Performing my first ever guitar setup on my first ever PRS?

[filip989]

So I've bought an SE Custom 24 Floyd a few days ago and the guitar is very nicely set up.

I've never done my own neck adjustments, mostly cause I wouldn't bother/thought it was black magic, but since I'm a pretty hands on guy and this guitar would require just the tiniest bit of adjustment to suit me completely, I thought this might be a perfect time to learn how to do it, and what better community to ask for help than PRS community.

Anyway, I've a few small questions about neck relief and action adjustment.

First of all, I'd like to lower the action by 2 or 3 64ths tops. I've checked the neck relief and it seems I have close to 0.02 gap at 12th fret when I fret the low E string at 1st and last fret. From my theoretical knowledge, I'd give the truss rod a 1/8 to 1/4 turn (righty-tighty) and I believe that should be it. This would be my first course of action since taking away a bit of that neck relief should get the strings a bit closer to the frets.
Now, I am using a technique where I fret 1st and last (24th) fret and look for the biggest gap (around 12th fret). Some advertise fretting not on the last fret, but on the fret where the neck connects to the body. I presume the difference is insignificant (I certainly can't see it on a string action ruler) so my guess is it doesn't really matter where I fret or measure, as long as it's in the ballpark - beginning of the neck/end of the neck/measure somewhere in the middle.

That takes care of the truss rod adjustment. Regarding the bridge adjustment, I am only wondering if it is OK to push down on the whammy bar to release the string tension before adjusting the studs - can this have a bad impact on the tremolo knives ( a lot of people say this is OK, I even found an ESP setup video doing it this way)? Doing this would increase the spring tension in the back and you'd still be rotating the studs against the knives. Would it be better to loosen the strings by detunning the guitar and then taking off springs in the back in order to "release" the bridge without phisically taking it off the guitar? Then do a small adjustment, put the springs back on and tune the guitar. It is a fair amount of more work for sure, but...

Anyway, I am aware there must have been hundreds of threads about setup, but since this is my first attempt at it, I thought I'd still open up mine, with my thoughts and concerns, just to have everything I want to know in one place.

P.S. Locking nut - I really am not comfortable with filling down the wood or the nut myself, but I believe those should be very well factory fitted anyway?

 

[Allstarrme]

The locking nuts on the cores are hand done at the factory, they don’t use off the shelf parts for them so it should be fine. If you do try this and go too far you can get a shim to bring it back up. I’ve never messed with a locking nut on any of the my Floyd’s.

For neck relief I adjust the action down until I get some string buzzing and then back off a bit.

Make sure you set the bridge parallel to the body/ strings by adjusting the springs and retuning before playing with the relief and bridge height. If your bridge isn’t level your measurements will be off.

I see most places recommend taking all the tension off the strings and springs before adjusting the bridge height. If you loosen the strings slightly you can drop the springs out the back and take the bridge right off or at least out of the way enough to adjust. I have done a slight adjustment like you said under some tension and not seen any issues. Mine is a hardened ofr meant to withstand thousands of hours of use but moving the post slightly is going to wear it out? Maybe on cheap licensed ones they had issues with the plate wearing in the posts and moving them caused problems. I guess better safe than sorry, its only 6 extra screws to pull the springs off.

Anyway I bring the bridge down until the strings buzz then back up a bit. You may want more height depending on your playing style, string bends may buzz if too low, just keep in mind the higher the more the intonation will change. Adjusting the bridge down may need a further neck adjustment for more relief if you buzz on open chords. I do most of my setup on feel, using the measurements as a starting point.

You may need to adjust the pickups after adjusting the bridge or string height.

I use the key tool to to adjust the intonation if needed. I also got a shred neck trem block to speed string changes. Very useful.

 

[alantig]

I'd do the truss rod adjustment and see how that affects things. I don't think I've ever adjusted the bridge after adjusting the truss rod, even on Floyd-equipped guitars.

 

[Black Plaid]

To reduce the friction on the posts, you should shim the trem so it cannot pull up (either behind it or underneath where the block is), then loosen the strings.

It's still gonna be a bit iffy, as the trem will want to flip upward at the front.

What can I say, Floyd's are just exciting that way.

 

[aphantomvaper]

He adjusts the friction against the posts but still still insists he hears the ghosts!

 

[alantig]

He adjusts the friction against the posts but still still insists he hears the ghosts!

But alas, it turns out to be the wails of Donny Most!

 

[littlebadboy]

For my loved guitars and not really learned on doing delicate stuff, I dare not to set them up myself.

So, I bought a dirt cheap guitar to practice and learn on.

Still... I do not want to do any delicate work on my babies! I'm scared that I might snap the truss rod!

But, I can do string changes and intonations.

 

[aphantomvaper]

But alas, it turns out to be the wails of Donny Most!

He's still got it!

 

[alantig]

He's still got it!