UPDATE: S2 Studio no longer disappoints!!

[markd21]

I got a sweet looking S2 Studio last week. It played comfortably (as a PRS should) but sounded worse than anything I ever owned - and that included weirdo Japanese guitars from the 60s.

Picture of the beauty (since we LOVE pictures) on my console -"studio" get it, lol?



Well, today I pulled it apart and looked at the wiring. Going through this thread https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/thoughts-on-sound-of-s2-studio.36184/ I found that mine was wired "wrong". I fixed the couple of wires, reassembled, and tried it out.

It sounds "right". There is clarity across the switch positions, and the tones are 99% usable. I am not fond of the neck-middle position. So, once I figure out what to change I am gonna make that middle pickup only - giving me:

bridge
bridge/middle
bridge/neck
middle
neck

All is good in my guitar world now. Truthfully, I am surprised that PRS would ship these guitars without checking that they sound right. I know it's not that big of a deal to crack it open and move a wire, but....

 

[veinbuster]

Most excellent.
I like your proposed switching.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

That’s such a hot pic!

 

[garrett]

I got a sweet looking S2 Studio last week. It played comfortably (as a PRS should) but sounded worse than anything I ever owned - and that included weirdo Japanese guitars from the 60s.

Picture of the beauty (since we LOVE pictures) on my console -"studio" get it, lol?



Well, today I pulled it apart and looked at the wiring. Going through this thread https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/thoughts-on-sound-of-s2-studio.36184/ I found that mine was wired "wrong". I fixed the couple of wires, reassembled, and tried it out.

It sounds "right". There is clarity across the switch positions, and the tones are 99% usable. I am not fond of the neck-middle position. So, once I figure out what to change I am gonna make that middle pickup only - giving me:

bridge
bridge/middle
bridge/neck
middle
neck

All is good in my guitar world now. Truthfully, I am surprised that PRS would ship these guitars without checking that they sound right. I know it's not that big of a deal to crack it open and move a wire, but....

Here's one I did for someone on TDPRI years ago. You only need two poles on the switch.

 

[markd21]

Here's one I did for someone on TDPRI years ago. You only need two poles on the switch.

AWESOME!!! Thanks man. I have never been good ay figuring out wiring schemes on my own!

 

[garrett]

AWESOME!!! Thanks man. I have never been good ay figuring out wiring schemes on my own!

Is the Studio wired with a big four pole switch like in my drawing? It might just be as simple as clipping a jumper wire depending on how they wired it. If you don't mind, post a pic and I should be able to tell.

 

[markd21]

The Studio has one of those switches. When I get it apart again (probably not for a couple of days) I'll snap/post a pic of what things look like. It's kind of chaotic in there, lol. It'll probably take a couple angles for you to be able to see it all.

Thanks again!

 

[shimmilou]

Here's one I did for someone on TDPRI years ago. You only need two poles on the switch.

Isn’t the pup on the left the bridge humbucker? Position 1 should be bridge, not neck.

 

[garrett]

Isn’t the pup on the left the bridge humbucker? Position 1 should be bridge, not neck.

No, in this particular case it was someone with a Nashville Tele with a humbucker in the neck position. I just numbered the lugs in descending order for some reason. I think I was still getting used to wiring these things back when I did that diagram. Anyway, it's like looking at the switch from the bottom side, so lever pointing away from the neck is bridge pickup, like normal.

 

[shimmilou]

Thx for the explanation garrett.

My CDO is kicking in, and I really need to fix the diagram. lol

 

[dmatthews]

This is great to hear, congrats!

 

[garrett]

Thx for the explanation garrett.

My CDO is kicking in, and I really need to fix the diagram. lol

I no longer have Visio, but MS Paint to the rescue!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I am not fond of the neck-middle position.

In general, or just the way this guitar and the pickups sound?

 

[markd21]

In general, or just the way this guitar and the pickups sound?

In general, but with this guitar in particular it's a little "worse". The D-Type pickup sounds great - and I am a HUGE fan of "real" Dearmond/Gretsch Dynasonics - but to my ears, with the two so close together the overall tone seemed more "choked". Certainly not technical terms, but that's the easiest way for me to describe it.

 

[shimmilou]

Mark, did you try it with the bridge split?

 

[markd21]

Mark, did you try it with the bridge split?

Yep! I like the split sounds. The neck + bridge settings are great - full humbucker and split!

 

[shimmilou]

Cool! Neck/bridge (split or full), is my favorite on this guitar.

 

[cucinero]

In case anyone's looking for the schematics

I'm also having a similar problem. Just picked up an s2 studio used from GC. pickups sound almost muffled, especially in neck/middle. I'm going to replace the switch and pots and after popping the hood, wires going everywhere.. I know its not supposed to sound like a strat, but the D type pups dont sound snappy and clear enough to cut through a mix. anyone with an s2 studio have any mods you've done on pots, caps, resistors, treble bleed upgrades?

 

[IOI]

Please keep us updated, I'm interested in isolating the middle pickup too, as others have mentioned the neck/middle lacks character and is a bit boring!

 

[xmichelo]

Please keep us updated, I'm interested in isolating the middle pickup too, as others have mentioned the neck/middle lacks character and is a bit boring!

+1. I'm really interested in the outcome of your work. I could apply it to my own S2.

And as others mentioned, this picture you made is absolutely stunning.