Splitting / tapping pickups 2008 semi hollow which has no coil split

[Vulpecula]

I have an SE Custom semihollow which I bought in 2008. It pre dates when PRS added the coil split to this model. It has zebra humbuckers, 3 positions, no coil split or tap.

I'm trying to research whether it is possible to reverse engineer a coil split or tap, and which one would be better. Any advice would be hugely appreciated.

1 I'm not sure whether the existing pickups have the wiring to be able to be split / tapped - I think they would need to have 4 wires - I have no idea what the factory pickups are, or how to find out.
2 Assuming I need new pickups what would be the best to go for? I might as well upgrade if I have to get new ones? What would sound good with a semi hollow?
3 How do I reverse engineer the coil split switch which isn't present?
4 Would a coil split or tap be better?

I have never attempted anything like this before but am willing to research anything and give it a go...

Have any of you done anything like this. Any help massively appreciated!

 

[Lewguitar]

It is.

If there's no coil tap wire on your pickups remove the pickups from their mounting rings.

Unwrap the tape so you can access the point where one coil is connected in series to the other coil.

Solder a long wire to that connection on both pickups, then tape that connection so it doesn't short.

Then install a push/pull pot or a mini switch that connects that new wire to ground when you throw the switch.

 

[SinSir]

Pull the back plate off and see how many wires are on the pickups is the first thing. May just need to add a push/pull or push/push pot. Could go toggle, but you would be drilling a hole. There's always a freeway switch too. Swapping a pot is the easiest for your first attempt.

 

[Vulpecula]

Pull the back plate off and see how many wires are on the pickups is the first thing. May just need to add a push/pull or push/push pot. Could go toggle, but you would be drilling a hole. There's always a freeway switch too. Swapping a pot is the easiest for your first attempt.

The wiring is massively confusing. I've established the pickups are PRS pickups, so should have 3 wires, hot, ground, and split. The wires from the pickups seem to only go to the 3 way toggle. There's a yellow, white and black wire coming from the inside of the guitar. Unfortunately it son't let me post a link to a photo... so I've tried to add a google photo link here if it will let me... https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNC6Tzba8MPX44VFkJ0Wzyxs9Sy0TB44eXIMWmx

 

[Lewguitar]

Since the SE pickups are not professional pickups, you might want to consider just replacing them with some pro quality USA made PRS or Duncan pickups that DO split.

 

[Vulpecula]

Since the SE pickups are not great pickups, you might want to consider just replacing them with some pro quality USA made PRS or Duncan pickups that DO split.

You may well be right - I need to research that. Do you have any suggestions of what would sound good with a semi hollow? I like full rich warm tones. (Probably why I have humbuckers not single coil).

I heard that the SE pickups were a bit muddy and less clear and you'd get more clarity from better pickups?

I'm a total pick up novice, but want to learn.

Thank you so much for your advice!

 

[SinSir]

Reach out to Wolfe at wolfetone. I recommend the Marshallhead bridge and Dr V neck. If you go PRS the 5708 are an excellent choice. Seymour Duncan is always a solid choice in my book too. Lots of sound files on their site.

 

[SinSir]

The wiring is massively confusing. I've established the pickups are PRS pickups, so should have 3 wires, hot, ground, and split. The wires from the pickups seem to only go to the 3 way toggle. There's a yellow, white and black wire coming from the inside of the guitar. Unfortunately it son't let me post a link to a photo... so I've tried to add a google photo link here if it will let me... https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNC6Tzba8MPX44VFkJ0Wzyxs9Sy0TB44eXIMWmx

The link cant be found, but it sounds like they split. I'd be kinda surprised if they didn't. You have to use a 3rd party hosting service to post pics and need a certain post count to do it. It's a low post count and there's a tutorial on here.

 

[Lewguitar]

I heard that the SE pickups were a bit muddy and less clear and you'd get more clarity from better pickups?

I'm a total pick up novice, but want to learn.

Thank you so much for your advice!

I believe that’s true.

Lots of Duncans come with 4 conductor cable for splitting.

If you want warm and full you might prefer Alnico 2 pickups like the PRS 57/08. They’re expensive but worth it.

By request, Wolfetone will make his Marshallhead pickups with Alnico 2 magnets and then they sound similar to 57/08’s.

They do not sound similar with the Alnico 5 magnets he prefers tho.

 

[ViperDoc]

The easiest mod would be a push pull tone pot and put the split on that switch.

New pickups are always welcome, though if your third wire is a split wire (I couldn’t see your photo), you could easily leave those in.

 

[SinSir]

The easiest mod would be a push pull tone pot and put the split on that switch.

New pickups are always welcome, though if your third wire is a split wire (I couldn’t see your photo), you could easily leave those in.

Yup! Easy first mod attempt. If you like the pickups, keep them, none of the other opinions on the internet matter. Slap a new pot and rock!

I

 

[Vulpecula]

Yup! Easy first mod attempt. If you like the pickups, keep them, none of the other opinions on the internet matter. Slap a new pot and rock!

I

Thanks so much for all your advice.I spent a while researching different pickups, and even on YouTube I could hear better pickups made my stock ones sound extremely muddy. I was fortunate to find a second hand paitr of Seymour Duncans that were taked straight of a high end ESP guitar. Cut my price in half . Having looked at Seymour Duncan's wiring diagrams I'm going to put 2 pots on one got each PUP. I may add a Seymour Duncan 59 neck PUP later as I like the sound more than the Jazz.

 

[Vulpecula]

The easiest mod would be a push pull tone pot and put the split on that switch.

New pickups are always welcome, though if your third wire is a split wire (I couldn’t see your photo), you could easily leave those in.

I decided to go the whole hog - 2 pots and new pickups. I may regret it when I'm sitting there with the souldering iron

 

[Vulpecula]

I believe that’s true.

Lots of Duncans come with 4 conductor cable for splitting.

If you want warm and full you might prefer Alnico 2 pickups like the PRS 57/08. They’re expensive but worth it.

By request, Wolfetone will make his Marshallhead pickups with Alnico 2 magnets and then they sound similar to 57/08’s.

They do not sound similar with the Alnico 5 magnets he prefers tho.

Thanks for the heads up re the Alcino 2 v Alcino 5. I'm learning fast! Having listened to lots of sample tones from pickups I see why many don't like the stock PRS SE pickups. They were made to sound very muddy by the alternatives. IMy wallet is cursing having a good ear, my smile is not. I found a set of Seymour Duncans second hand - they'd been taken straight off a brand new high end ESP guitar. They're Alcino 5 but I'll see how I go. I liked how they sounded played on various different guitar models. If they don't work on mine I'll be seeking out some Alcino 2's! Interestingly Seymour Duncan's wiring diagrams suggested you could add 2 push pull POTs one for each pickup - one on the tone and one on the volume. Can't resist that challenge...

Many thanks for your advice!

 

[Lewguitar]

Thanks for the heads up re the Alcino 2 v Alcino 5. I'm learning fast! Having listened to lots of sample tones from pickups I see why many don't like the stock PRS SE pickups. They were made to sound very muddy by the alternatives. IMy wallet is cursing having a good ear, my smile is not. I found a set of Seymour Duncans second hand - they'd been taken straight off a brand new high end ESP guitar. They're Alcino 5 but I'll see how I go. I liked how they sounded played on various different guitar models. If they don't work on mine I'll be seeking out some Alcino 2's! Interestingly Seymour Duncan's wiring diagrams suggested you could add 2 push pull POTs one for each pickup - one on the tone and one on the volume. Can't resist that challenge...

Many thanks for your advice!

What model Duncans?

I don't know what model SE humbuckers are in your guitar but most of the Korean SE's I've owned, like SE Singlecuts and Bernie Marsdens, had 245 pickups.

Those lack treble to me. They can get a pretty cool overdriven sound but they don't really clean up the way I'd like.

I removed them from all of my Bernies and put in PRS 57/08's, Duncan Antiquity and Wolfetone A2 Marshallheads.

Those Bernies could hang with just about any good Les Paul and sound just as good or better.

 

[SinSir]

Thanks for the heads up re the Alcino 2 v Alcino 5. I'm learning fast! Having listened to lots of sample tones from pickups I see why many don't like the stock PRS SE pickups. They were made to sound very muddy by the alternatives. IMy wallet is cursing having a good ear, my smile is not. I found a set of Seymour Duncans second hand - they'd been taken straight off a brand new high end ESP guitar. They're Alcino 5 but I'll see how I go. I liked how they sounded played on various different guitar models. If they don't work on mine I'll be seeking out some Alcino 2's! Interestingly Seymour Duncan's wiring diagrams suggested you could add 2 push pull POTs one for each pickup - one on the tone and one on the volume. Can't resist that challenge...

Many thanks for your advice!

There's nothing wrong with A5, if it's the tone you prefer. Some guitars I like A2, others A5, and sometimes ceramic or even a combo magnet ceramic and alnico. It's all about the guitar and player. There's no right or wrong or better or a worse.

The 59 is a very good pickup. I like 'em both jazz and 59. Both solid. Good choice on the SD. Their wiring diagrams are a great resource. Personally I'm not a fan of a push pull on the volume and prefer the PRS volume pot taper, but again personal choice. I've wired up both ways.

 

[Lewguitar]

There's nothing wrong with A5, if it's the tone you prefer. Some guitars I like A2, others A5, and sometimes ceramic or even a combo magnet ceramic and alnico. It's all about the guitar and player. There's no right or wrong or better or a worse.

The 59 is a very good pickup. I like 'em both jazz and 59. Both solid. Good choice on the SD. Their wiring diagrams are a great resource. Personally I'm not a fan of a push pull on the volume and prefer the PRS volume pot taper, but again personal choice. I've wired up both ways.

I like the 59 too. It's my favorite set for magnet swaps.

Nice wide range of sounds from A2, A3, A4 and A5, and all sound good!

I always use roughcast magnets, not polished.

Alnico 4 sounds good in the 59 and some experts say alnico 4 is really what was in 1959 pafs.

Putting A4 in a 59B bridge pickup and then using it as a neck pickup gets close to the sound of a Dragon1 neck pickup.

The only ceramic magnet pickup I like so far is the Dragon1 bridge pickup.

Otherwise, ceramic just doesn't get the 50's and 60's humbucker sounds I like.

Santana has gotten some great tones from ceramic magnet pickups tho.

 

[ViperDoc]

The Top Shelf humbuckers from Onamac Windery are some of the best pickups I’ve ever heard, ever. Clear, creamy, articulate, balanced. I ordered a potted 59 set with A5 magnets (I’m usually an A2 guy) and they are superb.

 

[Vulpecula]

What model Duncans?

I don't know what model SE humbuckers are in your guitar but most of the Korean SE's I've owned, like SE Singlecuts and Bernie Marsdens, had 245 pickups.

Those lack treble to me. They can get a pretty cool overdriven sound but they don't really clean up the way I'd like.

I removed them from all of my Bernies and put in PRS 57/08's, Duncan Antiquity and Wolfetone A2 Marshallheads.

Those Bernies could hang with just about any good Les Paul and sound just as good or better.

A JB in the neck and a Jazz in the bridge, which I may swap for a bridge 59 sometime in the future. Maybe cliche but I'm just starting on this journey.

After having listened to a lot of pickup samples last night I went back to my PRS through a clean amp, and it sounded shocking - really muddy and yuck, even though I like dark sounding guitars. Meh. Maybe it's the reason I often play it without the amp... Good time to change I think - just hope it really is the pickups and not the guitar...

I don't know what the stock pickups are, but yes, it is a Korean model. The PRS specs just say PRS manufacturered pickups. I think I read that they had a 57/780S - the S making it a specific version for the SE, probably at 1% the cost. Maybe I'll find out when I take them out.

 

[Vulpecula]

There's nothing wrong with A5, if it's the tone you prefer. Some guitars I like A2, others A5, and sometimes ceramic or even a combo magnet ceramic and alnico. It's all about the guitar and player. There's no right or wrong or better or a worse.

The 59 is a very good pickup. I like 'em both jazz and 59. Both solid. Good choice on the SD. Their wiring diagrams are a great resource. Personally I'm not a fan of a push pull on the volume and prefer the PRS volume pot taper, but again personal choice. I've wired up both ways.

I'll be putting a jazz in the neck (JB in bridge). Interesting you like the Jazz. There's a volume pot taper - off to google... This is the first wiring job I'll ever do so I'm on a very steep learning curve (and loving it).