Zach Myers - My mods

[Ian]

OK, I'll start by saying that these are my mods for me and not because of any manufacturing deficiencies in the guitar.
Due to a back injury I'm limited to lightweight hollowbodies, Korina bodies or semi hollows. That's why I bought it.
Part 1

First up, pick-ups: My preference is P90s. As PRS don't sell their pick-ups; the next option is a pair of Bare Knuckle Mississippi's with a set of black pick-up rings from BlackDogMusic here in the UK.
Next, Controls: Sorry but I've been playing PRS guitars with single vol and tone pots now for too long to go back to multiple controls. Anyway I've learnt how to control a cranked valve amp with the guitar's vol & tone that makes two sets of pots just too awkward for me to readapt. So all the wiring striped out and replaced. Vol pot is a CTC and the tone pot is a push/pull of unknown origin. Ebony control knobs and tuner buttons are from Crazy Parts in Germany. Although the control knobs come with bird inlays they don't come with white markings, so had to run in some Tip-Ex (typists correction fluid) into the stamped numbers. I managed to break the pick-up selector switch so an all black one came from BlackDogMusic.


...more to follow in part II

 

[Ian]

Part 2
Next, the Head Stock: (this is where I totally destroyed any residual resale value of the guitar) A walnut veneer with a set of PRS Phase II tuners. Walnut veneer had several coats of Petrofin oil (I think that's what its called - Mesa Boogie used to use it for their hardwood cabinets) and then waxed to a semi sheen. Phase II tuners came from eBay and are complete with ebony buttons from Crazy Parts.
You'll see in the photo below that the D string tuner is not straight, something I've just noticed.



The last Thing, Truss rod cover. I photographed the original script from the guitar and photoshopped it over a photo of the body. This was printed and overlaid with film onto a couple of Starbucks cards. At the moment it’s stuck on with BluTack, but I have a gold screw waiting to make it permanent. I have produced a gold PRS signature but at the moment loathed to put it on.

......That's it’s, my mods to my guitar that joins my other PRS guitars and that I gig with.
I gone from 9‘s to 10’s and the nut slots need to be recut on this guitar, other than that all is well.

Hope you have enjoyed my short journey.
Ian

 

[Bainesbucker]

Very nice! In my opinion ALL the SEs are begging to be modded and made into Tone-Monsters!
Glad you did this.
BB

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Cool!

 

[Boogie]

Cool mods indeed! Since you're adventurous with Photoshop, try taking a good photo of your guitar's top, then print the same grain section as the open control pot holes into glossy photo paper, cut out round pieces and adhere them over the open holes? Those would bug me after a while without something over them.

 

[László]

I'd just put switches in the holes and add some weird electronics.

But your mods are way cool.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I'd just put switches in the holes and add some weird electronics.

I'd put diamonds in there.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

You've made it your own which I just love!

Only thing I dislike is the two holes left over from removing the pots and knobs. The suggestion of putting switches in there or photoshopping the top and covering the holes is a good one.

 

[rugerpc]

Cool TRC.

Dummy knobs for the holes....

 

[Ian]

..looks like I have work to do on those holes - What about LEDs?

Thanks for the feedback.
Cheers
Ian

 

[rugerpc]

I was just gonna suggest some blinking lights!

 

[BrianC]

Dummy knobs for the holes....[/QUOTE]

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pachap]

LED lights for the holes.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

LED's sound good!

 

[Raven17]

Great pickup choice!

 

[slowro]

Another thumbs up for LEDs from me! Just for crazy bling.
I love the black rings, switch and pickup rings.
I think you should always make a guitar your own, be it from private stock custom made for you, plain old playing wear or changing parts!

How does it sound with p90's?

 

[toothace]

I'd go with the LEDs also…I put them in the same spot on an LP copy way back when...

 

[Tadpole]

What pots?

OK, I'll start by saying that these are my mods for me and not because of any manufacturing deficiencies in the guitar.
Due to a back injury I'm limited to lightweight hollowbodies, Korina bodies or semi hollows. That's why I bought it.
Part 1

First up, pick-ups: My preference is P90s. As PRS don't sell their pick-ups; the next option is a pair of Bare Knuckle Mississippi's with a set of black pick-up rings from BlackDogMusic here in the UK.
Next, Controls: Sorry but I've been playing PRS guitars with single vol and tone pots now for too long to go back to multiple controls. Anyway I've learnt how to control a cranked valve amp with the guitar's vol & tone that makes two sets of pots just too awkward for me to readapt. So all the wiring striped out and replaced. Vol pot is a CTC and the tone pot is a push/pull of unknown origin. Ebony control knobs and tuner buttons are from Crazy Parts in Germany. Although the control knobs come with bird inlays they don't come with white markings, so had to run in some Tip-Ex (typists correction fluid) into the stamped numbers. I managed to break the pick-up selector switch so an all black one came from BlackDogMusic.


...more to follow in part II

I really want to put push pull parts in mine and I'm trying to figure out which pots I should buy. Do you have any idea of the dimensions of that pot that you used? Did you have to ream the hole to make it fit?

thanks!

 

[xjbebop]

Kill switch and a phase switch. That would be awesome...

 

[garrett]

Very nice! In my opinion ALL the SEs are begging to be modded and made into Tone-Monsters!
Glad you did this.
BB

Agreed! I can't look at one without thinking of how I'd mod it.

Kill switch and a phase switch. That would be awesome...

Dude, you read my mind!

I'm a fan of controlled out of phase, with a 0.01 uf cap in series instead of just crossing the wires. This cancels only some of the frequencies and gives you a little more of a Strat quacky sound.

Very cool mods so far. I like the headstock veneer.