2017 SE CUSTOM 24 - Wrong Tremolo Bar?

[dmorgen]

I bought a 2017 SE CUSTOM 24 a couple of months ago. I absolutely love this guitar! Today I decided to try the tremolo bar. It did not come with a wrench small enough to fit the set screw to loosen the sleeve in the hole in the bridge. Fortunately, I found an 050 in my tool collection, which fit. I loosened the screw a lot, probably far beyond the point at which it had any effect. But the tremolo bar still seems far too large to fit in the sleeve.

I'm wondering if Guitar Center included the wrong tremolo bar (too big & not including the proper wrench)? I haven't tried the other included tools yet, so I don't know if they are the proper sizes, or if there's anything else missing.

Any suggestions what to try next?

Thanks.

Dave

 

[andy474x]

If it has a tip on it, it's the wrong one, SE/S2/CE terms are a plain bar. Hope that helps.

 

[dmorgen]

If it has a tip on it, it's the wrong one, SE/S2/CE terms are a plain bar. Hope that helps.

I don't see anything I'd call a tip. Just a circular bent bar, all the same diameter as far as I can tell. It does have a collar with threads on the inside (I wondered how this was supposed to work!).

 

[andy474x]

Oh yeah, that's wrong. . There shouldn't be threads.

 

[bodia]

Oh yeah, that's wrong. . There shouldn't be threads.

Agreed....frickin' Guitar Center. Bought a Bernie Marsden SE from them a number of years ago.

Me...this is a great guitar, I'd like to by it

GC...cool!

Me....does it come with a case, or something?

GC...nope, but I can sell you one

Me...um, shouldn't it some with a bag, or something?

GC...nope, but I can sell you one.

Me....just give me the guitar.

My lasting impression...GC = douchebags...I'd cut them some slack, but charging me for something that the guitar is supposed to come with is BS

 

[Ovibos]

If it has a tip on it, it's the wrong one, SE/S2/CE terms are a plain bar. Hope that helps.

Minor quibble: my RLCE24 had a tip on the bar, even with the import trem.

 

[andy474x]

Minor quibble: my RLCE24 had a tip on the bar, even with the import trem.

Just gotta be that guy, huh?

 

[dmorgen]

It took awhile but I finally got my problem resolved. After talking with the closest Guitar Center on the phone, they did some research & said I should bring the guitar into the store, so they could check it out & discover what I really needed as a replacement tool packet . As soon as I showed them the tremolo bar I had received, one of the 2 or 3 people who came over to help said it was for a Floyd Rose! They found the correct tool packet, which included the correct bar & hex key, among other things. They were very friendly & cooperative. Even said I could have a free set of strings for my inconvenience ... an especially useful offer since I use D'Addario NYXL's, which are not cheap!

I've barely used a tremolo bar in the past, so I've had some fun playing, & got some sounds I really like. But a question ... since the tremolo bar sticks out quite a bit & would put quite a bit of pressure on the guitar & case, I've been removing it when I use the case. No big deal removing & installing it, except it requires finding & using the tiny hex key each time. Can you recommend any shortcuts?

Thanks for your help!

Dave

 

[shinksma]

It took awhile but I finally got my problem resolved. After talking with the closest Guitar Center on the phone, they did some research & said I should bring the guitar into the store, so they could check it out & discover what I really needed as a replacement tool packet . As soon as I showed them the tremolo bar I had received, one of the 2 or 3 people who came over to help said it was for a Floyd Rose! They found the correct tool packet, which included the correct bar & hex key, among other things. They were very friendly & cooperative. Even said I could have a free set of strings for my inconvenience ... an especially useful offer since I use D'Addario NYXL's, which are not cheap!

I've barely used a tremolo bar in the past, so I've had some fun playing, & got some sounds I really like. But a question ... since the tremolo bar sticks out quite a bit & would put quite a bit of pressure on the guitar & case, I've been removing it when I use the case. No big deal removing & installing it, except it requires finding & using the tiny hex key each time. Can you recommend any shortcuts?

Thanks for your help!

Dave

Adjust the sleeve in the trem bar pocket with the hex key so that you can still pull the bar out, but it generally stays in there while you play. There is a range of pressure where you can have the bar stay in but still spin loosely, or stay right where you left it, but pulling it out isn't all that difficult.

 

[shinksma]

If it has a tip on it, it's the wrong one, SE/S2/CE terms are a plain bar. Hope that helps.

Minor quibble: my RLCE24 had a tip on the bar, even with the import trem.

As Shawn mention in another thread, the CEs are now shipping with tips on the trem bars.

I do not recall whether this applies to all S2s, or the SE line.

 

[dmorgen]

Adjust the sleeve in the trem bar pocket with the hex key so that you can still pull the bar out, but it generally stays in there while you play. There is a range of pressure where you can have the bar stay in but still spin loosely, or stay right where you left it, but pulling it out isn't all that difficult.

That worked. Thanks!

Dave

 

[Marty Canaday]

I bought a 2017 SE CUSTOM 24 a couple of months ago. I absolutely love this guitar! Today I decided to try the tremolo bar. It did not come with a wrench small enough to fit the set screw to loosen the sleeve in the hole in the bridge. Fortunately, I found an 050 in my tool collection, which fit. I loosened the screw a lot, probably far beyond the point at which it had any effect. But the tremolo bar still seems far too large to fit in the sleeve.

I'm wondering if Guitar Center included the wrong tremolo bar (too big & not including the proper wrench)? I haven't tried the other included tools yet, so I don't know if they are the proper sizes, or if there's anything else missing.

Any suggestions what to try next?

Thanks.

Dave

Dave,

I just had the same problem. I purchased a cherry sunburst PRS custom SE 24 from Guitar Center. A tremolo bar wasn't included. The salesman said he forgot to put it in the guitar bag. I went back a couple of days later to get it and was given a bar from a bunch of bars in a drawer. It had a point on it and was too big in circumference to go in the tremolo hole.

I did a little research and discovered that if the tremolo bar has a point on it, it is not the correct bar for the Custom SE 24.

I will contact Guitar Center and tell them they need to order me the correct bar and tool that adjusts the tightness of the bar.

Marty Canaday