Reversed neck pickup on 24-08 / 35th Anniversary Cu24?

[bglaze]

I am pretty sure I read somewhere (or maybe heard about it on YouTube) that the neck pickup on the 24-08 (and 35th Anniversary Custom 24) is reversed in order to cut some of the high-end and produce a slightly sweeter tone.

If you look at PRS' website, there appears to be some truth to this based on the images they provide on the marketing pages for these models.

Here are the examples from the PRS marketing site:

Custom 24 (standard orientation):

24-08 (reversed neck pickup):

35th Anniversary Custom 24 (reversed neck pickup):

I have a 35th Anniversary Core Custom 24 that I bought new in November of 2021. However, my neck pickup was shipped in the standard orientation (not reversed). I have also seen variations of this in other modern 24-08s. I've seen pictures and videos of new model year 24-08s and 35th's where the neck pickup is reversed and examples where the neck pickup is in the standard orientation.

I'm mainly curious if anyone has any insight into the reasoning behind the neck pickup orientation one way or another... Or if anyone has any knowledge about the supposed reasoning for reversing it in the first place.

 

[bodia]

IIRC, there was a video that Paul did, maybe regarding the Paul's guitar, where he explained his reasoning for this. Had something to do with a more authentic in between sound when tapped/split.

 

[21Hemispheres12]

They did the same thing on the SSH, the limited run with the MT pickups was flipped but the current LT models are standard. I’m assuming it has something to do with tone but no idea what the specifics are, both my 24-08 and SSH have the flipped neck pickup.

 

[bodia]

They did the same thing on the SSH, the limited run with the MT pickups was flipped but the current LT models are standard. I’m assuming it has something to do with tone but no idea what the specifics are, both my 24-08 and SSH have the flipped neck pickup.

Maybe something to do with the multi-tapped pickups only?

 

[Lewguitar]

The slug coil is the strongest coil. Reversing the pickup puts the slug coil further from the bridge towards where the 24th fret would be.

There the string generates more bass. So it'll sound better as a single coil.

The neck pickup is reversed on all of my 90's CE22 guitars. One came that way and I liked it so I switched all of them to that.

The #2 setting on the rotary switch of my old CE22 combines the slug coils of each pickup in parallel, like combining two Strat single coils. The #3 setting combines the two slug coils in series to create the stronger sound of a middle humbucker.

Those tones change a little for the better, I think, when the neck pickup is reversed.

 

[Simon Says]

Nah, it depends on which coil is being split (mechanically disconnected in the 35th anniversary). PRS is disconnecting the screw coil. It apparently sounds better as the active coil is further away from the bridge and more towards the neck

Maybe something to do with the multi-tapped pickups only?

 

[garrett]

It's a feature of the multi-tap pickups.

The slug coils have extra winds on them. In single coil mode, the screw coils are sent to ground and you get the full winds of slug. The idea is to give a more true single coil sound with strong output to avoid volume loss compared to humbucker mode.

When you're in humbucker mode on these, the slug coil is tapped to make a balanced pickup.

 

[21Hemispheres12]

Maybe something to do with the multi-tapped pickups only?

Yea that seems to be the common theme, I’m still confused why they moved away from the MT pickups, they sound great to me and way better than the LTs.

 

[Simon Says]

It's a feature of the multi-tap pickups.

The slug coils have extra winds on them. In single coil mode, the screw coils are sent to ground and you get the full winds of slug. The idea is to give a more true single coil sound with strong output to avoid volume loss compared to humbucker mode.

When you're in humbucker mode on these, the slug coil is tapped to make a balanced pickup.

Not all 85/15 are multi-tap. The ones in my 35th aren't.

 

[Birdsofprey]

I’ve got a 2020 24-08 with covered 59/09’s with the neck reversed from the factory. Sounds great we’ll balanced and my fav PRS pickup.

 

[bglaze]

Not all 85/15 are multi-tap. The ones in my 35th aren't.

How can I tell if mine are multi-tap? Do I need to take it apart to look, or can you tell from the configuration? (Sorry for my ignorance here).

Here is my 35th Anniversary Core Cu24:

 

[Simon Says]

How can I tell if mine are multi-tap? Do I need to take it apart to look, or can you tell from the configuration? (Sorry for my ignorance here).

Here is my 35th Anniversary Core Cu24:

With a colour of the leads coming from the pickup. Take a shot of the electronic cavity, and I will tell you what you got. Other than that, the way it is wired around the mini switches is. There is one way to wire multi-tap and another to wire TCI 85/15.

 

[21Hemispheres12]

How can I tell if mine are multi-tap? Do I need to take it apart to look, or can you tell from the configuration? (Sorry for my ignorance here).

Here is my 35th Anniversary Core Cu24:

If you check your hand tag it’ll say MT after the 85/15. It can pull the pickups and check the back of them too.

 

[BrianC]

I think it would make the tone thinner - wrong direction for me....

 

[bglaze]

With a colour of the leads coming from the pickup. Take a shot of the electronic cavity, and I will tell you what you got. Other than that, the way it is wired around the mini switches is. There is one way to wire multi-tap and another to wire TCI 85/15.

Awesome, thank you!

Here are some pictures of my electronic cavity. Let me know if these don't capture the correct angle.

 

[garrett]

Not all 85/15 are multi-tap.

True. I did not mean to suggest otherwise.

 

[Simon Says]

Awesome, thank you!

Here are some pictures of my electronic cavity. Let me know if these don't capture the correct angle.

It's TCI, non-multi-tap. Wired like that, when in split - the screw coil is being isolated (not grounded, entirely off the signal patch), and a small value capacitor from hot to the ground is being added. Same as in my guitar

 

[bglaze]

It's TCI, non-multi-tap. Wired like that, when in split - the screw coil is being isolated (not grounded, entirely off the signal patch), and a small value capacitor from hot to the ground is being added. Same as in my guitar

Dang, thank you!

 

[Simon Says]

Dang, thank you!

Hope you like this guitar as much as I like mine

 

[bodia]

Yea that seems to be the common theme, I’m still confused why they moved away from the MT pickups, they sound great to me and way better than the LTs.

Completely agree