Mann bridge on SE: necessary?

ECWEagles

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Feb 5, 2018
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Hi friends,

I read a lot of rave reviews of the Mann bridges, but have struggled to find a clear explanation of why this is seen as desirable/ necessary mod, particularly in the SE and S2s.

There seem to be some views that the Korean bridges are not the best quality, though what I can’t seem to find a clear answer on is what exactly it is which is wrong with the Korean bridges which the Mann bridges is said to fix and what difference it is supposed to make tonally or performance wise.

Can anyone provide a quick explanation please?

I’ve almost universally played hard tails in the past so tremendously are a bit of a mystery to me.

Thanks guys!
 
There’s nothing wrong with the SE bridge.
It functions perfectly fine. The Mann bridge is different from the SE in materials and construction.
It is much closer to the bridge that is used on the core PRS.
In my experience the Mann bridge adds sustain and has a different sound from the SE bridge
 
You can put Toyo tires on your car, or you can put Goodyear tires on. They both work fine, but one will give you a sense of ownership the other may not. The SE bridge is functional and does not need anything, but the Mann bridge carries a lot of PRS history and can be argued to provide benefits. Is it worth it? Up to you. My SE's are stock including one trem equipped and I don't feel any need to change that.
 
I have replaced all my SE bridges with MannMade bridges. Definite tone improvement. And they look great as well. The block on the MannMade are much better.
Here is my old bridge vs the MannMade. You can really see the difference. The MannMade sounds much more alive!

7Ral5Fp.jpg


yI4qRLw.jpg
 
Depends on if you're talking Mann trem, or Stoptail. The Mann trem is one piece. The SE version is not. The Mann is brass. IMO, improvements to sustain. Tonal improvements are subjective, so I'll leave that alone.

As for the Stoptail. Aircraft grade aluminum, brass saddles, and the ability to intonate individual strings. More sustain, and an added "openness."
 
I have replaced all my SE bridges with MannMade bridges. Definite tone improvement. And they look great as well. The block on the MannMade are much better.
Here is my old bridge vs the MannMade. You can really see the difference. The MannMade sounds much more alive!

7Ral5Fp.jpg


yI4qRLw.jpg

Matte, not arguing with you at all - different bridges sound different in my experience - but I can’t tell which is which in the top picture. In the bottom one, knowing the Mann bridge has a brass block, the difference is obvious.

So which is the Mann bridge in the top picture?
 
Look at the saddles. The SE is not smooth. the MannMade is very smooth. the cutout for the strings are smooth.
Also on the backside of the top plate you can see the MannMade is aligned better. The screws align to the top of the plate, whereas the SE sticks up a little higher than the plate. Overall better quality on the MannMade. The saddles do feel better on the MannMade.

Not saying the SE is junk, but the MannMade is superior.
 
Imma add that the Mann bridge comes with superior mounting hardware which also greatly improves performance-- the mounting screws (and the plate of the bridge) have a knife edge what helps the bridge return to zero position, and the springs are a vast improvement over the stock SE springs.

In terms of smoothness of trem action and tuning stability, it's way ahead of the stock SE bridge, and in my experience, even better than double-locking Floyds and their variants.

So if you can't justify getting an entire bridge or the upgrade kit, I'd suggest at the very least get yourself the mounting screws (steel for the SE trem) and the springs.
 
I have SE's with the stock bridge and with the Mannmade. The tone is different on each bridge, and each guitar. If I don't like the tone, I change the bridge. If I like the tone, the SE bridge stays. It's all subjective, and never because you "have" to change the bridge.
 
I have SE's with the stock bridge and with the Mannmade. The tone is different on each bridge, and each guitar. If I don't like the tone, I change the bridge. If I like the tone, the SE bridge stays. It's all subjective, and never because you "have" to change the bridge.

I agree. I've had some guitars that I'm very happy with the tone just using the stock/import bridge, and some that I feel did better with the Mann upgrade, tremolo and stoptail. Now, if I could just find the dang trem arm for my 2000NOS...
 
Look at the saddles. The SE is not smooth. the MannMade is very smooth. the cutout for the strings are smooth.
Also on the backside of the top plate you can see the MannMade is aligned better. The screws align to the top of the plate, whereas the SE sticks up a little higher than the plate. Overall better quality on the MannMade. The saddles do feel better on the MannMade.

Not saying the SE is junk, but the MannMade is superior.

Thanks for the info!
 
If you go to the trouble of swapping to a mann trem I would go for the one piece trem.

I put a mann one piece on my 2011 cu24 and I noticed an immediate difference even unplugged. Notes rang out better almost like the whole guitar resonated better. Sustain was slightly better too.

I got the bug bad so I put one on my ce24. Not much difference at all. Was kind of bummed.

After looking at the old stock cu24 trem, I noticed the slot where the strings rest on the saddles was kind of nasty so I wonder if just new saddles would have produced the same results on that guitar? When I first got this guitar, it came with 9s so I left it that way but set it up in Eb like all my others. First gig with it, I snapped an A string at the saddle 3rd set. Hmmm.
 
Hi guys,
I have an old (fantastic) PRS custom 24 (1989). Does the Man bridge exactly like GEN 1 bridge (the one on my guitar)?
I really need to replace it. Mine is completly oxidized.
Thanks
Frank B
 
Frank, I think I'd just clean mine first, unless you have worn through the finish. Try Flix metal polish. You should be able to get it at most hardware stores. When you are finished, a good coat of car wax will keep it shiny. If you are through the finish, the Mann NOS is an accurate exact replacement.
 
My only SE had a USA nut added but the trem bridge is stock. It seems to work as about well as my core models, though none of them is quite the equal of my '87. I can't tell how the SE bridge is affecting the tone since I haven't tried another bridge on this guitar. It's a fairly expensive upgrade and I haven't seen fit to try it so far, since I have no real problem with the original one.

I don't quite understand when people talk about the MannMade bridge being one-piece while the SE bridge is not. Each has a main tray/plate with six saddles on top and a sustain block underneath. The MannMade is composed of these same eight elements (plus saddle screws and trem bar), right? What am I missing?
 
Your se trem has 3 screws holding "tray" and block together. The 3 screws are under the saddles. Mann one piece is one solid part not tray and block.
 
Frank, I think I'd just clean mine first, unless you have worn through the finish. Try Flix metal polish. You should be able to get it at most hardware stores. When you are finished, a good coat of car wax will keep it shiny. If you are through the finish, the Mann NOS is an accurate exact replacement.
Thanks for your reply. Actually, coatings on the saddles are gone and the metal are 1 or 2 mm deep damaged. I must have used this guitar a lot ;) and my hands are corrosive. (like my music?:)
I just received a customer support message from PRS, telling me to buy the Mann bridge for my old guitar. So, I'll definitively buy the Mann NOS for replacement!
 
Your se trem has 3 screws holding "tray" and block together. The 3 screws are under the saddles. Mann one piece is one solid part not tray and block.

Can't be- the bridge plate is steel and the block is brass. The three screws holding them together are visible under the saddles on all of them, even my old favorite '87.

Could the MannMade plates be machined from a solid block, rather than cast like the SE ones appear to be?
 
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