PRS SE Bernie Marsden Mods (Again)

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Neve

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Hi all,

I'm new to this forum and new to PRS guitars of any kind, USA or Korea.
I own 2 electric guitars at the moment, a 1956 Stratocaster and a 1953 Black Guard Tele (both vintage).
I use to own an early 1959 Les Paul, also original, that I had to sell it 5 years ago.
I recently came across a video featuring a Bernie Marsden PRS SE guitar. I informed myself, read tons of posts, watched many videos you guys probably know already.
I decided to treat myself to one as a HB guitar is missing in the studio, and I don't like the ones I've been playing lately.
I found one on eB, brand new, sealed in it's package. I bought it and it arrived today.
It is a great guitar out of the box, I must say. I expected the neck to be a bit larger; like the one on my own 1959, but no. Not far though, but not as hand filling. Pickups are very good for the money.
I've already decided to put a new tusk nut, CTS pots, Switchcraft short toggle switch, Switchcraft input jack, a new tone cap (I have many NOS mustard caps laying around), tone-pros kluson tuners and a new bridge/studs. As I've been making pups for the past 30+ years for various session artists worldwide, I'll make my own PAF repros exactly based on the several ones I had. That'll save on the budget!!

So here are my questions:

1- What is the size of the bushing for the tuners?
If I get original Klusons, there are 2 sizes, 8 mm or 10mm. However, Tone-Pros/Kluson don't specify the size...
(Please don't talked to me about locking tuners, I don't care for them at all.)

2- Which Bridge should I get, the Tone-Pros or the Manmade?
I'd like my bridge to sit firmly on and against the body. It is not at the moment, and the action is quite low already....

3- Will the knobs fit on the CTS pots?

4- Is it worth it to have the split coils?

What do you recommend?

Thank you for your help and input. I'll try to post pictures when I get all this done.
 
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I can answer a couple of these, but not all...

2) MannMade is generally preferred here as he did the original PRS bridges back in the 80s. However, I don't think any bridge will be tall enough to sit flat on the body, that's not how the guitar was designed.

3) You might be able to do this, but since you're open to suggestions, you should upgrade to PRS lampshade knobs. Every Bernie I've seen with them has looked great! However, I think the stock knobs can fit. I have some older SE knobs on some CTS pots in a different guitar.

4) That's totally up to you, and it totally depends on the pickups you wind yourself for this project (which is pretty cool!) but I would put a series resistor in the circuit for optimum splittification.
 
John Beef said:
I can answer a couple of these, but not all...

2) MannMade is generally preferred here as he did the original PRS bridges back in the 80s. However, I don't think any bridge will be tall enough to sit flat on the body, that's not how the guitar was designed.

3) You might be able to do this, but since you're open to suggestions, you should upgrade to PRS lampshade knobs. Every Bernie I've seen with them has looked great! However, I think the stock knobs can fit. I have some older SE knobs on some CTS pots in a different guitar.

4) That's totally up to you, and it totally depends on the pickups you wind yourself for this project (which is pretty cool!) but I would put a series resistor in the circuit for optimum splittification.
Click to expand...

2- OK, fair enough.

3- I was actually planning on getting the lamp knobs too. Just forgot to mention it.

4- I think I'm gonna stick with the regular wiring. I have single-coil guitars that will do the job better.
As for the pickups themselves, I usually wind (or rewind when broken) original specs pickups (PAF's in this case).
Since tolerances vary from pup to pup, the sound also depends on the guitar they're on.
I'll wind a couple within the specs and use different magnets to see what goes the best on this one.
I've seen original PAF's measuring 10.4k and others measuring 7.6k. That, plus the variety of AlNiCo magnets that were used back then (A2-A5), makes for a great sounding pickup or a not so nice one...
The combinations are plenty. I can always fine tune them to have the perfect balance for this guitar.
 
Definitely go with the Mannmade bridge. You may have to trim the spring on the high E saddle a hair to get it to intonate correctly but it's a great bridge and the stud wells are easy to fit too.

Unfortunately you won't get the bridge to sit flush - or any other bridge I can think of - to sit flush without major neck to body angle modification.
 
Mikegarveyblues said:
Definitely go with the Mannmade bridge. You may have to trim the spring on the high E saddle a hair to get it to intonate correctly but it's a great bridge and the stud wells are easy to fit too.

Unfortunately you won't get the bridge to sit flush - or any other bridge I can think of - to sit flush without major neck to body angle modification.
Click to expand...
Hi,

Thank you for your answer. By looking at the neck angle, i saw it wasn't possible to have the bridge sit flush.
I talked to John Mann the other day, I am ordering his bridge.
They look awesome, and he is a very nice person.

I already made pickups and, although the stock pups are not bad at all by any means, that makes a whole lot of a difference!!
Awaiting for a new white TUSQ nut to arrive as well as the other parts.

I still don't know which size Kluson tune bushings to order...
Anyone has any idea? Thanks.
 
Neve said:
Hi,

Thank you for your answer. By looking at the neck angle, i saw it wasn't possible to have the bridge sit flush.
I talked to John Mann the other day, I am ordering his bridge.
They look awesome, and he is a very nice person.

I already made pickups and, although the stock pups are not bad at all by any means, that makes a whole lot of a difference!!
Awaiting for a new white TUSQ nut to arrive as well as the other parts.

I still don't know which size Kluson tune bushings to order...
Anyone has any idea? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Good choice on the MannMade. Love them. Can't help on the bushing size. I reamed the holes and dropped in Phase III's.
 
bodia said:
Good choice on the MannMade. Love them. Can't help on the bushing size. I reamed the holes and dropped in Phase III's.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm sure I am making the right choice. ;)

Thanks anyways. :)
 
They must be 8mm. I had the same stock tuners on a Zach Myers and had to open the holes to 10mm to fit Phase III tuners. And an FYI, I do have 1 PRS guitar with a wraparound adjustable tonepros bridge that I was able to screw down flush to the body and achieve my optimum action height. It did make it seem much livlier the moment the bridge made solid contact. Also the tonepros saddles aren't grooved very deeply for the strings so I filed them a little so the strings don't jump out when you really wail on it.
 
bluenova said:
They must be 8mm. I had the same stock tuners on a Zach Myers and had to open the holes to 10mm to fit Phase III tuners. And an FYI, I do have 1 PRS guitar with a wraparound adjustable tonepros bridge that I was able to screw down flush to the body and achieve my optimum action height. It did make it seem much livlier the moment the bridge made solid contact. Also the tonepros saddles aren't grooved very deeply for the strings so I filed them a little so the strings don't jump out when you really wail on it.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Thanks for the info regarding the tuners. In general I really like my bridge to be in contact with the body.
More string vibrations are transferred to the body, which generally translates in better tone.
I wouldn't do it at the expense of a steeper angle though. It depends on the guitar.
However, I think this guitar, which is already a very good one, affordable but definitely not a "cheap" guitar, could benefit from it. But I can live with the bridge not being in contact.

Cheers
 
They're the exact same stock tuners just machined for the locking screw. I did the swap before these were available.
 
Neve said:
I've never been a big fan of locking tuners, but I'll definitely have a look.
Thank you!!
Click to expand...
Get the locking vintage tuners from Mann. You will not regret it. Locking bridge posts will keep one piece bridge held tight. Won't fall off when you take strings off.
 
I have recently bought a Bernie
My plan is as follows just waiting on delivery
Tusq xl nut
Kluson Revolution locking tuners ( 8.8 )
They’re generally 10 mm holes where a screw top and washer are visible was there is a 8.8 on studs like on the Bernie Tuner shaft is also thick with perloid buttons
Schaller sigma bridge
Suhr Aldridge in the bridge ( will split )
Undecided to get Zebra or gold covers
PRS Dragon 2 in the neck . This is a great combination
Musiclily short toggle switch
Switch craft, jacks pots. Are fine
Engraved new truss rod cover to my name plus custom . Ie Matk Burgess Custom.
All hardware ordered is Gold will look really nice on this dark burst .
Until last week I had a LP Standard I got rid after buying this it’s so much better playing
 
Ok so thought i would update with progress
The Revolution tuners feel and look fantastic . I have fitted the sigma bridge and it was painful the studs fitted perfectly but the bushes were 5 mm too tall for the bush cavities and were about 2 mm in diameter too thin when you get a metric stud size you expect that stud to fit the bushing but the sigma is sold as a replacement for any guitar On the online video they show the bushings on I’m guessing a core model countersunk without any work on it .the Bernie studs lie flush and are visible so with a gold system not the best . Being unable to cut down the studs decided that having them show would be my only option as I could not cut the studs down so I drilled the post holes deeper to accept the original bushes the body
is only just wide enough to accept them

.
 
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