Is anyone gigging with an SE ZM yet?

[Bob Pollock]

Just got mine, and have a week before I take it to its first gig. How are the pickups working for you? So far, playing around the house they seem to be not too bad at all. I feel the zebra look might be a little 'busy' though, and nickel covers might look better. I have a set of Dimarzio's available, a 36th Anni bridge, and an Eric Johnson Custom neck with nickel covers, so I'm contemplating that swap before I even try it live. Putting "the cart before the horse".
Otherwise, the guitar is fairly impressive, though it needed some set up. The truss rod was quite loose, too much relief, and the intonation was way sharp! So sharp that I elected to adjust the whole bridge back with the set screws to get it into the ball park. That's when I noticed something kind of interesting. The supplied hex key just spun in the set screws, too small. I grabbed my metric allen key set, and none fit!?
Odd. Got my imperial set out and found that 1/16" was the correct size. Did I get a USA bridge?:iamconfused:

 

[rubalup]

I have gigged mine a few times. Not sure what you mean about the PU´s... I guess they are what they are. The guitar has performed well and stayed in tune. I´m upgrading mine with a set of covered dimarzio´s 36th... but I´m 99% sure tat NOBODY in the audience (or in my band for that sake) is going to notice it tone wise.

Mine was very nice setup from factory (cant say if Corey at brians guitars did some adjustment when changing the nut)... The action was super low, zero buzzing and great intonation. I rise the action because I dont like it that low, but thats just a matter of preference.

 

[shinksma]

It surprises me the OP's ZM wasn't set up properly, loose truss rod and sharp intonation. PRS themselves check stuff before it ships to a dealer, and most vendors seem to check set up as well. Bob, where did you get your ZM?

On a related topic to this and another recent thread, I am also not enamoured with the look of the zebra pups (although they sound great, IMHO), especially with my spalted top. So I got some pup covers from Philadelphia Luthier to install - hope to do that this weekend. Mostly just for looks, but they might also slightly tweak the tone - hopefully in a more pleasing manner.

And while I have the strings off, I might replace the nut. I have a spare WF USA nut (previous owner of another of my PRSi swapped out stock nut for bone, and I've left it that way). And I'll swap to .010s string wise too.

 

[rubalup]

It surprises me the OP's ZM wasn't set up properly, loose truss rod and sharp intonation. PRS themselves check stuff before it ships to a dealer, and most vendors seem to check set up as well. Bob, where did you get your ZM?

On a related topic to this and another recent thread, I am also not enamoured with the zebra pups, especially with my spalted top. So I got some pup covers from Philadelphia Luthier to install - hope to do that this weekend. Mostly just for looks, but they might also slightly tweak the tone - hopefully in a more pleasing manner.

And while I have the strings off, I might replace the nut. I have a spare WF USA nut (previous owner of another of my PRSi swapped out stock nut for bone, and I've left it that way). And I'll swap to .010s string wise too.

yeah changing to 10´s was a must in my opinion

 

[flimbo]

Am I the only one that likes the look of zebra pups? And also I like 9's on my lowly "SE" Fredrik. Guess I don't fit in to the PRS elite here...

 

[drdoom8793]

How are you guys liking your ZMs? I just got an SE Singlecut for my first PRS and I've already got the fever. I'm trying to decide whether I want the ZM or a Tremonti Custom..

Edit: @flimbo, I love the zebra look on the ZM personally. If I changed the pups, I'd want to try to keep that style. Not sure I like the greenish tint of the tuners though. I prefer a standard ivory color.

 

[rubalup]

I dont dislike the zebra´s... the stock guitar looks very nice. But since the first moment I knew I would prefer covered pu´s on this guitar. The vintage type tuners are a great match IMO. In fact everything else on the guitar looks awesome: clear knobs, f hole... the all package.

I´m gonna try white pu rings and see if i like them better than the cream ones... not sure about that yet.

PD: flimbo I guess you cant be a part of our No-Flimbos group sorry. 10´s are a must... and even if you change the string gauge, we already have a Flimbo...

 

[CoreyT]

Wait a minute now, I run 9s on all of my guitars
Even my SE Kingfisher bass.
Not... that has 45 - 105's on it.

 

[justmund]

Am I the only one that likes the look of zebra pups? And also I like 9's on my lowly "SE" Fredrik. Guess I don't fit in to the PRS elite here...

PRS elite? No such thing. Have you actually read any of the posts on this forum? We're actually a friendly, helpful, accepting, civil, non-judgemental etc bunch.

 

[László]

PRS elite? No such thing. Have you actually read any of the posts on this forum? We're actually a friendly, helpful, accepting, civil, non-judgemental etc bunch.

Whoa, wait just a doggone second here. I'm none of those good things, and that's how I like it, because I'm old and cranky.

 

[Bob Pollock]

It surprises me the OP's ZM wasn't set up properly, loose truss rod and sharp intonation. PRS themselves check stuff before it ships to a dealer, and most vendors seem to check set up as well. Bob, where did you get your ZM?

On a related topic to this and another recent thread, I am also not enamoured with the look of the zebra pups (although they sound great, IMHO), especially with my spalted top. So I got some pup covers from Philadelphia Luthier to install - hope to do that this weekend. Mostly just for looks, but they might also slightly tweak the tone - hopefully in a more pleasing manner.

And while I have the strings off, I might replace the nut. I have a spare WF USA nut (previous owner of another of my PRSi swapped out stock nut for bone, and I've left it that way). And I'll swap to .010s string wise too.

I got mine off ebay, though the seller had bought it from Sweetwater only a few weeks prior. I don't think he'd done anything at all to it. It still had the plastic film on the TRC and back plates. I've certainly got no complaints at all. It plays great, and I think it's a fantastic value.

 

[Bob Pollock]

Bump to ask for budget hardshell case recommendations

 

[Decayingsilence11]

I just played my first gig with mine and it did great. Tuning was stable and it sounded great. I love the zebra p/u's but I might swap them out for a zebra semour duncan jb/59 set.

 

[shinksma]

Bump to ask for budget hardshell case recommendations

I just saw this. IIRC, the PRS multi-fit does not work with this guitar - CoreyT mentioned in a couple of threads that his ZM wouldn't lay flat. I should try it in mine, not that I don't believe CoreyT, but maybe there are variations...

The PRS Product page says this about the PRS Multi-fit case - keep in mind the product description was likely written before the ZM model existed:

Fits all US-made PRS models except Hollowbody, SC Hollowbody, Archtop, 12-String, DC3, B.Mason, NF3, JA-15, NS-14, and S2 Starla w/Bigsby tremolo. Also accommodates all Korean-made SE models except SE Mushok Baritone and SE Torero models. - See more at: http://www.prsaccessories.com/colle...ducts/prs-multi-fit-case#sthash.XhqZgIPW.dpuf

I need to play with stuff like trying various guitars in the various cases. My Akerfeldt fit into my LP case for example, but did not fit into my HB case - I should see how the ZM does...

There are other threads here that discuss good Hard-shell cases for the single cuts, including the various SE models.

In theory, one of the Gator cases should work...

So, um, I dunno? :dontknow:

 

[Bob Pollock]

Thanks for the reply shinksma, I think that if the multi-fit won't fit the SC Hollowbody, then it won't fit the ZM either.

I did play my first gig with my ZM Saturday night, and it was great. I had however, already replaced the pickups with Dimarzio Eric Johnson Custom neck, and 36th Anniversary bridge. I just think the nickel covers work better than exposed zebras.

 

[Bob Pollock]

New Vintage Vibe pickups. HS90A neck, HS90SW bridge, with blue/green abalone veneer.
The Dimarzio's were ok, but nothing special for me. We'll see what P90's do