S2 Tone control value (& more)

[Gary Montgomery]

I have BIG plans for my PRS S2 Custom 24; see thread and thanks in advance for ANY input/advice!

 

[Gary Montgomery]

Hi! What is the *value of the push/pull tone control in a S2 Custom 24 with push/pull tone control? I plan on adding piezo saddles (or an entire piezo equipped bridge) and HOPE to use a push/pull pot to switch between magnetic pups and the piezo system. If I should use a different value please let me know; here's the plan: NOTE: If you aren't familiar with these pups here's what's cool about them IMHO: each pup is a humbucker, Strat-ish single coil AND P-90. The triple shot allows you to switch between each TYPE at the "touch of a button." #1 Install Duncan "P-Rails" (model SHPR-1) in the bridge and neck positions. These are/will be the OLDER version with (I THINK) a little LESS output. #2 Install two Duncan "Triple Shot" selectors for switching the TYPE (not position) of output from each PUP. #3 Change the saddles/bridge to a piezo system. If Mann made makes one I'd probably buy them/it. #4 Use the push-pull pot in the S2 to switch between the Duncans and piezo system. #5 All of the other switches remain stock UNLESS I need to use pot(s) with different values. If I can't use a push-pull pot as described I am certainly open to suggestions. #6 (Because I almost forgot...this should probably be #4) Buy a short arm for the tremolo...very much like David Gilmour uses/used on his black Strat. I'm pretty sure that his signature model includes a short tremolo arm. If I can pull this off I'll have ONE "jack of all trades" guitar...and it's a PRS at that! can mimic a LP, Strat and/or P-90 equipped guitar. I'll probably put the stock PRS pups in my Epiphone Wildkat...if they'll fit. Either way I'll keep the stock pups just in case (Heaven forbid) I ever have to sell my PRS. I'll swap one of the Epi's pots to push-pull like the stock PRS' tone control. Any thoughts? Am I crazy?

 

[bodia]

Cool plans! All PRS Humbucker guitars use 500k pots. Tone and volume. Keep us posted with your mods. Pics welcome!

 

[RickP]

Looks like you are diving in deep, Gary! I’m looking forward to seeing how this come out.

 

[Gary Montgomery]

I will be MORE than happy to provide updates and pics. As of now I have the bridge pup and plan on installing it when the triple shot gets here.

I'm looking at/researching the piezo bridges. I had two guitars with Fishman (Power bridge ??) and thought that they were decent. I don't remember what was in my Parker Fly (late 90s or early 2000s model...I sold it ~2001) Deluxe [pre Washburn (I think that it was Washburn) buy-out] but I seem to remember that it was an interesting bridge with mediocre acoustic sound. That WAS almost 30 years ago though, so my memory can't be trusted too much.

Anyway, I will probably end up with a Mann made bridge; I assume that I'll be able to find piezo saddles somewhere. I am open to other acoustic options.

I thought that I would start with ONE pup so that I can hear how it sounds. There's no guarantee that I'll actually like it, and I won't know until I have one in my guitar. I am a fan of Duncan pups, do I have high hopes!

I'll keep everyone posted!

 

[Gary Montgomery]

Looks like you are diving in deep, Gary! I’m looking forward to seeing how this come out.

I'll be slow (aka expensive) going, but I will chip away at it until it's done! On the plus side I'll (hopefully) be able to sell a couple of guitars to finance the project. If everything goes as planned I won't need all of them!

Thank you!

 

[pac90]

Cooncidentally I checked volume pots on my S2 SC today, and they were both 460. I switched them to cts 540

 

[Boogie]

Are you going the Ghost saddle approach? Are you carving away space for the cables to route?

Btw, with the P-Rails, having a slightly lower value pot will cut some of the inherent ice pick. It’s a feature, to me, not a detriment.

 

[littlebadboy]

My push-pull has tone bypass on push, and 250k on pull which I use for parallel mode for the buckers (D-Activator X set) + capacitor on my modified S2 Standard 22.

 

[Boogie]

My push-pull has tone bypass on push, and 250k on pull which I use for parallel mode for the buckers (D-Activator X set) + capacitor on my modified S2 Standard 22.

That’s a cool setup!