aphantomvaper
Bend it to the Owl!
It's really happening! Can't wait to get these babies in the 594. Weekend project, and will post pics as usual.
S2 594 - Installing Phase 3 Tuners
- Thread starter aphantomvaper
- Start date
aphantomvaper
Bend it to the Owl!
"Drop in" turned out to be somewhat accurate. I will be posting the results a little later today.
Going Modal
I should be practicing right now.
Interesting, in that the PRS Accessory page says "The Phase 3 tuners WILL NOT retrofit to any PRS model without modifications except models that already have Phase 3 tuners installed," which your S2 594 would not have had (AFAIK)...
I am in a similar boat, as I was looking to replace the vintage-style non-locking tuners on my '07 McCarty and I could swear that the Phase III tuners on my other guitars are exactly the same size & screw locations, etc., so I suspected they would fit. However, on the insistence of the above note, I went with new-production vintage tuners (which themselves are now locking, too--a happy surprise that I wasn't expecting). I'm curious to see how your swap turns out. I'll have to share pics of mine once I'm done. (Removing the older gold bushings is going to be an issue; but I've got tool arriving soon to do it right.)
I am in a similar boat, as I was looking to replace the vintage-style non-locking tuners on my '07 McCarty and I could swear that the Phase III tuners on my other guitars are exactly the same size & screw locations, etc., so I suspected they would fit. However, on the insistence of the above note, I went with new-production vintage tuners (which themselves are now locking, too--a happy surprise that I wasn't expecting). I'm curious to see how your swap turns out. I'll have to share pics of mine once I'm done. (Removing the older gold bushings is going to be an issue; but I've got tool arriving soon to do it right.)
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
So, the McCarty will be different. I had a SC Ted that I wanted to put PIIIs on. I couldn’t get the Vintage collars out for the life of me. I quit when I thought more force would cause a crack.
However, the PIIIs that I put in my 2020 594 were a direct drop in for the “new” style vintage tuners.
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
That’s weird, they were a direct fit in my Core 2020 594. I would have thought that to be the case on the S2 version, as well.
Going Modal
I should be practicing right now.
Totally. I've got a dedicated tuner-bushing tool on its way from StewMac to do this right. Fingers crossed...
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
Good luck!
DISTORT6
NJ Devil
aphantomvaper
Bend it to the Owl!
Life happen when you have other plans a wise man once said!
Got these tuners in and they are sweet! The Drop-in comment is regarding the fact I purchased gold tuners, and half through removing the ferrules, grommets?, before I realized what "drop in" really meant. Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound!
They headstock looks good with the matching ferrules and tuners, maybe leaving the chrome ones would have been fine and saved some work. A C clamp and wood shims work great for the press in, pressing out I had to use my Arbor Press, and was very nerve racking!
Here is the back before. We all know what the front looks like. One thing I did not like was the finish imprints left from the vintage tuners.
Three Ferrules pressed in.
Tuners installed
Back of headstock...see the impressions left in the finish?
Since I had the strings off...neck pocket! It is gratifying to actually see the signatures in the pickup pockets
Neck Pickup
Bridge Pocket
Bridge Pickup
Strung up!
Back on the hanger, tuned and gorgeous. Thanks for tuning in!
Got these tuners in and they are sweet! The Drop-in comment is regarding the fact I purchased gold tuners, and half through removing the ferrules, grommets?, before I realized what "drop in" really meant. Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound!
They headstock looks good with the matching ferrules and tuners, maybe leaving the chrome ones would have been fine and saved some work. A C clamp and wood shims work great for the press in, pressing out I had to use my Arbor Press, and was very nerve racking!
Here is the back before. We all know what the front looks like. One thing I did not like was the finish imprints left from the vintage tuners.
Three Ferrules pressed in.
Tuners installed
Back of headstock...see the impressions left in the finish?
Since I had the strings off...neck pocket! It is gratifying to actually see the signatures in the pickup pockets
Neck Pickup
Bridge Pocket
Bridge Pickup
Strung up!
Back on the hanger, tuned and gorgeous. Thanks for tuning in!
Last edited:
aphantomvaper
Bend it to the Owl!
I just realized looking at the pictures the Neck is an 58/15 and Bridge Santana pickup. Is that normal for a S2 594? I know they are supposed to be SE pickups in there, but thought they would "match" in model.
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
Glad to know I wasn’t “wrong” about the direct drop in. I got worried that something was different on the S2
aphantomvaper
Bend it to the Owl!
As drop in as they could be, no routing and screw holes matched perfectly. Just that pesky ferrule change.
You are correct bodia
You are correct bodia
Stephen J.
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2020
- Messages
- 485
I have a set of 58/15S pickups out of an SE Hollowbody (or so I thought) that do not have the G&B stamp. They have a sticker that says PTP4145-8 SP-5815-TNC and a hand written B or PTP4144-8 SP-5825-BNC with a hand written N (or Z depending on orientation). I bought them used, but have no reason to doubt the seller.
Tim S
King of the barre chord
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2018
- Messages
- 543
I bought a used set too and they have the same stickers but no hand writing or stamps on their backsides.
Edit: The SE Hollowbody guitars are made in China. Maybe the pickups are labeled differently if they are destined for China? AFAIK these pickups aren’t made in China, but they do have different labels than the other SE models.
Last edited:
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
As far as I know, G&B does have a factory on China. Please correct me if you know otherwise.
Tim S
King of the barre chord
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2018
- Messages
- 543
This is news to me, but it makes sense (if true). I thought all G&B pickups were made in Korea and that the Indonesian factories used these Korean-made pickups.
If PRS “S” (G&B) pickups are made in different countries, how is it there’s been no threads over which country’s pickups sound best? (for each pickup model, of course)
aphantomvaper
Bend it to the Owl!
As an aside, I also dated to mention the pickup wire service loops were long, hence the good pickup cavity pics. In my SE's the wire service loops were really short and it was difficult to lift the pickups much at all.
She screams a tad more with the Phase 3 ...I know these tuners aren't supposed to make any tonal difference. To my ears they do. Maybe its the small extra mass of the P3, I should have weighed them both before install, doh!
She screams a tad more with the Phase 3 ...I know these tuners aren't supposed to make any tonal difference. To my ears they do. Maybe its the small extra mass of the P3, I should have weighed them both before install, doh!
