never understood why they use zinc for the bridge - why not aluminum like the single piece stoptails? Seems like zinc is always frowned upon for being such a soft metal and poor transfer compared to other metals. Did they chose zinc because that's what Gibson did back in the day? Honest question. I'm sure it's a much cheaper solution and maybe that's the deciding factor.
594 bridge collapsing
- Thread starter RCM78
- Start date
dmatthews
Dave's not here
Because they wanted to put everything into it including the kitchen zinc?
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Runs away...
Draconomics
Fearless Papa of The Brethren of the Crust
Oooh.....got em. Slick as a duck in oil.
Draconomics
Fearless Papa of The Brethren of the Crust
Is the whole thing zinc? I thought it was zinc plated. Feels heavier to me than zinc.
Anyway, guess I'll chime in on the point of this thread...Ive never seen bridge collapse on LP's or these bridges. I have two of these PRS tune-o-matic style things and I while I do see come concavity, it seems to bean optical illusion from reflection on the surface. I would assume if the bridge was indeed buckling, the post screws should be seized up or bent, that's what I'd figure anyway.
JasonE
New Member
I agree with some of the things you posted but you can in no way know that this is not a problem or that it isn't causing an issue. You brought a little attitude along with your post so don't get too bent when someone gives a little back.
You have made some assumptions that may not be true. Are the saddles making contact with the bottom of the channel on these bridges? If they are, that is the reason the screws are not bent. PRS made changes to the bridge, it is quite possible that there is an issue starting to surface and if there is an issue they will make it right and take care of it. You can't definitively say his radius matches yours based on a picture. The scale of the picture or the angle it was taken from could easily affect any measurement you try to apply to it.
There is a post in this thread from someone that had this issue and happened to have two guitars with the same bridge, one bent the other not. He swapped the straight bridge on to the guitar the bent bridge was on and noticed a difference. If that isn't enough proof that this can be an issue that someone just can't put their finger on I don't know what is.
All the OP did was give you some facts back about the problem he has. Someone decided it was enough of an issue to send him a $125 bridge free of charge to fix it.
JasonE
New Member
Here is the answer to the question about why the screws would not be bent if the bridge base is bent.
I pulled out my SC-58 and already had my 594 out. Both of these guitars have the thicker notched version of the bridge on them. The saddles ride on a flat part of the channel that is milled specifically for this purpose. All of the downward pressure from the string is held up by the saddle being in contact with the bridge base, not the screw.
If you look at this picture of the bridge, you will see what I am describing.
I pulled out my SC-58 and already had my 594 out. Both of these guitars have the thicker notched version of the bridge on them. The saddles ride on a flat part of the channel that is milled specifically for this purpose. All of the downward pressure from the string is held up by the saddle being in contact with the bridge base, not the screw.
If you look at this picture of the bridge, you will see what I am describing.
Two-Piece Bridge - Bridge w/Brass Saddles
Replacement bridge for Core and S2 Series McCarty 594 model guitars. Includes Bridge, Studs & Thumbwheels come in unpolished brass only. (Tail piece with studs sold separately).
us.prsaccessories.com
RCM78
New Member
Actually, I immediately noticed the string radius was off. That led me to the bridge. I’ve seen this before and it will happen again.
I think you’re underestimating the downward force on the bridge from the bridge to the stop tail. It can be adjusted by raising and lowering the stop tail. This one was decked to the body.
You’re right. It’s not a Les Paul and I expected better from PRS but it seems they have cheapened this bridge with the changes.
There’s simply no way the bridge was cast curved like that. These parts still go through a machining process before plating. It should be perfectly straight.
John F
Here for the party
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Fair enough, I didn’t mean to impart attitude, but if it was received that way then I apologize.
You know what you see, it doesn’t meet your expectations and you need it to be corrected. PRS is sending a replacement and that is all you wanted to begin with. 594 are beautiful guitars, I love mine. Enjoy yours!
shinksma
What? I get a title?
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I concur with this assessment - the intonation screws are under no lateral load, the saddles ride on "benches".Here is the answer to the question about why the screws would not be bent if the bridge base is bent.
I pulled out my SC-58 and already had my 594 out. Both of these guitars have the thicker notched version of the bridge on them. The saddles ride on a flat part of the channel that is milled specifically for this purpose. All of the downward pressure from the string is held up by the saddle being in contact with the bridge base, not the screw.
If you look at this picture of the bridge, you will see what I am describing.
Two-Piece Bridge - Bridge w/Brass Saddles
Replacement bridge for Core and S2 Series McCarty 594 model guitars. Includes Bridge, Studs & Thumbwheels come in unpolished brass only. (Tail piece with studs sold separately).us.prsaccessories.com
FWIW, I just looked at both of my 594s, both Semi-Hollows (so the 2018 design), one SC, one DC. The bridges are fine. Though you can sure scare yourself if you just look at them from the POV of the string ball-ends, because the tailpiece is convex, so the optical-illusion of the bridge being concave can appear very easily.
But if I look from the "side" i.e. from the POV I would see while playing, the bridge is flat. Though again, don't let the curved edges fool you.
I would hazard a guess that any defect that is the root cause of these deformations is the result of a design or material change intended to make the guitar lighter or "better" somehow - the zero-run cost change to implement a physical manufacturing change (i.e. drawings, tooling, etc) is not insignificant, and they'd have to make a significant change in cost per item to be able to recoup that over the expected production runs.
If PRS is swapping them out then I think that is an indication they agree there is some sort of issue, perhaps only a part run of production for a period of time due to bad/incorrect metal alloy, or they realized the "improvement" wasn't one and went back to the old design, and hopefully they've addressed it in more recent production.
RCM78
New Member
Here's an update.
Received the new bridge. It's perfectly flat. It's the newest version with the tall saddles. Also, the entire bridge is chrome plated where the previous version was not plated on the bottom.
Received the new bridge. It's perfectly flat. It's the newest version with the tall saddles. Also, the entire bridge is chrome plated where the previous version was not plated on the bottom.
Senor Verde
New Member
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- Sep 26, 2013
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- 462
Looks great. I hope it is a permanent cure. I like the rounded corners of the more recent bridge and tailpiece. The sharper corners were the only things I didn't like about my '12 SC58.
watelessness
Member
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- Apr 26, 2012
- Messages
- 2,547
any idea which years are covered by the suspect bridges?
RCM78
New Member
I believe the transition period starts with 2019 guitars. You will find guitars with the older bridge and the newer bridge through 2020.
watelessness
Member
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- Messages
- 2,547
Sweeet!!! mine is an '18 and it remains flat
Just wanted to chime in here real quick. '22 SE McCarty 594 I had my tech call me the other day asking "what the hell happened to the bridge!?'
Told me it was bowed downward and thought I was beating the hell out of it. Anyway, he straightened it out and all is well and plays like a dream for now but he also suggested that the metal is soft and that it's probably going to do it again. I use 9-46 strings so I have no idea why it would do that. A have sent email to PRS to see what options there are as I figure they must know about this issue by now.
Here is the bridge for reference. It's has be straightened before this pic I wish I had a pic of it bent
Told me it was bowed downward and thought I was beating the hell out of it. Anyway, he straightened it out and all is well and plays like a dream for now but he also suggested that the metal is soft and that it's probably going to do it again. I use 9-46 strings so I have no idea why it would do that. A have sent email to PRS to see what options there are as I figure they must know about this issue by now.
Here is the bridge for reference. It's has be straightened before this pic I wish I had a pic of it bent
DISTORT6
NJ Devil
The BIG picture 
