judge me somthing wrong with my prs 513 or i dont like prs sound

hyungsuk

New Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
5
Before start, i have to say sorry to everyone becuase my english skill is not good
so its ganna be long story if you dont want to see long story just go scroll down. I just write kind of summary.

I bough prs 513 on 2012. At that time i was 16 years old. My mother's friend offered me to buy PRS 513, Because, I can make variable tones. when I got the guitar. Guitar has fret buzz noise between middle fret to high fret and scratching sound when i bend string. but he said that it will be okey if i do guitar setup. so I bought it bring it to guitar Centre and i got setup.
but still has buzz. even technician made action height increased and became play harder. I thought that its normal to have buzz like fender guitar. but I still didn't like the have buzz. Because, clean tone sound is fine . but the problem is when i put distortion or overdrive tone. it sounds like cheap unknown brand guitar sound. technician nobody told me that what it was bad. or fake guitar or ETC. what they did. they just told me that. you should change locking tuner or i should change bridge. or Its very nice guitar i dont need to do anything. so i moved up next step which is maybe because , my gears were cheap useless gear . so maybe that my gears could not handle the guitar. so i bought Peavy 5605+ combo which is tube amp . I heard that good guitar needs tubeamps . so I bought peavey because, I was playing metal so.. anyway, I could not satisficed that. So i bought tonlab ex which is multiprocessor that have tube in it. still not satisficed. i bought marshal JCM 800. but still didn't satisficed. than I gave up to fix this issue. I just play prs when i play jazz or metal and rock rhythm less solo.

and week ago. my 3 way switch not working when i set 4 position at 5 way switch only.
and Some technician told me that my guitar is hump little bit at high fret and frets are very worn so it need to refret guitar. but he said better to sell and buy new guitar because. its old . right now i am going todo refret. this is last time try. i hope . it will fix the problem, but,, I will just ask question here

so

1. PRS has buzz is it normal? or no.
2. tube amp will make sound better or digital amp will good ( like boss katana that iam using right now)
3. metal lead tone sounds cheap guitar sound with anything that i had or have (peavy , marshall, tonlab ex , boss katana) what is the problem ? my hands or my guitar or really tube amp.
4. 3way switch is not working when i set position 4( middle and neck) is it problem with pickups?
How do i know its bad pickup. if bad pickups it will causing the tone problem.
5. right now my guitar action very low. less buzz but prs sounds was warm but now sounds like ibanez guitar now.. but cheap one. it is normal setting?
6. hard picking would be a problem?
7. any suggestion what should i do should i send ptc?
 
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Find a reputable guitar tech to diagnose the issue. Then email PRS and ask how you should proceed. I recommend finding a friend to help translate so communication is a bit smoother. Good luck!!
 
Find a reputable guitar tech to diagnose the issue. Then email PRS and ask how you should proceed. I recommend finding a friend to help translate so communication is a bit smoother. Good luck!!
I went biggest music shops in my province, but nobody catch that. when i go meet music tech guy i always say, I have a fret issue at high fret diagnose problem and fix me perfectly. but they were just do set up every time so :(
 
I went biggest music shops in my province, but nobody catch that. when i go meet music tech guy i always say, I have a fret issue at high fret diagnose problem and fix me perfectly. but they were just do set up every time so :(

Ive dealt with music shops like that. A lot of guys don’t know how to do it. I’m probably just as skilled as the kids doing work in our two local stores. Most techs can only do basic setups and change hardware and electronics. Neither of the stores in my town will do fret work. At least they are upfront about it.
 
I’ve been playing 513s for a long time, and a pair of 2007 Brazilian neck models have been my main gigging guitars for quite a while. As I’ve said here often, I believe the 513 to be the best guitar PRS ever made, so far as a fit for me personally.

While any guitar can exhibit fret buzz, it is certainly not a normal thing for a 513, or any PRS core instrument. A high fret could be the issue, but if there is significant wear to the frets, a worn fret or frets can also be the issue. It’s nearly impossible to adjust the neck to fix really bad frets, and there does come a time when refretting is the only answer. Without having the guitar in hand, it’s hard to say.

I play my 513s through an Axe Fx III on gigs, and through various tube amps at home. It never sounds bad, regardless of amp. The pickups are a touch brighter than some PRS pickups, but I can nail the Santana “Smooth” tones in the heavy humbucking setting, and most others in the clear humbucking setting, which I use as my “normal.” Absolutely no reason yours shouldn’t be as good as mine... which brings me to a possibility: is it a genuine PRS? There are a huge number of fakes out there. Simply posting a couple of close up pics will help us ID it if so. You can also contact PRS, email is in my sig.

Otherwise, a refret and switch repair to reclaim a superior instrument is not an unreasonable cost. 513s are selling at $2800 USD and up in the states, so it’s an instrument worth repairing. On the other hand, if you don’t like it, you can sell and get something you do.
 
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1. PRS has buzz is it normal? or no. NO
2. tube amp will make sound better or digital amp will good ( like boss katana that iam using right now) I prefer tube but either one my PRS sounds good
3. metal lead tone sounds cheap guitar sound with anything that i had or have (peavy , marshall, tonlab ex , boss katana) what is the problem ? my hands or my guitar or really tube amp. Hands or Guitar
4. 3way switch is not working when i set position 4( middle and neck) is it problem with pickups? Only position 4 is a problem?
How do i know its bad pickup. if bad pickups it will causing the tone problem. Find a good technician
5. right now my guitar action very low. less buzz but prs sounds was warm but now sounds like ibanez guitar now.. but cheap one. it is normal setting? What does a cheap Ibanez guitar sound like to you?
6. hard picking would be a problem? I think you have a problem with your guitar
7. any suggestion what should i do should i send ptc? Contact PTC or a good technician NOT Guitar Center.
 
I’ve been playing 513s for a long time, and a pair of 2007 Brazilian neck models have been my main gigging guitars for quite a while. As I’ve said here often, I believe the 513 to be the best guitar PRS ever made, so far as a fit for me personally.

While any guitar can exhibit fret buzz, it is certainly not a normal thing for a 513, or any PRS core instrument. A high fret could be the issue, but if there is significant wear to the frets, a worn fret or frets can also be the issue. It’s nearly impossible to adjust the neck to fix really bad frets, and there does come a time when refretting is the only answer. Without having the guitar in hand, it’s hard to say.

I play my 513s through an Axe Fx III on gigs, and through various tube amps at home. It never sounds bad, regardless of amp. The pickups are a touch brighter than some PRS pickups, but I can nail the Santana “Smooth” tones in the heavy humbucking setting, and most others in the clear humbucking setting, which I use as my “normal.” Absolutely no reason yours shouldn’t be as good as mine... which brings me to a possibility: is it a genuine PRS? There are a huge number of fakes out there. Simply posting a couple of close up pics will help us ID it if so. You can also contact PRS, email is in my sig.

Otherwise, a refret and switch repair to reclaim a superior instrument is not an unreasonable cost. 513s are selling at $2800 USD and up in the states, so it’s an instrument worth repairing. On the other hand, if you don’t like it, you can sell and get something you do.


Hey I just got leveled fret and factory setup by using plek machine. buzz still there but i cannot hear fret buzz from amp anymore!


D2Wn7jt8YzfVRx22-xyiV_ly0PbJHeipWeo72B_0mXQ3pDsvYk81ktDScq4nyi5tWMpmbKTO-tuyeS93XIE5JqbcpUXjRJXYPFMFv3xkTdxPTCu7DFvOpbdWk8Wbtu7RQh1sZHnq6rw5lGMVdrPIXW-_6shj5byfqJ7KfZ742BDXwupoKaVoWkiQ6mO0Ns20WFh2UJ112cQVPJX9tTcZZHqFUi1rA4koCEEBF_RwDVQwE_EqENbFND4k5-ddHS51vsQQeZfBBZ0q5WaVr4b_7s6BaNMQVATQ8JCeVV6PBDLaE_LQlQ3eX_3f5l6h2IGwgf-bhkfM5kQQkX0xi8BFYhKsgAtf4WXInGEQLHBKkeKgXRYhbtvlicWU1OwHdXx4ZB1YHIRKM814tLsCAva56Ijxhne9q2KF6Uy3-spq78mnWMapM-Ftubdss2RAlCNe7DslYOARqh7LqklHd1mSWh82NA-SrpquVs1E_U5bPiguQ-F8CGBJ4xIHlAmg0Tqpfl5pJ8D5MWeBtSqw9_vbJ09L3c5NhttcuAOiLzIsyWJ5mJetfbDBE0we2sKND4gyf6B1e6RI949oAqHvraMI-YRew8sMZt0IxjA1PuEgxusDbI5wRZKFAHF1agP58WXqcMPzIR5Ekpo_sbJKDUMeMGeKkv8ZcZwQ17OGBv5t1_hjNHA7DsRJ-3s7Kv2xt5k=w660-h879-no


this is My prs 513 ! .
And
9269_679176768829934_3657486518838092030_n.jpg

10540850_679176188829992_2494356599092885833_n.jpg

This is before leveled fret with setup

5ZKX79LBM0Zhs-rUCDHhrX6_EXM-V6Df2Ka_CTdyyAgj5lbNvaRjIQ5Y7MfRCeLs530y20m5ptCsAsNJABTZWse4UHA5Af6C--qhjFMJNeIcQot8yDjHDijY0jbWc786cuOFzYh3UGPZ1_UMkRlCKGAkmMqRJ8Lo26pXrzWtBW8L4wtaJmsdMw_j1J2YE2TG9rhWnIzuCGP-zx4ufKNHfuucqirUq0wMkeYgyjkde9KJ26-16sJNsyVjbWnNr2QseKewO4eCodg35oCO6ZTdsrRbtTXacsD11K0jnEEXE5YetkwlzYbEFLM4LinnFlDMcuYJSqqLuFJmGwgBTlAH9XicT__mcgXPgYdvv9JA9Vs0pyLX6zK3ga2K5TwXrpeGpRDp0YuObIUkmxP7LjvV-oMXeLbM8R0uDeVEFQ3fF26_N6m_fDrXg_-BSFA3ZFOpXvrB70NHzdKwWQ549kDewGeET0CrModm5k16319FI6Bv0JoOxKERHxSaKAJjGFkpKTpJvQ8LXMplWM2oeO6b6Xa2_8c7Gh9z1MesAXUFqtSX-EY5vzr9jiRKB8d872x6E7d7sL8HsVZM46PtGMD68HZbHQdGgaSRBgGkqihRGceVj9pei2G-haogMk-4LHG7cDhoLYAPu59emOqLkNvI8cjOet6nBhPBMWV1IjB-NyS3nSNJ8mtmSIYT2glN_pA=w660-h879-no

after !
about switch issue. this issue was just contact problem with switch. because, 4th position works when i shakes it little bit.
I tried contact cleaner into switch. it did not help. but i dont use much single tone so I will leave for now. then later i will take out switch and fix it.
everything good now but i have to find good guitar tone for me. I mentioned that i play all genre jazz to metal. so i need variation tone making. thats why i bought katana. but katana has good sound for mordern rock but not for a bluesy punch tone. so i am considering buy expensive gear. like kemper , frectal(you own), quad cortex.f i buy good machine. like you have frectal or quad cortex or kemper. it is worth too me? or any tip for making tone prs 513? thank you for helping me !
 
Hey I just got leveled fret and factory setup by using plek machine. buzz still there but i cannot hear fret buzz from amp anymore!


D2Wn7jt8YzfVRx22-xyiV_ly0PbJHeipWeo72B_0mXQ3pDsvYk81ktDScq4nyi5tWMpmbKTO-tuyeS93XIE5JqbcpUXjRJXYPFMFv3xkTdxPTCu7DFvOpbdWk8Wbtu7RQh1sZHnq6rw5lGMVdrPIXW-_6shj5byfqJ7KfZ742BDXwupoKaVoWkiQ6mO0Ns20WFh2UJ112cQVPJX9tTcZZHqFUi1rA4koCEEBF_RwDVQwE_EqENbFND4k5-ddHS51vsQQeZfBBZ0q5WaVr4b_7s6BaNMQVATQ8JCeVV6PBDLaE_LQlQ3eX_3f5l6h2IGwgf-bhkfM5kQQkX0xi8BFYhKsgAtf4WXInGEQLHBKkeKgXRYhbtvlicWU1OwHdXx4ZB1YHIRKM814tLsCAva56Ijxhne9q2KF6Uy3-spq78mnWMapM-Ftubdss2RAlCNe7DslYOARqh7LqklHd1mSWh82NA-SrpquVs1E_U5bPiguQ-F8CGBJ4xIHlAmg0Tqpfl5pJ8D5MWeBtSqw9_vbJ09L3c5NhttcuAOiLzIsyWJ5mJetfbDBE0we2sKND4gyf6B1e6RI949oAqHvraMI-YRew8sMZt0IxjA1PuEgxusDbI5wRZKFAHF1agP58WXqcMPzIR5Ekpo_sbJKDUMeMGeKkv8ZcZwQ17OGBv5t1_hjNHA7DsRJ-3s7Kv2xt5k=w660-h879-no


this is My prs 513 ! .
And
9269_679176768829934_3657486518838092030_n.jpg

10540850_679176188829992_2494356599092885833_n.jpg

This is before leveled fret with setup

5ZKX79LBM0Zhs-rUCDHhrX6_EXM-V6Df2Ka_CTdyyAgj5lbNvaRjIQ5Y7MfRCeLs530y20m5ptCsAsNJABTZWse4UHA5Af6C--qhjFMJNeIcQot8yDjHDijY0jbWc786cuOFzYh3UGPZ1_UMkRlCKGAkmMqRJ8Lo26pXrzWtBW8L4wtaJmsdMw_j1J2YE2TG9rhWnIzuCGP-zx4ufKNHfuucqirUq0wMkeYgyjkde9KJ26-16sJNsyVjbWnNr2QseKewO4eCodg35oCO6ZTdsrRbtTXacsD11K0jnEEXE5YetkwlzYbEFLM4LinnFlDMcuYJSqqLuFJmGwgBTlAH9XicT__mcgXPgYdvv9JA9Vs0pyLX6zK3ga2K5TwXrpeGpRDp0YuObIUkmxP7LjvV-oMXeLbM8R0uDeVEFQ3fF26_N6m_fDrXg_-BSFA3ZFOpXvrB70NHzdKwWQ549kDewGeET0CrModm5k16319FI6Bv0JoOxKERHxSaKAJjGFkpKTpJvQ8LXMplWM2oeO6b6Xa2_8c7Gh9z1MesAXUFqtSX-EY5vzr9jiRKB8d872x6E7d7sL8HsVZM46PtGMD68HZbHQdGgaSRBgGkqihRGceVj9pei2G-haogMk-4LHG7cDhoLYAPu59emOqLkNvI8cjOet6nBhPBMWV1IjB-NyS3nSNJ8mtmSIYT2glN_pA=w660-h879-no

after !
about switch issue. this issue was just contact problem with switch. because, 4th position works when i shakes it little bit.
I tried contact cleaner into switch. it did not help. but i dont use much single tone so I will leave for now. then later i will take out switch and fix it.
everything good now but i have to find good guitar tone for me. I mentioned that i play all genre jazz to metal. so i need variation tone making. thats why i bought katana. but katana has good sound for mordern rock but not for a bluesy punch tone. so i am considering buy expensive gear. like kemper , frectal(you own), quad cortex.f i buy good machine. like you have frectal or quad cortex or kemper. it is worth too me? or any tip for making tone prs 513? thank you for helping me !
“Worth it” has a lot to do with the needs of the player.

The very wide variety of styles you play calls for a “Swiss Army Knife” kind of amplification solution if you’re playing some or all of those styles in the same gig. That is why I say a Fractal Audio Axe FX III might be your best bet. I use mine with powered full range/flat response (FRFR) monitors, but you can also use a power amp and guitar cabs if you like. Metallica does this on tour now, as do several other metal guitarists and bands. The FX onboard are so good, many players such as The Edge, Steve Vai, and John Petrucci use them mostly for FX only. There are accurate models of nearly every famous amp or cabinet in history, along with models you’ve likely never heard of, along with every kind of effect, and a literally endless option list of how to combine and route them into a system. You can be playing great sounds in minutes with 500+ presets onboard, but learning and programming anything this powerful takes time if you want to get good at it.

Other modelers, such as the Kemper Profiler/Helix/Quad Etc, are all possibilities. The Axe Fx is the “best of the best” and, more importantly for the purpose of understanding my opinion, is the one I’ve been gigging in one form or another since 2011. I can speak from vast experience there, and I have very little time on other brands. So my not advocating other modelers is more my not having enough personal experience with them to speak confidently on their pros and cons. They may be great options for you, but I know that the Axe FX will do what you’re asking: “Let me footswitch between accurate renditions of the amplifiers of Metallica to Wes Montgomery to Jimi Hendrix to The Edge to Chet Atkins to The Eagles to the Stray Cats to ...” No one amp is going to provide the variety of amp/cab/FX sounds to do that. The Axe FX can.

Now, let me be clear when I say that playing a modeler is a different experience from playing an amp. It’s not the sound, it’s the interface. There are a number of amps with the ability to create 3 or 4 pretty convincing versions of a clean, edgy, crunch, and modern distortion tone. I have a Mesa Boogie Road King II that will do that, and I’m sure there are others. That it uses the same speakers for all sounds helps to blend it into a useful band solution, but also keeps it from sounding as individually different as a modeler. It just depends on what you really want. While I don’t swap from massive djent to country chicken picking, others might! Horses for courses, as they say.

And then there is the only kind of amp there was until the 70s, the single channel. Much more versatile than just one sound, you vary your tones by varying guitar settings and using pedals or outboard FX. While some think of it as old school, I would venture that most guitar tones you know as recognizable as being a specific player was made on one. There’s something about living with one amp and coaxing the most from it that creates that. They won’t do everything, like a modeler, but I’d also say a modeler can’t replace the playing experience of knowing one amplifier intimately. Keep that in mind for when you develop your tone!

So, to sum up, you have a lot of options. In the end, only you and your ears can tell you what you need. Modelers are the most versatile, but keep in mind you’ll need to amplify them. Regular amps don’t have as many options, but they are simple and quick to dial in and are more versatile (especially with all the pedal options today) than many modeler players would have you think. Part of the fun in playing is sorting all of that on the way to finding what suits YOU best. And when it comes to that, your opinion matters much more than mine. Get out there, try what you can. Don’t worry if you don’t find it on the first shot. That’s all part of the fun!
 
“Worth it” has a lot to do with the needs of the player.

The very wide variety of styles you play calls for a “Swiss Army Knife” kind of amplification solution if you’re playing some or all of those styles in the same gig. That is why I say a Fractal Audio Axe FX III might be your best bet. I use mine with powered full range/flat response (FRFR) monitors, but you can also use a power amp and guitar cabs if you like. Metallica does this on tour now, as do several other metal guitarists and bands. The FX onboard are so good, many players such as The Edge, Steve Vai, and John Petrucci use them mostly for FX only. There are accurate models of nearly every famous amp or cabinet in history, along with models you’ve likely never heard of, along with every kind of effect, and a literally endless option list of how to combine and route them into a system. You can be playing great sounds in minutes with 500+ presets onboard, but learning and programming anything this powerful takes time if you want to get good at it.

Other modelers, such as the Kemper Profiler/Helix/Quad Etc, are all possibilities. The Axe Fx is the “best of the best” and, more importantly for the purpose of understanding my opinion, is the one I’ve been gigging in one form or another since 2011. I can speak from vast experience there, and I have very little time on other brands. So my not advocating other modelers is more my not having enough personal experience with them to speak confidently on their pros and cons. They may be great options for you, but I know that the Axe FX will do what you’re asking: “Let me footswitch between accurate renditions of the amplifiers of Metallica to Wes Montgomery to Jimi Hendrix to The Edge to Chet Atkins to The Eagles to the Stray Cats to ...” No one amp is going to provide the variety of amp/cab/FX sounds to do that. The Axe FX can.

Now, let me be clear when I say that playing a modeler is a different experience from playing an amp. It’s not the sound, it’s the interface. There are a number of amps with the ability to create 3 or 4 pretty convincing versions of a clean, edgy, crunch, and modern distortion tone. I have a Mesa Boogie Road King II that will do that, and I’m sure there are others. That it uses the same speakers for all sounds helps to blend it into a useful band solution, but also keeps it from sounding as individually different as a modeler. It just depends on what you really want. While I don’t swap from massive djent to country chicken picking, others might! Horses for courses, as they say.

And then there is the only kind of amp there was until the 70s, the single channel. Much more versatile than just one sound, you vary your tones by varying guitar settings and using pedals or outboard FX. While some think of it as old school, I would venture that most guitar tones you know as recognizable as being a specific player was made on one. There’s something about living with one amp and coaxing the most from it that creates that. They won’t do everything, like a modeler, but I’d also say a modeler can’t replace the playing experience of knowing one amplifier intimately. Keep that in mind for when you develop your tone!

So, to sum up, you have a lot of options. In the end, only you and your ears can tell you what you need. Modelers are the most versatile, but keep in mind you’ll need to amplify them. Regular amps don’t have as many options, but they are simple and quick to dial in and are more versatile (especially with all the pedal options today) than many modeler players would have you think. Part of the fun in playing is sorting all of that on the way to finding what suits YOU best. And when it comes to that, your opinion matters much more than mine. Get out there, try what you can. Don’t worry if you don’t find it on the first shot. That’s all part of the fun!


Thank you so much your kindly. I really want to back with nice writing but.. i am not good at english but again Thankyou so much.. I have last question for you... my guitar sound has lesser buzz than before but I am still having a same issue that i first wrote. I have rattle noise coming from 1st string to 3rd string around 12th fret. with clean tone is acceptable but when i play with high gain sound gets bad. . actually i am not sure where sounds is coming from maybe bridge or maybe wolf tone something.
So i tried to find solution first because i dont wanna my guitar stuck at repair shop one or two weeks with no reason. but i cannot not find correct information. so i have to ask you. your guitar has also same problem with mine?. If you say no than.. what should i tell to luthier for what should i order to them so they wont cheat me again.... thank you ..
 
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Where are you located? Perhaps someone here could point you to a good person in your area to do a full evaluation.

The 513 model is great. You should not have that sort of problem(s) unless, perhaps, the guitar was severely abused or modified. If necessary, it may well be worth shipping it to PRS to be sure it is done right. But it would be good to know, first, if there IS a serious issue with the guitar. Of course you would have to come to terms with doing without the guitaqr for a while.
 
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