Custom 24 players, does that 5 way rotary knob bother you?

[cyndicate]

I am starting to get the hang of it but seems kind of slow switching from the bridge to the neck. This thing plays extremely well and sounds great, however I am starting to hate the 5way rotary knob! Has anyone changed it themselves to the other way, 3 way switch + push/pull for coil tap?

 

[Jordon]

I got better and faster with it, but could never get the accuracy down for quick switches. I eventually swapped it out for a 3-way and coil tap...I kinda miss the sounds I could get with the 5 way, but not enough to go back to it.

 

[cyndicate]

I got better and faster with it, but could never get the accuracy down for quick switches. I eventually swapped it out for a 3-way and coil tap...I kinda miss the sounds I could get with the 5 way, but not enough to go back to it.

So switching the 3-way / coil tap doesn't yield the same sounds? After playing it with more often it's starting to get easier, but it's just taking awhile getting used to it because it's kind of placed weird, I think it's annoying because it's positioned below the bridge

 

[Jordon]

With the 5 way, you don't get the usual ,middle position of a 3 way, or the single coil tapped pickups tones. With the 3 way, you don't get all of the out of phase sounds and whatnot that you get with the 5 way. I think there might be a way to wire the 3 way and coil tap to get close to it, but I'm not 100% on that.

 

[swimrunner]

It did, and then I swapped it out for a push/pull and 3-way. Honestly, I thought having three different in/out of phase combined coil taps wasn't really all that useful, and the split coil I use the most is the neck alone - an option not available with the stock configuration (although if you tweaked the knob wires I'm sure you could get it). I suppose someone trying to fake strat 2/4 positions might get more mileage, but I'm not a big quack guy and one middle position with singles is more than enough for me.

I think PRS got a lot of things right with the Cu24. Honestly though, I think the rotary is just really a bad idea, from a speed/convenience perspective.

 

[cyndicate]

It did, and then I swapped it out for a push/pull and 3-way. Honestly, I thought having three different in/out of phase coil taps wasn't really all that useful, and the split coil I use the most is the neck alone - an option not available with the stock configuration (although if you tweaked the knob wires I'm sure you could get it). I suppose someone trying to fake strat 2/4 positions might get more mileage, but I'm not a big quack guy and one middle position with singles is more than enough for me.

I think PRS got a lot of things right with the Cu24. Honestly though, I think the rotary is just really a bad idea, from a speed/convenience perspective.

Is it easy to switch to a 3-way + push/pull? Pretty much is it just as easy as just swapping out the pots or are there any mods needed done to the body to fit it?

 

[Jordon]

I had to widen the hole for the 3-way with a reamer. That's about it, though.

 

[aeroic]

I hated the rotary switches. Loved the tone...hated switching with it. I always did the same...yanked it out and put a 3-way switch in.

Push / pull or push / push pots are just a pot...W/ the PRS's I've had I never had to modify the body to put them in.

I'd recommend the push / push pots from Warmoth. Makes coil tapping an even easier task!

 

[Audioholic]

doesn't bother me, I rarely have to switch that fast, but when I switch, I have gotten pretty good at making the proper adjustments.

 

[cyndicate]

Hmm so I guess if you go 3-way you can't go back since you have to enlarge the hole?

 

[mincy]

Not a fan of the 5 way switch. I haven't bother swapping it because I rarely need to switch in a hurry and when I do it's usually just between neck and bridge so there is no finesse needed.

 

[squealie]

I've been sweaty enough onstage that I literally could NOT turn the 5-way. I had to use a handful of shirt to grip it.

I hate the thing. I keep meaning to drop a 3 way tog in there. Even though I bought a 'reverse magnet' 59 to work with the rotary and the Custom 5 in there. As it is, I can only use 1 and 5, all other positions are uselessly out of phase/polarity.

 

[Code001]

Hmm so I guess if you go 3-way you can't go back since you have to enlarge the hole?

It shouldn't be an issue. If the washer is too small, just get a slightly larger one.

 

[Digital Jams]

Hate that idea and my last GMW had a 5 way superswitch installed with the same wiring and like that alot better. I need a blade for that quick neck to bridge pinky slap.

 

[Jordon]

Yea, when you have a 3-way in the PRS, it turns out that it's in the perfect spot for quick and accurate changes. If you go back to the 5-way, you just drop it in with a slightly larger washer, no big deal....just make sure you mention it when you sell it...if you sell it.

You shouldn't need to buy a pickup with a reversed magnate. As long as you wire it correctly, it should work fine...you just have to search for a wiring diagram to use SD or other pickups with the PRS wiring style. I was able to throw a JB and a Custom Custom in to my PRS with the 5-way back in the day, and I just had to wire it correctly.

 

[IS350xtrm]

I switched mine to a 3 way (no push pull since I use actives). HATED, i mean HATED the rotary switch. Would have been better if they had put the bridge and neck positions right next to each other so it was only one click, but clicking through all the settings with a moderately stiff knob to get from bridge to neck sucked.

BTW I didn't have to open up the hole to get the switch in, I found a brand that dropped in nice. Can't remember anymore which one it was though, its been a few years... As I remember it, I think the regular switches were real close to the right size, it was only a few mills off, but again, its been a few years since I did mine.

 

[Jordon]

Right, they're very close, just a little bit of wood needs to come out.

 

[MetalHeadd]

I had a 3-way installed shortly after I got mine, just never got along with the 5-way. Haven't looked back, great guitar.

 

[R.D.]

Years ago, I actually had PRS custom wire me a 5-way that switched position 2 & 4, because I used 1 & 4 the most ....

My switch was wired:

Position 1
Position 4
Position 3
Position 2
Position 5

It was cool .... I fact, I wish I still had that guitar !

 

[audiomichael]

I hate the 5 way. Unless you're Carlos Santana, and have 30 seconds between your phases, so you can switch pickups and have a cup of tea, it's just impractical.

So I removed the tone knob (who needs to roll off highs on a PRS!?!) In it's place I put a 'blower switch' that jumps between the bridge pickup, and then to whatever the 5 way is set to. However, now the volume knob is push-pull to tap the bridge humbucker to single coil, and the humbucker position on the 5 way now is the single coil tapped neck pickup. It's actually not as complicated as it sounds, and made the guitar VERY versatile. and you can quickly jump between the bridge pickup and any other pickup setting by using the blower switch.