SE Mods

Hi everyone,

this is my first post in this forum; I don't know if it's the proper thread to post, but here I go:

I recently bought a nice SE Custom 24 (Trampas Green) and studied its wiring. My aim is to replace the 3 pos blade switch by either the PRS custom 5 pos blade switch, or the F*** Super switch blade 5 pos.

Am I correct assuming I got a 5 pos x a 2 pos push-pull switch (DPDT), I should be able to find a new wiring diagram that would give me 10 different pickups configuration?

Currently, What I obtain is this:

push-pull in humbucking position:

1. neck humbucker (slug and screw in serie, anti-phase so, am I right?)
2. neck humbucker (idem) + bridge single coil (slug side)
3. neck humbucker (idem) + bridge humbucker (slug and screw in serie)
4. neck single coil (slug side) + bridge humbucker (idem)
5. bridge humbucker (idem)

push-pull pulled in splitted position:

1. neck single coil (slug side)
2. neck single coil (slug side) + bridge single coil (slug side)
3. neck single coil (slug side) + bridge single coil (slug side)
4. neck single coil (slug side) + bridge single coil (slug side)
5. bridge single coil (slug side)

The first five combinations are fine, they reproduce I think what is available on the Core Custom 24
Now, the position 2, 3 and 4 in splitted mode are redundant, and I would like to find a way to obtain let's say these:

2. neck single coil (screw side) + bridge single coil (slug side)
3. neck single coil (slug side) + bridge single coil (slug side)
4. neck single coil (slug side) + bridge single coil (screw side)

I designed out wiring diagrams by myself that achieve the ten configurations with both 5 pos blade switches, but hoped the F... one having 4 different commons, it would help me achieve the 3 variations more easily, but I'm still not there.

Hope you expert guys outhere will be willing to help me on this :).

many thanks again,

Greg
 
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Actually, it may be impossible; I in fact want some combinations of 4 pickup types: humbucker, SC slug coil, SC screw coil, and obviously, no pickup; and that, for Neck and Bridge. In other words, that is a grand total of 4 x 4 choices, so I would need a 16 choices abled switches system; 4 pos + 4 pos would do it, 3pos + 2pos + 2pos would do it also, with some redundant positions...

So maybe 5pos + 2pos, giving 10 choices with three redundant is not so bad after all :).

I know these wiring stuff are all over the place on internet, but I still didn't manage to find good ones for SE pickups color schemes, nor for my exact combination, hence my questions :).

Greg
 
TusqXL nut, Schaller 455 bridge, Tonepros locking studs, complete rewire with Hosco electronics (made in Japan), aluminium tape for all the cavities, Bare Knuckle Pickups Cold Sweat calibrated set.

aaand just recently put back the black pickup rings (had creme rings there before) while I was rewiring the electronics. Also trying new strings which are Elixir custom gauge 11-14-18-32-42-52 in Eb standard tuning.

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The wiring kit. Definitely on par with CTS/Switchcraft stuff. And these are metric compared to the imperial stuff by CTS.

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gregvds said:
Am I correct assuming I got a 5 pos x a 2 pos push-pull switch (DPDT), I should be able to find a new wiring diagram that would give me 10 different pickups configuration?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what you're asking is possible. I would write this up in a text file, sleep on it, edit it again, to make sure it's clear to someone who hasn't read it before, sleep on it again, and then send it to the PTC.

One of the big differences between core models and SE models is the 3-way + push-pull vs the 5-way. But from what I understand, they're mutually exclusive. I'm not sure you can do the 5-way with the push-pull the way you're talking.

The PTC will do mods to an SE model, including to bring it to core electronics, but this is beyond core, I'm not sure this is anything they have in their arsenal, including the 513.
 
Hi Dusty Chalk,

I did not intend to achieve what I plan without changing the 3 pos blade switch and push-pull originally installed in the SE; at least, the 3 pos switch should be replaced by a 5 pos custom balde switch from PRS. I realized then that the 5 pos x 2 pos push-pull are not enough and could not be seen as 10 configurations (even 5x2 being 10), because the looked for pickups types are of 4 different kind, hence 4x4 = 16 configurations required, so a 5x2 switches system is not enough.

I plan to do this by myself, just buy-in the switches, pots, wires, and use the PRS SE pickups for that.

Anyway, thanks for your answer,

All the Best,

Greg
 
Okay.

I'm sorry, I did not mean to sound discouraging, I probably should have phrased that more as a question. I was just having trouble imagining what that wiring would entail -- have you diagrammed it out?
 
@Dusty Chalk:
No problem, I'm not discouraged.

Being on the other side of the great pond, I won't be able to send the SE to PTC, just for a wiring change.

I diagrammed it already, yes, using both PRS custom 5pos and Fender Super switch. With both, I only achieve the 8 combinations with redundant 2, 3 and 4 when push-pull in split mode.

I'll post the wiring schemes I drew as soon as I find out where I had a picture dump account somewhere on the web, I promise.

@wardog:
Thanks, they have indeed a great amount of diagrams. In the archive, for 2 splittable humbuckers, they go as far as one 5pos blade but no push-pull combo. I'll have a more in-depth lok at all the site. They seem also to have some fancy pots :).
 
gregvds said:
@Dusty Chalk:
No problem, I'm not discouraged.

Being on the other side of the great pond, I won't be able to send the SE to PTC, just for a wiring change.

I diagrammed it already, yes, using both PRS custom 5pos and Fender Super switch. With both, I only achieve the 8 combinations with redundant 2, 3 and 4 when push-pull in split mode.

I'll post the wiring schemes I drew as soon as I find out where I had a picture dump account somewhere on the web, I promise.

@wardog:
Thanks, they have indeed a great amount of diagrams. In the archive, for 2 splittable humbuckers, they go as far as one 5pos blade but no push-pull combo. I'll have a more in-depth lok at all the site. They seem also to have some fancy pots :).
Click to expand...
Greg, they will do custom diagrams as well. Might be worth you trying, based on what you wanted the end result to be.
 
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I think I'll go for the third one, but currently, in splitted mode, it's the screw SC that are selected, and I'd like to have the slug side, that PRS seems to prefer as emulating a SC sound.

I plan to go for mojotone push-pull pots, and the PRS custom 5pos blade switch.

pickup frames, lampshade knobs, for the look and feel too.

Then later MannMade SE tremolo upgrade parts.

And by the way, did someone replace the output jack by the PRS aluminium rectangular one? I think I remember having seen on a picture that the PRS one did not cover the two holes of the SE plate, correct?
 
gregvds said:
And by the way, did someone replace the output jack by the PRS aluminium rectangular one? I think I remember having seen on a picture that the PRS one did not cover the two holes of the SE plate, correct?
Click to expand...

I've done that (on a few SE's) and yes, the jackplate does not cover the holes from the football shape plate.
Here's a pic of my old Bernie SE:
 
@ _pete_: thanks, yes, that was the pic I had in mind. And seeing this, do the se are that much thicker than the core ones, or is it just the Bernie?
 
Merlin01 said:
Still useless :(
The D'addario's held tune much better than the Elixirs under non-tremolo playing conditions. But with the tremolo arm in I just have to hint at using it and all strings will go up between 10-45 cents in tuning. So with locking tuners, TUSQ nut, & new strings, it still looks like a binding issue or defective bridge (I don't know if bridges can be defective, but this POS doesn't work).
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Merlin, First look and see if the bridge is parallel to the strings when you are not playing. If it is not, then this is the source of the problem. I`d also pull off the back plate, and see if there are 4 springs. I have 5 PRS trem guitars, 4 of them are SE`s. All of them stay in tune and I use the trem every way I can, from Bigsby to dive bomb.
You might also want to put some Vaseline in the nut slots with a toothpick. Finally, was the luthier familiar with PRS trems? When I had the pickups replaced in my SE Tremonti Custom, The 30 years experienced luthier had set up the guitar horribly. He`d never done a PRS, so he set it up like his Fenders. It was unplayable until I redid it. PRS are different animals.
 
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I have practically no experience with PRS, I only got my SE custom for two or three weeks now. I first decided to change the gauge of strings, 9 was simply too thin to my ears. I paid attention to the tremolo, and remember it was perfectly parallel with the table/front of the guitar and string, not tilted neither up, nor down. I had 4 springs installed. I puth some cloth between the trem and the top to avoid to mark the finish, and removed the 9-42 and put the Elixirs coated, 10-46 I think. Coming back in tune, the bridge was now tilting up, so I installed the 5th spring. Again after tuning, better, but now the bridge was a bit on the low side. So I unscrew by minute amounts the two springs anchor screws, looking at the bridge angle, and retuning in between, until I had the bridge parallel to the table/top. I don't know if all this is normal procedure, but I hope it will help you fiddle around with your problem. Don't forget to allow new strings to stretch before blaming the bridge or tuners, and with locking tuners (which I don't have), you know you should put the shortest string length possible on the tuner's post right, the shortest the useless string, the less stretching, and less problems of string spirals crossing with dive bomb tremolo use (not sure this one is proper english, anyway, hope you see what I mean :)).

Greg
 
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