PRS CE users, which pots??

G

Gish_85

New member
Hi I've been having some issues with my tone, which I am fairly certain is to do with the pots. The guitar sounds too shrill and I've got 500K vol and tone, I wanted to order a 300 or 330 to try out but could only get a 250. Was going to try it for the volume. Just wanted to hear other peoples experiences

Cheers!
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

Thanks, unfortunately there are 2 problems. One is i'm in the uk and the other is that I don't use CTS (i think that's what gibson use?!) pots because I do a lot of volume swells and need quite loose turning pots
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

The guy ships to the uk... you could try something like DMZ tonezone or somethong else really bassy with the 500k pots.

BTW I think with appropriate contact cleaner you make any pot very loose.
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

I'm not a wiring guy- someone else here can chime in- but I do believe PRS uses some kind of cap or resistor or something in their circuit which gives them that extreme high end frequency/clarity- which often does sound shrill. I've read about folks "taking it out of the circuit" in some manner-might do a search. Next PRS I own I will do the same/have it done, cos I hate it too.
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

Interesting that you ask, I have mine open right now (it is getting a Custom 8 in the bridge) and the volume and tone pots measure 500.

not shrill through my rig.

I'd go down to 300 if they were shrill...or use the tone.
 
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Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

JeffB said:
I'm not a wiring guy- someone else here can chime in- but I do believe PRS uses some kind of cap or resistor or something in their circuit which gives them that extreme high end frequency/clarity- which often does sound shrill. I've read about folks "taking it out of the circuit" in some manner-might do a search. Next PRS I own I will do the same/have it done, cos I hate it too.
Click to expand...

That's a form of treble bleeder
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

JeffB said:
I'm not a wiring guy- someone else here can chime in- but I do believe PRS uses some kind of cap or resistor or something in their circuit which gives them that extreme high end frequency/clarity- which often does sound shrill. I've read about folks "taking it out of the circuit" in some manner-might do a search. Next PRS I own I will do the same/have it done, cos I hate it too.
Click to expand...
It's a treble bypass cap. Look for a cap attached to your volume pot. Disconnect one of the legs and it'll be out of the circuit.

My $0.02 on the shrillness issue: If, after clipping the treble bypass cap, the shrillness is still there when you roll off the volume a bit, replacing the pot probably isn't going to do the trick.
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

I did the full wiring myself so that cap isn't there. Why would you say pots wouldn't fix that problem? Got any alternative suggestions?

Edit: rolling off the volume does help a bit, will check that fully tomorrow
 
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Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

I just replaced the custom5 I had in there with a 59b, it improved the situation a lot but I'm still going to do some mag swaps. Haven't tried an a4 yet so might order a couple
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

The extra PRS capacitor does nothing with the pots full open.

It is unlikely that exchanging the pots will make a guitar you don't like work for you. The difference is very small.

You can see what the result with 250/250 will sound like by (1) turning down the tone pot to where it reads 250 Kohm on an Ohmmeter and (2) putting a 500 Kohm resistor across the 500 Kohm volume pot. Now you have what a 250/250 combo would sound like full open, without soldering anything.
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

The obvious question that has not yet been asked is which version of PRS CE do you have?

Some early examples feature an all-alder body. For a time, the model was offered with a maple cap on alder. Eventually, it went over to the maple cap on mahogany back formula of the Custom.

I have a modified American PRS EGII - alder body, screwed-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. This has the same HFS bridge/treble pickup as my Custom but they sound completely different. Unsurprisingly, the EGII sounds very "Fender-y".

If the bulk of the body tonewood in your example is alder rather than mahogany, this might explain why it sounds the way that it does.
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

It's maple neck rosewood fingerboard and solid mahogany body. interesting I thought changing pots made a pretty big difference. Well I'm going to try it with 250's but I have been thinking about selling it and getting something else. I quite like the concept of the les Paul bfg but the low price has got me a bit worried about quality so I'll need to try one out
 
Re: PRS CE users, which pots??

Gish_85 said:
Thanks uopt but I don't have a 500k resistor
Click to expand...

You really shouldn't rip your guitar apart and install 250/250 without making sure it does what you want. The effect is small and it will not make you like a guitar you dislike now.

You can use another 500 Kohm pot as a 500 Kohm resistor for this test.

Or take one from your iPhone :D
 
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