Mystery tuning issue with se standard 24

[Mikemully]

Hello everyone. I have a 2001 Prs se standard 24 I purchased not long ago from guitar center. I seem to have an issue with this guitar I can’t figure out.

New strings. After stretching them. Neck relief is set correctly, action is set well to my liking ( st the nut as well) , correct string gauge, pickup height set within specs, intonation seems to be spot on according to my Peterson strobe tuner.

I will be strumming through cowboy chords and when I get to a D chord it will sound out until you strum it a few times. Tuning and intonation seem correct. I replaced the tremolo mounting screws and set it up accordingly, my next guess is maybe one of the pickups is doing this. I also don’t want to keep tossing money at it. I could strip it down and do a custom build.


Does anyone have any insight as to what this issue could be?

 

[SinSir]

Binding at the nut

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Binding at the nut

It’s always the nut.

 

[shimmilou]

Someone mentions a nut, and the very next poster, well.....

 

[shimmilou]

Hello everyone. I have a 2001 Prs se standard 24 I purchased not long ago from guitar center. I seem to have an issue with this guitar I can’t figure out.

New strings. After stretching them. Neck relief is set correctly, action is set well to my liking ( st the nut as well) , correct string gauge, pickup height set within specs, intonation seems to be spot on according to my Peterson strobe tuner.

I will be strumming through cowboy chords and when I get to a D chord it will sound out until you strum it a few times. Tuning and intonation seem correct. I replaced the tremolo mounting screws and set it up accordingly, my next guess is maybe one of the pickups is doing this. I also don’t want to keep tossing money at it. I could strip it down and do a custom build.


Does anyone have any insight as to what this issue could be?

My SE Cu24 requires a very light touch on that D, or it sounds out of tune. Took me a minute to realize that I didn't need to squeeze the neck so hard.

 

[Mikemully]

My SE Cu24 requires a very light touch on that D, or it sounds out of tune. Took me a minute to realize that I didn't need to squeeze the neck so hard.

I also have a ln se cu24 and no issues with it at all.

 

[Eddie kim]

Replace your nut with core nut or graphtec tusq

 

[Wakester]

I am going to go with @shimmilou and say it might be your grip on things. No you're not crazy, just maybe squeezing the neck too tight. When you latch on to the D Chord at first you have a strong grip on it. As you strum through it the muscles in your hand actually weaken and relax a bit, bringing the strings back into proper tension.

 

[aphantomvaper]

I am going to go with @shimmilou and say it might be your grip on things. No you're not crazy, just maybe squeezing the neck too tight. When you latch on to the D Chord at first you have a strong grip on it. As you strum through it the muscles in your hand actually weaken and relax a bit, bringing the strings back into proper tension.

In line with this thought...the heavy grip can sometimes pull strings laterally and make them sound out of tune. Light and direct down on the frets enough so there is no buzz.

 

[shimmilou]

Replace your nut with core nut or graphtec tusq

That might be a good idea. I thought that they started using better material for the SEs, but I see the specs for the nut vary as far as the description. I presumed from seeing these listings that the nuts were the same as core now, but hard to tell.

My SE Cu24 was advertised as having the "Synthetic/Bronze powder blend", while some are listed as "PPS plastic", and others listed as simply "plastic". I have had various problems with my PRS guitars, from SE to core, but have had fine nuts on all including my SEs.

These two are listed as having what sounds like a core nut, "Synthetic/Bronze powder blend":

PRS SE Standard 24-08 Electric Guitar - Tobacco Sunburst

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mahogany Body, Maple Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, 2 Humbucking Pickups, and PRS Patented Tremolo - Tobacco Sunburst

www.sweetwater.com

PRS SE Standard 24-08 Electric Guitar - Translucent Blue

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mahogany Body, Maple Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, 2 Humbucking Pickups, and PRS Patented Tremolo - Translucent Blue

www.sweetwater.com

This one listed as "synthetic"

PRS SE Custom 24 Electric Guitar - Quilt Charcoal, Sweetwater Exclusive

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mahogany Body, Maple Top, Maple Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, and 2 Humbucking Pickups - Quilt Charcoal

www.sweetwater.com

This one listed as "PRS Proprietary"

PRS SE Custom 24 Electric Guitar - Quilted Black Gold Sunburst

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mahogany Body, Maple Top, Maple Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, and 2 Humbucking Pickups - Quilted Black Gold Sunburst

www.sweetwater.com

Whereas this one just says "PPS Plastic":

PRS SE Standard 24 - Translucent Blue

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Mahogany Body, Maple Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, 2 Humbucking Pickups, and Vibrato Bridge - Translucent Blue

www.sweetwater.com

 

[Mike J.]

I have a SE 24 Standard that seemed to have a hard time staying in tune. Got locking tuners (which helped) but it would still go out enough here and there to where it was noticeable. I even blocked off the trem and while this also helped it was still going out here and there.

Took it to two different techs who both said the nut slots were cut fine. Took it to another tech who finally got it right. He actually widened the nut slots and the guitars tuning has been very, very good since.

The guitar does has one tuning issue that I can deal with and that's the B string. I have to keep it tuned 1/2 cent flat in order for the guitar to sound in tune. Don't know why and the intonation is spot on. Just seems to be a quirk with this particular guitar.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Someone mentions a nut, and the very next poster, well.....

Hey I got nuttin’