Upgrading a PRS SE
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- Опубліковано 27 чер 2018
- This video explores upgrading a stock PRS SE Custom 24 electric guitar. The upgrades done to the guitar are: new pickups -- a Gibson 490R in the neck and Rio Grande BBQ in the bridge; silver pickup covers added; new CTS 500K pots; an orange drop capacitor (.22uF); and I changed the neck mounting ring to a Gibson one just to show the difference in colour.
The sound samples showcase the split coil mode as well as the regular mode (no volume adjustments were done).
The guitar is run into a Fender Twin Reverb RI, with reverb for clean, and through a Wampler Ecstacy for the gain sounds. The amp has a Sennheiser e906 on it.
Hi Chris, Thanks for taking the time and providing the information necessary to do the upgrade if desired. A lot of guitarists are purist and prefer not to do the changes due to cost and installation requirements. I have the same guitar and extremely pleased with the factory installed equipment, until I heard the sound being projected by your upgrades. Totally sold on the new sound of your PRS SE. I like your style of playing during your review, you used the clean sound which projects the true sound of your upgrades and including the information on amp used, Fender Twin. Thanks
Sergio Flores Hi Sergio! You are most welcome! I’m glad the video helped you out and I appreciate the kind words. Cheers!
Sounds very nice! Rewarding effort.
I’ve learned that there is no single guitar that anyone can agree on. I love my se standard, stock everything. So much so I sold all but 1 of my fenders and got a real prs. I’ve noticed that a lot of gear heads sit here and split hairs over this pick up or that. Insert “my fender amp and this guitar with this pick up is the best” vs “ my marshall with this blah blah blah.”
Sounds great!
Raw Sugar Thanks!
I own pretty much the same model and even though I also have both strats,les pauls and tellies,I don't get why everyone considers the SE line as a 'spare' guitar.These instruments play really well and are well constructed.I can understand that the american Prss feature better materials and more quality but you don't have to forget that they also cost a leg.I'm pretty happy with my Custom SE then!!!
Totally agree
I just play so good on my prs se. Most easiest playing guitar I've played. Gonna try upgrading and mayne change color but I've found my guitar for life
My Gibson SG took a backseat after I got a new 2020 SE Custom 24. I can't see why anyone would dish out 3k or more for a core model when the imports play and sound better than alot of USA made guitars. If I had a core it would live the life of a case queen... Not my style.
So your leg only costs 4k? You got a cheap body dude.
Tuners suck won't stay in tune
Sounds good. Thinking about about getting a McCarty 594 SE Singlecut and upgrading the neck pickup to a 57/08 and upgrading the bridge pickup to a Gibson Custombucker.
Nice ,I just got a prs custom 24 in rosewood...Thinking about putting a gibson pickup in it...Just can't get the 85 15s to do metal...Thanks
those pickups sound waaaay better than the stock ones
Good stuff, man. I have to say, you should also have swapped to a CRL switch, but not tough to do later.
Sounds wonderful. though I don't imagine it to be a metal guitar with these pickups but wish it were.
I have a c22 from '08 and had the dragon2 pickups. I did not like thoae pickups.... had and older Prs c22 with HFS pickups and really liked those. I have a pair of Lindy Fralin Pure Pafs i just put in the 08 c22. Love the soud of those with cts pots 500k and bumble bee .022uf cap. Has some great tone. Still dialing in pickup height and seeing where i like it best. Love the PAFs in it!
Look so nice with pick covers 😋
Archie Draco Thanks! I agree :)
does it sound identical to a Gibson? I have the SD 59 in mind.
Well it isn’t a Gibson
I own a PRS SE Custom 24 too, and I am very pleased with it, but I don't like push/pull pots, because when engaged there is unwanted 'wiggle' in the shaft. I would prefer it if all guitar makers utilised an independent switch to activate the coil split function.
i thought about buying a PRS 24 custom and upgrading that as well but finding a qualified guitar technician and buying all the right components is gonna very costly and time consuming. What would I've done is adding a 5 way switch and coil splitting for parallel / series tone with the vintage PAF reissued pickups.
I’ve been wanting to do an upgrade on my Tremonti Se and was worried about how the pickups I choose will even fit . I like the sound of the 490 . Did you have issues with the spacing for the springs at all in your upgrade.
nice vid Chris , well presented , did you find the PRS to be a good combination of LP and Strat ? or did it fail on both ? Looks great to me , coil split sounds a bit thin to me. thanks for posting
Thanks Graham! The PRS is certainly an "in between" guitar, but I still prefer the original models. It is a nice choice if you're only bringing one guitar to a gig, though. The coil split is thin, hence using a compressor/boost with the split is a good idea, though I left them natural in the video so you can hear it properly. Louder output pickups are a better choice in this regard. Cheers!
thanks Chris , i was thinking of putting similar pups as yours in my new one as i like the tone on humbucker but a bit confused what to do now ,any suggestions on pups ?
Graham Hines I only can speak to mine. Try experimenting: it’s the way to find what you are after!
I love your sound on neck position...On the bridge it’s good too but a bit too brightly for me
With my PRS Standard I get the Led Zeppelin TSRTS timbre that I can't in my Gibson Studio. It's not always a matter of better or worse, but of getting the timbre you want.
Very cool with gbison pickup
Chris - thank you! I am researching upgrading my SE CU24 to SD P-Rails and what other electronics I could/should replace at the same time. It's been 2 years for you but can you give any guidance and be more specific on the pots, cap and maybe a replacement switch? Your SE sounds amazing!
Ian Rickey Thanks Ian! I used CTS pots 500K and a CTS tone pot that allowed for split coil work. If you’re not going to split coil the p rails you should be fine with the stock pots. I found mine loose and prefer a more gradual taper. Best of luck!
@@Cerotonin Hi,
Did you drill the top wood holes of the pots to accommodate the cts pots?
I know it has smaller potentiometer diameter
Well done I’m thinking about switching from strats to prs.
Hi Chris, after watching both videos of this guitar, I think you could have chosen better replacement pickups. These ones sound fine in humbucking mode but very ordinary when split. The sound quality in general in this video also didn't seem as good as the first one. I'm not really trying to be negative, just some constructive criticism if you are okay with that. I hope you are happy with the mods and got the tone you were after. Cheers again from Oz.
Shaun Baird I’m in agreement with you regarding the split mode. I originally wanted to use the high output pickups from my Les Paul so when split they would have more bite, but they had the wrong wiring for splitting. I traded them on a whim to try these out. You never know what you get till you try.
Sounds perfect
Thanks!
@@Cerotonin have a se custom on it's way and I'm probably doing a similar upgrade. Cheers!
brandon anderson Best of luck and enjoy the process!
That sounds nothing like a PRS. You killed that guitar. RIP :))))
thank for this clip. regarding the neck pickup, does this prs sound similar the the les paul (with the same neck pickup)? or does the different wiring of these two guitars make a big difference?
You’re welcome. A LP has a much thicker body which changes the tone.
Seems really cool deep sounding. I just rtaher have maple fretboard on it
i just bought my 1st PRS, a similarly upgraded 2013 SE Custom W/Wolfetone - Dr Vintage pickups installed and a set of graphtech saddles it is in perfect condition almost exactly like that one but no cream binding. I can't not upgrade ( personalize!) everything I freekin own in some way so I ended up installing PRS S2 locking tuners with some nice Ebony heads, ebony knobs, trem and switch tip, a set of rosewood pickup rings + a set of carbon fiber covers. mine does not have the P/P coil split feature, just the 3 way switch...upgrading to 5 way or going Push Pull...is likely my next and final upgrade.
Wondering which is "better" option..?
RaptorV1USA That sounds like a fantastic instrument! The guitar in the video has been sold, and I got an American Players Series which is just gorgeous! It has a rotary switch for pickup selection and split coil and I have to say it’s not my favourite. It’s from 2004; I believe the newer ones have the 5-way blade switch like a Strat and if I got another one I would probably go that route, so I’d say 5 way but depends on what you like. I find it faster to switch on a blade than a dial myself.
@@Cerotonin thanks so much for the feedback that really helps I was about to spend some more time researching what others prefer and why... your points make perfect sense saved me some time,. :-)
Stay safe and well .....
when I grow up definitely steppin up to an american made PRS.....
#lifegoals
What do think about vaughn scow prs pickups?
What size do you use are those 10 ns it sounds way better than mine I got to change mine send what pick ups they are it helps a lot I already changed the tunners cause it wouldn't stay in tune hopefully I won't have to change the bridge I will change the pots and nut it sucks I'm just pissed off for having to change everything I just bought it p r s is hyped up to much live and learn don't buy on line go play one first so you know what your getting don't get ripped off like me
got the 2018 custom 22, I guess they did some changes with the pick ups. I believe the 85/15 S pick ups, they sound great on mine. Maybe the older models they must have budgeted the pick ups back then.
Thanks for your comment and good to know for viewers! You raise a good point: the older models may have had more budgeted pickups. Cheers!
I agree...I think the pick ups in the 2018 are awesome. I love my custom 24.....I just changed to a Tusq nut can’t believe the change that made tuning wise. Best all around guitar I own.
hEy any luck doing older rock n roll or metal with those 85 15s?? I just got one and it doesn't do metal or rock n roll very good with my orange amps or my marshall..Great clean pickups...thanks
@@bzarb14 Hey, what model of the TUSQ nut did you get? I also want to upgrade my guitar
Sasmitha check out the graph tech tusq xl .... I believe it was PT-6643-00
My bridge on my prs is bending forwards i don't know how to straighten it out can someone please explain to me how to straighten it out especially the tension
I wish PRS made a se correct the first time. Not needing upgrades.
Mmm - don't like the massive drop in volume when you split the coils. But otherwise it sounds nice.
Yes you will have to change practically everything out, keys, pickups, selector switch, input switch, pots, strap lock and case, $500- $600 more, but still very pretty guitar.
Yes the volume pot is very slow. No speed pot.for swells fast.
Why don't they just make it right the first time. Cutting the crap.
Sounds better stock.
I can't for the life of me understand what some people don't like about the PRS pickups. But I'll take anyone's stick pickups that don't want them ;)
The 85/15s that come in the current SEs sound muddy/fuzzy. No definition. They don't cut through. When you play chords there's no separation. It just sounds all distorted and angry. They're not singing. The 85/15 USA made sound better in the core models. Nothing like the 85/15s in the SEs. I guess it's more the guitar/humbucker combo.
If you are going to put Gibson pickups in it, just buy a Gibsonm you can't for what a Gibson cost, I just got a PRS SE 24, with Zebra pickups. While I am not thrilled with the looks of the Zebras, they sound good, have not cranked up at practice, or gig yet, but I would use one of my Les Pauls, Strat, Tele, Gretsch. But if you are playing multiple of guitar covers, which require different tones, you don't have to keep changing guitars, the reasoning for the coil tap. I practice continually, to get better, improve your playing ability, and don't get bogged down with pickup change would make me play - sound better, all a matter of opinion. Although if-when I do decide to change pickups, I would consult a professional, sometimes your amplifier is the problem.
Watzline honestly this is what I go by. If I play a cheap guitar through a crappy amp and it still sounds good I know it’s the amp. And then I do vice versus. And most of the time I actually find having a real great amp can make pickups that don’t sound all that great pretty good. I played the fender player series through one amp thought they were terrible. Then switched amps. I was impressed. A good amp with good speakers will bring out every little nuance of tone your guitar has to offer.
Put a Dimarzio super distortion pick up in the bridge
You said it Hey I like your attitude
Huge volume difference when split is used ..
A JB in the bridge would sound better
Weezer?
Thank you just trying to think of who plays that song!
You shouldn’t be modding a beautiful guitar like that
nonsense
Pickups are subjective, but the PRS SE Custom 24 I had definitely needed a new nut because the stock nut is cheap plastic that throws the guitar way out of tune when you use the tremolo. Also nothing wrong with upgrading to locking tuners.
actually, the se absolutely needs mods in so many categories. the american made nut for one is a biggie, for resonance and tuning, brass bridge saddles too. pickups go without saying depending on your needs but i needed more cut, low end power. theres locking tuners if like mine it goes out of tune easily, i could go on. theyre a good guitar, a good base but for regular recording and gigging theres a lot that i had to do to mine. now that its done this thing is a machine, love it
the colour is sux
Why do all prs guitars sound like mud to me?
cause your ears are bad