2 piece bridge and tail. Was something changed ?

Artjr

My wife's a Lawyer
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I just restrung or restring, the 2011 SC58 I just got. Something is differant with the way the string balls are held in the tail piece. I had a 2014 SC245 it seemed like they I didn't need to hold them in the tail like the SC58.
 
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2nd design above , 1st design below. Just look at the way the string are held in the tail piece.
2011%20Paul%20Reed%20Smith%20PRS%20Private%20Stock%20Singlecut%2058%20SC-58%20Quilt%20Top%2011%20170407%20Purple%20Mist%205.JPG
 
I had an SC58 and the design was exactly like the new one.

Is it possible that you're simply not stringing it correctly? The string goes under the "T" overhang in the slot, the ball ends shouldn't show at all.

I also had an even earlier Stripped 58, and the design was like the new one. I have a 594 and McCarty Singlecut now--same design.

You might want to do a reboot on stringing this one, Art. Or at least contact customer service.
 
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I had an SC58 and the design was exactly like the new one.

Is it possible that you're simply not stringing it correctly? The string goes under the "T" overhang in the slot, the ball ends shouldn't show at all.

I also had an even earlier Stripped 58, and the design was like the new one. I have a 594 and McCarty Singlecut now--same design.

I remember a forum member asking about this not very long ago and I think his English wasn't very clear. I think a lot of people dismissed his worries prematurely. I remember looking it up and there are different designs. Even in the picture you can clearly see one of the bridges has 5 slots and the other has 6. That may be the root of the confusion, or not.

I've never had a prs 2-piece bridge.
 
I remember a forum member asking about this not very long ago and I think his English wasn't very clear. I think a lot of people dismissed his worries prematurely. I remember looking it up and there are different designs. Even in the picture you can clearly see one of the bridges has 5 slots and the other has 6. That may be the root of the confusion, or not.

I've never had a prs 2-piece bridge.

I think that may be an optical illusion.
 
I think that may be an optical illusion.

Maybe but it's probably more likely that the one with 6 slots is a third-party bridge. If you do a google search you'll see some 6-slotted bridges but not nearly as many as the 5 slotted. It's possible that all those pictures are third party bridges.
 
Those two pictures clearly show a different tailpiece design.

One has six slots and the strings exit the top. The other has five slots and the strings exit the side.
 
I had an SC58 and the design was exactly like the new one.

Is it possible that you're simply not stringing it correctly? The string goes under the "T" overhang in the slot, the ball ends shouldn't show at all.

I also had an even earlier Stripped 58, and the design was like the new one. I have a 594 and McCarty Singlecut now--same design.

You might want to do a reboot on stringing this one, Art. Or at least contact customer service.

Believe me, i was confused as anyone when I started stringing , I remember I'd put the string in the slot push it over and pull. Besides the 14 sc245 I also had a 2012 stripped 58 and it had the 5 slot. ..This guitars BOD is 1-07-11. Just never realized they had both 5 and 6 slot tail pieces. I think the 5 works better and the 6 looks better.
 
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Maybe but it's probably more likely that the one with 6 slots is a third-party bridge. If you do a google search you'll see some 6-slotted bridges but not nearly as many as the 5 slotted. It's possible that all those pictures are third party bridges.

Yep - looked at the pics on the web site, and there was a face-on shot that clearly showed the five slots.

My knowledge is apparently the illusion...
 
The six slot was the original design, but it was changed to the five slot design after a few months. You know Paul, he's always looking to make improvements.
Hmmmm where can I buy a 5 slot ? Or 40 years from now I will be able to say , it's the early very rare original 6 slot version.
 
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I recall reading back in the day, old 2 piece bridges, lots of guys like to tighten the back piece down to the guitar(I forget the "positive" effect it had). I'm guessing this was the reason for the change. The old 6 slot doesn't allow for that sharper break angle of the strings. The newer 5 slot allows for that sharper angle going up to the saddles.
 
What material is used for the stop tail and the bridge base? Is it cast or machined? A couple of my Historic Series Les Paul's I've used machined Bell Brass for the stoptail and it made a pretty significant improvement in tone vs. the aluminium (cast) that is used stock.
 
What material is used for the stop tail and the bridge base? Is it cast or machined? A couple of my Historic Series Les Paul's I've used machined Bell Brass for the stoptail and it made a pretty significant improvement in tone vs. the aluminium (cast) that is used stock.

Actually, I believe that LPs had cast zinc alloy bridges, not aluminum.

Anyway, the PRS two piece has appeared in at least 3 formulations; machined aluminum, some sort of bronze alloy on the initial PS GOM run, and zinc on the 594 Cores. I've never seen machined zinc, I think it needs to be cast, but despite having both a 594 and a McCarty Singlecut with the aluminum 2-piece, I'm guessing.
 
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