Getting a SE 7 soon! Need Help!

[ngrungebb91]

Hello all, soon I will be putting down on a SE Custom 24 7 string in Vintage Sunburst. Although, I will need some help on some ideas I have for modding it up a bit when I get it. I will mainly be playing it in drop G# so, I will be putting heavier strings on it.. metal :evil: I also want to upgrade the pickups to Bare Knuckle Pickups Juggernauts in a Black Stain color. For the tuners I'll be getting some Schaller Locking Tuners. For the bridge, I MIGHT get a hipshot bridge but I dont know how those fit. Basically I want to change all the hardware to black. How would that look on the vintage sunburst finish I'm a little concerned that would look odd but I think it would look so cool???? Also... on the hipshot bridge... how is the fit! Thank you!!

 

[Prs2studio]

Buying a guitar and then changing a third of it...why not buy one already made that way?
The cost factor and resale value don't make sense

 

[ngrungebb91]

Buying a guitar and then changing a third of it...why not buy one already made that way?
The cost factor and resale value don't make sense

I like to modify and change things on my guitars. It's just a really fun thing to do in my spare time. If I buy one close to what I want (ESP AW-7 for example) I still have to deal with changing the pickups out to BKP which is the company I perfer. Which would be MORE expensive than modifying the PRS since the AW-7 costs $899 MAP and the Jugg's cost $339. The guitar already made up that way as you mentioned is a Mayones Regius 7 and they cost just as much or a little bit more than a Maryland PRS... not in my budget. As for resale.. I'm sure someone will enjoy the mods I put in as much as I did, so it would sell. I love PRS, I already have a SE Mike Mushok. So I want to continue collecting more!

 

[John Beef]

I don't have any suggestions for you, but I would love to know how the SE7 handles the down tuning compared directly to the Mushok.

 

[ngrungebb91]

I don't have any suggestions for you, but I would love to know how the SE7 handles the down tuning compared directly to the Mushok.

Okay, well thanks anyway! Yeah.. I will gladly follow up on that in a NGD thread whenever I get it lol. I've put my Mushok down to G# and its Brutaaallll. I also read on Sevenstring.org if you put .11-.54 with a .68 on the low B for the SE 7, it rips on G# no problem.

 

[TroyBaer]

I've been doing something similar with one of my Cu24-7s, except with gold hardware on an amethyst guitar.

Be warned if you're considering covered BKP 7-string pickups that they require a tiny bit of routing to fit in a Cu24-7. Apparently the corners on the covered BKPs are a bit more square than the routes in the Cu24-7 -- my tech had to do a bit of Dremeling to get a pair of covered BKP Emeralds to fit in mine.

I went with Grover locking tuners for my guitar. Grovers tuners usually come in sets of 6, but WD Music will sell you individual tuners if you call them and ask nicely. If you go with Schallers, it looks like you can get individual tuners from Warmoth. Also, be aware that if you're going to use much heavier strings than stock, you may have to drill out the tuner for the 7th string to get something bigger than a 0.060" or so to fit.

My tech is trying to get in touch with Hipshot to check on the fit of a Hipshot 7-string bridge on a Cu24-7 -- it looks to us like it's close, but 1-2mm off. He's hoping to run into them at this weekend's summer NAMM show...

 

[ngrungebb91]

I've been doing something similar with one of my Cu24-7s, except with gold hardware on an amethyst guitar.

Be warned if you're considering covered BKP 7-string pickups that they require a tiny bit of routing to fit in a Cu24-7. Apparently the corners on the covered BKPs are a bit more square than the routes in the Cu24-7 -- my tech had to do a bit of Dremeling to get a pair of covered BKP Emeralds to fit in mine.

I went with Grover locking tuners for my guitar. Grovers tuners usually come in sets of 6, but WD Music will sell you individual tuners if you call them and ask nicely. If you go with Schallers, it looks like you can get individual tuners from Warmoth. Also, be aware that if you're going to use much heavier strings than stock, you may have to drill out the tuner for the 7th string to get something bigger than a 0.060" or so to fit.

My tech is trying to get in touch with Hipshot to check on the fit of a Hipshot 7-string bridge on a Cu24-7 -- it looks to us like it's close, but 1-2mm off. He's hoping to run into them at this weekend's summer NAMM show...

Oh man okay, how much is "a bit of dremeling"?? Yeah I got the locking tuners covered those are easy Please also keep me posted on the hipshot bridge!

 

[themike]

How did I miss this thread? Sorry - Ive had hipshots installed on 2 of my SE7s - they will require new holes but they are hidden under the bridge/saddles so you won't have anything visible. The only thing you may encounter is a minor indent from the original bridge since its base is slightly larger than the hipshot. Several tuners are drop in compatible - I used the Schallers from Warmoth but there are others as people have mentioned. I didnt installed BKPs so I can't answer that though I have Aftermaths in a CU24 and they fit with no problem. 2 of the SE7s had Sentient/Pegasus combos from Duncan that fit with no issues and matched the black motif I was going for. Either way good luck and have fun with it!

 

[ngrungebb91]

How did I miss this thread? Sorry - Ive had hipshots installed on 2 of my SE7s - they will require new holes but they are hidden under the bridge/saddles so you won't have anything visible. The only thing you may encounter is a minor indent from the original bridge since its base is slightly larger than the hipshot. Several tuners are drop in compatible - I used the Schallers from Warmoth but there are others as people have mentioned. I didnt installed BKPs so I can't answer that though I have Aftermaths in a CU24 and they fit with no problem. 2 of the SE7s had Sentient/Pegasus combos from Duncan that fit with no issues and matched the black motif I was going for. Either way good luck and have fun with it!

Okay Hipshots and tuners are checked on the list! Thanks for the reply! Now just need some info on those BKP fits haha. Also... this shouldn't matter but... how would all black hardware work with the vintage sunburst finish?

 

[themike]

Okay Hipshots and tuners are checked on the list! Thanks for the reply! Now just need some info on those BKP fits haha. Also... this shouldn't matter but... how would all black hardware work with the vintage sunburst finish?

I believe the correct term would be "kickass"? But I'm biased - I like black on black on black on everything.

 

[ngrungebb91]

I believe the correct term would be "kickass"? But I'm biased - I like black on black on black on everything.

Haha, I like that! nice.

 

[jimistephen]

I believe the correct term would be "kickass"? But I'm biased - I like black on black on black on everything.

How much blacker can this be? And the answer is none, none more black.

 

[ngrungebb91]

By the way, gave PRS customer service a call today. Was wondering if they had the schematic for the SE7 so things will be alot clearer for my tech when he works on it. The guy e-mailed me it right away. PRS is on top of things! kudos to them.

 

[snouttrout]

Themike, did the Schaller tuners fit right into the SE7 without having to drill out any wood, etc.?

 

[thieves&foxes]

I also discovered the SE7 today. Very, very impressive guitar. Phase 3's wont work on this even with minor modding? I just really like Phase 3's. DiMarzio PAF'swould work nicely for Jazzy, non gainy chordal work on this guitar?

 

[themike]

Themike, did the Schaller tuners fit right into the SE7 without having to drill out any wood, etc.?

Direct drop ins - didnt even need new screw holes. I would also consider dropping in USA PRS tuners too if you have the coin as the schallers aren't my favorite but they are still a step up.

 

[snouttrout]

Cool! Thanks. I put in some Dimarzio Illuminators. I'm really loving the sound! Out of curiosity, did you replace the stock nut? I was thinking about getting a self-lubricating graphite nut.

 

[themike]

Cool! Thanks. I put in some Dimarzio Illuminators. I'm really loving the sound! Out of curiosity, did you replace the stock nut? I was thinking about getting a self-lubricating graphite nut.

Not a problem! I did not and have no issues with the stock one but upgrading a nut is never a bad thing!