(Un)modding an early 00's Hollowbody II

[Tater_McDoodles]

I'm looking at a HBII (non piezo) with a seriel number of 2002 or 2003. Its a 10 top, but has gold hardware (which I thought was reserved only for artist packages?). The owner says that the tone knob has a push-pull control, but it doesn't do anything (i.e coil tap). The guitar also seems to have the original Archtop pickups. Other HBIIs I'm looking at from the same years also have Archtop pups that ARE splittable straight from factory (the specific one happens to be an artist package).
I have to imagine that something was modded on the first guitar. Either the knob/pot was replaced OR the knob is original, but a previous owner had the guitar rewired to undo the coil split.

Maybe its impossible to tell without opening up the guitar, but does anyone have any idea what is going on here? I would like to have coil splits so I might bring it to a tech to get rewired. Would that be possible with the Archtop pickups?

I suppose that I could be getting bad info from the sellers? After all these are 20 year old guitars that have passed hands multiple times - they may not know.

 

[Gtrbldr]

Well, could be the guitar has had a PU swap and has been restored to original PUs, but the previous owner did not bother to put the splits back, because he did not use it. I know that is the case in one of my guitars. Those HBs are a PITA to solder.

Question might be: is it an issue for you, beacuse a professional should br able to restore that easily, and how much do you like this particular guitar? For me it would not be a deal breaker, but I cannot assume that is the case for you.

 

[Tater_McDoodles]

Well, could be the guitar has had a PU swap and has been restored to original PUs, but the previous owner did not bother to put the splits back, because he did not use it. I know that is the case in one of my guitars. Those HBs are a PITA to solder.

Question might be: is it an issue for you, beacuse a professional should br able to restore that easily, and how much do you like this particular guitar? For me it would not be a deal breaker, but I cannot assume that is the case for you.

That was my thinking as well. I'd plan to bring it to a pro to reinstall the taps. My main question/concern would be that the guitar and/or pickups somehow were not compatible

 

[Gtrbldr]

Hard to say. PRS has a history of some "creativity" with PUs and their specs.

 

[JasonE]

That was my thinking as well. I'd plan to bring it to a pro to reinstall the taps. My main question/concern would be that the guitar and/or pickups somehow were not compatible

The only possible compatibility issue is if the pickups don't have a tap wire. I am not sure if these ever came from the factory with taps in them. I have two, not as old as this one, and neither have taps. It is also my understanding that the switch pot will barely fit in there and it may have to go on the volume knob since the body is deeper at that spot.

 

[Bowtiefanatc]

The Archtops I had in my HB weren’t splittable.

 

[garrett]

I'm looking at a HBII (non piezo) with a seriel number of 2002 or 2003. Its a 10 top, but has gold hardware (which I thought was reserved only for artist packages?). The owner says that the tone knob has a push-pull control, but it doesn't do anything (i.e coil tap). The guitar also seems to have the original Archtop pickups. Other HBIIs I'm looking at from the same years also have Archtop pups that ARE splittable straight from factory (the specific one happens to be an artist package).
I have to imagine that something was modded on the first guitar. Either the knob/pot was replaced OR the knob is original, but a previous owner had the guitar rewired to undo the coil split.

Maybe its impossible to tell without opening up the guitar, but does anyone have any idea what is going on here? I would like to have coil splits so I might bring it to a tech to get rewired. Would that be possible with the Archtop pickups?

I suppose that I could be getting bad info from the sellers? After all these are 20 year old guitars that have passed hands multiple times - they may not know.

Gold hardware was an a la carte option at that time. You could order it regardless of any other options.

McCarty Archtop pickups are not splittable unless someone has modified them.


I think it's most likely that someone had replaced the pickups at some point with something splittable and then put the original Archtops back in when they sold it but didn't bother with the pot. As mentioned, wiring those things is a bit of a PITA.