SE and S2 wiring upgrade questions

[Gizmo]

I have a few questions about upgrading SE and S2 wiring.

1. Is it worth the time and effort to replace the Alpha pots and the capacitors with CTS and Orange Drops?
2. Will lampshade knobs fit CTS shafts?
3. 50's style wiring or treble bleed circuits?

The main issue l have at the moment is some of my pots are a little scratchy no matter how many times I shoot tuner cleaner down the shaft. Of course any improvement in tone would be great.

 

[garrettb]

I have a few questions about upgrading SE and S2 wiring.

1. Is it worth the time and effort to replace the Alpha pots and the capacitors with CTS and Orange Drops?
2. Will lampshade knobs fit CTS shafts?
3. 50's style wiring or treble bleed circuits?

The main issue l have at the moment is some of my pots are a little scratchy no matter how many times I shoot tuner cleaner down the shaft. Of course any improvement in tone would be great.

IMO...

1. Volume pot, definitely. Push/Pull tone pot, only if it is malfunctioning. SE capacitor, only if you just feel like it when upgrading other stuff. For S2 don't bother with the cap unless you want to change values. They use nicer than average caps anyway.

2. Yes. CTS make the non-push/pull pots used on the core instruments. I highly recommend the core PRS pots for the volume control. You can also put lampshades on the metric Alphas, though.

3. I like either, depending on the guitar. The PRS pot with 180pf works great for a treble bleed, or maybe go 220 or 330pf.


Bonus: You didn't ask about switches, but if you're doing upgrades you may as well replace the SE blade. S2 uses a nice quality blade, so I wouldn't bother there. Both series toggles are okay, but may as well swap for Switchcraft while you're in there doing other stuff.

Bonus bonus: For output jacks, I haven't had any issues with them on the SE. The S2 have Switchcraft jacks anyway, so in both cases I say only replace if malfunctioning.

 

[Gizmo]

IMO...

1. Volume pot, definitely. Push/Pull tone pot, only if it is malfunctioning. SE capacitor, only if you just feel like it when upgrading other stuff. For S2 don't bother with the cap unless you want to change values. They use nicer than average caps anyway.

2. Yes. CTS make the non-push/pull pots used on the core instruments. I highly recommend the core PRS pots for the volume control. You can also put lampshades on the metric Alphas, though.

3. I like either, depending on the guitar. The PRS pot with 180pf works great for a treble bleed, or maybe go 220 or 330pf.


Bonus: You didn't ask about switches, but if you're doing upgrades you may as well replace the SE blade. S2 uses a nice quality blade, so I wouldn't bother there. Both series toggles are okay, but may as well swap for Switchcraft while you're in there doing other stuff.

Bonus bonus: For output jacks, I haven't had any issues with them on the SE. The S2 have Switchcraft jacks anyway, so in both cases I say only replace if malfunctioning.

Thanks, great info. I am considering the mods if for no other reason than to switch to 50's wiring and as long as the wiring is being redone, the cost of the parts is minimal and if switches and Jack's aren't switchhcraft, I change them too. Are Orange drops the caps of choice these days. I do have a small quantity of bumblebees, but I'm kinda saving them for a more upscale guitar. I have lampshades on all my PRSs because I like the feel and look.

 

[Wakester]

I have a few questions about upgrading SE and S2 wiring.

1. Is it worth the time and effort to replace the Alpha pots and the capacitors with CTS and Orange Drops?
2. Will lampshade knobs fit CTS shafts?
3. 50's style wiring or treble bleed circuits?

The main issue l have at the moment is some of my pots are a little scratchy no matter how many times I shoot tuner cleaner down the shaft. Of course any improvement in tone would be great.

From experience, Orange Drops are not worth the shipping and handling. I have put 2 Jackson Electronic Luthiers drop in harnesses. (1 in SE CU24, other in SE245) The SE245 is 50's style wiring with Russian Oil In Paper capacitors. His pots are top of the line and have a super smooth feel. The owner, Rand, designs, builds and tests all the harnesses he ships out. His solder work is incredible. He will also answer tech questions and make sure everything works the way you expected. He even called me on a Saturday Night to help walk me through an installation. He has stuff on Reverb, and his own website as well.

 

[Gizmo]

From experience, Orange Drops are not worth the shipping and handling. I have put 2 Jackson Electronic Luthiers drop in harnesses. (1 in SE CU24, other in SE245) The SE245 is 50's style wiring with Russian Oil In Paper capacitors. His pots are top of the line and have a super smooth feel. The owner, Rand, designs, builds and tests all the harnesses he ships out. His solder work is incredible. He will also answer tech questions and make sure everything works the way you expected. He even called me on a Saturday Night to help walk me through an installation. He has stuff on Reverb, and his own website as well.

Cool, thanks.

 

[garrettb]

Thanks, great info. I am considering the mods if for no other reason than to switch to 50's wiring and as long as the wiring is being redone, the cost of the parts is minimal and if switches and Jack's aren't switchhcraft, I change them too. Are Orange drops the caps of choice these days. I do have a small quantity of bumblebees, but I'm kinda saving them for a more upscale guitar. I have lampshades on all my PRSs because I like the feel and look.

I'm with ya! I like the 200V Orange Drops just because they're readily available and solidly made without being ridiculous in price (i.e. PIO caps). I do not buy into any of the capacitor marketing mojo.

From experience, Orange Drops are not worth the shipping and handling. I have put 2 Jackson Electronic Luthiers drop in harnesses. (1 in SE CU24, other in SE245) The SE245 is 50's style wiring with Russian Oil In Paper capacitors. His pots are top of the line and have a super smooth feel. The owner, Rand, designs, builds and tests all the harnesses he ships out. His solder work is incredible. He will also answer tech questions and make sure everything works the way you expected. He even called me on a Saturday Night to help walk me through an installation. He has stuff on Reverb, and his own website as well.

If I didn't do my own, JEL would be my go-to!

 

[kevin65]

I was asking the same question recently as I was upgrading the pickups in my SE Bernie Marsden to PRS 57/08s and was tempted to buy a Jackson Luthier Works harness as they look very high quality. In the end I decided to leave the original alpha pots in place as everything was working fine. If they do break I'll probably upgrade but leaving it stock for now. The other reason I left it was I put in a high quality harness with 50s style wiring into a Gibson Les Paul but didn't like the tone of the guitar afterwards, and was sorry I didn't leave it alone and just upgrade the pickups.

 

[Fram]

I just rewired my Vela, with CTS tvt pots and switchcraft toggle, for me it was worth it as it’s my main gigging guitar and I use the volume a lot, the original pots were performing ok as was the original switch, although it didn’t feel as solid as the switchcraft one.

Really it was a peace of mind thing, plus I was under the hood anyway doing a couple of mods.

 

[Gizmo]

I just rewired my Vela, with CTS tvt pots and switchcraft toggle, for me it was worth it as it’s my main gigging guitar and I use the volume a lot, the original pots were performing ok as was the original switch, although it didn’t feel as solid as the switchcraft one.

Really it was a peace of mind thing, plus I was under the hood anyway doing a couple of mods.

Sounds like you really like your Vela. I'm still trying to come to grips with mine. When I first got it (used) the neck had some terrible buzzes. After repeated attempts myself to adjust the action and neck relief, I took it to a luthier who tweaked it and pronounced it good, but it's still not as perfect as i would like it to be. I can't believe that an almost new PRS would need the frets leveled, but that's about all that's left unless I raise the action to a ridiculous level.

 

[Fram]

I do love my Vela, but its gone through some changes, vintage wound firebird neck pickup, vintage wind Paf bridge, three different colour pickguard until I settled on black....killswitch button, cocked wah and blower mini toggles.

I too had a few set up issues but over the course of a week or so tweaked everything until I got the right balance of truss rod and saddle height, I like a medium-ish action so the only fret buzz I get now is after I change strings for a few days, not sure why though ? And it goes away on its own.

on the whole its a fantastically versatile guitar and sounds amazing through my Laney lionheart rig.

 

[Gizmo]

I do love my Vela, but its gone through some changes, vintage wound firebird neck pickup, vintage wind Paf bridge, three different colour pickguard until I settled on black....killswitch button, cocked wah and blower mini toggles.

I too had a few set up issues but over the course of a week or so tweaked everything until I got the right balance of truss rod and saddle height, I like a medium-ish action so the only fret buzz I get now is after I change strings for a few days, not sure why though ? And it goes away on its own.

on the whole its a fantastically versatile guitar and sounds amazing through my Laney lionheart rig.

Wow, I imagine it sounds nothing like a stock one now. I would be curious to hear a Lollar or Fralin in the neck, but I already have plenty of guitars with P90s. I'm ok with the stock pu's since they sound more fenderish than any of my other PRS's. I like a somewhat medium action too for blues bending and occasional slide.

 

[Fram]

A P90 would be awesome....hmmm.....

and the exact same reason I have my action a little higher

 

[ColonelForbin]

My selector blade finally went out last night mid jam on my 2015 S2 semi hollow.
I want to upgrade to a 5-way blade, and do the volume and tone pots. I should probably go down the new pickups rabbit hole, but for budget contraints will leave the S2 pups in place for now.