PRS SE Custom 24 truss rod question

[brook]

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking on these forums for a while (big fan of PS Fridays!) but this will be my first post.

I bought my first PRS SE (Custom 24) a couple months ago from a local PRS dealer and I absolutely love it. However, I've noticed that when I set the neck relief to 0.010" at the 8th fret (factory setup I believe), I get a really noticeable truss rod rattle. I can hear it very clearly when playing unplugged. I know it's the truss rod since I can rap on the back of the neck and hear it move around. If I give it more relief, the rattle decreases to almost nothing. Unfortunately, that is too much relief for me so I'm looking for another fix.

I've reads on frets.com (http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Setup/BuzzDiagnosis/TrussRod/trussrod.html) that you can pour a mixture of naphtha and rubber cement into the truss rod cavity to dampen the rattle. Does anyone have any experience with this? My plan was to make a batch of the stuff and see how it behaves before I just dump it down there. I don't want to do something that will totally screw the guitar.

If someone can give me some advice/insight on how to fix this, that would be awesome.

Thanks in advance,
Brook

 

[andy474x]

I would contact PRS customer service to see if you're covered by warranty before you do that, because you certainly won't be afterwards.

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Not sure , but you may want to try the washer trick...if you can remove the truss rod nut, and add a couple small washers to the end of the rod (need to fit easily into the truss rod opening ), than put the nut back on...this MAY take enough slack from the rod to stop the rattle...this trick is usually saved for people wanting to tighten up a truss rod more, but it may change the tension just enough to stop the rattle. (figured try this before pouring goop down into the channel)...OR...try next gauge up in strings ( 9's to 10's), so you would need to snug up the truss rod a bit...???

 

[wardog]

If it only been a couple months since purchase, bring it back to the dealer for warranty issue, before you try to do a repair yourself. If it is a new guitar purchase!!!!!

 

[rugerpc]

If it only been a couple months since purchase, bring it back to the dealer for warranty issue, before you try to do a repair yourself. If it is a new guitar purchase!!!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ this

prsguitars LIFETIME limited warranty

from the link above:

"The guitar is warranted through the authorized PRS dealer it was purchased through. If you are the original owner of the guitar and you are experiencing problems that you feel are warranty related, please contact your authorized PRS dealer immediately for warranty parts and/or services."

I just hope you sent in your registration card...

 

[brook]

I just hope you sent in your registration card...

I did actually. As soon as I noticed the rattle I put that thing right in the mail. I never received anything back from PRS though.

I took the guitar to the dealer when I first noticed the issue as well. He just loosened the rod as a quick fix. Guess I'll have to pay him another trip?

Does anyone know if this is an issue with other SE guitars? I am really liking that I can get such a good guitar for <$1000 and really only need to replace the nut to have an awesome instrument. If I just got a Friday afternoon guitar by chance the first time then maybe I'll order an SE245 or Akesson.

B

 

[andy474x]

Mmm Akesson... sooooo good

 

[mikeyekim]

I would be severely upset if my SE24 did that, I particularly like the grain pattern mine has. Unfortunately I sanded the back of the neck down so that pretty much voids everything.

 

[henryr]

I do not understand righty tighty lefty loosey. I want to increase bow to make the strings higher above the 8th fret. Looking from the head stock down the neck, towards the body, which direction should the double action truss rod be turned?

Thanks,
henryr

 

[shinksma]

I do not understand righty tighty lefty loosey. I want to increase bow to make the strings higher above the 8th fret. Looking from the head stock down the neck, towards the body, which direction should the double action truss rod be turned?

Thanks,
henryr

This should help:

http://proguitarshop.com/andyscorner/simple-guitar-setup-part-2-truss-rod-adjustment

the diagram is better seen here:

http://www.artandlutherieguitars.com/double-action-truss-rod-adj.jpg

So you want to turn the truss rod counterclockwise.

Do it in small steps - 1/4 turn at a time, give it time to adjust.

Also, for ref just in case:

http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/trussrod.html