PRS Switching

[mongrollo]

I would like to know the opinion of people how has tried the PRS switching. I am refering just about the "special options": single coils in parallel and single coils in series. I have read the reviews in harmony-central about the guitars which have the wiring and the people its'n so enthusiastic about it.

I have a two humbucker guitar and i am planing to do something similar...

[garublador]

Re: PRS Switching

It's kind of cool to have those funky options, but I find that the only combinations I use can all be done with McCarty wireing. I mostly use either humbucker by itself, both humbuckers together, which you don't get with PRS 5-way wireing, or both pickups as single coils combined in parallel. I also like the 3-way switch better since I think it's easier to go from bridge to neck humbucker with that switch and those are the two positions I use the most.

[Kent S.]

Re: PRS Switching

I love it, as I don't like the traditional two neck and bridge HBs on together in parallel ... I personally think that the tones are wonderful clean, I like the series for lead, or just fatter, warmer, but still singley toned rhythm work ... very nice and open sounding, a lot of personality that the traditional middle just doesn't have in my opinion, but it doe depend on what you like.

[mongrollo]

Re: PRS Switching

Thanks guys!
But I still feel that may be it is not a good option. My guitar came with a fase switch from factory. The pickups are two DiMarzio Paf Classics (8K) and the reversed fase doesn't poduce a nice tone. I thought I could expand the sonic options with more diferent wirings.

Does anybody had any other suggestion?

[tone4days]

Re: PRS Switching

i love the PRS wiring with my alnico2pro neck and JB bridge ... very versatile and inspiring

i like it so much, i did the same thing when i rewired my ibanez with the 59n and C5 bridge ... major good times

good luck
cheers,
t4d

[mongrollo]

Re: PRS Switching

i love the PRS wiring with my alnico2pro neck and JB bridge ... very versatile and inspiring

i like it so much, i did the same thing when i rewired my ibanez with the 59n and C5 bridge ... major good times

good luck
cheers,
t4d

Thanks! I think i will go for it... Nothing to loose in fact.

[HolyDirt]

Re: PRS Switching

be more specific... what kinda tone are you lookign for?

[mongrollo]

Re: PRS Switching

in fact i am just curious. I have this fase switch that doesn't sound so good so i thought i could change it for something different. I don't think the split would work for this humbuckers (8K), the sound it is going to be very thin (at least for the bridge). My experience tells me that if you split a high output humbucker you obtain the same tone but in a "clearer way". But in the low output case it is that same tone too, but in a "thinner way".

Same it is going to happen to the parallel setting.

So I though that may be the PRS wiring could do something for me. You definitelly won't have the same tone as any of the buckers since the are single coils from both sides involved. Probabely the outter coils series and outter coils parallel would have a similar tone but it seems worth trying.

So I just thought somebody could tell me if this wiring does have nice sounds (apart from the standard ones) or they are just useless.

[Robert S.]

Re: PRS Switching

If you want added versatility the PRS 5 way wiring options aren't a bad way to go but you have to realize that the split tones are a fairly strong departure from traditional humbucking tones and they are exactly true single coil sounding either.

If you are looking for the typical mid-cancelled Strat tones out of a 2 HB guitar the split HBs in parallel will get you in the ballpark. I find these tones most useful for clean or slightly pushed tones. If you max out a high gain amp and try runnning the parallel splits expecting to get a fat high gain crunch the parallel splits are going to leave you disappointed.

The whole point of the PRS 5 way wiring was to offer HB and hum cancelling splits from a single guitar. The PRS Custom series guitars are sort of a LP meets Strat type of thing. If you want some Strat type tones you'll be happy enough I suppose. If the mid cancelled Strat thing isn't you bag, you are probably better off not bothering.

[tone4days]

Re: PRS Switching

robert is exactly correct (as usual ) .. the PRS thing is very cool, but it is not exactly strat-ty and definetly not 'notched' stratty .. it is a very cool and fun set of combos that i find more versatile than the standard 2 HB middle position ... but like the ancient proverb says "if you want a strat sound, buy a strat"

cheers,
t4d

ps - if you do the PRS wiring with 2 SD pups, you'll need to do a magnet flip on one of 'em - not hard at all, just takes a few more minutes and some planning

[mongrollo]

Re: PRS Switching

thanks again!

I should specified that I like mainly clean/slightly distorted tones... About the wiring, i just want different options that doesn't sound the same. I have been experimenting with odd wiring and, in the end, you find that the traditional ones ussually are the better ones. And some times different settings just have very small diferences between them.

My idea it is not to do the PRS wiring but something similar with the normal pickup selector and a 3pole-2way selector.

selector off
1-bridge humbucker
2-positions 1 and 3 in parallel
3-Neck humbucker

selector on
1- outter coil of the bridge bucker IN SERIES with the inner coil of the neck bucker
2- positions 1 and 3 in parallel
3- inner coil of the bridge bucker IN PARALLEL with the outter coil of the neck bucker

with this i won't have to flip the magnet and all the positions will be humcancelling...

Tell me what do you think...

[Kent S.]

Re: PRS Switching

.................................................. .......................
selector on
1- outter coil of the bridge bucker IN SERIES with the inner coil of the neck bucker
2- positions 1 and 3 in parallel
3- inner coil of the bridge bucker IN PARALLEL with the outter coil of the neck bucker

with this i won't have to flip the magnet and all the positions will be humcancelling...

Tell me what do you think...

I've got those on a set up of mine (although in my case there's a bit more to it, always is with me ... ), except that I flipped the magnet to get outer coils, and inner coils, it's a slightly different version of two humbuckers in parallel ... since I don't care for the LP in the middle type of tone, the two coils that are in series become one *bucker* and the other two coils in series become the other *bucker*, then they are hooked in parallel ... It tend to retain more of the single coil-esque characteristics with the same neck and bridge span that the middle LP style position has ... go for it, I think you'll like it!

[mongrollo]

Re: PRS Switching

I've got those on a set up of mine (although in my case there's a bit more to it, always is with me ... ), except that I flipped the magnet to get outer coils, and inner coils, it's a slightly different version of two humbuckers in parallel ... since I don't care for the LP in the middle type of tone, the two coils that are in series become one *bucker* and the other two coils in series become the other *bucker*, then they are hooked in parallel ... It tend to retain more of the single coil-esque characteristics with the same neck and bridge span that the middle LP style position has ... go for it, I think you'll like it!

Thanks!! I think I will!