Pre-Wired Vintage PRS® Electronics Upgrade Kit
The Vintage Upgrade Kits offer a warmer, woody tone for anyone who is tired of not being able to use the controls on your guitar effectively. This kit is also great for those who are tired of losing tone and note-definition every time they roll their control past 8!! This kit is designed for all PRS® style guitars.
Also available: a DGT option for the PRS David Grissom model!
Important Notes:
- The short/straight switch will work for ALL PRS guitars, so if you have doubts as to what is in your guitar, go with the short/straight option. Please call or email if you have any questions.
- If your PRS has a rotary switch, you will have to enlarge the rotary switch hole to 1/2" for the toggle switch to fit. If your PRS has a rotary switch, the SHORT/STRAIGHT switch must be used.
- If your PRS uses a 90º switch, than the 90º or short/straight switch may be used. Your PRS cavity must have the cavity routed to a certain depth to accommodate the 90º switch. Not every PRS has this cavity routing, USA or Import. The threaded section of the 90º switch is approximately .200 inch. The threaded section of the short/straight switch is .350 inch.
- Also be aware that some knowledge of basic wiring is needed as PRS® does not use the same color codes on rotary guitars as used on the McCarty.
Available in left-handed orientation with correct-turning pots. Not just wired backwards, but the correct taper as well!! NO EXTRA CHARGE !!
Please Note: All guitars manufactured in Korea, Japan, China, Indonesia and Mexico use metric pots (6mm), and have metric sized holes drilled for the pots. All pots sold by RS Guitarworks use standard pots and hole diameters (3/8"). Therefore, holes in the guitar, plates and/or pickguards will need to be enlarged to 3/8" to fit properly. Also, metric knobs will not fit the RS pot shafts; most popular knobs are available on the store in new and aged versions. Please call us for details or questions about installation.
What this is: For years, guitar manufacturers have chosen to cut corners on the electronics they have used, even in their top-of-the-line guitars. This kit is designed to utilize the best electronic components possible in your guitar. This kit is the culmination of thousands of hours of research and development into different guitar electronics and how each of them affects the overall tone of the guitar. It comes pre-wired on a template, all you have to do is wire the jack and pickups.
What's in the kit:
(1) 500K RS Short-Shaft SuperPot®- We designed these pots in conjunction with CTS. Used for the volume controls in the kit, these pots have a custom taper that gives you a noticeable difference between each number on your volume control. You can finally roll your volume down to 2 or 1 and not loose any clarity, even in the neck position!! Mil-spec construction and a smoother resistor path make this the best pot to ever be used in the guitar.
(1) 500K CTS Push-Pull Audio taper pot- Audio taper pots work great for tone controls. This pot gives you the coil tap option that is needed in PRS® style guitars.
(1) Vintage RS GuitarCap Paper In Oil .022µF Capacitor. Manufactured to RS specs, these hand-made 100v caps have a rich vintage tone, while still retaining open top-end clarity. Hand-wound on 50's-era machines, the new RS Vintage GuitarCaps use vintage-correct Kraft paper, solid military-spec construction and tinned 20AWG leads for easy soldering. They really hold their own against the vintage caps; their tone is similar to the famous caps from the 50's.
(1) Vintage-style braided wire - Used for the signal, shielding, and grounding of the circuit.
(1) 3-position Short Toggle or 90º Switch - Made by Switchcraft® in the United States.
- or -
(1) 3-position Blade Switch - Made by CRL® in the United States.
(1) Color wiring diagram.
How this kit improves your tone: All of the above components combine to create unprecedented clarity in your overall tone. This increase in clarity will also equate to an increase in note bloom, harmonic complexity, and, in some cases, sustain. Because this kit increases the usability and intuitiveness of the controls onboard your guitar, you will achieve tones that you didn't think were possible.
When you have decided on the model and specifications of your dream guitar or bass, you can either place the order online, or call us to discuss any details or specific questions/requests. Once your build has been finalized, a minimum of a 50% deposit is required to start the build. If you’ve purchased the guitar outright from us – this deposit does not apply.
From the time you have placed your order or deposit, you have two weeks to make any changes. After that, all specifications are final. Actual build time is based on the exact options chosen, but typically our build time is about four months.
Month 1
- Choose your model and options. After determining what you want and you have either placed your order online or confirmed options with us, your deposit will be due.
- After the deposit is made, you will have two weeks to make any changes.
- Once the all details have been finalized, all preliminary woodworking is started.
- Necks are fretted and final shaped. Body is finish sanded and prepped for paint.
- All necessary parts/hardware are ordered.
Month 2
- Body and neck go to paint. This stage can take several weeks to properly apply lacquer depending on color and aging level.
- Due to the nature of nitrocellulose lacquer, the guitars are allowed to cure for four weeks.
Month 3
- In the middle of month 3 the bodies and necks, once completely dry, come out of the booth for wet sanding and buffing.
- Depending on the level of aging requested, the body, neck and all hardware are put in the aging process.
Month 4
- Frets are leveled and crowned. The nut is cut.
- After all appropriate aging is complete the guitar will go into final assembly.
- After final assembly, we allow a minimum of one week for the guitar to acclimate before we perform the final setup.
- When everything is completed, you will be contacted to pay the balance and submit any final details in regards to shipping.
When you receive your guitar or bass, you have 2 days to contact us with any concerns you might have. We strive for 100% satisfaction, so any issues or concerns you may have will be addressed promptly. All of our instruments come with a lifetime warranty to the original owner.
