CE 24 Neck Pickup Height Adj Screws

[scott_]

The neck pickup in my stock 2016 CE 24 has 1-1/8" (3-48) height adjustment screws, which appear to me to be stainless steel. Height adjustment screws on the bridge pickup are a little shorter, only 1". I would like to put the 1-1/8" stainless screws in my bridge pickup as well. Does anyone know where to find either a 1-1/8" or 1-1/4" stainless 3-48 screw that will work for height adjustment?

I want to do this because, during height adjustment on the bridge pickup, if you (purposely or accidentally) lower the pickup below about 2.5mm above the ring, you will remove all threads and the spring will disconnect, causing a big headache and fixing it requires string removal. I would like the ability to adjust my bridge pickup all the way down to ring height, and test incremental increases from there, without the spring disconnect issue.

I tried a 1-1/4" and it won't fit in the pickup cavity. The simple answer seemed to be - buy another set of the 1-1/8" used by the PRS factory on the neck pickup. ....but I cannot find screws like that anywhere.

If I could find 1-1/4" 3-48 stainless, I wouldn't mind cutting them down to 1-1/8", but I can only find 1-1/4 in plated finishes.

I've searched the internet and found the following:

• 1-1/4" 3-48 height adjustment screws are common and readily available in nickel plate or other finished, but I cannot find them in stainless steel.
• 1" 3-48 stainless steel screws are very common and easy to get online or at hardware stores.
• 1-1/8" or 1-1/4" stainless pan/flat head 3-48 screws seem to be impossible to find anywhere.

I asked PRS support and referred to Stew Mac and All Parts, which only validate the three points above.

Anyone else looking for this?

Anyone know where I can find it?

 

[bodia]

The neck pickup in my stock 2016 CE 24 has 1-1/8" (3-48) height adjustment screws, which appear to me to be stainless steel. Height adjustment screws on the bridge pickup are a little shorter, only 1". I would like to put the 1-1/8" stainless screws in my bridge pickup as well. Does anyone know where to find either a 1-1/8" or 1-1/4" stainless 3-48 screw that will work for height adjustment?

I want to do this because, during height adjustment on the bridge pickup, if you (purposely or accidentally) lower the pickup below about 2.5mm above the ring, you will remove all threads and the spring will disconnect, causing a big headache and fixing it requires string removal. I would like the ability to adjust my bridge pickup all the way down to ring height, and test incremental increases from there, without the spring disconnect issue.

I tried a 1-1/4" and it won't fit in the pickup cavity. The simple answer seemed to be - buy another set of the 1-1/8" used by the PRS factory on the neck pickup. ....but I cannot find screws like that anywhere.

If I could find 1-1/4" 3-48 stainless, I wouldn't mind cutting them down to 1-1/8", but I can only find 1-1/4 in plated finishes.

I've searched the internet and found the following:

• 1-1/4" 3-48 height adjustment screws are common and readily available in nickel plate or other finished, but I cannot find them in stainless steel.
• 1" 3-48 stainless steel screws are very common and easy to get online or at hardware stores.
• 1-1/8" or 1-1/4" stainless pan/flat head 3-48 screws seem to be impossible to find anywhere.

I asked PRS support and referred to Stew Mac and All Parts, which only validate the three points above.

Anyone else looking for this?

Anyone know where I can find it?

You may want to hit up John Mann at John Mann's Guitar Vault.

 

[scott_]

You may want to hit up John Mann at John Mann's Guitar Vault.

Yes! I did that right before posting this. Hoping for a response from him in the next few days. Mann has been my best resource for all things PRS.

 

[bodia]

Yes! I did that right before posting this. Hoping for a response from him in the next few days. Mann has been my best resource for all things PRS.

He is The Mann!

 

[scott_]

I'm still looking for the 1-1/8" or 1-1/4" STAINLESS 3-48 screws (just ike the ones installed on the neck pickup by PRS). In the meantime, after calling All Parts to confirm that the base metal used in the nickel plated 1-1/4" height screws is allow steel, not brass or stainless, I cut 1/8" off the All Parts nickel plated screws, so they fit in the pickup cavity, and installed them on my CE 24 bridge pickup. In my opinion, lowering the bridge pickup DRAMATICALLY improved the guitar's tone with my setup. However, since I cut and ground the nickel plated alloy screws, I'm certain they will rust. Now that I know how it sounds, I really need to find a stainless (or brass) screw. I know the low pickup is not a PRS spec setup, but the sound works great for me. My studio is only 12ft x 12ft and I'm plugged into a PRS MT15 on two Vintage 30 Celestions, so I don't need the hottest possible pickup setup. Without attenuation, I can't turn it up past 4, much less 11, and the lowered bridge pickup really let's me leverage the CE 24's tonal diversity.

 

[scott_]

No more replies from PRS or Mann. Would be nice to find out where PRS gets the 1-1/8 3-48 stainless pickup height adjustment screws that they use to install the CE 24 neck pickup.

 

[InTooDeep]

There are some brass ones on Amazon. they are only $0.14 a piece but unfortunately they come in a bag of 1500 and cost almost $200. Maybe call the manufacturer? ASPEN FASTNERS
(1500 pcs) #3-48 X 1-1/8", Machine Screws, Round Slot Drive, Full Thread, Brass
https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Screws-Round-Drive-Thread/dp/B07TGFNY1X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=3-48+screw+1-1/8"&qid=1579031024&s=industrial&sr=1-1
I also looked at mcmaster carr and didnt see it there either.

Also i imagine it would probably take a while for the other screw to rust unless your hands or environment are pretty acidic.

 

[John Mann]

Pole Piece screws are always made from alloy steel and plated. This is because they need to be magnetic.

You can coat the screw ends with clear nail polish.


BTW... sorry for the slow reply... Just had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder mid December.
Can't wait to play again!!!

 

[scott_]

Pole Piece screws are always made from alloy steel and plated. This is because they need to be magnetic.

You can coat the screw ends with clear nail polish.


BTW... sorry for the slow reply... Just had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder mid December.
Can't wait to play again!!!

Thanks for the nail polish tip! I get why the pole pieces aren't stainless, but I think the factory height adjustment screws are stainless or maybe nickel plated brass, but I think they are stainless. I'm baffled why PRS wouldn't just use the 1-1/8" length height adjustment screws on both pickups, instead of putting 1" screws on the bridge pickup. They don't usually penny pinch, so I assume it's by design. Regardless, if someone sold those 3-48 1-1/8" in stainless and/or brass/nickel I think other people would buy them because they are almost impossible to find. I'm going to follow-up with Aspen Fasteners as InTooDeep suggested above. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

 

[scott_]

There are some brass ones on Amazon. they are only $0.14 a piece but unfortunately they come in a bag of 1500 and cost almost $200. Maybe call the manufacturer? ASPEN FASTNERS
(1500 pcs) #3-48 X 1-1/8", Machine Screws, Round Slot Drive, Full Thread, Brass
https://www.amazon.com/Machine-Screws-Round-Drive-Thread/dp/B07TGFNY1X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=3-48+screw+1-1/8"&qid=1579031024&s=industrial&sr=1-1
I also looked at mcmaster carr and didnt see it there either.

Also i imagine it would probably take a while for the other screw to rust unless your hands or environment are pretty acidic.

I emailed Aspen and I found the same exact product for a little less at "Fastener Wholesale", but I'm not wild about paying for 1,500 screws. I would consider it, if they were stainless because I think other people would want them. I'm not sure about the resale proposition of brass because I think all CE's have nickel or stainless hardware and I think the other US models use a different size screw. I'm thinking about it though.

 

[gush]

On the older style wire strippers there are threaded holes in different sizes. Use those holes to cut your 1 1/4 screws down to the length you want.

After you cut it then run it "in" and use a file to clean up the cut then run it "out" to chase threads.

 

[gush]

PM me your cell or email and I'll send you pics of what I'm talking about.

 

[hans c]

these pickups are driving me nuts... why in the world would PRS put in such short screws to begin with....and putting them back in is a nightmare. All considered, if I had to get rid of one guitar, this one would be a no brainer.. I also have a hell of a time keeping this thing (CE24) in tune. Ive really liked almost every other PRS that I've tried/played, but this one has almost gone thru the window several times.

 

[scott_]

these pickups are driving me nuts... why in the world would PRS put in such short screws to begin with....and putting them back in is a nightmare. All considered, if I had to get rid of one guitar, this one would be a no brainer.. I also have a hell of a time keeping this thing (CE24) in tune. Ive really liked almost every other PRS that I've tried/played, but this one has almost gone thru the window several times.

I ended up doing as @gush mentioned above, got standard 3-48 1-1/4" humbucker screws and cut 1/8" off with clippers. It worked really well, and now I can lower both pickups equally. Get a few extra in-case you gouge or bend one on the first try.

Regarding keeping the CE24 in tune, I had the same problem in year 1. I really love the way the guitar feels, plays, and sounds, so I tried a few things and now it stays in-tune very well. This is all I did, not sure which thing(s) did the trick; 1) Upgraded to a MannMade bridge - stock CE24 bridge is the weakest link in the guitar, 2) Adjusted truss rod to spec. 3) Perfect intonation requires adjusting the low E saddle all the way back. 4) Use NYXL 9's 10's or hybrids. 5) Before you tune and play, rock and release the trem bar.

The bridge upgrade is the only part that costs much. You could do everything else and probably get a good result, but if you want to upgrade the bridge, you'll need to adjust everything again. So if you can afford the bridge, just do it all at once. After I did all this, I would take my CE over and CU or a Gibson any day.

 

[hans c]

Thanks Scott. Ill give your suggestions a try..

 

[gush]

I ended up doing as @gush mentioned above, got standard 3-48 1-1/4" humbucker screws and cut 1/8" off with clippers. It worked really well, and now I can lower both pickups equally. Get a few extra in-case you gouge or bend one on the first try.

Regarding keeping the CE24 in tune, I had the same problem in year 1. I really love the way the guitar feels, plays, and sounds, so I tried a few things and now it stays in-tune very well. This is all I did, not sure which thing(s) did the trick; 1) Upgraded to a MannMade bridge - stock CE24 bridge is the weakest link in the guitar, 2) Adjusted truss rod to spec. 3) Perfect intonation requires adjusting the low E saddle all the way back. 4) Use NYXL 9's 10's or hybrids. 5) Before you tune and play, rock and release the trem bar.

The bridge upgrade is the only part that costs much. You could do everything else and probably get a good result, but if you want to upgrade the bridge, you'll need to adjust everything again. So if you can afford the bridge, just do it all at once. After I did all this, I would take my CE over and CU or a Gibson any day.

Remember that the crimp tool has threaded holes that can be used to cut the screw then clean up threads when you back screw out.