I just got a brand new PRS S2 McCarty 594. I love how light it is, the feel of the neck, the tone of the US 58/15 pickups, and the new tuners. This is my first PRS guitar (other than a few SE's that I briefly had). I've wanted a PRS since I first played a Custom 22 in a London guitar shop in 1997. But I never got one until now. Sadly my economy does not dictate price of a core model.
I am particular about my setup. I typically like low action (4/64ths bass E String at the 12th fret and 3/64ths on the high e-string). I also like a super straight neck, usually a little less than .06 thousands of an inch at the 8th fret. I do have a 1993 (purchased new in 1994), Gibson Les Paul Custom in Cherry Burst, so I do run that very low and straight, as I also do with my Fender guitars. I drive my luthier nuts!
I was surprised at how reactive the double-truss rod is and I dialed that in quickly. I then turned the thumb screws, and got the action on the bass side to my desired height, but was surprised when the treble side needed to be decked against the body to almost achieve 3/64ths.
I did a quick google search and found this thread: S2 Neck Angle and Action
I made a few phone calls, first to a good friend and person I purchased the guitar from, John Mann, of John Mann's Guitar Vault and Mann-Made USA guitar parts. We discussed options on what could make this guitar work, and then John had a brilliant idea. He had been working on a run of thin-line thumb wheels for vintage Gibson's. He said he'd shoot me a set of thin wheels as a prototype and test from that run. I agreed to be his test subject and prototype the wheels.
After I spoke with John I called PRS and got a very knowledgeable tech, I believe he is one that I saw in one of many PRS factory tour videos. I think his name was Zach. Here is where we addressed the forum post above regarding neck angle and wheels. He stated, if you watch many of the factory tour vides, either PRS or Andertons TV tour, you will notice, the tech that does the set necks meticulously checks the neck angle, makes adjustments, and rechecks, usually four to five times against strict standards of measurements. Then the guitar is passed to the next tech who glues the neck in, and also checks the angle four to five times, again using the same methods. Then on down the line. Zach stated the neck angle is checked at least by six people, all the way to QA, with each person checking at least 2 times there after. They use a straight edge, and a ruler and measure against PRS posted specified parameters.
Regarding action, he stated PRS specs at the 12th fret are 5/64 on the bass side, and 4/64 on the treble side. He stated that both neck angle and action height all fall within a very tight set of parameters that PRS has set. He did say, wood can be different, or a sander may sand a little more or less than others, so there is variance, however, as long as the variance is within their parameters, the guitar moves on down the line. If they are outside of the parameters, then it doesn't go down the line.
He also stated that most neck setters and beyond in the manufacturing process has been with PRS for a while once they've reached that position. He left me assured that it would be a very rare occurrence, or a unicorn, if the neck angle wasn't within PRS specs. John Mann also stated all of the same.
One thing I noticed both on my guitar and watching the PRS Tour Video is by the time it gets to the 2nd to last QA guy, he takes all the measurements to double check everything. PRS leaves A LOT of meat on nut. They said .27 thousands of an inch on the bass E-string. I typically like anywhere between .18 to .20 thou on the E string at the nut. I took measurements, and I assure you the E, A, D, and somewhat G string slots are all way too high. You could drive a Hum-V under them. But that's the way they do it. You can either DYI or have your luthier/guitar tech take them down. So no matter how low you get the bridge, if the nut is too high you will feel it.
I also asked John and PRS about the bridge leaning slightly forward. The posts are straight, it's just the wheel threads that angle a bit. Both the stock wheels and John's wheels did the same. Both PRS and John said this is perfectly normal and has no effect on playing or intonation. Hopefully all this research and testing will help others and once John has the wheels available on his site, you can purchase them in order to lower your action. I'm getting my guitar into my luthier in a few weeks to have either the nut taken down, or just have her cut me a new bone nut to match all my other guitars. John did assure me the PRS proprietary nut is VERY GOOD.
Now, onto the the prototype wheels. I received them yesterday, and please understand that both John and I are aware the diameter is a little small, as they were run with the Gibson run he is doing. These were just to test the concept. Soon he'll be sending me the PRS diameter thin-sized wheels and I'll let him know if changes are required. Once he's happy, he will do runs for customers that seek to have low action without flattening the wheel to the body and make those available on his website.
Here are some pics:
Here is the stock wheel next too the Mann Made wheel:
Here is the stock wheel with the Mann Made wheel on the treble side post:
Here is both Mann Made wheels on the guitar. Note again, the diameter is too small. Once I put the wheels on there is PLENTY of space and you can take the action as low as you can go before the strings sit on the frets. Once John gets the proper diameter, I will test and report back to this thread. So before you ship that guitar back to return it, as was mentioned in the above post, hang tight, a solution is coming.
I am particular about my setup. I typically like low action (4/64ths bass E String at the 12th fret and 3/64ths on the high e-string). I also like a super straight neck, usually a little less than .06 thousands of an inch at the 8th fret. I do have a 1993 (purchased new in 1994), Gibson Les Paul Custom in Cherry Burst, so I do run that very low and straight, as I also do with my Fender guitars. I drive my luthier nuts!
I was surprised at how reactive the double-truss rod is and I dialed that in quickly. I then turned the thumb screws, and got the action on the bass side to my desired height, but was surprised when the treble side needed to be decked against the body to almost achieve 3/64ths.
I did a quick google search and found this thread: S2 Neck Angle and Action
I made a few phone calls, first to a good friend and person I purchased the guitar from, John Mann, of John Mann's Guitar Vault and Mann-Made USA guitar parts. We discussed options on what could make this guitar work, and then John had a brilliant idea. He had been working on a run of thin-line thumb wheels for vintage Gibson's. He said he'd shoot me a set of thin wheels as a prototype and test from that run. I agreed to be his test subject and prototype the wheels.
After I spoke with John I called PRS and got a very knowledgeable tech, I believe he is one that I saw in one of many PRS factory tour videos. I think his name was Zach. Here is where we addressed the forum post above regarding neck angle and wheels. He stated, if you watch many of the factory tour vides, either PRS or Andertons TV tour, you will notice, the tech that does the set necks meticulously checks the neck angle, makes adjustments, and rechecks, usually four to five times against strict standards of measurements. Then the guitar is passed to the next tech who glues the neck in, and also checks the angle four to five times, again using the same methods. Then on down the line. Zach stated the neck angle is checked at least by six people, all the way to QA, with each person checking at least 2 times there after. They use a straight edge, and a ruler and measure against PRS posted specified parameters.
Regarding action, he stated PRS specs at the 12th fret are 5/64 on the bass side, and 4/64 on the treble side. He stated that both neck angle and action height all fall within a very tight set of parameters that PRS has set. He did say, wood can be different, or a sander may sand a little more or less than others, so there is variance, however, as long as the variance is within their parameters, the guitar moves on down the line. If they are outside of the parameters, then it doesn't go down the line.
He also stated that most neck setters and beyond in the manufacturing process has been with PRS for a while once they've reached that position. He left me assured that it would be a very rare occurrence, or a unicorn, if the neck angle wasn't within PRS specs. John Mann also stated all of the same.
One thing I noticed both on my guitar and watching the PRS Tour Video is by the time it gets to the 2nd to last QA guy, he takes all the measurements to double check everything. PRS leaves A LOT of meat on nut. They said .27 thousands of an inch on the bass E-string. I typically like anywhere between .18 to .20 thou on the E string at the nut. I took measurements, and I assure you the E, A, D, and somewhat G string slots are all way too high. You could drive a Hum-V under them. But that's the way they do it. You can either DYI or have your luthier/guitar tech take them down. So no matter how low you get the bridge, if the nut is too high you will feel it.
I also asked John and PRS about the bridge leaning slightly forward. The posts are straight, it's just the wheel threads that angle a bit. Both the stock wheels and John's wheels did the same. Both PRS and John said this is perfectly normal and has no effect on playing or intonation. Hopefully all this research and testing will help others and once John has the wheels available on his site, you can purchase them in order to lower your action. I'm getting my guitar into my luthier in a few weeks to have either the nut taken down, or just have her cut me a new bone nut to match all my other guitars. John did assure me the PRS proprietary nut is VERY GOOD.
Now, onto the the prototype wheels. I received them yesterday, and please understand that both John and I are aware the diameter is a little small, as they were run with the Gibson run he is doing. These were just to test the concept. Soon he'll be sending me the PRS diameter thin-sized wheels and I'll let him know if changes are required. Once he's happy, he will do runs for customers that seek to have low action without flattening the wheel to the body and make those available on his website.
Here are some pics:
Here is the stock wheel next too the Mann Made wheel:
Here is the stock wheel with the Mann Made wheel on the treble side post:
Here is both Mann Made wheels on the guitar. Note again, the diameter is too small. Once I put the wheels on there is PLENTY of space and you can take the action as low as you can go before the strings sit on the frets. Once John gets the proper diameter, I will test and report back to this thread. So before you ship that guitar back to return it, as was mentioned in the above post, hang tight, a solution is coming.
