P Rails - Singlecut Standard

[cscott2413]

Hey guys. New here and have a P rail question. I have just purchased a PRS Singlecut Standard and was planning on installing P Rails as soon as possible. It has 2 tone push pull, 2 volume and a 3 way toggle. What in your opinion is the best set up for all sounds? Do I need another switch to go between single, P90 and humbucker?

-Craig

 

[sosomething]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Each P-rail can be run in P-90, Rail, or Humbucking configuration. When in humbucker mode, each P-rail can run the coils in series or parallel.

With your current setup of a 3-way switch (which you should keep doing the job of pickup selection) and 2 push-pull knobs, it's gonna be impossible to get all the sounds possible from the P-rails.

Since you'll need to completely re-wire your guitar anyway, I would strongly recommend getting a pair of Triple Shot Mounting Rings, which will allow you to switch between the coils and series/parallel for each pickup.

 

[cscott2413]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Thanks. The mounting rings are a fine option but my pickup configuration is thru a pick guard. They will not fit.

 

[cscott2413]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Am I overthinking this?


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[sosomething]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Am I overthinking this?


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I don't think you are. It's tricky. Without re-wiring your guitar for more push-pull pots or adding some mini switches somewhere, you're going to have to compromise on one sound or another with the P-rails.

Humbucker/Single coil + Rail / P-90 switching:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2_prails_2v_2t_3w_2pp

But I would go with this scheme, because it still gives you Series Humbucker, Parallel Humbucker, P-90, and Rail sounds for each pickup. The only thing missing is the ability to mix and match, like having your neck pickup be in Rail mode while your bridge pickup is in Series Humbucker mode. Not a big deal, IMO, because those are the kinds of settings that make the least amount of difference to my ears.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2_prails_2v_2t_tspp

 

[cscott2413]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Thanks. I'll take a look.


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[cscott2413]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Thanks sosomething. Option 1 is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[sosomething]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Are you sure? As far as I can tell, option 2 gives you all the tones of option 1, plus the ability to switch between series/parallel.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

My experience has always been that the hum-cancelling parallel coils option is worth having.

Much depends upon whether you require access to every possible coil permutation or just mode switching à la "Option 1"? My own taste is to have mode switching per pickup. If I stopped to evaluate which permutations I use most frequently, it would probably turn out that I confine myself to roughly half a dozen favourites and ignore the remainder. It might be possible to access those half dozen combinations via a Freeway 3x3-03 selector switch.



My P-Rails pickups are in a PRS SE Custom Semi-hollow. Obviously, the construction of this guitar affects the tonal variations that these pickups offer me compared to what they would in an American-made Standard. I can approximate a small body Rickenbacker in a way that other guitars never could.

 

[xerophthalmic]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

Pick up a set of alligator clip jumper wires with the insulating sleeves over the clips. Then you can install your pickups and try out the many combinations. You can pick your favorites and design a wiring/layout from that point.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: P Rails - Singlecut Standard

I certainly understand and agree with what Funkfingers said. However, given your limitations, you should at least opt for the #2 wiring diagram suggested by sosomething...the Parallel humbucker mode is a very useful tone (probably more so than the series humbucking mode...the only humbucking mode available in diagram #1).