Bridge upgrade for S2 Mira

[humblepie]

I am the proud owner of a beautiful 2015 S2 Mira. It's a great guitar and that was obvious even before I bought it, but the more time I spend with it, the more I learn how to get the most out of it and how sound an instrument it really is.

Mine has the fixed bridge. I've read and heard how certain bridge replacements increase tuning and intonation accuracy AND beef up the tone and harmonics.

I can't afford the PRS bridge that they now make ($250+), but I am looking at the Graph Tech ResoMax bridge.

Does anybody have experience with upgrading their S2 Mira bridge, and have you tried the Graph Tech product?

 

[garrettb]

There really is nothing wrong with the S2 stoptail. It's the same main part as the Core, but with different, metric studs. Great bridge and should intonate just fine as long as you're not using a wound G or whacky gauges. If anything, maybe try some Tonepros studs (metric, nickel).

If you really have to upgrade the bridge, it has to be the MannMade 2300 or the Schroeder. Nobody else in the aftermarket can compete.

 

[humblepie]

Thanks for your reply. So I may be buying into the marketing bit, but I would look for improved intonation and a beefier tone that Graph Tech and MannMade both promise. If I can find a tad of weakness in my S2, it's the high E string that can sound a bit weaker than I think it should. I would hope a bridge replacement would help.

I've gone to the MannMade 2300 site, clicked on "Guitar Vault", where it says you go to buy it, but the Guitar Vault site turns up nothing when you to a search.
Where do you buy the MannMade 2300?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

What garrett said.

I've tried a couple of different bridges and always wind up putting the original type bridge back on. I think they're perfect.

 

[humblepie]

And what is a "Schroeder", did you mean Schaller?

 

[humblepie]

Sergio, what if your intonation is off on a couple of strings? It's not seriously off, and I could argue that the mild dissonance is part of the sound, nothing too serious, but it's a bit off nonetheless.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Sergio, what if your intonation is off on a couple of strings? It's not seriously off, and I could argue that the mild dissonance is part of the sound, nothing too serious, but it's a bit off nonetheless.

I mean, in that case maybe you should look elsewhere. I never had that issue so in my experience it was looking to fix a problem that wasn't there.

 

[Lee B.]

I agree with Sergio, the PRS wraparounds stand with any other ones I've tried. The one aftermarket bridge I would recommend avoiding is the TonePros adjustable wraparound. It sounds fine, but has holes under the string paths, making restringing an exercise in sadomasochism unless you pull it clean off to thread the new strings.

 

[bodia]

Go here to order the MannMade 2300. IMO, it's the best choice if you're going to replace the original.

https://store.guitarvaultusa.com/MannMade_USA_Intonatable_Stoptail_Bridge_Assembly_p/2300.htm

As for intonation issues, I've really only had problems when going to 7's or 8's with respect to string gauge. BTW, I have several of the MannMade, and love them. Still have a couple of originals too.

 

[Rider1260]

If you have a dead string I would look at frets and the nut before I replaced the bridge and or pickup height ( to close to the string can lower sustain )
I have no issues with the PRS stop tail but the Manmade is sweet also.

 

[garrettb]

And what is a "Schroeder", did you mean Schaller?

Nope. Talking about this guy: https://www.schroederguitarhardware.com/

 

[Lee B.]

Go here to order the MannMade 2300. IMO, it's the best choice if you're going to replace the original.

https://store.guitarvaultusa.com/MannMade_USA_Intonatable_Stoptail_Bridge_Assembly_p/2300.htm

As for intonation issues, I've really only had problems when going to 7's or 8's with respect to string gauge. BTW, I have several of the MannMade, and love them. Still have a couple of originals too.

Sounds like someone tried out the Rev Willys.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Sounds like someone tried out the Rev Willys.

On one of my favorite guitars of his... Soooo light!

 

[Lee B.]

On one of my favorite guitars of his... Soooo light!

"Ah told B. B. I put on sevens. An' he said, 'That's o-kay.'"

 

[bodia]

Sounds like someone tried out the Rev Willys.

I did. Man, they're tiny! Sounded pretty good on the SC Ted though, with the Mann. I could tune it with the stop tail, but no fretted note on the finger board sounded right.

 

[andy474x]

The 2300 is great, although I did have the infamous "sitar" problem that you seem to be also describing on a couple of high strings, so I switched a few saddles around and that fixed the problem. Tonally, I didn't hear a big difference between that and the stock tailpiece (this is on a Mira as well). But it is a great piece of hardware.

I also have the Tonepros adjustable with locking studs on another PRS. It can be difficult to string, and for that reason I won't deny that many people strongly dislike it. I happen to really love it, because I've gotten pretty good at stringing it and have never had the sitar issue or any other problems with it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Russ73]

OP Congratulations, the S2 Mira was my first PRS and I have 4 now, still love it its so lightweight and sounds incredible, as for the bridge I use 9.5s on my PRSi and it intonates perfectly so I kept it, I think it sounds great too!

 

[dogrocketp]

I`m another guy who wouldn`t change the bridge. I have Schroeder locking studs on all my stop tail guitars. Has anyone adjusted the neck or checked the bridge harmonics for the intonation? You might just need a simple setup, especially if you`re using 9`s or 10`s.