New to Electric Guitars - Set Up / Tuning Help Needed

[Novafett]

Ok so i usually don't just dive in like this in a new forum. I like to sit back, get to know people, make a few comments here and there and then start asking but I'm feeling a bit stuck so I'm diving in.

Late last week my brand new PRS SE Tremonti custom arrived. It's my first foray into an electric guitar (I've had an Ovation Applause acoustic/elec for many years) and finally bit the bullet and bought a PRS.

Though I've had the other guitar for many years I've really only seriously gotten back into guitar roughly 6 months ago. As such I consider myself a guitar noob for the most part.

So my question is this. I'm having issues with this new guitar tuning it, keeping it in tune, and in general just understanding it as it seems so much different to me than my acoustic. When i first got it i opened up the back right away just to learn and see what was in each spot. I noticed right away that only 1 spring was attached to the trem system and a second spring was only half attached. I had 3 or 4 others in the bag, so i figured out how and set it up w/ 3 springs. I stretched the strings and tuned it what seems like 100 times until finally it seemed to stay in tune a little longer than usual. Then later for some reason i can't recall now i decided i'd better add the other 2 springs. After adding those I'm having a hell of a time tuning it.

I'm attaching 2 images (hope they aren't too big for this site) in hopes that they may help. Appreciate any help u can provide

 

[AP515]

Welcome Novafett,

The springs you are playing with determine how much force it takes to operate the tremolo (really a vibrato but we aren't going to get the name changed this late in the game so we will go with it) arm. One was too light, two or three is the usual, all five will take a lot of force to get it to move. You can also see that adding all 5 have made the trem lean back toward the back of the guitar. You want the trem to be level to the guitar body. In your photo it is leaning back. You tighten the two screws in the top of your second photo to pull the trem back to level. I would take the two springs to the left and right of the center one out and then move the screws in or out until the trem is level with the body and about a 16th up off the body. It looks about the right height now if it was level so you only need to adjust the screws once the two springs are removed.

Then you can look into getting the tuning to be stable. This could be a problem with the trem or the nut or the tuning keys. If you bought it at a store the easy thing to do is to take it back and tell them to do it. If you bought it used, we will help you go through each one until we find the problem. Be assured that it can be stable. SE's are very good guitars. We will just have to go through them one at a time. It is often the nut or the trem and seldom the tuning keys.

Let us know when you have it level.

 

[Novafett]

AP515, thank you so much!! I've been sitting here next to my guitar doing nothing until i heard back for fear of messing something up. I've removed the two springs and it now appears to be level, though is it too high off the guitar? Pictures attached Oh and i bought it new, online from ZZounds. Didn't mention that earlier as i didn't want to appear to be pushing / advertising any business, etc.

 

[CoreyT]

Welcome to the site!
I know nothing about adjusting one of these like the other guy's do, but I would like to mention you bought one of the nicest SEs IMO.
I have the same guitar I got in 2012, and many other SEs, but this one is my favorite.
I do not use the trem on mine, but mine stays in tune perfectly pretty much.
Stock nut, but the tuners have been replaced.

I have an expensive Gibson 2012 SG '61 Reissue that does not stay in tune, and that is due to the neck moving during weather changes in my home.
Gibson must not dry their wood as well, and PRS is famous for drying their neck wood on both the SE and the USA built guitars, thus making a very stable guitar.

 

[Novafett]

Edit: Ok more updates.

Only has 3 springs now. I did adjust the 2 screws and the trem is now level (before tuning) and roughly 16th of an inch or less floating above the guitar. Course as i'm retuning it now, it's very sharp so i'm losening the strings and it's starting to lean back now. Getting the feeling this is sort of a dance i have to figure out.

CoreyT - thanks for the welcome. Glad to hear i made a good choice. I'm loving it so far if only i could keep it in tune I'm sure i'll be modding this thing once i figure it's in's and outs and get comfortable. Was thinking about locking tuners, though im not sure how important that is or not.

 

[AP515]

Edit: Ok more updates.

Only has 3 springs now. I did adjust the 2 screws and the trem is now level (before tuning) and roughly 16th of an inch or less floating above the guitar. Course as i'm retuning it now, it's very sharp so i'm losening the strings and it's starting to lean back now. Getting the feeling this is sort of a dance i have to figure out.

That is normal. It's a game of resetting once in tune again. You reset the level and tune again. Each time it will be closer and closer to right. After a couple of times you will have it level and in tune.

 

[Novafett]

Silly question but just to make sure i understand. If it's leaning back do i need to loosen the screws and if it's leaning foward i tighten? And after each iteration of that i retune it all right?

 

[AP515]

Silly question but just to make sure i understand. If it's leaning back do i need to loosen the screws and if it's leaning foward i tighten? And after each iteration of that i retune it all right?

yes, you are putting tension against the tension of the strings to make it level.

 

[oldgroot]

Ok so i usually don't just dive in like this in a new forum. I like to sit back, get to know people, make a few comments here and there and then start asking but I'm feeling a bit stuck so I'm diving in.

Late last week my brand new PRS SE Tremonti custom arrived. It's my first foray into an electric guitar (I've had an Ovation Applause acoustic/elec for many years) and finally bit the bullet and bought a PRS.

Though I've had the other guitar for many years I've really only seriously gotten back into guitar roughly 6 months ago. As such I consider myself a guitar noob for the most part.

So my question is this. I'm having issues with this new guitar tuning it, keeping it in tune, and in general just understanding it as it seems so much different to me than my acoustic. When i first got it i opened up the back right away just to learn and see what was in each spot. I noticed right away that only 1 spring was attached to the trem system and a second spring was only half attached. I had 3 or 4 others in the bag, so i figured out how and set it up w/ 3 springs. I stretched the strings and tuned it what seems like 100 times until finally it seemed to stay in tune a little longer than usual. Then later for some reason i can't recall now i decided i'd better add the other 2 springs. After adding those I'm having a hell of a time tuning it.

I'm attaching 2 images (hope they aren't too big for this site) in hopes that they may help. Appreciate any help u can provide

there is a strat . trick you might try!
loosen the claw screw on the left side.allowing a slight dip on the E,and A strings.this will give u a little more torque on the g,b, and e strings.
which should allow more consistant tuneing.

 

[Novafett]

Welp i've been back and forth with this for about a week now and it's still giving me fits. I get it tuned on the open strings, check the intonation and make a few minor adjustments and get it sounding good. Then i play one or two strums on a couple chords and it's fkn out of tune AGAIN!! I just tried stretching the strings and broke the high E string (probably some frustration coming out there too )

So now i have an out of tune guitar that i can't figure out how to get in tune and stay in tune and now I need to go buy a new set of strings or two (no biggie) but don't know what gauge they are. Does PRS typically come with 9's or 10's?

Edit: Recently saw a video on YouTube about how to block out your tremolo and even though I just got this I'm seriously considering doing it just so i can play my damn new guitar for more than 10 minutes. *sigh*

 

[sergiodeblanc]

SE's come with 9's.

 

[Novafett]

Thanks Sergio. I found a local shop here that will do a set up for around $45 so i'm going to admit DIY defeat and take it in. I was holding off doing a set up cause my acoustic cost me $89 when i took it to GC and i didn't want to end up paying even more for the electric w/ a trem. $45 isn't so bad.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Yeah, $45 sounds alright. While you're there have them set it up for your preferred gauge of strings and make sure that includes them adjusting the nut for them.

 

[Novafett]

Ok great, thanks!