PRS CE24 action issue - shimming?

tildeslash

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Joined
May 9, 2012
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Just picked up a wonderful PRS CE24 but bridge is not floating and action high.
I like to get it to spec and ready on this forum what it should be.
So here it goes:

Neck relief is set to specs.
Bridge is flush against body.
Saddles are almost bottomed out.
Action is not set to specs - too high.

Goal is to bring action to spec - in this case lower.

I suppose a shim would be needed.
I suspect this would in turn allow bridge to be raise to be floating to spec.
And then raise saddles accordingly to set action to spec.

If so - can a PRS-CE24 be shimmed?
If so how? - this is not a traditional bolt-on.
I am sure sending it to PTC will resolve it but is a PRS needing a shim common?
I know all guitars overtime will need a shim.

Thank you in advance for reading and helping me out.
 
Something is definitely off about it. I have never heard of a CE needing a shim, but I am far from being a CE expert. You might want to take the strings off, remove the neck pickup and inspect the area where the neck and body come together, make sure there isn't any damage/cracking.
 
I haven't heard of a CE needing a shim either. I'd ask the PTC.
 
I just picked up a ce22. I absolutely love it, and it has the dragon pickups like my cu22. I have the same problem with the action, inspected under neck pickup as well and it is fine. Biridge bottomed out, but I loosened the claw a bit. It still plays fantastic, but, the action is high on the bridge end of the guitar. Saddles are also bottomed out.
 
I have done some research and started working on a full pocket maple shim, but I am holding off for now bc after I loosened the claw, the playability got much better. I didn't think that a ce should ever need a shim, but, seems like there are some out there.
 
Make sure the trem . Is resting in the grooves of the fulcrum screws and not up against the head of the fulcrum screws. Something is not right. You shouldn't have to shim the neck ever. Post some pics maybe somebody will see something.
 
I am a noob here, and not sure if I can post pics. I just raised the screws 2.5 mm, and tightened rod a tad. Action still a tad high up towards the bridge, but good everywhere else. Thanks for the tip.
 
Just picked up a wonderful PRS CE24 but bridge is not floating and action high.
I like to get it to spec and ready on this forum what it should be.
So here it goes:

Neck relief is set to specs.
Bridge is flush against body.
Saddles are almost bottomed out.
Action is not set to specs - too high.

Goal is to bring action to spec - in this case lower.

I suppose a shim would be needed.
I suspect this would in turn allow bridge to be raise to be floating to spec.
And then raise saddles accordingly to set action to spec.

If so - can a PRS-CE24 be shimmed?
If so how? - this is not a traditional bolt-on.
I am sure sending it to PTC will resolve it but is a PRS needing a shim common?
I know all guitars overtime will need a shim.

Thank you in advance for reading and helping me out.

Have you had any luck with your action?
 
I am a noob here, and not sure if I can post pics. I just raised the screws 2.5 mm, and tightened rod a tad. Action still a tad high up towards the bridge, but good everywhere else. Thanks for the tip.

Have you been on prs site? They show how to set truss rod?
 
I am familaiar with PRS truss rods,but this is my first PRS trem. I keep refering to how my CU22 neck sits compared to how the CE sits. They appear to be the same. The action is nice and low now, except for the higher frets towards the bridge, but it is a bit lower than before. Still with the saddles bottomed out, I figured the strings should be right on the frets. I still think a tiny shim should work, but it still plays well enough where I will not use one.
 
Ok, well, I guess that makes sense. The height of the neck off the body is the same near the neck pickup. I really wish I could post pics here.Worth 1000 words. I thought after ten or so posts I would be able to. Really appreciate the help, however.
 

OK, the first thing I noticed was your trem or fulcrum screws don't appear to be even, maybe it's just the angle. Your strings appear to be almost touching the bridge pickup. It looks like you still need a truss rod adjustment. The PRS site has instructions for this. I think you are to press on the first and last fret then measure the gap between bottom of string and top of fret at maybe the 8th or 10th fret, can't remember for sure. Make sure to take all tension off of trem before you adjust fulcrum screws. You will ruin screws and trem if you don't. Lastly, your saddles shouldn't be down all the way. Adjust truss rod, set trem to about 1/16 off of body, parallel to body, set your saddles, intonate, play!

Good luck.
 
Trem should be flat (parallel to guitar), which will lower the action some, as well.
 
I will take it apart again tomorrow, raise the screws another 2.5mm, however, this only raised the action more. If I add more relief to the neck, bottom out the strings to the frets, and raise the saddles, the action will still be very high over the pocket to about the tenth fret. I will keep trying to do this right, but I haven't ruled out a shim yet.
 
Dont raise the screws. Lower your D string screw so its level with the others then loosen strings all the way maybe take a couple springs off because you need to let the trem drop into the groove that is machined into the screws. Once that happens then you can start to raise the saddles to where they should be.

You are supposed to remove strings and springs then let trem rest on body. Then use a 2.5 mm allen wrench as a feeler gauge between top surface of trem and bottom of screw head.

You have to make sure trem is resting in the groove on the screws when you put springs and strings back on.
 
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