paul and that seems to have similar wiring - with the PU selector in the mid position then only turning the neck volume to zero will result in no output (opposite to the PRS). I guess I'd really like to see a wiring diagram for the Tremonti to understand what's going on here!
Anyone here ave a link to that please?

 

[Headset]

I was able to pull this from the PRS site

 

[cmacv]

Many thanks - this is useful. Shame it doesn't actually show the toggle switch but will try to understand why it works the way it does!

 

[Headset]

No worries! We could always reach out to PRS support and ask directly. They’ve been pretty helpful whenever I’ve interacted with them.

 

[cmacv]

Good idea - ok will try that and will post their response here for all.

 

[Mozzi]

Hi all - can anyone advise me please?

I've recently noticed an issue (feature?) with my 2022 PRS Tremonti Signature - when the pickup selector switch is in the mid position and the bridge pickup volume is turned down to zero then there is no output (as expected) but when the neck pickup volume is turned down to zero all I can hear is the bridge pickup.
I have an older PRS single cut (2001 model) which has a similar 4 pot layout - but when the PU selector is in the mid position then turning any PU volume to zero results in no output.

What is going on with my Tremonti here - is this a design feature or a fault???

Rgds, Mac (in the UK)

I'd imagine that's because the Bridge Volume is the most accessible when playing and maybe doesn't use the 'neck' much so its very easy to control the guitar on stage. Only need to use the Bridge Volume to 'mute' completely on stage - instead of turning down both and maybe can use the 'neck' volume as a set and forget, how much its 'blended' in with the bridge in the middle.

You don't need 'both' to completely mute so why not have the Volume you use the most or is closest to you hand so you can easily and quickly 'mute' the guitar if/when required....

 

[cmacv]

Yes thanks - I think that makes sense...

 

[d^rren]

Mark Tremonti played Les Pauls before moving to PRS. This is traditional Les Paul wiring, where the volume controls are coupled, and they interact with each other in the middle position.

More about it here:

Mod Garage: Decouple Your Les Paul’s Volume Controls

Ever been frustrated by how the two volume controls interact on a dual-humbucker axe? Here’s how to make them work independently.

www.premierguitar.com

 

[cmacv]

Many thanks for your reply on this.

As an update I've just heard back from PRS customer service - who tell me my guitar must have a wiring fault!

What SHOULD happen is that with the selector switch in the mid position then backing off any one of the volume controls to zero will result in zero output........which is just what happens with my older PRS singlecut.

Gonna have to check inside the wiring cavity I guess - somewhat disappointing in a guitar that cost me nearly £4000

 

[d^rren]

Somebody may have rewired it to "classic" Gibson spec.

 

[shinksma]

Yeah, the current switch/pot interactions may not be stock on purpose if there was a previous owner who changed it around.

IIRC my JA-15 has "Nashville" wiring or something, which is not the same as the stock PRS wiring. I need to look up what the seller said it was and then play with the guitar to experiment. Hmm, sounds like a nice diversion right about now for lunch time...

EDIT: it has "Gibson" style wiring - not sure how that differs from stock - maybe just the positions of the V vs T knobs or something. Now I'll go look up what the stock guitar supposedly had, if it is even on the PRS website...

 

[SinSir]

Just checked my Tremonti. Either pickup at zero in the middle position kills all volume.