jxe
babe en der wood
yeah but like i say i can't play in open g.
The 5-way Rotary Switch ?
- Thread starter Adipsia
- Start date
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Turns out this is wrong. Using my '97 CE-22, I used a metal allen wrench to tap on the polepieces of each coil in all 5 positions on the rotary switch.
This is what i found:
1. neck humbucker
2: slug poles of neck and bridge in parallel - a good usable single coil sound
3. slug poles of neck and bridge in series - creates a "middle" humbucker even though there isn't one
4. screw poles of neck and bridge in parallel - a weaker and less usable single coil sound
5. bridge humbucker
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
I just use whatever switch is on the guitar. I don’t have any problems with the rotary. If you want to go bridge for a solo, it’s as fast as any other mode. My ears tell me what position I’m in.
PRSWILL
New Member
Man I've owned my custom 22 since 1996 with a 5-way rotary and never even once thought about WHY it's labels the same as the volume knobs. huh!
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
If you feel adventurous, try turning your neck pickup around so the slug coils face the end of the neck.
Doesn't change the sound of the neck pickup by itself much, but it does change sounds 2, 3 and 4 on the knob.
I think I might like it better!
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PRSWILL
New Member
I may have to try that- just for kicks. I LOVE the tone of that guitar- Dragon 1/2 pups in it and it goes to EVERY gig. I am relic'ing it the old fashion way!
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
Please leave my 93 CU22 alone. I love the rotary and that middle tone where the 2 slug coils are in series
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
With noting how the switch location varies from guitar to guitar in the PRS lineup, I find myself forgetting which knob is the 5-way switch when playing. It's not intuitive to me. Plus, which mode is it is in when the lights are low/off in a gig? I can't see it. And because my other guitarist is a narcissist and has me turned down in the mix, I can't hear it. F7CK! Just give me a 3-way on the upper bout of a YOUJUSTDON'TKNOWWHATYOUREMISSINGUNTILYOUBANGA-594 and call it a day, mate!
PRSWILL
New Member
I gotta say/ 99.99 % of the time I play my 96 C22 it’s in the first pick up position. Growling Dragon 1 pup/ killer tone. I switch sometimes when I am jamming with others/ but usually if I’m playing the band set- it’s position one
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
Get away from the narcissist and turn the f..k up! Put him on the other end of the stage……
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
I did, every time. We didn't last long, no surprise. The follow up guitarist after me left too. Go figure.
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
Narcissistic band members are great at making good folks leave a good band.. glad you left
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
No real hubris, but I made that band sound f7cking amazing. Dude playing alone? NO SHOT.
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
BradM
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2017
- Messages
- 78
I've converted about three guitars from rotary to simple toggles...here's may take. A guitar with the rotary switch is best for either the studio or to select 1 or 2 positions when playing live. The toggle? ABSOLUTELY best for live gigging. I've always seen a myriad of choices as studio guitars. Toggles are always best live. ? YMMV...my 2 cents.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
One beauty about the rotary switch is that when you're in the #3 position on the switch it creates a powerful, great sounding humbucker that doesn't exist! The sound of a middle humbucking pickup.
Some guys think the switch is combining the two humbuckers like they would be combined with a 3 way switch in the middle position. It's not.
Since one pickup in a Dragon set is reverse wound/reverse polarity, combining the two screw coils from each pickup in series creates the sound of a MIDDLE HUMBUCKER! But there is no middle humbucker.
Personally, I prefer that sound to the sound of a bridge and neck humbucker combined using a 3 way switch. It's stronger and clearer. More lively and dynamic.
It's a great sound with a set of Dragon 1's. Not so exciting or dynamic with a set of Dragon 2's tho. It's still good...just not as good.
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BradM
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2017
- Messages
- 78
Yep...always comes down to what an individual likes. And amps...and pedals...and....LOL!
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
There is one thing i don't like: as I sweep through the settings, going from neck humbucker to bridge humbucker, I can hear it click through the amplifier four times until it gets to the bridge humbucker.
It clicks for every setting change and that's annoying. Not a good thing.
Maybe some contact cleaner would help.
I'm going to need a new one soon for my '97 CE22. Settings 2 and 4 are not working properly and just have one pickup on...not two.
Rhythmisking
New Member
The '99 CU22 I just got is my first PRS with the 5-way rotary. I'm still getting the feel of it, but it doesn't seem that different to me in terms of awkwardness of use compared to a 5-way switch.
I mean, I don't ever look down at the switch while I'm playing and figure out which position it's in and move to another one. I always go all the way to either end and then back (one or two clicks) in one movement. So far it seems to work the same with the rotary, just go all the way to either end of the rotation and then back one or two clicks in one movement, no looking required. Mine is quiet, so noise isn't a problem.
What is problematic for me is when the position clicks in the switch are too soft/indefinite. I have an old '79 Strat with the original 5-way and the switch positions are so soft it's hard too feel them on the fly.
I mean, I don't ever look down at the switch while I'm playing and figure out which position it's in and move to another one. I always go all the way to either end and then back (one or two clicks) in one movement. So far it seems to work the same with the rotary, just go all the way to either end of the rotation and then back one or two clicks in one movement, no looking required. Mine is quiet, so noise isn't a problem.
What is problematic for me is when the position clicks in the switch are too soft/indefinite. I have an old '79 Strat with the original 5-way and the switch positions are so soft it's hard too feel them on the fly.
PRSWILL
New Member
This is why In ear monitors are the BEST thing ever for playing live. no volume wars and you hear exactly what you want to hear.
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