NGD PRS Silver Sky - QC Questions

The last fret? As in it only buzzes right up at the top of the neck, around 21/22 (I can't recall how many frets the SS has). If so, maybe you have too much relief, bowing the end of the neck towards the strings?

Maybe take a bit of relief out which will drop the action at the same time, then raise the action a bit to compensate.

Sorry. I wasn't I clear as I was hoping to be.

Relief is at .010 and .005 as indicated above.

What I mean is that when I fret a note, the string vibrates along its then free length. It is travel (in that free length) I can see and hear the string just catching the highest frets, though none is obviously high.
 
Thinking about trying to angle the neck up a smidge (0.25 degree) and lowering the bridge/action a smidge to compensate.

That should increase the distance from the strings to the higher frets some, while keeping action roughly the same in the middle of the neck, wouldn't it?
 
I would need some good pictures to be able to help with your set up , and frankly its hard to see with pictures.
Its interesting I have never checked the relief of a neck on the treble side.
What I look for is a nice straight neck to bridge angle, I also spend a bunch of time making sure the radius is correct.
I set both my Silver Skys to have a floating trem so I have a shim in both of them.
On some bolt on neck guitar out of the box they can have a V shaped neck to bridge , the headstock is to high relating to the body , then the bridge and saddles end up really low but the guitar still dosen't sustain and play as it should.
One Silver Sky I worked on had a small shim in the neck so I would not be surprised if a small shim helped you out.
 
I would need some good pictures to be able to help with your set up , and frankly its hard to see with pictures.
Its interesting I have never checked the relief of a neck on the treble side.
What I look for is a nice straight neck to bridge angle, I also spend a bunch of time making sure the radius is correct.
I set both my Silver Skys to have a floating trem so I have a shim in both of them.
On some bolt on neck guitar out of the box they can have a V shaped neck to bridge , the headstock is to high relating to the body , then the bridge and saddles end up really low but the guitar still dosen't sustain and play as it should.
One Silver Sky I worked on had a small shim in the neck so I would not be surprised if a small shim helped you out.

Thanks for this. Given my impression that the buzz I hear is the strings rattling against the higher frets, I was suggesting making the neck more like a V, as you indicate. Not less.

Would that be a problem? I'm thinking a very small 0.25 degree more V.
 
If you gotta shim the neck than I would think it’s a factory issue. I assume the bridge was left stock from factory with no changing of the screw heights? I know if it’s floated a shim is necessary. Otherwise stock it should have not passed Quality control check with the fret buzz you describe at the stock specifications for set up. As others have said if it’s only the high frets that’s buzz I would lower the relief a tad. If that doesn’t solve it I would contact the dealer or PRS directly.
 
If you gotta shim the neck than I would think it’s a factory issue. I assume the bridge was left stock from factory with no changing of the screw heights? I know if it’s floated a shim is necessary. Otherwise stock it should have not passed Quality control check with the fret buzz you describe at the stock specifications for set up. As others have said if it’s only the high frets that’s buzz I would lower the relief a tad. If that doesn’t solve it I would contact the dealer or PRS directly.

Given the consistency these guitars are known for, what are the odds that I'd have gotten two out of two duds? Seems unlikely and hopefully it's just some minor setup things that I have to figure out.

I mean, is it obvious enough that I don't want it to be a bigger problem? lol
 
I would say the odds are very slim that you got two duds in a row unless the dealer you purchased from is less than 100% and these were used and or floor models and then resold or worked on by a tech that didn't know the set up for this guitar.
Here is what I would do
1) Contact PRS - PTC https://prsguitars.com/ptc
THEN
I would set the neck dead straight with no string tension ( most I my PRS need very little relief )
While your strings are off check the bridge screw height , drop the bridge on the body measure from bridge to screw heads 2 - 2.5 mm ) use this video for reference
I would also pull the neck and see if there is a shim in there already or not.
I had one I worked on that had a shim and one I liked even better after a small shim.
I like my guitars necks to be level with the body or the headstock slight down , you should be able to get a nice straight line ( I use an old low E string ) between the nut and the bridge
The neck should be really close to level with the string 100% of the way ( IMHO )
Reinstall the neck , don't over tighten just good and snug.
String it up check the action at the 12 fret , I start at
.061 ( 1.5 ish mm ) on the high e
.064 ( 1.55 mm G )
-068 ( 1.7 mm E )
Check the relief ( frankly I just look for a bit of string bounce capo at first fret , fret at last fret ( some do body joint )
I will try and shoot some pics of mine tonight if that helps , Lets see some pics of the guitar. also please
Best of luck
 
I would say the odds are very slim that you got two duds in a row unless the dealer you purchased from is less than 100% and these were used and or floor models and then resold or worked on by a tech that didn't know the set up for this guitar.
Here is what I would do
1) Contact PRS - PTC https://prsguitars.com/ptc
THEN
I would set the neck dead straight with no string tension ( most I my PRS need very little relief )
While your strings are off check the bridge screw height , drop the bridge on the body measure from bridge to screw heads 2 - 2.5 mm ) use this video for reference
I would also pull the neck and see if there is a shim in there already or not.
I had one I worked on that had a shim and one I liked even better after a small shim.
I like my guitars necks to be level with the body or the headstock slight down , you should be able to get a nice straight line ( I use an old low E string ) between the nut and the bridge
The neck should be really close to level with the string 100% of the way ( IMHO )
Reinstall the neck , don't over tighten just good and snug.
String it up check the action at the 12 fret , I start at
.061 ( 1.5 ish mm ) on the high e
.064 ( 1.55 mm G )
-068 ( 1.7 mm E )
Check the relief ( frankly I just look for a bit of string bounce capo at first fret , fret at last fret ( some do body joint )
I will try and shoot some pics of mine tonight if that helps , Lets see some pics of the guitar. also please
Best of luck

That's very helpful. I have already contacted PTC on June 3rd and am yet to hear back.

Currently, the neck has no shim. I had taken it off to see what was going on. There was nothing in there. I've done that, changed the strings and also tried loosening the screws with strings attached as suggested earlier. Neither operation had any effect.

Currently, the neck has to be at a slight angle since the action is .5mm higher at the 19th fret than at the 12th on the low E.

And yet, it seems like what the strings are buzzing against is the very highest frets.

The worst offender is the A string. Bad buzzing on any fretted note from 3rd to the 15th fret.

As regards the bridge height, PRS has a recommended range measuring from bottom of the front plate to the top of the body:

"Measuring from the top of the guitar to the bottom of the front edge of the tremolo. Adjust the six fulcrum screws as necessary until the measurement is 4/32" all the way across." (From the PRS site.) My bridge is at that height. Back is deck, as it comes stock.

What area would you like me to photograph?
 
I had a little buzz on my B string that went away when I set my bridge to float. If you haven't tried it yet you may want to give it a shot.
 
You may want to call them during normal business hours. 3 weeks with no reply is not good.
 
Back
Top