Advice needed on s2 Pickup issue

[psyber]

I recently bought the s2 10th anniversary McCarty, but I've been having trouble with string buzz on the low E right from the start. I found an excellent tech here in Nottingham, and he had a look at it today. At first he couldn't work out the problem, but then he applied some science: he replaced the bottom E with an acoustic string temporarily, and the buzzing stopped. He surmised from this that it was actually one of the pickups (neck, I believe he said) that was set too high, and pulling on the string. Unfortunately, the pickup was already as low as it would go in the ring, so there was no room for adjustment. He set the guitar up as best he could to eliminate most of the string buzz, but that does mean having a higher action.

All he could suggest was that I get a new set of pickup rings, and he could put the new bridge ring on the neck pickup, which would allow more room for adjustment.

So my question is, is this the product I need? https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/PRS-Humbucker-Straight-Pickup-Rings-Creme/3EG1

And is this the kind of issue I should be contacting PRS over rather than handing to an independent tech? (probably yes I guess).

 

[Eddie kim]

Take it back to the dealer who you purchased from. Have them fix or replace your S2.

 

[psyber]

Take it back to the dealer who you purchased from. Have them fix or replace your S2.

It'd have to be a repair, because it's so limited (they only had the one in stock, and I can't find any more for sale in that color for a good price). Unfortunately, the dealer is one of those "guitar superstores", and their tech support is pretty basic. It *should* go back to them, but I wouldn't expect a good job.

I've messaged PRS to see if they can advise the best course of action.

 

[show_a_little_faith]

It'd have to be a repair, because it's so limited (they only had the one in stock, and I can't find any more for sale in that color for a good price). Unfortunately, the dealer is one of those "guitar superstores", and their tech support is pretty basic. It *should* go back to them, but I wouldn't expect a good job.

I've messaged PRS to see if they can advise the best course of action.

In that, I'd push to get PRS to take care of it directly, at the PTC. I don't know how it works though, they may say it must go to the dealer, or maybe they'll take care of it at the PTC but you're responsible for the shipping costs. Even so, if it were me I'd rather pay the shipping to get it fixed properly, than trust it to the GC "techs".

One other thought - if it's only affecting the low E, have you tried lowering the individual pole piece screw below it? Too far and you'll mess up the volume balance between that and the other strings, but before sending it away for repairs, definitely worth trying to see if there's a sweet spot where your problem stops but it still sounds good

 

[andy474x]

The tech sounds suspicious to me - did he use the same gauge acoustic string as the electric string that was on there? Usually acoustic strings are thicker, which would create more tension at pitch and thus reduce string buzz. Also, could have been sitting higher on the nut if it didn’t fit all the way down in the slot.

I’ve never encountered a PRS that I couldn’t adjust the pickup low enough, and honestly, if the problem is as the tech described, you probably still have a neck/fret issue that needs to be addressed. You should be able to get the pickup to the published spec on the PRS setup guide and have the guitar play well.

Maybe try a set of strings with bigger wound strings, I think PRS makes a set.

 

[psyber]

I really don't think there's anything suspicious about the tech - he's very well regarded, and he pointed out that this is the first time he'd ever seen this kind of problem with a PRS off the assembly line, because their QC is so good. The problem with the pickup is that it's already set at its lowest point, so there's no room for adjustment. Possibly a consequence of having the core pickups on an S2? I dunno, but it's a weird issue.

Interestingly, I asked about the nut, because s2's are often cut quite high in the factory, but this one is already pretty low.

 

[psyber]

n that, I'd push to get PRS to take care of it directly, at the PTC. I don't know how it works though, they may say it must go to the dealer, or maybe they'll take care of it at the PTC but you're responsible for the shipping costs. Even so, if it were me I'd rather pay the shipping to get it fixed properly, than trust it to the GC "techs".

One other thought - if it's only affecting the low E, have you tried lowering the individual pole piece screw below it? Too far and you'll mess up the volume balance between that and the other strings, but before sending it away for repairs, definitely worth trying to see if there's a sweet spot where your problem stops but it still sounds good

He has done a setup for me to eliminate the buzz, but it means the action has to be a bit higher than ideal, so that's the trade-off.

I'd be happy to pay towards the solution, but I'd definitely like PRS's input just to be sure.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

As has been said, maybe contact PRS in Cambridge (Europe PTC), they should sort it out for you. Just to be sure that all possibilities have been considered.

Hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction.

 

[SinSir]

The tech sounds suspicious to me -

I thought this too while reading the post.

The pickup should go low enough regardless if core pickup in a s2. I agree with a quick turn on the e pole might solve you're issue.

If the pickup is at its lowest point, what is causing it at its lowest point? Are the pickup legs bottoming out or is it out of screw travel? Two differnet issues that end up with the same issue.

Good call to contact PRS. They'll sort you out.

 

[andy474x]

Can you provide photos and measurements of where your setup and pickup heights are at?

 

[psyber]

Ok, so 24 hours later, and the "sweet spot" setup that the tech did is already out, and I now have unexpected string buzz on the G string, even on the open string. Dammit...

 

[psyber]

Can you provide photos and measurements of where your setup and pickup heights are at?

Absolutely - I'm no expert though (as you can probably tell... ). I do have an action gage though - if you can tell me what the photos need to show, I can take some pics np.

(Appreciate it!)

 

[andy474x]

Just a couple photos to give us an idea of where your pickup is, where your action is, like those below.

For your reference, these are my S2 594. I have my action set up with just enough relief to barely see daylight between the low E string and 9th-12th fret area when pushing the string down at the first and last fret. String height at the 12th fret is at the PRS spec (1.5-1.9mm), and the bass pickup, bass side/under low E string is just a hair lower than the PRS spec, at 4-4.5mm. I get a tiny bit of fret buzz on the low E if I hit it harder, as I do on all my guitars.

As you can see, the bass side pickup ring is already pretty thin, low profile to the top of the guitar, I doubt getting any different rings would make much difference, the "straight" PRS rings that you linked in the OP are usually for trem equipped guitars and aren't angled from front to back, but their thicknesses are about the same - in fact maybe a little thicker where the screw is. What you really want if you can't get low enough is longer screws (assuming your pickup legs aren't running out of travel, as our good friend @SinSir mentioned).

All that being said, you shouldn't have to lower the pickup like that to get the guitar playing well. Let's see where your pickup is adjusted to, and your action, and if those things are close to spec, you might have a bowed or twisted neck, or a fret job that needs some work.

 

[deathworlder]

What kind of strings?
Maybe try some pure nickel...

 

[psyber]

Great, here's what I have (and I'm jealous right now, because you're describing exactly how I like my setups, and this one is a ways off...)

 

[psyber]

What kind of strings?
Maybe try some pure nickel...

D'addario XL 10s right now.

 

[John F]

I have seen reports from other people with guitars with this problem who added weight to the headstock to get rid of the problem. Fender sells a headstock clamp for this purpose you can use for troubleshooting. When people confirmed this was their problem they either leave the clamp installed, or changed to heaver tuners / tuner knobs etc.

If you really think the pickup being too high is the cause then remove it from the body, re-string the guitar and check for buzz. If buzz is present the problem isn’t the magnetism of the pickup.

Assuming the pickup is too high, there is a way to lower it by sanding the bridge pickup ring to reduce the height of it. The method is simple: Take the pickup off the ring. Put painter’s tape on the body over the pickup cavity. Place sticky back sand paper (or use double sided tape) on top of the painter’s tape and gently move the pickup ring against the sandpaper to reduce the thickness of the pickup ring. This will maintain the curvature of the pickup ring to the body which is important. This is how pickup rings are fit up in factories, and the same is done for bridges on acoustics etc. Go slow, stroke the ring in line with the neck, don’t drift too far off center and use fine sandpaper.

 

[andy474x]

Great, here's what I have (and I'm jealous right now, because you're describing exactly how I like my setups, and this one is a ways off...)

That all looks good, and your pickup height looks even lower than mine.

How’s the neck relief?

 

[frankencat]

Judging by your pictures, the pickup height shouldn’t have anything to do with your strings buzzing. It is probably in need of some fret leveling. A lot of times one or more high frets will need to be seated by lightly tapping them in with a fret hammer. If your tech can’t do this kind of work then he is not the right guy for the job.

 

[psyber]

That all looks good, and your pickup height looks even lower than mine.

How’s the neck relief?

I'll be honest, I can't really judge it by eye. The tech did say he'd had to straighten the neck a little during his setup.