The wiring reference

Seymour Duncan PRS-type five-way rotary conversion

See the five pickup combinations and why this conversion calls for a bridge magnet reversal.

Read the selected coils

Five settings, shown on the pickups

Neck is above bridge in each picture. Gold outlines mark active coils; dimmed coils are unused. Inside coils face the gap between the two pickups.

1 · Bridge

Neck ↑
Space between pickups
Bridge ↓

Both bridge coils

2 · Outside

Neck ↑
Space between pickups
Bridge ↓

Outside pair · parallel

3 · Inside

Neck ↑
Space between pickups
Bridge ↓

Inside pair · series

4 · Inside

Neck ↑
Space between pickups
Bridge ↓

Inside pair · parallel

5 · Neck

Neck ↑
Space between pickups
Bridge ↓

Both neck coils

Coil-location illustration only. Screw-row orientation is illustrative; confirm the actual pickup orientation and the source’s lead connections and bridge-magnet requirement. These are not rotary terminal positions.

When you are ready to wire it

Applies to

WD_PRS_5WR_Custom: a full conversion with a new rotary switch, not a universal PRS factory pinout or direct pickup-swap instruction.

What the five positions select

Inside means the coils facing the gap between the pickups. Outside means the neck-side coil of the neck pickup and the bridge-side coil of the bridge pickup. Turning a pickup changes which screw or smooth-post row occupies that location.

What the five positions select
Source positionCoilsConnection
1Bridge humbuckerBoth bridge coils
2Outside pairParallel
3Inside pairSeries
4Inside pairParallel
5Neck humbuckerBoth neck coils
Why the source calls for magnet reversal

The source requires the bridge magnet’s polarity to be reversed for its arrangement. Magnetic polarity and electrical lead polarity differ: swapping wires does not reverse a magnet. Rotating the entire pickup in its mounting ring is not the same operation.

The sheet describes removing the baseplate and turning the magnet. That is internal pickup work. Establish the required polarity and correct procedure for the exact pickup before attempting it; a pickup technician can help.

A conversion, not a universal pinout

A rotary switch connects several contact banks as its shaft turns. The sheet requires a new five-position rotary and a full rewire. Its drawing does not provide universal terminal numbers.

Our illustration explains selected coils, not solder-lug locations. Match the exact rotary’s continuity map to the source before soldering. Do not transfer the drawing to a different wafer layout by resemblance.

Check the complete sequence

Verify coils and series versus parallel in all five positions. Check magnetic and electrical relationships before claiming hum cancellation. The selection illustration is not an electrical simulation or a complete converted harness.

Source and interpretation

Original explanation by Tinkercaster, based on these Seymour Duncan sheets: WD_PRS_5WR_Custom. The guide describes the stated configuration; it does not establish compatibility with every pickup or switch.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Seymour Duncan. Refer to your exact component’s instructions when a detail differs.

Put it in a complete circuit

Use a complete wiring diagram to see how the pickup, controls and output connect. Our public diagrams are free to view and explore.

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