paul Allender tremelo problems

[henryr]

Hi all,

I just joined after recently buying my first electric guitar, a PRS Paul Allender, in great condition except for a few bridge issues. When I got it I tuned it and noticed the back of the bridge was resting on the top and the front edge was at least 1/8 above the top. I went to the PRS site and learned it should be parallel to and 1/16th above the top. After some research I think I understood how to set it. I loosened all the strings and adjusted the two screws at the claw such that the back would rise up when at pitch. After several detuning, claw screw adjustments and retuning, the back edge was 1/16th above the top. I then loosened all strings and adjusted the six screws to lower the front edge to 1/16th above the top. After several iterations of claw screw and knife edge screws adjustments, loosening strings each time, the bridge is parallel to and 1/6th above the top.

I then noticed the strings were not centered over the pickup poles and that the front edge of the tremolo was out of parallel to the pickup body edge by about 3/16ths+. It was closer on the bass side and if that side of the tremolo could be pivoted around a point on the treble side to make it parallel to the pickup it would result in the strings moving towards the bass side making them much more centered over the pole pieces. Is there a way to move the tremolo to make it parallel? I have a small machine shop and do precision machining and turning in all metals from Al to Zr. If machining can fix the problem I have no issue with doing the required machining.

Thanks,
henryr

 

[henryr]

Problem solved. As mentioned in my original post, with the guitar tuned up, the back edge of the bridge was resting on the top, the front edge was over 1/8" above the top and the bridge was out of parallel with the pups. I finally removed the six screws and they had various sizes of built up burrs in the undercuts for the knife edge holes and the knife edge bridge holes also had irregular burrs and damaged chamfers. I machined the screw undercuts, reamed out the bridge holes and machined the chamfers so the knife edge contacts are now perfect. I am surprised the damage was so bad since the guitar shows no signs of being played. Not a single sign of string rubbing on the frets and everything else looks new. I am disappointed with the nut because all the strings were quite tight fits in the slots and slot depths are much deeper than any acoustic guitar or other acoustic stringed instrument I've seen or worked on. I plan to make a bone bridge with appropriate string depth grooves. I'm also disappointed that the prs tech team never responded to my post.