Prs Custom with uneven neck relief

[Phillip777]

Hey guys. About a month ago I bought a used Prs Cu 22 (Core model).
In short, the guitar has uneven neck relief, more on the bass side than on the treble side. Difference between low E and High E is about 0.005 or so.
I showed the guitar to the luthier, he said that the guitar has a hump at the 6th and 7th frets area on high E side.
The problem is to get rid of the fret buzz especially on the G string, I have to raise the bridge on the high side, and I end up with a same string height on the low E and high E strings.
Playing this way is uncomfortable, but with normal string height the G string rattles all over the neck and have intonation problem.

Luthier has leveled the frets but problem is still here.
This is the first time when I see a hump almost in the center of the neck at the 6th and 7th frets on high E side, usually I only saw this humps at the body joint.
I removed the strings to make sure the uneven neck relief was not caused by to strings tension, and I saw that this hump at the 7th and 6th frets was bulging on the high side even worse.
As I understand, neck on this guitar is slightly warped/twisted?

Thank you for your time!

 

[Rider1260]

Sounds like an Email to PTC is your best bet.
They do everything they can to make sure your PRS is everything it is supposed to be.
https://prsguitars.com/ptc/

 

[shinksma]

Unfortunately it sounds like you have an abused instrument, not used - I assume that the issue was there from the day you bought it, and the previous owner did not identify the issue? If so, you may wish to enquire about compensation for the repair - it isn't going to be cheap.

 

[Rhythmisking]

Unfortunately it sounds like you have an abused instrument, not used

Not sure how you would abuse an instrument to make the neck have uneven relief...?

 

[AP515]

Don't know how it got that way, but a Plek might solve your problem.

 

[shinksma]

Not sure how you would abuse an instrument to make the neck have uneven relief...?

Improper storage would be my guess. Leaving it somewhere with inappropriate humidity and/or temperature, or even direct exposure to water.

 

[unretrofiedforu]

Improper storage would be my guess. Leaving it somewhere with inappropriate humidity and/or temperature, or even direct exposure to water.

exactly , rosewood boards aren't finished and have huge pores, easy to pour water and ruin a fretboard

 

[Phillip777]

To be honest, man I'm very upset.

I really love the sound of PRS guitars, but I have no luck with these guitars.
My first guitar was a brand new Prs s2 which I bought new from the Northeast Music Center .
I asked Jack Gretz to make sure the guitar was okay before he sent me the guitar (straight neck and so on), and I said that I want to be with this guitar all my life, this is my dream!
I asked for this because I live in another country and I have no opportunity to come and check it personally. My sister will fly to my country and take a guitar with her. He told me "We will go over everything and make sure it is perfect". Well, thank you sir!

So...
Guitar arrived!
When I started examining the guitar, I found body joint humps (and as a result fret buzz), also the pickups were heavily scratched (scratches from the guitar pick i guess?), but this is nothing compared to the body joint humps.
And two months later, the lacquer began to peel off!!!!! Guitar was a brand new!!!
I took it to the luthier,he took off the remaining coating from the neck and applied a new varnish, leveled the fretboard, put new frets and I sold it cheap..

After a while, after I stopped being sad about this situation, I decided that I needed to buy a guitar again. Many people told me to buy a Les Paul, but I argued with everyone and said that I like PRS better, and the quality control of PRS guitars is better. I just probably had no luck that time. I was sure I would be lucky this time because I was about to buy an expensive Core model. I dreamed of a Paul Reed Smith guitar since childhood!
I thought it would be better to buy a used Core model, with a dried out wood that took its final shape over the years.

Well.. No luck again. And this time it's much worse... Uneven neck relief, hump in the middle of the neck at High E side, body joint humps, wolf tones!! and fret buzz..

I never seen in my life humps at 6th and 7th frets on a guitar before. It's like watching a horror movie,especially when you realize that this is a very expensive guitar. I don't know how the previous owner stored it, so I'm not sure if this is a problem with a poorly dried wood, or wood that was improperly cured, or a problem with storage by the previous owner..
All I know is that I have two guitars from another brands that are about 20 years old and nothing like this has happened to them. I am very careful with my musical instruments and studio equipment.
I've already spent a lot cash on the guitar, and to be honest, I just don't have the strength and ability and desire to invest money in this guitar.

Believe it or not, this guitar sounds a lot worse in the neck position than the cheaper Prs s2 I had. Neck position sound muddy, dull and lifeless. (I tried to change the pickup height and tried to replace the pickups). And Wolf tones are present at almost every fret at G string. This is crazy...
So most likely it's just a bad sounding wood, and considering the shortcomings of the neck and fretboard, I think it's just a bad guitar.

I guess I just have to come to terms with it and ditch it.

I get the impression that every time I buy PRS guitar, I have to take it to the luthier straight away so that he aligns the fretboard and sets new frets.
But I don't want to do this, why should I do this?

I don’t know, I’m probably just having no luck with these guitars and that's it.

Sorry guys, I don't mean to sound rude. I know that you love PRS guitars, and it may be unpleasant for someone to read this. But, damn it, I really love the sound of PRS guitars too, since childhood I dreamed of a PRS guitar. Everybody told me to buy a Les Paul but I argued and said that PRS is better, and quality control of PRS is better. And now I feel lost.. And you know what is the worst thing? I still don't want any other brand guitars, I don't want another Les Paul I just want Paul Reed Smith guitar because I love the sound of this guitar and I dreamed about it for a long time...

 

[MrStrings77]

Does anyone have any answers to this? I bought a 10-top 594 with the exact issue ive been battling it for 3 years now ive had countless guitars cone in and out of my shop and im a professional but this problem eludes me no there isnt anything “abuse” that can cause this just look at the gibsons from the 70’s some look like they got tossed into s pond chewed on by an alligator then spit out onto the black top to be run over but a semi and they still work fine even some water damaged ones played great my guitar was not abused nor stored incorrectly simply bought and played 4 fret levels later 12 nut fills to tame that crazy rattle from the g string and strings E and A both buzz like the action isnt high enough even though its perfect even when i raise the bridge it buzzes ive seen the gap from the next fret into the body become small even with the bridge uncomfortably high on the low side and added and removed relief nothing solves it it has me scratching my head to an extent that i simply cannot fathom please someone solve this i love this guitar and 5k aint cheap! Plus im pretty sure 3 years is well outside the return window though i desperately want to keep it ive had to fight off the urge to trade it in for a different one my 94 core works flawlessly i had an S2 that played better then the both ive successfully set up well over dozens and dozens of guitars just in the last 6 months alone between full set ups and partials everything turns out great im very happy with my work this thing is killing me mentally and emotionally its just my favorite guitar and ive never come across one id be willing to do the deal for i just love it too much any help is greatly appreciated off to email the tech center now fingers crossed ill pay what they want i just want my new to me 3 years ago 10-top to play for once in its sadly miserable existence so far.

 

[dogrocketp]

Contact the PTC. That should have been your first move. If you’re the original owner, PRS will make it right.

 

[deathworlder]

Unless I know the exact process your luthier used...it's hard to say.
If you truly have a warped neck and he tried to correct it with a fret level...that's already suspicious.

 

[MrStrings77]

Contact the PTC. That should have been your first move. If you’re the original owner, PRS will make it right.

Thats where its complicated im the second owner bought it in mint condition literally mint not a single swirl anywhere… and original case and candy it was stored for a year or so before i was able to bring myself to start enjoying it as my income started growing.

 

[MrStrings77]

Unless I know the exact process your luthier used...it's hard to say.
If you truly have a warped neck and he tried to correct it with a fret level...that's already suspicious.

I have tackled it once again hopefully for good but i thought that the last 5-6 full set ups lol now no more buzz but i always have to strictly refer to the set up specs and go slightly over them. It is mystifying to say the least no reply from ptc yet.

 

[MrStrings77]

Unless I know the exact process your luthier used...it's hard to say.
If you truly have a warped neck and he tried to correct it with a fret level...that's already suspicious.

To add it would appear it is not warped just very susceptible to a difference in tension from low to high E.

 

[deathworlder]

To add it would appear it is not warped just very susceptible to a difference in tension from low to high E.

Not that I've ever seen it make a difference...
Out of curiosity, what string gauge are you using; tuning?

 

[MrStrings77]

Unless I know the exact process your luthier used...it's hard to say.
If you truly have a warped neck and he tried to correct it with a fret level...that's already suspicious.

To add it would appear it is not warped just very succepit

Contact the PTC. That should have been your first move. If you’re the original owner, PRS will make it right.

at this point its appearing difficult to add relief to it i have the rod just touching counter clockwise barely engaging the threads and i have relief but apparently not enough im getting just under the suggested minimum 0.10 i cant get anything above like 0.08 without it going the other way bridge is at a comfortable height stop bar is decked.

 

[dogrocketp]

I’m sorry that you’re having so much trouble. It sometimes takes a week or slightly more to get an answer from the PTC.

 

[deathworlder]

To add it would appear it is not warped just very susceptible to a difference in tension from low to high E.

How exactly is straightness being checked?

Was the neck allowed to acclimate, while being adjusted to straight, using a notched straight edge?

Was a fret rocker used to locate local inconsistencies and spot leveled, before a full fret level was performed?

How the hell are you able to measure 5/1000" from side-to-side? You think that's enough to make a s*it?

ETA: I'm not trying to be hostile; I'm just succinct.

 

[MrStrings77]

I’m sorry that you’re having so much trouble. It sometimes takes a week or slightly more to get an answer from the PTC.

I appreciate your insight thank you. Im a patient soul its been almost 4 years since i bought this guitar i do not intend to rid myself of it.

 

[MrStrings77]

How exactly is straightness being checked?

Was the neck allowed to acclimate, while being adjusted to straight, using a notched straight edge?

Was a fret rocker used to locate local inconsistencies and spot leveled, before a full fret level was performed?

How the hell are you able to measure 5/1000" from side-to-side? You think that's enough to make a s*it?

ETA: I'm not trying to be hostile; I'm just succinct.

Notched straight edge honed regularly to maintain a perfect edge via a marble flat. And i promise im the most anal person youll ever meet about the 1/1000 of an inch my .10 feeler gauge says its slightly too low from the .10 measurement both sides sit exactly the same between feeler guage and card ruler im able to double check and confirm they are both sitting in that position slightly below .10 with the rod set just above neutral applying pressure forward. The neck was allowed to acclimate when i make an adjustment i take a break from the work as its the best way to allow things to adjust. I do want to reiterate that the rod is difficult to find neutral though i can after some messing with it so it was most likely in neutral for some time.