New SE 245 owner - String Gauge change question

[TEMPA]

Hey guys,

Proud and happy owner of a new SE 245 in tobacco burst here. Got the guitar on Saturday as a birthday present.

I discovered that the Australian importer/supplier clearly does nothing with the guitars when they arrive from OS as this one needed a good old truss rod tweak to get rid of shocking fret buzz on all 3 wound strings.

While adjusting the rod and playing with the guitar I discovered that after years of playing with 10's the standard 9's, especially on this short scale length, really aren't for me and I started thinking about a gauge change.

On all my other guitars that have come standard with 9's a change to 10's has been really straightforward and I have done it myself. The worry with the SE is the fact that the nut slots look quite tight when eyeballed and I am not sure a change to 10's will be straightforward and without the need to attend to the slots.

Obviously with this guitar being a brand new gift I do not want to announce the need to take it to a tech for attention, that will not go down well understandably.

Do any other SE 245 owners, or SE owners in general, have any experience with changing from 9's to 10's?

Thanks for your help.

Cheers!

 

[justmund]

I think I know who it was bought from...! At least it comes with the little card from PRS saying you need to adjust the truss rod, and how to actually do it to their specs!

I don't think you'll run into any dramas going to 10s, being a stoptail guitar. Even if the strings are a little sticky in the nut slots (they shouldn't be at 10-46, 10-52 they probably will be), and as long as the string is properly stretched you shouldn't experience any tuning issues.

I say chuck them on there and see what happens!

Our of interest, did you get a soft case with the guitar?

 

[TEMPA]

Yeah I saw the card advising how to adjust the truss rod as I unpacked the guitar but disregarded it because I have never had to worry about that with a new guitar straight out of the box before. At least others have been playable!

Thanks for the advice, I will play it as is for a week or so and let things settle and then try a set of 10's on it.

Yes I got the soft case with the guitar.

Cheers!

 

[justmund]

Sweet, let us know how you go.

What state are you in btw?

 

[dbonanno]

At least it comes with the little card from PRS saying you need to adjust the truss rod, and how to actually do it to their specs!

Hmmm ... I never got that card.

Can someone maybe scan and post it?
Or is it maybe on the PRS website somewhere? :dontknow:

 

[leeasam]

My boy has a SE245 and I also felt in needed 10s. changed them to D`Addario 10s no problem. If it grabs a bit on the wound strings just run the string in the slot back and forth a bit kind of like a saw. not too much just a bit.

 

[justmund]

Hmmm ... I never got that card.

Can someone maybe scan and post it?
Or is it maybe on the PRS website somewhere? :dontknow:

I think this is pretty similar to what was on the card

 

[TEMPA]

Sweet, let us know how you go.

What state are you in btw?

I am in smoky Victoria. Although as you would know half of Australia is smoky at the moment....

 

[TEMPA]

If it grabs a bit on the wound strings just run the string in the slot back and forth a bit kind of like a saw. not too much just a bit.

Good tip!

Thanks!

 

[justmund]

Good tip!

Thanks!

As with all nut slot adjustments, just make sure you don't deepen the nut and only widen it (unless of course that is your desired outcome)

I'm in Tas, we had our fair share of smokiness a couple of weeks ago (it's still lingering too).

 

[TEMPA]

As with all nut slot adjustments, just make sure you don't deepen the nut and only widen it (unless of course that is your desired outcome)

I'm in Tas, we had our fair share of smokiness a couple of weeks ago (it's still lingering too).

Good point re the slots. I don't want to have to tamper with them at all so here's hoping! I will give the 10's a go in a week or so and see what happens. I am hoping I can change to 10's, maybe just use some graphite in the nut slots and be okay. Time will tell.

Did they get the Tassie fires under control? It's dropped off our news in Vic since half of Vic is now on fire....

 

[justmund]

Good point re the slots. I don't want to have to tamper with them at all so here's hoping! I will give the 10's a go in a week or so and see what happens. I am hoping I can change to 10's, maybe just use some graphite in the nut slots and be okay. Time will tell.

Did they get the Tassie fires under control? It's dropped off our news in Vic since half of Vic is now on fire....

We're pretty good down here, had a little bit of rain here and there which has helped. You know gum trees though, they can smoulder for weeks and then fire up again in the right (wrong!) conditions.

 

[TEMPA]

We're pretty good down here, had a little bit of rain here and there which has helped. You know gum trees though, they can smoulder for weeks and then fire up again in the right (wrong!) conditions.

Yeah, not good times.

Stay safe mate.

The only wood that should be smouldering is our fretboards from blistering runs....

 

[dbonanno]

I think this is pretty similar to what was on the card

Thanks so much!

 

[TEMPA]

Hmmm ... I never got that card.

Can someone maybe scan and post it?
Or is it maybe on the PRS website somewhere? :dontknow:

Here you go -

 

[dbonanno]

Thanks!

 

[carpincowboy]

.2 mm i wish mine was that low. Just under 1mm and thats with a lot of tweaking. It came at around 1.5mm of action height. Lowered it to a sensible height and got lots of fret buzz so i had to compromise. Thats on a se245 limited edition

 

[dbonanno]

Thats on a se245 limited edition

Just curious ... what's a "limited edition"?

 

[carpincowboy]

Its a limited run of 6 colours of only 20 of each colour. Quilted veneer top and bird inlays. Theres pics in the show us your se thread page 8 or 9. Only available in the u.k

 

[CoreyT]

I remember the video from awhile back on that limited run.