Finally Finished Modding My Bernie Marsden

Mikegarveyblues

Cream Crackered
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
3,060
Location
Warrington, Nr Liverpool UK
After four years and over £1k (Including the guitar) I'm done! No, really, i'm done! Started off with what was already a great stock guitar and slowly but surely made incremental upgrades to improve the tone, look and playability of the guitar. At this stage I don't think I can do any more. It's as good as it can be and i'm very happy with the results!

Stock:

PRS SE Bernie Marsden by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

First upgrade was the nut. I replaced the stock nut with a Graphtech Tusq nut. Cut from an oversized blank by my tech. The spacing was widened a touch to make more use of that fretboard real-estate.

Bernie Tusq Nut 2 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

Next came the Bare Knuckle Mule pickups. I quickly realised I wanted a more powerful bridge pup so changed that for a Suhr Doug Aldrich. Could have gone badly wrong but proved a good match.

BOPersia 3 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

Other experiments included locking studs from various manufacturers and upgraded pots, caps, etc.

Recently, I had the oportunity to make the final upgrades thanks to Bodia, MannMade USA and RugerPC...

Major improvement with the MannMade USA Intonatable stoptail:

20151124_224818 by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

And recently the final upgrade. It's a visual upgrade but the US PRS knobs add that final touch of class:

PRS SE Bernie Marsden by MikeGBlues, on Flickr

Any future work will be replacing worn parts. But, other than that, the project is complete. Sounds great, looks great and plays great!
 
Sweet! Those are some nice guitars. Local GC had one marked down super low. Thought about it. Came back and it was gone. Probably for the best.
 
Looks killer Mike! Glad I could help out, and would do it again in an instant. Merry Christmas to you and yours (or Happy Holidays if you'd prefer).
 
Very nice! I'm losing my willpower on that Mann bridge - and I don't really have a desire to change any of my stoptails, but with everyone raving about them...

Nice job, Mike! Now, crank up that amp and wake the baby!!! :rock:
 
They grow up so fast...i remember when she was stock lol...most excellent Mike. Looking forward to getting my MannMade 2300 on my CU22 next week (along with the pups).

So now what you need is...a new project ;)
 
Nicely done, Mike! My Marsden is with my tech right now undergoing some mods.
 
Here are words I never thought I'd hear myself say: I really like the cream pickup rings...(I'm usually a black pickup rings guy)

...the low contrast against the hybrid hardware looks really sharp.
 
Bridge looks fantastic Mike, and with the knobs, looks like a core model. I like the veneer top you got, grain patterns both directions, really nice

I know you say complete, but when you get that mod itch again, I recommend a freeway switch about 40quid from BK, opens up some nice sounds, kinda shades of what I imagine custom 22/24 to be. They gave me a fool proof (ie me proof) wiring diagram for not having to flip magnet. Needs 4 conductor pickups

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24_279&products_id=608
 
Interesting. I had a Suhr Doug Aldrich in my Bernie for a while too, but I found it a bit too dark for my tastes. I ended up putting a set of Tonerider Alnico IV Classics in mine, which are in the general vicinity of BKP Mules (PAF-ish, A4 magnets). I've also got mine set up with a push/pull phase reversal switch on the tone control, like Bernie's prototype. IMHO, that sounds much better with pickups that are relatively matched output-wise -- it sounded OK with the Suhr, but it sounds much better with the more closely matched Toneriders.

I really like that MannMade bridge, though. My Bernie is the only stoptail PRS I have with a non-adjustable wraparound bridge, so I may have to make the swap at some point.
 
Looks killer Mike! Glad I could help out, and would do it again in an instant. Merry Christmas to you and yours (or Happy Holidays if you'd prefer).

Merry Christmas to you too!

I'm thinking about getting a black one in the future... Probably not for a long while or I may wind up single again!

If I do I'm going to put the black Mann bridge on it and all black hardware. Darth Marsden!
 
Here are words I never thought I'd hear myself say: I really like the cream pickup rings...(I'm usually a black pickup rings guy)

...the low contrast against the hybrid hardware looks really sharp.

They where on a list of mods but PRS don't seem to do crime rings with the right angles. They work fine though so it would be a pointless mod.
 
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