Members Igneroid Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 I have an 07 PRS 513 mahogany...Great guitar but since buying an EVH 5150 iii, I get the micropgonic feedback bigtime on the high gain channel. I have determined that its the guitars fault and not the amps. After much reading on other forums, I think the concensus is PRS makes not so good pickups....I havent looked hard but cant seem to find a pickup replacement "kit" for this guitar...Does anybody have knowlege concerning this subject......I just play the thing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 I don't believe there are *any* aftermarket options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Igneroid Posted July 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 I don't believe there are *any* aftermarket options.OK...so I gotta dip these things in wax???? I dunno, Im a hammer and cold chisel kinda guy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 I'll see what sort of options I can find for you but if you decide the guitar just doesn't work for you anymore... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 OK...so I gotta dip these things in wax???? I dunno, Im a hammer and cold chisel kinda guy..... I can't imagine PRS 513 aren't already potted. My guess is there is something wrong with one of the coils. Well, if it's microphonic...there is something wrong with one of the coils, but I expect it may be beyond potting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aliensporebomb Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 You might ask PRS what they think and see what they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Igneroid Posted July 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 I can't imagine PRS 513 aren't already potted. My guess is there is something wrong with one of the coils. Well, if it's microphonic...there is something wrong with one of the coils, but I expect it may be beyond potting.I just got a new amp (EVH5150 iii) and the squealing happens only on the high gain channel.....but....it dosent happen with any other guitar. My strat can go insane on channel three and the PRS soiunds like a pig with its nuts in a car door....no body apparently makes aftermarket pickups for this thing..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuz929 Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 Yea those pickups are so specialized I highly doubt you will be able to find replacement PUPS, let alone someone who won't charge you an arm and a leg to figure out how to wire it. The whole "thing" to those 513s are the pickups and the switching versatility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LesPaulFetish Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 Talk to PRS, pretty much your only choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Igneroid Posted July 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 You might ask PRS what they think and see what they say. Talk to PRS, pretty much your only choice.Ya. I gave them an email on their support page....Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuz929 Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 I thought about this some more and got to thinking - I mean, technically you could put any kind of pickups and any kind of wiring into any kind of guitar you want... If you wanted, you could rip out those pickups, put in 2 'buckers and a single coil and just throw a normal 5-way switch in there and change the 3-way to a mini toggle to split the 'buckers. But in this case, the 513 is all about those pickups and that switching capability. Take that away and you no longer have a 513 - you just have a sweet PRS with aftermarket PUPs in it. So i guess to simply answer your question, you could put whatever pickups in there you want, but you probably will have to change the rest of the wiring, too. But, it could be done. I mean, I don't see why it couldn't. It just wouldn't be a "513." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jds22 Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 Curious about this. Let us know what PRS support says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 I thought about this some more and got to thinking - I mean, technically you could put any kind of pickups and any kind of wiring into any kind of guitar you want... If you wanted, you could rip out those pickups, put in 2 'buckers and a single coil and just throw a normal 5-way switch in there and change the 3-way to a mini toggle to split the 'buckers. But in this case, the 513 is all about those pickups and that switching capability. Take that away and you no longer have a 513 - you just have a sweet PRS with aftermarket PUPs in it. So i guess to simply answer your question, you could put whatever pickups in there you want, but you probably will have to change the rest of the wiring, too. But, it could be done. I mean, I don't see why it couldn't. It just wouldn't be a "513." Nope, the 513 PU's are proprietary sized and routed. You would have to route the guitar to use traditional humbuckers and even have to route it to use a Strat-style single coil. And even after the route, there would be remains of the old pickup routes at the ends,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheIgnoramus Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 That is the blessing/curse of the 513. You're stuck with the pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BydoEmpire Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 You might ask PRS what they think and see what they say.I'd do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rand-O-Monium Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 Seymour Duncan Custom Shop,"if" it's worth it to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuz929 Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 Nope, the 513 PU's are proprietary sized and routed. You would have to route the guitar to use traditional humbuckers and even have to route it to use a Strat-style single coil. And even after the route, there would be remains of the old pickup routes at the ends,. that's exactly my point. its POSSIBLE. yes difficult, but possible if you feel like routing and changing out the entire wiring scheme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 that's exactly my point. its POSSIBLE. yes difficult, but possible if you feel like routing and changing out the entire wiring scheme And completely marring the appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuz929 Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 And completely marring the appearance. yessir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 maybe the pickups/guitar are not as much of a contributor to the feedback problem as you may think microphonic tubes in your amp may be contributing as well and if you change (or even just switch around) some of the preamp tubes you may greatly reduce the problem in the OP you stated that you don't have the problem with your strat so that means it must be the PRS but since, using the same logic, you didn't have the problem with the other amp (Marshall?) then maybe the amp is a factor too consider that the output of the PRS is much greater than that of the strat so the combination of potentially microphonic tubes and high gain pickups may be the issue you can test your tubes for microphonics by gently tapping them with a wooden pencil (use the eraser if it has one) and listening for a ringing sound through the speaker - sometimes, if the tubes are really microphonic, you can hear the ring just by tapping on the front panel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted July 24, 2012 Members Share Posted July 24, 2012 that must be really loud when it is turned all the way up like this I wouldn't let something like that be the deciding factor in what you decide to do with something like this if it were me, i'd just choose another amp for that guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Igneroid Posted July 25, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 25, 2012 maybe the pickups/guitar are not as much of a contributor to the feedback problem as you may think microphonic tubes in your amp may be contributing as well and if you change (or even just switch around) some of the preamp tubes you may greatly reduce the problem in the OP you stated that you don't have the problem with your strat so that means it must be the PRS but since, using the same logic, you didn't have the problem with the other amp (Marshall?) then maybe the amp is a factor too consider that the output of the PRS is much greater than that of the strat so the combination of potentially microphonic tubes and high gain pickups may be the issue you can test your tubes for microphonics by gently tapping them with a wooden pencil (use the eraser if it has one) and listening for a ringing sound through the speaker - sometimes, if the tubes are really microphonic, you can hear the ring just by tapping on the front panel Ya, Im not an electrical troubleshooter by any means but I did get a bucketload of new tubes and tried every combo possible using a schematic that states what tube does what channel yaddayadda. After a suggestion to try a different guitar, I plugged in my Deluxe straT with NOISELESS pickups..Wimpy , yes, compared to the PRS...hey, that rhymes:D. Anyhow, the volume level that I can get with the strat is waaaaaaqay more than Id ever need and no feedback of the annoying kind. WE are a fairly loud stage level band but this squeal happens at a fairkly low gain and volume level...shouldnt be there.. I will try the Mesa and the PRS at practise thursday and see. The Mesa is not as wild as the EVH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted July 25, 2012 Members Share Posted July 25, 2012 I had the same problem with my Peavey Ultra Plus and a lot of guitars and some fed back. I'm betting you have a bad tube and you've jacked the gain too much for the type of pickups in the 513. PRS tries to build pickups for tone and versatility and a lot of times these don't do well with high gain. Paul is more of a boutique Amp and Boutique guitar guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Igneroid Posted July 25, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 25, 2012 I had the same problem with my Peavey Ultra Plus and a lot of guitars and some fed back. I'm betting you have a bad tube and you've jacked the gain too much for the type of pickups in the 513. PRS tries to build pickups for tone and versatility and a lot of times these don't do well with high gain. Paul is more of a boutique Amp and Boutique guitar guy. Ya. Ive read that and there might be something to it but the third channel on the EVH is pretty much useless(gain on 3 , volume on 3) and the amp works great with other guitars of much lesser quality... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted July 25, 2012 Members Share Posted July 25, 2012 Ya. Ive read that and there might be something to it but the third channel on the EVH is pretty much useless(gain on 3 , volume on 3) and the amp works great with other guitars of much lesser quality... My Squire Tele hates high gain amps but sounds great in a boutique amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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