Crazy NGD: PRS S2 McCarty 594

[Eagle]

S2 pickups need changing together with the loom . USA PRS pickups aren’t great either so it’s an opportunity to put something good in.
I put Throbak 101s in mine and it made a huge difference.

Mine is a custom 22.
I just need to get around to Stainless 57110 frets but I Hardly play it.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Hey @Jarick I’m attempting doing my first pickup swap on my own on the bridge of my s2 594, wanted to pick your brain if you don’t mind since you’ve just been doing that a lot.

Should I just duplicate how the pickup is currently wired? Or should I follow the SD diagram for 2 humbucker/tone/volume ? I read on the PRs forum tbst that diagram should be the one to use but it has wires going to different spots than the current wiring. Color code appears to be different on SD vs PRS pickup too

 

[Jarick]

Are you keeping the pots and switch from factory? If so I would probably follow the PRS wiring diagram (link here: Here's the factory wiring diagram).

You could probably get away with just desoldering existing pickup wires and putting the new ones in. Colors for Seymour Duncan should be the same as above (black is hot and that goes to volume pot, green and bare go to ground, white and red twisted together and go to the coil tap switch (where it says white on the factory diagram, that should be white and red).

If you're using new pots, then I'd redo it all with the Duncan diagram. I like to make a little template from a piece of cardboard, trace where the holes for pots are, put the pots in and then wire it all up except pickups and jack, then install it.

More importantly, what pickups are you putting in?

One thing to be aware of if you haven't already checked, some PRS guitars DO NOT fit long leg humbuckers (like Antiquities, Slash, 59's, etc.). Not 100% on the McCarty 594 as it may be better, but could be an issue.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Are you keeping the pots and switch from factory? If so I would probably follow the PRS wiring diagram (link here: Here's the factory wiring diagram).

You could probably get away with just desoldering existing pickup wires and putting the new ones in. Colors for Seymour Duncan should be the same as above (black is hot and that goes to volume pot, green and bare go to ground, white and red twisted together and go to the coil tap switch (where it says white on the factory diagram, that should be white and red).

If you're using new pots, then I'd redo it all with the Duncan diagram. I like to make a little template from a piece of cardboard, trace where the holes for pots are, put the pots in and then wire it all up except pickups and jack, then install it.

More importantly, what pickups are you putting in?

One thing to be aware of if you haven't already checked, some PRS guitars DO NOT fit long leg humbuckers (like Antiquities, Slash, 59's, etc.). Not 100% on the McCarty 594 as it may be better, but could be an issue.

Thank you for the info that helps immensely!!!!!

Keeping factory pots, just changing the bridge pickup

To an SD Scourge. These leg screws are definitely longer than the PRS ones though… shit….

 

[Eagle]

Thank you for the info that helps immensely!!!!!

Keeping factory pots, just changing the bridge pickup

To an SD Scourge. These leg screws are definitely longer than the PRS ones though… shit….

Use the PRS ones they should fit.

 

[Jarick]

Thank you for the info that helps immensely!!!!!

Keeping factory pots, just changing the bridge pickup

To an SD Scourge. These leg screws are definitely longer than the PRS ones though… shit….

Yeah that should be an easy swap.

I'm guessing that should work just fine, those are Mark Holcomb pickups and his signature is a PRS so wouldn't make sense to do long legs.

Agreed with Eagle, use the factory screws. You may not be able to drop them as low but longer screws can bottom out in the pickup cavity and cause issues.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Use the PRS ones they should fit.

Whew, you’re right. I visually checked before and thought they looked to tight but just tested and they do fit

Enjoying some afternoon brews so probably will wait til tomorrow to bust out the soldering iron in a sober state


Beverages last night gave me the liquid courage to walk to the Home Depot next door and get an iron

Successfully soldered on the pickup cover I got from Philadelphia luthiery to the pickup (although that said, I should still probably wax pot it before install right?)

But then I almost burned my apartment down (unrelated to soldering) because I moved my air fryer over on top of the stove and accidentally turned it on while doing so. Melted out the bottom

 

[Jarick]

I have never wax potted a pickup, usually I just put the cover on and go. You could if you want use a hair dryer or something to warm it up and let the wax flow a bit but honestly I wouldn't bother.

Assuming you got a nickel cover, are you going to swap the screws too?

 

[spawnofthesith]

I have never wax potted a pickup, usually I just put the cover on and go. You could if you want use a hair dryer or something to warm it up and let the wax flow a bit but honestly I wouldn't bother.

Assuming you got a nickel cover, are you going to swap the screws too?

Good to know, I was kind of thinking just doing a full send without potting and then if I do end up with excessive noise issue worrying about doing that later and embracing additional practice

Nothing on the screws, SD doesn’t offer a covered version of the Scourge but I didn’t want to lose the aesthetic and I just prefer the covered look anyway

 

[spawnofthesith]

Success!! Sounds awesome. Wish I was doing my own pickup swaps ages ago lol

 

[Jarick]

Looks great!

OCD part of my brain would probably want to swap those hex screws for nickel screws though lol

 

[spawnofthesith]

Looks great!

OCD part of my brain would probably want to swap those hex screws for nickel screws though lol

haha, it crossed my mind but I don't mind the contrasting look.. for now... lol

 

[paisleywookiee]

S2 pickups need changing together with the loom . USA PRS pickups aren’t great either so it’s an opportunity to put something good in.
I put Throbak 101s in mine and it made a huge difference.

The S2's now have American pickups, which is cool. I gotta say, I generally don't like PRS pickups, BUT the 85/15 is awesome. Definitely my jam.

 

[spawnofthesith]

The S2's now have American pickups, which is cool. I gotta say, I generally don't like PRS pickups, BUT the 85/15 is awesome. Definitely my jam.

I LOVE the 85/15s in my CE24 cleans are brilliant especially split and I love the biting high end for high gain

 

[paisleywookiee]

I LOVE the 85/15s in my CE24 cleans are brilliant especially split and I love the biting high end for high gain

Yeah, this is my favorite PRS, tbh. I'm GASing for a Blacktop.

 

[cherryblossom]

Okay one more pickup swap. I put in a set of Wolfetone pickups, Dr Vintage neck and Marshallhead bridge. For these I put in alnico 2 polished magnets and added PAF spec nickel silver covers.

Sounds fantastic now! The Marshallhead with A2 is definitely thicker than the Thornbucker Plus and can do heavy stuff with gain. The Dr Vintage doesn't have the overwhelming bass of the stock neck pickup but has more bite than the Thornbucker. They're warm but clear. And the middle position has a lot more cluck than stock.

Honestly if the stock neck pickup was 7.5k instead of 8.0k they would be fantastic.

Hi Jarick - stumbled upon this thread while trying to figure out a pickup swap for my S2 594 Singlecut. I am thinking of going down the Dr Vintage/Marshallhead path as well. For the Marshallhead I am thinking more of A5 vs A2. The PRS sounds a bit mid heavy to me. Infact I put in a Classic 57+ in this guitar and it sounded woofy. Any thoughts on the A5 vs A2 for this guitar?

Thanks!

 

[Jarick]

Hi Jarick - stumbled upon this thread while trying to figure out a pickup swap for my S2 594 Singlecut. I am thinking of going down the Dr Vintage/Marshallhead path as well. For the Marshallhead I am thinking more of A5 vs A2. The PRS sounds a bit mid heavy to me. Infact I put in a Classic 57+ in this guitar and it sounded woofy. Any thoughts on the A5 vs A2 for this guitar?

Thanks!

Good question! I would say if you tried an A2 already, then I'd lean towards A5. I haven't used the Classic 57's but from what I hear the Wolfetones are going to be a little bit clearer. If I were ordering brand new pickups from Wolfetone, I'd probably get a Dr Vintage neck and Marshallhead Mk 2 bridge just to have a little less midrange push but the regular Marshallhead sounds pretty good too.

If you buy from Wolfetone direct and ask, he can include both magnets, and it's a pretty easy swap depending on if you have covers soldered on. These pickups aren't potted so there's no wax to deal with...just have to loosen four screws on the bottom of the pickup and push the magnet out from one side.

Only thing I would do is just verify the magnets are the same direction when you reinstall it...note which side is facing the slugs (not the screws), and mark that side with a sharpie. It may already be done. Then put the two magnets side by side next to each other and if they stick together, mark the same side with a sharpie, and re-insert it so that side faces the slugs. If you flip it, you get an out of phase sound when the pickups are combined.

 

[cherryblossom]

Good question! I would say if you tried an A2 already, then I'd lean towards A5. I haven't used the Classic 57's but from what I hear the Wolfetones are going to be a little bit clearer. If I were ordering brand new pickups from Wolfetone, I'd probably get a Dr Vintage neck and Marshallhead Mk 2 bridge just to have a little less midrange push but the regular Marshallhead sounds pretty good too.

If you buy from Wolfetone direct and ask, he can include both magnets, and it's a pretty easy swap depending on if you have covers soldered on. These pickups aren't potted so there's no wax to deal with...just have to loosen four screws on the bottom of the pickup and push the magnet out from one side.

Only thing I would do is just verify the magnets are the same direction when you reinstall it...note which side is facing the slugs (not the screws), and mark that side with a sharpie. It may already be done. Then put the two magnets side by side next to each other and if they stick together, mark the same side with a sharpie, and re-insert it so that side faces the slugs. If you flip it, you get an out of phase sound when the pickups are combined.

Thank you, very helpful!