CE24 Owners: tightness?

I'll try the truss rod. I've lowered the saddles, hoping that would do the trick. No luck, hehe. But the action is sexy though ;)
I wouldn't just go adjusting the truss rod willy nilly. Only adjust the truss rod if you are wanting a change in neck relief. Loosening the truss rod will cause more relief which will only put the strings farther away from the fretboard.

Have you compared the action height on the upper frets to the SE? It might be the same at the 12th fret but could be different above that where you feel it is stiffer. That's where the idea came from earlier to loosen the truss rod and lowering the saddles as that will play with lower action up high on the neck.
 
It may not even be the strings. Could be a different neck carve that you are perceiving as a tightness in the strings above the 12th fret.
 
It may not even be the strings. Could be a different neck carve that you are perceiving as a tightness in the strings above the 12th fret.
In theory, there shouldn't be much difference between the two necks: the SE CU24 has a wide thin neck, and the CE24 has a Pattern Thin neck, which is essentially the same as the wide thin in terms of major measurements, but possibly has a slightly different "curve to the carve".

But, it is also possible one is thinner or wider than the other - just a simple manufacturing variance.

It shouldn't be something like how the guitar hangs, either - both are 24 frets, same body shape, same wood types, heck, even same tremolo I think.

I would try one more thing, as others have suggested: the string swap - just a slightly lighter gauge. If that doesn't work, then I suspect that guitar is just not gelling with you, and you probably should try a different guitar - could even be the same model, just a different specimen.
 
I also took the guitar in to my setup guy and he noticed a definite tightness, he felt it as well. He first suggested different string brands, he was loathe to suggest going down to 9s as that would need a whole setup, etc. But that might be what I end up doing if I stay with the guitar. Though I'd hate to have it hanging on a wall collecting dust.
 
Wrong. Neck angle can affect a guitar`s feeling of tightness. The number of springs will absolutely change the string tension. If you change the tuners,that can also affect the string tension by changing the string angle after it passed through the nut. Even changing the string brand can change the feel. When I put a Mann made milcom on my SE Cu 24, it instantly changed the feel dramatically, and for the better. As Paul himself has said, everything affects everything. I always recommend starting with the easiest (and cheapest) mods first, and then working from there till you get what you want. Remember these are suggestions of possibilities only.
Look up any of the number of string tension calculators that are available on the web. The variables that affect tension are scale length, string gauge, and string pitch. I'd guess that the construction of the string matters some too. Tuners don't matter. Springs don't matter, except if they give when you bend and counteract what you're doing to change the scale length. It's not magic. It's physics. Feel is subjective, but string tension is not.
 
Let me correct the use of the term tension in my statement. I should have said resistance, which can subjectlvely be interpreted as tension.
 
I think this is a ce24 thing also. I tried two of them and found them both very stiff. I have two custom 24's and don't find them to be like that. I wanted to like the ce but that to me was a major deal the way it felt so stiff. I sent them both back for refund.
 
Half a gauge in a sring is a cool option to be able to go to. But i have to echo the part about if he has a guitar with the same scale and same string gauge it should be very close in feel. Action and string height should be the only factor. No 2 guitars sound or play the same but same specs the feel should be comfortable I hope. If not then I may have all stiff guitars with 25 " scales. I know an SE and a core model are going to have different neck shapes and that's definitely got to do with feel. I have a SC anny with a WF and it feels different than my mcarty with a rosewood neck. Both w/f necks. The SC feels a bit stiffer at times but that's the set up and the the neck shape coming in to play. One thing I have wondered with PRS.. the ones that leave the factory with either 9s or 10s on them is that decision based in what feels best with that particular guitar? Maybe some say 9s on the hang tag because it just plays better that way. Interesting stuff
 
Hey all, been playing my CE24 now for about 6 months and I love it. I have noticed though that it just feels tight. I've got 10s on there and they feel like 11+. Has anyone else experience this?

I'm considering putting 9s on them to help out, thoughts?

Thanks!
When I first got my ce22, it was in standard tuning with 10s and I found the string tension was quite high, I certainly couldn't bend the way I was used to on an LP for example.

I downtune to D and C with the same guitar now and keep the 10 gauge on top, and it's slinkier but not too loose. Maybe give the 9s a go. I used to use 9s happily on a 25.5 inch scale in standard tuning quite happily
 
Got my 25" custom 24 with 4 trem springs, elixir nanoweb 10s(which have more tension than normal strings) and to me, it was a little too tight as well. I would probably remove a spring. The more springs you put in, the more tension you feel. Since you've already done that, go with 9s. No one said anything about 9s not sounding great.
 
If I hadnt already experienced this same neck carve guitar with 10s I would consider 9s. I as well have a 25.5 scale tele with 10s on it that feels slinkier than the PRS, so if 9s or drop tuning was of interest I would consider that. However the guitar is an exact neck carve cu24 that had 10s on it and felt silky ,slinky. So no 9s wont be an option
 
I can't really speak on the newest generation of CEs, but I've got a 2004 CE24 that I've been using as my main for a while now and I don't notice any tightness. The feel is pretty much identical to my S2 Mira SH, both strung with 10-52s.
 
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