Abysmal customer service :(

Honestly...

I'd try prying with a pick tool and/or precision flathead and attack it from the forward position. A little mangled brass can be cleaned up with a file.

It's hard to tell from the pic, but I bet part of the 90° bend in the spring is locked up in the soft brass.

Or, a workaround...
A setup allowing 3 springs; new extra power springs might be necessary.
 
Have You Tried The Control, Alt, Delete Thingy? Have You Powered Off?

I Would Find A Local Machine Shop And One Of Those Guys Would Have It Sorted In About 30 Seconds.
 
Can we get an update on any developments today? Its Saturday afternoon and I'm not at work.
 
I feel compelled to reply to this...

The spring broke because there is a kink half way down the tang, to keep it from creeping out of the block. You apparently bent it to far back while trying to remove the spring
I recommend NOT trying to remove them for obvious reasons...

I do NOT currently produce any Gen III blocks. sorry...

1. PRS customer service replied exactly as I would expect. Their policy is to not sell proprietary components. Technically... there are no authorized repair shops other than PTC, so they won't send parts to most dealers either (99.9%).
2. PRS purchases their bridges, as a complete assembly, so there are no spare blocks just laying around to send you.
3. It is highly unlikely you will successfully drill the broken tang out. It is made from spring steel, which is much harder than standard High Speed Steel drills. Carbide drills might work, but it would need to be done on a proper machine, that is very rigid.
4. You will not be able to punch it in deeper, because those holes are only drilled about 1/16" deeper than the length of the tang.
5. Your best bet is to find a local machine shop that has a EDM machine capable of plunge / hole burning. More info here
6. In the past, I have managed to remove broken spring tangs, but there has to be something there to grab on to. I have also machined them out.

If you would like me to try fixing it, contact me directly to discuss..

Good luck! ~ John Mann
 
John Mann said:
I feel compelled to reply to this...

The spring broke because there is a kink half way down the tang, to keep it from creeping out of the block. You apparently bent it to far back while trying to remove the spring
I recommend NOT trying to remove them for obvious reasons...

I do NOT currently produce any Gen III blocks. sorry...

1. PRS customer service replied exactly as I would expect. Their policy is to not sell proprietary components. Technically... there are no authorized repair shops other than PTC, so they won't send parts to most dealers either (99.9%).
2. PRS purchases their bridges, as a complete assembly, so there are no spare blocks just laying around to send you.
3. It is highly unlikely you will successfully drill the broken tang out. It is made from spring steel, which is much harder than standard High Speed Steel drills. Carbide drills might work, but it would need to be done on a proper machine, that is very rigid.
4. You will not be able to punch it in deeper, because those holes are only drilled about 1/16" deeper than the length of the tang.
5. Your best bet is to find a local machine shop that has a EDM machine capable of plunge / hole burning. More info here
6. In the past, I have managed to remove broken spring tangs, but there has to be something there to grab on to. I have also machined them out.

If you would like me to try fixing it, contact me directly to discuss..

Good luck! ~ John Mann
Click to expand...
 
John Mann said:
I feel compelled to reply to this...

The spring broke because there is a kink half way down the tang, to keep it from creeping out of the block. You apparently bent it to far back while trying to remove the spring
I recommend NOT trying to remove them for obvious reasons...

I do NOT currently produce any Gen III blocks. sorry...

1. PRS customer service replied exactly as I would expect. Their policy is to not sell proprietary components. Technically... there are no authorized repair shops other than PTC, so they won't send parts to most dealers either (99.9%).
2. PRS purchases their bridges, as a complete assembly, so there are no spare blocks just laying around to send you.
3. It is highly unlikely you will successfully drill the broken tang out. It is made from spring steel, which is much harder than standard High Speed Steel drills. Carbide drills might work, but it would need to be done on a proper machine, that is very rigid.
4. You will not be able to punch it in deeper, because those holes are only drilled about 1/16" deeper than the length of the tang.
5. Your best bet is to find a local machine shop that has a EDM machine capable of plunge / hole burning. More info here
6. In the past, I have managed to remove broken spring tangs, but there has to be something there to grab on to. I have also machined them out.

If you would like me to try fixing it, contact me directly to discuss..

Good luck! ~ John Mann
Click to expand...
Thanks for chiming in Mr. Mann! If anybody knows this stuff, it is you ;~)) My "plunge it into the hole" idea was based on info that the hole was about twice as deep as the tang that goes in, but apparently that is not the case. The clarification is appreciated.
 
Late to this, but could you somehow solder/weld something to the spring piece (but somehow not the block) and then pull it out?
 
Tonecontrol said:
Get a drill bit the same size as the spring, drop superglue onto the bit and attach it on the broken spring (( if you have accelerater use it)) it should come out
Click to expand...
…And watch your drill bit get bonded to the block ;)

Seriously though, the “Mann” has spoken (see post #44 above), and if anyone knows PRS trems, it is he - both as a designer and an expert machinist. The OP should take his advice.
 
Dirty_Boogie said:
…And watch your drill bit get bonded to the block ;)

Seriously though, the “Mann” has spoken (see post #44 above), and if anyone knows PRS trems, it is he - both as a designer and an expert machinist. The OP should take his advice.
Click to expand...
100% the post #44 is end of story
 
Black Dog said:
I would just purchase a new block. John Mann has replacement brass blocks.

www.johnmannsguitarvault.com

MannMade USA Brass Tremolo Block - PRS CE / S2 / SE Bridges - Left Ha

Fatten the mid range tone and sustain! Replaces stock Steel Block, no modification required. Fits PRS CE, S2, & SE Molded Tremolo Bridges (ACC-0038) *
www.johnmannsguitarvault.com www.johnmannsguitarvault.com
Click to expand...
Post #44 John Mann says, "I do NOT currently produce any Gen III blocks. sorry..."

Bummer. But does offer to try and fix it if he contacts him. That's what I'd do or change holes for the 4th spring. Actually, That's what I'd do, just change spring holes and play!
 
I'm also late to this, but if the broken part is half of the total depth of the hole why not just push it all the way in, intentionally and put the new spring in the hole. It will only take up half the depth and the two will fit just fine. Just leave it in there.
 
That’s an absolutely terrible response and standpoint from PRS. Of course they can just send a new a block, they just don’t want to. What a money grab. And requiring to ship the whole guitar back and forth with all the risks and negative environmental consequences associated with doing so. What the hell, that really does not make the company look good.
 
ViggoP said:
That’s an absolutely terrible response and standpoint from PRS. Of course they can just send a new a block, they just don’t want to. What a money grab. And requiring to ship the whole guitar back and forth with all the risks and negative environmental consequences associated with doing so. What the hell, that really does not make the company look good.
Click to expand...
This is certainly one way people look at it, but there are other ways as well.

Sending replacement parts and having the end user fix anything is dangerous and has a history of failure. It's likely this replacement would work just fine, but they have probably been bitten before and have made the decision to just keep it consistent and have the PTC do all the unusual fixes. It isn't personal, just a guard against messes in the future.
 
Sometimes stuff happens and it isn't because anything was defective.

I'd just buy one of John's excellent tremolo bridges (or one from PRS if OEM is preferred), and replace the whole thing myself.

Just remember that when taking things apart to clean areas no one looks at, no good deed goes unpunished. ;)
 
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