SE Custom 24 to Custom 24-08 conversion

pipthepilot

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Hello Everyone,

This is my first post and I thought I would share my upgrades to my SE Custom 24 with you in case anyone else would like to make these modifications.

Recently I was planning to buy a SE Custom 24-08, however I was very lucky and won a SE Custom 24. I love the look and playability of the SE Custom 24, its a great guitar but I wasn't overly enthusiastic about the tone so I decided to change the pickups.

At the same time, I also decided to upgrade the switches, pots, capacitors and wiring etc so I started designing how I was going to wire it all up. To give me the 8 different options of pickups as per a 24-08, I decided to add two coil splitting pots. The Tone pot to split the Bridge pickup and the volume to split the Neck.

To balance the volume between Humbucker and single coil I added resistors on the slit to ground. 7k5 for the Neck and 12k for the Bridge.

For the pickups i chose Seymour Duncan APH-1. I have a Les Paul with SD APH-2 (Slash Signature) pickups and I love the sound of them and wanted to use them in the PRS but as they only have two wires they can't (easily) be coil split, hence going with the APH-1s that have 4 wires plus ground.

The result is amazing, in full humbucker mode they are very close to my Les Paul but also sound great when split. As I can independently split the Neck and Bridge I have a huge array of different tones to play with. My PRS is fast becoming my favourite guitar.

This is the wiring diagram I created, please note that the pickup wire colours are based on Seymour Duncan humbuckers so you will need to translate the colours if you use the original PRS pickups. Also note, I used copper tape to shield the electronics cavity so the tone pot is grounded via the copper tape however, a wire can be added to connect to tone pot ground to the volume pot ground.

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Hope this is helpful to someone,
Philip
 
Hi! Great post. PRS SE Custom 24-08 user here. I'm a noob when switching pickups, looking to do it for the first time. I bought a couple of Seymour Duncan (SH-5 Custom and 59' Model Humbuckers to be precise) they're 4-conductor HB's. I noticed you mention the translation of cable colors between what the PRS pickups and the SDs might have. Also, I compare the PRS pickup color wiring to what the SD diagram tells me to do and they don't make sense. Any help here?

Thanks a lot!.
 
Hello,

As I'm sure you know, Humbuckers have two coils. You often see the first coil call North and the second coli called South.

Normally, the coils are in series so the hot wire is the start of the North coil, the end of the North coil is connected to the start of the South coil and the end or the South coil goes to ground.

On the PRS 24-08, the North End and South Start are connected via the switch so they can be coil split.

The below lists the Seymour Duncan wire colours mapped to the PRS wire colours.

Bridge (Treble)
SD-Black = PRS Black (hot) = North Start
SD-White = PRS Red (Split) = North Finish
SD-Red = PRS Red (Split) = South Start
SD-Green = PRS White (Gnd) = South Finish
SD-Bare = PRS-Bare = Gnd

Neck (Bass)
SD-Black = PRS White (Hot) = South Start
SD-White = PRS Red (Split) = South Finish
SD-Red = PRS Red (Split) = North Start
SD-Green = PRS Black (Gnd) = North Finish
SD-Bare = PRS Bare = Gnd

Note: Not all PRS pickups have the same wire colours as listed below. If your PRS pickups aren't Black, Red, Red, White, Bare, post what the colours are so I can advise. As PRS has two red wires, you need to make sure which red wire is the end of the Black or White wire with a multimeter.

Also note: The colours are different depending on which pickup. This is because its good practice to have one of the pickups reversed. Single coils tend to have more interference noise, which is cancelled out if the bridge and neck pickup are reversed with each other.


Hope that helps?
 
Hello,

As I'm sure you know, Humbuckers have two coils. You often see the first coil call North and the second coli called South.

Normally, the coils are in series so the hot wire is the start of the North coil, the end of the North coil is connected to the start of the South coil and the end or the South coil goes to ground.

On the PRS 24-08, the North End and South Start are connected via the switch so they can be coil split.

The below lists the Seymour Duncan wire colours mapped to the PRS wire colours.

Bridge (Treble)
SD-Black = PRS Black (hot) = North Start
SD-White = PRS Red (Split) = North Finish
SD-Red = PRS Red (Split) = South Start
SD-Green = PRS White (Gnd) = South Finish
SD-Bare = PRS-Bare = Gnd

Neck (Bass)
SD-Black = PRS White (Hot) = South Start
SD-White = PRS Red (Split) = South Finish
SD-Red = PRS Red (Split) = North Start
SD-Green = PRS Black (Gnd) = North Finish
SD-Bare = PRS Bare = Gnd

Note: Not all PRS pickups have the same wire colours as listed below. If your PRS pickups aren't Black, Red, Red, White, Bare, post what the colours are so I can advise. As PRS has two red wires, you need to make sure which red wire is the end of the Black or White wire with a multimeter.

Also note: The colours are different depending on which pickup. This is because its good practice to have one of the pickups reversed. Single coils tend to have more interference noise, which is cancelled out if the bridge and neck pickup are reversed with each other.


Hope that helps?
This was really helpful thank you. However, I noticed the stock PRS pickups I'm about to remove don't have two red wires. They only have 4 colors white, black, red, and green. Thoughts?

This is how they're set up.

PRS stock pickups
Bridge
Black = top right of the split
Green = middle right of the split
Red = Middle left of the split
White = pickup selector

Neck
Black = middle left of the split
Green = pickup selector
Red = Top right of the split
White = middle right of the split

*By split I mean the two switches to split the pickups.

I also notice the neck pickup doesn't have a Bare, only the bridge pickup, and it's grounded to the pickup selector.

Couldn't attach a pic, pain in the ass to upload.

Thanks a lot for helping me out!
 
In that case, I believe this is the correct wire colour map for the SD pickups. The bare wire is a shielding wire that usually attaches to the base plate on the pickup, technically, it's not required but when you swap pickup, make sure you ground both to earth.

Bridge (Treble)
SD-Black = PRS-Black
SD-White = PRS-White
SD-Red = PRS-Green
SD-Green = PRS-Red
SD-Bare = PRS-Bare

Neck (Bass)
SD-Green = PRS-White
SD-Red = PRS-Black
SD-White = PRS-Red
SD-Black = PRS-Green
SD-Bare = PRS-Bare
 
I am on same boat right now. Attempting to install sd invaders into my prs custom 24 08...what a drag. I really appreciate pipthepilot for the answers and paolo cavelli for asking some of the same things im struggling with. If you dont mind, id sure appreciate anything you could add, i wasnt clear as to how to handle that extra shielded cable frombstock bridge. As was posted, the stock bridge has the 4 colored wires, but also a wierd, shielded cable containing a larger gauge black wire , and bare..both are connected to the 3 way pickup switch. The bare is grounded, the black is on the top left leg of 3 way selector. Since the seymour bridge only has one bare..do i need to attach it to the 3 way in the same place the stock went..even though the sd does not have the heavier black wore attached to top left leg of position selector? I think with your awesome help with the color code..if i could rectify this in my head..i might get her back together tomorrow.
 
I did that with my SE-Custom 24. I did not put the resistors in. I’ve been using a boost pedal to even things out when split. I know that there is a volume difference, but I’m curious if anyone notices a tone difference between the split without the resistors and with resistors.
 
I did that with my SE-Custom 24. I did not put the resistors in. I’ve been using a boost pedal to even things out when split. I know that there is a volume difference, but I’m curious if anyone notices a tone difference between the split without the resistors and with resistors.
Hello, did you say you installed sd pickups into a prs? If so, could you elaborate a little? Im about to desodder and remove the stock pickups. I have a general idea of this swap, and the poster above REALLY helped by giving the color relation between sd and prs pickups. Im still not definitively confident i have this 100% cleared up as to proper wire placement of sd 's. Did you just put the sd wires to the same placement as the prs? Did you have to add any jumpers? Remove any? Any help greatly appreciated.
 
Hey Deepender, thank you for the info.
I can't express my appreciation for you and anyone else who takes the time to share knowledge, sincerely. I really need to dive in and gain an understanding of what all componants are doing and why, then i guess a diagram wouldnt be as necessary. For instance ,a coil splitter on a push pull, at my current level of understanding, i can't confidently say the mini toggles push pulls connection sights are exactly the same. I dont know which of the six connection points are ground or signal in, or out on either style.
Again, i hope to rectify that soon!
So i was able to speak with Jeff at Seymour D and he shot me an email that showed a prs diagram mirroring my configuration with 1 vol, 1 tone, 3-way p/u selector and 2 mini splitter toggles. On the prs diagram the connection points for p/u's were given a letter designation of A-H. The sd neck color code followed the prs color code exact, and to just install same as prs neck, however the bridge colors were changed as follows:
E-red...F-Green..G-black..H-white
E-top right of splitter
F-middle left of splitter
H- middle right of splitter
G- left leg of 3-way
Bare- ground on pot or whatever.
Sorry i couldnt figure out how to insert diagram. I only add this info because your set-up differs from mine and if someone has my exact issue, hopefully this will help them. Like i said earlier, push/ pull and toggle splitters may be exactly the same as far as electrical contact points.but i can see your wiring placement on your splitters differs from mine and really i just need to study up and educate myself a bit.
If you would like to see the prs diagram i was sent exactly mirroring the prs custom 24 08 with mini toggle splitters, if you explain how, i will gladly post it! Thanks again bro for the kindly response!!
 
Disregard my info above, once i started soldering, i realized it did NOT follow the way MY guitar came wired from prs. Wtf? How is a diagram str8 from prs , same exact switch configuration..show a different wire scheme than my brand new guitar?
Im going to end up rewiring the whole damn thing. When i burn everything up from constant resoldering..ha. man.
 
Disregard my info above, once i started soldering, i realized it did NOT follow the way MY guitar came wired from prs. Wtf? How is a diagram str8 from prs , same exact switch configuration..show a different wire scheme than my brand new guitar?
Im going to end up rewiring the whole damn thing. When i burn everything up from constant resoldering..ha. man.
If you are using Duncan pups, their diagram should get you there. You could do like I did, and use theirs as a basic foundation, and add a little something here and there. I experimented with various capacitors on the tone pot until I found what I wanted, and I tried different treble bleeds until I settled on Kinman style.
 
Man, the tech from SD was awesome. He hung in there with me..many emails back n forth. The whole issue was that when he gave me the wire color conversion for the bridge pickup( neck followed same color scheme as original, we were using a 2022 prs diagram, realized quickly it was wrong as mine is a 2023 se custom 24-08 and wireing is very different. Than he found a 2023 diagram..but it was for a core model..different...wierdly MY model's wiring appears to be a hybrid of 2022 se and 2023 core. I call PRS for the wiring diagram for 2023 se custom and get told it is proprietary and i cant have access to it. What a crock of bs. So everyone with 2022 and earlier can access diagrams but not anyone with 2023 se guitars. Honestly, im only in this mess because i was disgusted with the way the guitar sounded when i first plugged it in. I had such high hopes. Ok, love the way it plays and feels..i will just change the pickups. But no...not until i get a clearer understanding of the function of every connection will i be able to set this up properly..and actually , maybe..get to play it. So awesome to make payments for next 36 months ..for something i wont be able to play until some later date. Sorry, venting..messed with this thing all day. Suckin down solder fumes..ha..and achieved nothing. I have the Duncan Invaders...sort of..ha.
 
Man, the tech from SD was awesome. He hung in there with me..many emails back n forth. The whole issue was that when he gave me the wire color conversion for the bridge pickup( neck followed same color scheme as original, we were using a 2022 prs diagram, realized quickly it was wrong as mine is a 2023 se custom 24-08 and wireing is very different. Than he found a 2023 diagram..but it was for a core model..different...wierdly MY model's wiring appears to be a hybrid of 2022 se and 2023 core. I call PRS for the wiring diagram for 2023 se custom and get told it is proprietary and i cant have access to it. What a crock of bs. So everyone with 2022 and earlier can access diagrams but not anyone with 2023 se guitars. Honestly, im only in this mess because i was disgusted with the way the guitar sounded when i first plugged it in. I had such high hopes. Ok, love the way it plays and feels..i will just change the pickups. But no...not until i get a clearer understanding of the function of every connection will i be able to set this up properly..and actually , maybe..get to play it. So awesome to make payments for next 36 months ..for something i wont be able to play until some later date. Sorry, venting..messed with this thing all day. Suckin down solder fumes..ha..and achieved nothing. I have the Duncan Invaders...sort of..ha
 
Great posts.
Heya Veetwin, i apologize for that whole mess of, not a lot of helpful information, at least on my part. I think the color code conversion might help someone who is dealing with sd invader pickups..but probably not much else.ha! Been a very frustrating last few days..just want to play my newest guitar. I have it wired up janky..kind of radical metal-friendly sounds with bridge humbucker only..all other positions sound wretched. I know its not wired correctly. By the time prs finally releases the 2023 wire diagrams...i will have a grasp of this and wont need it.ha.
 
Awesome mod! I did the same, but with mini toggles, which I prefer over the push/pull pot. The drilling was a bit concerning, but it turned out OK.

 
Am revisiting this sd invader install fiasco...i am almost positive i have done something wrong. I basically put the sd wires to the same positions the prs p/u leads went. I believe my clor conversion was correct as sd and prs wire colors are not the same . My 3 way seems correct switching from neck to dual to bridge..but my mini toggles both down..sound twangy and about ½ the power as if both are switched up. Also when i play an A chord for example, like the first posituinnin Sammy Hagars " heavy metal".. or any chord really..there isnt a solid constant sound...it sounds as if there is a bit of a phlanger element to it. No fret buzz, does not improve no matter the pick up heighth ..low or high does not matter..i began to wonder if the fact that the stock prs set up has caps and resistors in the mix...and i left them installed...since there is already a capacitor inside the sd invader pickups...could the stock cap/ resistors be interfering with the new pickups causing these odd sounds?
Basically, should i have removed the caps/ resistors from the circuit when i installed new pickups?
 
I paid someone to convert my SE CU24 to a 24-08 before an SE CU24-08 was even a thing. I didn't do it myself and am only somewhat knowledgeable about wiring and soldering.

The conversation was done with upgrades to all wires, pots and switches, Lindy Fralin pickups and mini toggles. It's taking me a while to get used to the layout of a core 24-08 after having played the converted SE for so long.

Thanks for the post, and I appreciate all of the conversation about wiring in here as I am trying to learn how to do the wiring myself.

Gratuitous pic of the core 24-08 on the left and the SE conversation on the right. I play the core mainly now, and tuned the SE to Eb for a few songs to help out the vocals. I love playing both of them!


 
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