SE Mods

[DizzlePizzle]

Lookin good!

The bridge swap is a big job. That said, a quality ABR-1 type would probably work. It would be truly unique. A good luthier would probably charge more than the value of the guitar for that mod though.

Thanks for the info! What makes the mod such an expensive one? The drilling/measuring? I was thinking the ABR1 would go where the existing bridge is, then drill for the less trem. Do I have the right idea?

To add to the puzzle - would a Duesenberg bridge fit/work for this purpose???

 

[bodia]

Update on mods for my SE Mira!

-Tusq XL installed
- Fralin Pure PAF pickups installed
- Upgraded volume and tone pots
- Added tortoise pickguard

I’m really wanting to add a Duesenberg Les Trem II and call it a day. I know it will require a new bridge and drilling into the guitar...I’m not sure which bridge I would need to get? Any suggestions?

Nice!

 

[John Beef]

Thanks for the info! What makes the mod such an expensive one? The drilling/measuring? I was thinking the ABR1 would go where the existing bridge is, then drill for the less trem. Do I have the right idea?

To add to the puzzle - would a Duesenberg bridge fit/work for this purpose???

Well, you'd have to

• remove the existing bridge and studs and the ferrule things that go in the body.
• Drill out those existing holes to a larger size to get rid of the indentations the ferrules leave behind.
• Make or buy dowels of the correct new size and glue them in
• Flush cut the dowels, and sand flat
• touch up or respray the paint, sand flat, polish
• Measure out and drill 4 new holes
• Install new bridge components.

So yeah, the majority of the work is making the old holes disappear. An ABR style bridge has a significantly different hole size and the centers are in a different place.

If it was me, I'd be looking at a roller bridge for tuning stability. Centers for the roller bridge are 2.920" apart. Centers for the PRS bridge are 3.2" apart. That's why you have to dowel and redrill.

 

[AAT]

I would have left the 3 way up top and replaced two of the knobs with coil split switches, one for each pickup. You'd get a "Paul's Guitar" pickup configuration that way.

I really wanted to move the switch as part of this change. I might put a coil split switch into the empty pot hole at some point...

 

[DizzlePizzle]

Well, you'd have to

• remove the existing bridge and studs and the ferrule things that go in the body.
• Drill out those existing holes to a larger size to get rid of the indentations the ferrules leave behind.
• Make or buy dowels of the correct new size and glue them in
• Flush cut the dowels, and sand flat
• touch up or respray the paint, sand flat, polish
• Measure out and drill 4 new holes
• Install new bridge components.

So yeah, the majority of the work is making the old holes disappear. An ABR style bridge has a significantly different hole size and the centers are in a different place.

If it was me, I'd be looking at a roller bridge for tuning stability. Centers for the roller bridge are 2.920" apart. Centers for the PRS bridge are 3.2" apart. That's why you have to dowel and redrill.

I was thinking I’d be able to find a bridge that could go in the existing holes...one with the correct size studs. It was my understanding that the bridge measurements are essentially Gibson measurements with M8 posts. You’re saying even a bridge with the correct width and correct sized posts wouldn’t work because of the saddles on the bridge? What if the saddles are blank and they were filed by the luthier?

You’re right, haha — this sounds like quite an undertaking!

 

[mookyshoots]

I was thinking I’d be able to find a bridge that could go in the existing holes...one with the correct size studs. It was my understanding that the bridge measurements are essentially Gibson measurements with M8 posts. You’re saying even a bridge with the correct width and correct sized posts wouldn’t work because of the saddles on the bridge? What if the saddles are blank and they were filed by the luthier?

You’re right, haha — this sounds like quite an undertaking!

I would think the SE Starla would be a much better candidate for a project like this.

 

[DizzlePizzle]

Yeah, I wanted a blue guitar, though

Gonna talk to my luthier to see what our least invasive options are.

 

[JimmyDee]

A couple years ago; I did a fairly major rebuild of a Tremonti SE...

I am fully aware that the actual US built version is still superior... but for less than half the price, I've taken a brand new Tremonti SE, and completely gutted it, and rebuilt it with US parts.

Here's a shot of the Tremonti SE - fully stock:

Here's the pile of parts I have for her (basically gutting everything):

• MannMade / PRS Stage II Locking Tuners (designed to fit SE model)
• MannMade 2000NOS Tremolo Bridge
• PRS Tremonti Chrome Bass Pickup
• PRS Tremonti Treble Pickup
• PRS Black Pickup Rings
• PRS Strap Buttons
• PRS Lampshade Knobs
• CTS Potentiometers (PRS spec)
• Orange Drop Capacitors
• Switchcraft 3-way Switch
• Switchcraft Output Jack
• Wiring Harness
• Black TUSQ Nut

Within 10 minutes, I had her on the operating table... completely gutted.
Every single part, less the wood body is being replaced with US parts, including the nut.

Fitting the new Mann-Made Locking Tuners:

Tremonti Bass Pickup:

Tremonti Treble Pickup:

The holes had to be reamed-out, to accomodate the CTS pots and Switchcraft 3-way Switch:

Even the jack was replaced, with a Switchcraft:

I got carried away, and forgot to take pictures of the 2000-NOS Bridge installation.
But if you want to see the process, here's one I did on my CE24:
https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/2000nos-upgrade-and-a-few-other-mods.28321/


Well, here's the finished product:
The SE comes with 9-42 strings, but I re-strung it with 10-46 D'Addario strings (per the US spec)
They sound a lot better with the Tremonti pickups, and the Black Tusq nut was setup for these strings.

Spent about an hour setting up the bridge and doing intonation...
Let me say; "it sounds friggen wicked!"

The Tremonti pickups are snarly as heck. Especially the neck pickup.
I really love the sound of it. Very different than my CE24.

About 5 hours of total labor... totally worth it.

Total cost was less than half the price of a proper US Tremonti.

 

[Ovibos]

A couple years ago; I did a fairly major rebuild of a Tremonti SE...

I am fully aware that the actual US built version is still superior... but for less than half the price, I've taken a brand new Tremonti SE, and completely gutted it, and rebuilt it with US parts.

Here's a shot of the Tremonti SE - fully stock:

Here's the pile of parts I have for her (basically gutting everything):

• MannMade / PRS Stage II Locking Tuners (designed to fit SE model)
• MannMade 2000NOS Tremolo Bridge
• PRS Tremonti Chrome Bass Pickup
• PRS Tremonti Treble Pickup
• PRS Black Pickup Rings
• PRS Strap Buttons
• PRS Lampshade Knobs
• CTS Potentiometers (PRS spec)
• Orange Drop Capacitors
• Switchcraft 3-way Switch
• Switchcraft Output Jack
• Wiring Harness
• Black TUSQ Nut

Within 10 minutes, I had her on the operating table... completely gutted.
Every single part, less the wood body is being replaced with US parts, including the nut.

Fitting the new Mann-Made Locking Tuners:

Tremonti Bass Pickup:

Tremonti Treble Pickup:

The holes had to be reamed-out, to accomodate the CTS pots and Switchcraft 3-way Switch:

Even the jack was replaced, with a Switchcraft:

I got carried away, and forgot to take pictures of the 2000-NOS Bridge installation.
But if you want to see the process, here's one I did on my CE24:
https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/2000nos-upgrade-and-a-few-other-mods.28321/


Well, here's the finished product:
The SE comes with 9-42 strings, but I re-strung it with 10-46 D'Addario strings (per the US spec)
They sound a lot better with the Tremonti pickups, and the Black Tusq nut was setup for these strings.

Spent about an hour setting up the bridge and doing intonation...
Let me say; "it sounds friggen wicked!"

The Tremonti pickups are snarly as heck. Especially the neck pickup.
I really love the sound of it. Very different than my CE24.

About 5 hours of total labor... totally worth it.

Total cost was less than half the price of a proper US Tremonti.

That's dedication, homes.

 

[dogrocketp]

The only thing that could have made it better would have been a blue guitar.

 

[TheDoktor]

Just SE locking tuners (both for extra stability when using the bar, and easier string changes) and amber lampshades (to bring the aesthetics more in line with modern PRS and for the extra grip you can get on them with a pinky.)

I went into purchasing thinking I might replace the pickups but I'm so happy with the 85/15 "S" set that I think they'll stay. Only other thing on the radar when my time/ laziness permits is chopping down a spare trem arm to make a Gilmour-style arm.

 

[singularity6]

I really wanted to move the switch as part of this change. I might put a coil split switch into the empty pot hole at some point...

Fair enough. You could also add a phase switch, too. Lots of options that won't involve patching holes.

 

[John Beef]

I was thinking I’d be able to find a bridge that could go in the existing holes...one with the correct size studs. It was my understanding that the bridge measurements are essentially Gibson measurements with M8 posts. You’re saying even a bridge with the correct width and correct sized posts wouldn’t work because of the saddles on the bridge? What if the saddles are blank and they were filed by the luthier?

You’re right, haha — this sounds like quite an undertaking!

Well, the PRS stoptail could be replaced by a G-Style stoptail, sure. But a G-style isn't meant/designed to be a bridge, whereas the PRS one is. If you want a 2 piece bridge like Big G has, the actual bridge piece is going to be smaller.

I was thinking about it in the shower, and if you had some machining skills, it doesn't seem that difficult to make a plug where one side goes into the existing holes, and the other side has new, threaded holes to fit whatever bridge you want to put on, offset by just enough (rather than centered) so the bridge's difference in mounting hole width could be compensated for. It would only be ~.15" off center, theoretically?

 

[Mark 10top]

I just put this in the general discussion under NGD sorta

 

[TheDoktor]

I just put this in the general discussion under NGD sorta

A semi hollow with black hardware is a rare bird indeed. Very cool. May I ask which P'ups those are?

 

[DizzlePizzle]

Well, the PRS stoptail could be replaced by a G-Style stoptail, sure. But a G-style isn't meant/designed to be a bridge, whereas the PRS one is. If you want a 2 piece bridge like Big G has, the actual bridge piece is going to be smaller.

I was thinking about it in the shower, and if you had some machining skills, it doesn't seem that difficult to make a plug where one side goes into the existing holes, and the other side has new, threaded holes to fit whatever bridge you want to put on, offset by just enough (rather than centered) so the bridge's difference in mounting hole width could be compensated for. It would only be ~.15" off center, theoretically?

This makes a ton of sense! I think Callaham makes some of their things with custom sizing/measurements. Definitely more expensive hardware, but it is top notch.

I really appreciate the time/attention to helping me think through this! It’s going to take a ton of time, but I think it’s going to be an amazing instrument when all is said and done

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The only thing that could have made it better would have been a blue guitar.

Said nobody ever.

 

[Wakester]

Onboarded a set of SE Locking tuners on my Custom 24 yesterday afternoon. Now my wife wants a set on her Martin Acoustic.

 

[Mark 10top]

A semi hollow with black hardware is a rare bird indeed. Very cool. May I ask which P'ups those are?

Neck is Seymour Duncan Saturday Night Special, bridge is the original 85/15s with black vinyl sign vinyl covering (hate zebra) white. I'm a sign designer so a with a little time can do most anything with vinyl. Have a warmoth Strat with perloid pickguard with printed perloid pu covers. Also the bridge is a Gotoh NS510T-FE1 trem currently decked, soon to be decked and blocked.

 

[Allstarrme]

Does this count as modded if I bought it like this?

My first SE

I do plan on some locking tuners and some different knobs.