PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

[Alpione]

Hey all - just picked up a 2007 McCarty. Stock McCarty pickups. I love the guitar but the pickups could stand to be a little clearer. They've got a low-mid focus that is great for some things but gets in the way of others.

Looking at a few options and actually have a Jazz pickup lying around. Still searching for a bridge option.

On the wiring, I'll be going from PRS pickup wiring to SD wiring into their 3-way toggle and a push-pull tone switch. 1vol/1tone. I want to leave everything else alone, including the resistor they use for their "partial" coil split functionality. Can anyone give me any hints on doing that? I've changed pickups on basic Strats before but not this setup.

Thanks.

 

[Mincer]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

I'd certainly try the Jazz, since you have it already. But I bet a set of Antiquities would sound great and solve the issues you are having.

 

[Alpione]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

I'd certainly try the Jazz, since you have it already. But I bet a set of Antiquities would sound great and solve the issues you are having.

Thanks. I looked at those but need a 4 conductor version. Don’t see that on the website, at least on my phone.

 

[Golem]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

You're wiring question is certainly one I've wondered about and haven't seen answers on.

 

[jeremy]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

i dont know if you can get antiquities with 4 cond so youd have to do it yourself or go custom shop. as for the wiring, it should be pretty simple to copy what is in there already just switch to duncan color codes vs prs. tell us more about what you want from your bridge pup?

 

[beaubrummels]

PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

I would get a Pearly Gates bridge to go with the Jazz. It’s already 4-conductor and matches the Jazz well tone and output wise. Whole Lotta Humbucker set would be another great option for a McCarty. Also comes stock 4-conductor.

Pearly/Jazz would have a little more top end (like having a no load tone), WLH would have a softer top (like having the tone rolled off to 9.5/10). My experience is using both those setups in a mahogany SG standard.

Plenty of other options also depending on music you want to play and amp you are using.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

I've got Whole Lotta Humbuckers fitted to my McCarty, which I love. They split really nicely too!

 

[Alpione]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

You're wiring question is certainly one I've wondered about and haven't seen answers on.

as for the wiring, it should be pretty simple to copy what is in there already just switch to duncan color codes vs prs. tell us more about what you want from your bridge pup?

Stock McCarty pickups are a 3 wire configuration and I haven't seen a great explanation of how to convert. There's also a capacitor wired in there for a "partial"split. I've emailed SD about it and will report back.

Pearly/Jazz would have a little more top end (like having a no load tone), WLH would have a softer top (like having the tone rolled off to 9.5/10). My experience is using both those setups in a mahogany SG standard.
.

The WLH set is in the running. I like your top end description there. Main amp is a Dr Z Maz 18, which can be super bright. So a touch of softer highs would be good.

I've got Whole Lotta Humbuckers fitted to my McCarty, which I love. They split really nicely too!

Good to hear. Price isn't too bad either.

 

[jeremy]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

the split wire on the mccarty is the same as the red/white series connection for a duncan

 

[Alpione]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

the split wire on the mccarty is the same as the red/white series connection for a duncan

Thanks. Still trying to convert this, my current wiring:

https://www.prsguitars.com/documents/custom3waytoggle.pdf

To SD. Compared to the "2HB, 1 Vol, 1 Tone Push/Pull and 3 way toggle" diagram on the SD site, the PRS schematic seems very different. More than just translating a wire color or two.

Admittedly I'm fairly new to this, so it's very possible I'm making it harder than it is.

 

[Big Mike Blues]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

Making it harder than it needs to be.
Black is hot, or PRS white (bridge)

green is ground (PRS black)
red and white get soldered to gether and go with teh PRS Reds wire is (tap).

Nothing else is different, other than on some pickups the PRS neck wiring is the opposite.
But in this case, that will suit you fine.

Black to the switch, green and bare to ground, red and white soldered together and go to the coil tap switch where the red wire was.

Leave the cap/resistors in place.

 

[Alpione]

Re: PRS McCarty Advice - Pickups and wiring

Here's what I got back from SD support after sending them over the PRS schematic for comparison. They were very responsive and helpful. I haven't tried it yet, of course, but this is the clearest explanation I've seen.

Here is what you do for the bridge pickup:
Put the Duncan BLACK wire to the 3-way toggle where the original pickup's black wire was.
Put the Duncan RED & WHITE to the split switch where the diagram says 'bridge pickup red'.
Put the Duncan GREEN wire to the split switch where the diagrams says 'bridge pickup white'
Put the Duncan BARE wire to ground on the back of the volume pot.

Here is what you do for the neck pickup:
Put the Duncan BLACK wire to the split switch where the diagram says 'neck pickup white'
Put the Duncan RED & WHITE wires to the split switch where the diagram says 'neck pickup red'
Put the Duncan GREEN & BARE to ground on the 3-way toggle where the diagram says 'neck pickup ground'