New Cu24 Question

[FantasyMetal]

Hello, I bought a new 2020 Core PRS Custom 24 (built on 6/30/2020) this afternoon and just finished setting it up. I bought the guitar from Guitar Center and it was unplayable from the store (unless it was intended solely for slide). While in the store, I determined it was not possible to get the factory recommended bridge height and twelfth fret action. The high E could not be set to 2/32” at the 12th fret with the bridge floating 1/16” off the body. With the high E saddle bottomed out, the action could only be set to 5/64”. This is with the front and back of the bridge parallel to the body (no forward tilt). Once home, I had to lower the overall bridge height to 1/32” to get the twelfth fret action to 2/32” for the high E. The truss rod was and is set to have about .006-.008” relief measured as suggested by the PRS website. I have never experienced this before. I have owned several core PRS models over the years and currently have a Semi-Hollow Cu24 that I used for comparison and it seems that the angle of the body carve or the neck angle must be incorrect for the recommended bridge height. I like the guitar and I do not really use the trem, maybe some light vibrato of chords so I am wondering if I should I be concerned about the low bridge height, or is this a common occurrence?

 

[Acnestes]

Return it. I had a CU24 SE that I had bought on impulse that I quickly realized had the same problem. I finally figured out it was the neck joint. Somehow, either the socket was too deep or the neck heel too thin, but if you looked at the side of the neck where it joins the body the edge of the binding was almost flush with the top of the guitar - on a "proper" one there is about 1/8" of wood between the edge of the binding and the top of the body. It should never have left the factory. I more or less coped with it by lowering the trem to about 2/3 spec and filing down the saddles but even that had limits. I ultimately got rid of it after about a year. It was a just a lemon. I've since bought a new one that's built properly and it's a great guitar.

 

[AP515]

Sounds like it's off by 1/32nd, or that it can be adjusted to as close as 1/32nd to get the measurements you are looking for. For me it doesn't really matter if I'm dialed into the PRS specs. If I have the set up where it plays right for me and I like the sound, I'm done. The numbers in the spec are not gospel.

 

[GuitarJammin]

Even "new" guitars from GC have been in customer hands sadly for up to the return policy allows. During that time you can find someone's "at home" adjustments have been done to it before returning it. Good thing though you can just return it immediately like others have stated.

 

[FantasyMetal]

Thank you all for the responses. You’ve given me a lot to think about!