Problem with SE Tremonti Custom

[Res]

So, today I got my first PRS ever, the SE Tremonti Custom, and to be honest, I'm dissapointed.

When the guitar got here, the action was a little high so I tighened the trussrod a little bit, I changed the strings to 10-52, and the action is way too high for me to even try to do a long legato run, and I have a rattling noise near my bridge when I play certain notes.

Damn guitar made me think I broke it's neck, but everything seems to be working properly.

Now, about the action, I can lower it to 2,0mm maximum on the bass side.

What can I do about this, and the rattling noise?

I don't have access to any expensive luthiers, and even if I did I don't have the money to pay them.

Neither I have access to tools to widen the nut slots.

What now? Send it back?

 

[Res]

Also, I can't get the thing to stay in tune.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Ok, truss rod adjustment which you say you have done. When you press down at the first and last frets do you have just enough clearance for a high e or b string. Say, .010? Is that clearance roughly the same around the 8th fret under the high and low E's.

Is your bridge at the correct height?

If both those check out then your nut is likely the culprit. Your slots may not have been cut deep enough. Certainly, the nut is the most likely reason you're having tuning issues, perticularly if you changed the gauge.

Press the strings down around the second fret. You should have a tiny amount of clearance above the first fret.
The rattling is likely the pickup. Does it stop when you press on the pup? Some foam under it will stop that. Pretty common and not a fault.

Unfortunately, the nut can be the Achilles Heel of the SE's. If the fault is with the nut then you can replace it yourself if you feel comfortable but you may need to return it if not. You will have tuning issues if you get another and go up a gauge. The slots on the SE's are barely cut wide enough for stock strings. If you can get one from a store that has a tech they may do it free. It's not a big job, just need the right tools.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Can't remember what the correct height for the bridge is... Hopefully, someone can fill you in.

 

[Res]

Ok, truss rod adjustment which you say you have done. When you press down at the first and last frets do you have just enough clearance for a high e or b string. Say, .010? Is that clearance roughly the same around the 8th fret under the high and low E's.

Is your bridge at the correct height?

If both those check out then your nut is likely the culprit. Your slots may not have been cut deep enough. Certainly, the nut is the most likely reason you're having tuning issues, perticularly if you changed the gauge.

Press the strings down around the second fret. You should have a tiny amount of clearance above the first fret.
The rattling is likely the pickup. Does it stop when you press on the pup? Some foam under it will stop that. Pretty common and not a fault.

Unfortunately, the nut can be the Achilles Heel of the SE's. If the fault is with the nut then you can replace it yourself if you feel comfortable but you may need to return it if not. You will have tuning issues if you get another and go up a gauge. The slots on the SE's are barely cut wide enough for stock strings. If you can get one from a store that has a tech they may do it free. It's not a big job, just need the right tools.

Yes, the PRS had some instructions about the trussrod setting. So a .009 string can go though the 8th fret while pressing on the 1st and 22nd.

I also checked if the trussrod was broken by muting the strings and softly hitting the back of the neck with a finger, so that shouldn't be the problem.

If the gauge is the source of all my problems then I guess I'll go back to using .009 strings.

 

[Dizzyg12]

Did any of the rattling or tuning issues happen before changing string gauges?
Check to make sure all the strings are seated...fully pulled through the hole. Rattle could be a string not all the way through. Loose saddle perhaps?

Definitely widen The nut slots if you want thicker strings. That's par for the course.

 

[Res]

Did any of the rattling or tuning issues happen before changing string gauges?
Check to make sure all the strings are seated...fully pulled through the hole. Rattle could be a string not all the way through. Loose saddle perhaps?

Definitely widen The nut slots if you want thicker strings. That's par for the course.

Yes, but as Mikegarveyblues said, the rattling definetly sounds like it's coming for the pickups, it happens when I play some stings open. I tried to isolate the noise and it wasn't the bridge or the neck, just the pickups.

 

[WEDGE]

I had the same problem with an SE Tremonti and it was the bridge. It leans over slightly and buzzed at the bridge. I scored a USA bridge and it sits flat and is night and day better.

 

[Res]

The guitar has been fixed. Works great.

Using the tremolo makes it go a little out of tune most of the time, any tips on how to tune with this kind of bridge?

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

The guitar has been fixed. Works great.

Using the tremolo makes it go a little out of tune most of the time, any tips on how to tune with this kind of bridge?

So what was the cause of the rattling / high action?

Tuning wise...

Locking tuners will help on a trem guitar. Some big bends nut sauce may help, or pencil graphite - providing the nut is perfectly cut.

Other than that it's making sure the strings are stretched in.

 

[MotorPro]

The guitar has been fixed. Works great.

Using the tremolo makes it go a little out of tune most of the time, any tips on how to tune with this kind of bridge?

Did you open up the nut to it the 10s?

 

[Res]

So what was the cause of the rattling / high action?

Tuning wise...

Locking tuners will help on a trem guitar. Some big bends nut sauce may help, or pencil graphite - providing the nut is perfectly cut.

Other than that it's making sure the strings are stretched in.

To be honest I have no idea what caused the rattling, but it's gone, the high action was caused by the string gauge (10-52), the nut wasn't cut for strings that thick. Also the action was lowered.

Thanks for the tips on tuning.

Did you open up the nut to it the 10s?

I just switched to 0,09 strings, I tune in Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb, sometimes lower the last string a tone, and the tension is good, no fret buzz, and pretty "shredable".