PRS SE Custom

TS2

New member
Went to the guitar store today and played the PRS SE Custom. Pretty nice for the price and very playable. My only beef is it only has a volume, tone, and three way switch. Does anyone know if the toggle can be switched out with a PRS 5-way knob? Or...how diverse can you get the combinations with that with 4-way pickups and a couple of push/pull pots?
 
Re: PRS SE Custom

You'll need:
New, 4-conductor pickups
PRS 5-way switch
Someone willing to mess with wiring a PRS 5-way switch

The stock pups, from what I recall, aren't 4-conductor, and 4-conductor is necessary for the rotary.

You'll actually get MORE tonal versatility out of a 3-way and some push-pulls.
 
Re: PRS SE Custom

I see... Also, another thing I noticed is the body size/thickness is roughly the same as my gibson SG. I know PRS guitars are supposed to be between a Les Paul sound and a Strat sound, but doesn't an SG have the same properties except the 25" neck? I don't want 2 guitars that have the same tonal properties.
 
Re: PRS SE Custom

I see... Also, another thing I noticed is the body size/thickness is roughly the same as my gibson SG. I know PRS guitars are supposed to be between a Les Paul sound and a Strat sound, but doesn't an SG have the same properties except the 25" neck? I don't want 2 guitars that have the same tonal properties.

Well, if you like it, you should get it. There are lots of variables that contribute to sound. Two similarly-constructed guitars can still sound quite different.
 
Re: PRS SE Custom

I've got an SE Singlecut and an SG. They sound significantly different. The SG's more midrange-focused; the PRS has a deeper low end to it, in my experience, and, for lack of a better term, sounds better in the upper registers.

Another thing to consider is that the SE Custom has the trem option; this doesn't exist over in SG-ville.
 
Re: PRS SE Custom

The main problem is getting ahold of a switch. I dunno whether you can easily order one from PRS as a replacement part. Ebay has rotary switches similar to this. You need 5 positions and IIRC 4 lanes. Most free-market rotary switches don't have the split shafts that you need for normal guitar knobs.

If you drop in Duncans anyway the issue of the conductors doesn't apply.

The electronics cavity might not hold a rotary switch. Rotary switches are a little bigger than pots, at least the ones I have seen.

Expect that you get the schematics wrong on the first couple tries.
 
Re: PRS SE Custom

Ok, so here is a stupid question since the tremolo issue was brought into play. What style will sustain better, the hardtail or tremolo? I know you can block the tremolo off by putting in 5 springs, thus making it hardtail-like...but there is a lack of wood. My SG just doesn't have the sustain that I want. It sounds freaking amazing, but the notes don't hold as long as I'd like. I tried the hardtail version of the SE...it seemed to sustain as long as the Epi Les Paul, if not a little longer. But I would hate to get the hardtail, then decide I'd like a tremolo later.
 
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